Doggystyle DIY Leash Holder

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A few weeks ago, the Mama got a hankering to play with paints. 

This happens from time to time, though I have no idea why. She’s really not much of a painter, unless you count wall painting as a particular skill. far from being an artist, she just kind of does whatever she likes and be darned if it’s right or artsy or whatever.

With that in mind, she set out to make us a new, doggy themed leash hook. For years, our leashes have hung by the mud room door, on hooks that look like dog butts. Curious those things. Where is the other half of the dog? Did Mama lop the front half off, so she could use their tails as hooks – and if so, what did she do with the front halfs? I try not to dwell on it, least I get too freaked out.

She was envisioning some sort of decorative picture with hooks on the front to hang things on. Despite her limited artistic ability, she was counting on the handmade vibe and overall all messiness to add a bit of charm and I daresay she succeeded.

The whole thing is kind of cute right? 

What we love is that this is so easily customized to fit any colour scheme. We chose brights because we thought they would photograph best, but you could just as easily do neutrals, pastels or even shades of black & grey. You can also choose hooks to match any decor. Mama may very well swap out the hooks on ours, since she doesn’t love how “utilitarian” they look.

Do you want to make one all of your own? Here’s what you need to make your own DIY Leash Holder:

You don’t need a ton of supplies for this one. I was able to pick up everything, at my local Dollar Store for less than $10.

• 1 – 5 x 7 stretched canvas on a wood frame
• 1 – Acrylic Paint set (We got this one for $2 – score!)
• 2 – 4 hooks
• Q tips
• Cottonballs
• Water
• Optional: Waterproof Shellac Spray

I know what you’re thinking: “Hey Kol! You forgot paintbrushes you goof!” Nope. Mama painted this entire thing using cotton balls & Q-Tips. Crazy, right?? The simplicity of this project makes it a great kids craft, if you happen to have one of those tiny humans, and it’s absolutely doable for those who aren’t confident in their art skills.

1. Choose your base colour. You might have guessed that Mama is fond of turquoises, so we choose a bright greeny blue. 
2. Put a small amount of paint in a mixing container (We use our old yogurt containers so we don’t feel too guilty when we throw them out). I probably used about 1/2 tsp of paint for the background and honestly, I mixed too much.
3. Add a small amount of water to the paint. You want it to be around 60% paint, 40% water, but we didn’t exact measure. You’ll know when it’s the right consistency – we trust your judgement.
4. Using a cotton ball, cover the entire canvas with your chosen colour. Don’t worry about getting it even, we’re going to distress it in a minute. Allow paint to dry for 2 – 3 minutes.
5. Place the canvas under the faucet and hit it with a quick burst of water, wherever you would like your lightened area to show. All the excess water to run off. Allow canvas to dry completely.
6. Once your background is fully dried, it’s time to add the paw prints. Mix 3 – 4 colours of paint, in the same 60% paint/40% water ratio.
7. Use cotton balls soaked in the watered paint mixture to create the large circle of the paw prints and Q tip to create the toes. Don’t be afraid to let paws overlap or to go off the edge of the canvas. You want it to look fairly busy. Don’t worry about being tidy – the charm of this piece is that it is a little messy, the paws aren’t uniform and the colour is watery in some areas and darker in others. Once you’re happy with the paws, allow canvas to dry completely.
8. I decided to paint the word WOOF in one corner. I thought it would be full of whimsy. I hate it and immediately regretted it.
   

   WORST PICTURE EVER. Why can’t I find my camera?!

9. If desired, spray the whole thing with waterproof shellac to seal it. Don’t be tempted to use brush on shellac. Your master piece will blur and smudge and, if you’re anything like me, words that aren’t fit to print will spew out of your mouth.
10. Once your paining is completely dry, screw your hooks into the wood frame. Make sure you have chosen hooks that can be secured with small screws or that you have predrilled the holes to ensure the frame doesn’t crack.

Voila! Hang on the wall and admire your handiwork. Lift leashes on an off the hooks 75 bazillion times a day to take your dogs for numerous, totally awesome walks.

How do you store your leashes? Do you prefer to hang them, store them in bins or something else altogether?