Saturday, January 21, 2012

There's no place like home word sign ~

Hello, all.

I've been wanting to try and make my own word sign for quite some time now instead of buying one for about $12 to $50.

My initial problem with making one myself was what color to choose. My living room colors are turning out to be quite interesting and varied...


We bought a new couch this summer as well as some pillows and a throw from two different stores.  They seem to match pretty nicely?! 
I also have a lot of maroon and browns. Sage would have to be my favorite color and seems to be in a lot of my accent pieces. 
Trying to get all of these colors to go together is kind of a challenge! This was sort of  my inspiration collage for my wall sign.

(The set of old books are the inspiration for my entire living room)

I did a color test on a website with the above collage of pictures that inspire my design. I chose a blue color based on the matches that the test gave me. It goes with my decor pretty well!

I had been going to stores getting paint samples of grays and blues and had been very indecisive on what color to go with up to that point. The test sort of gave me every color that would work with what I had going on in the picture. It made everything so much easier than just trying to guess at the right shade myself.

~*~


The other problem was where to buy the vinyl wall art or to have a personalized one made. 

I really want a sign to say the verse ~

As for me and my House, We will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

I didn't want to ruin anything on my first try if I'm going to all the expense and hassle of getting one made. Luckily, I found this word sign at the dollar store and I knew it would be perfect for my first attempt at making my own sign! 

I bought the board at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon so it was about $4. 

I bought the paint at Walmart for about $14. 
The paint is by Glidden. It's an egg shell/satin paint in Antique Silver.



(I also plan on using the paint for a TV table in our computer/extra room)

 I only painted one coat (which is rare for me).
I let it completely dry over night.

~*~

I've spoken of my love for the fleur de lis symbol before. I just love it, and it's all over our home! 

I bought the board long before the word saying and realized that the words are much shorter than the actual wood piece and I would need something else to fill the empty ends of the board to flank the words.

I taped the stencil with painters tape one at a time and spray painted with Rust-oleum painters touch spray in (Satin) Claret Wine (I've had the spray paint laying around from an old photo frame project).

It took about twenty minutes for the first side to dry and then I did the second side. 


After about an hour, I started sanding all of the edges and almost the entire front of the sign. I wasn't loving how bright the maroon color was and how it wasn't sanding down properly. It was sort of smearing everywhere. I decided to add brown over the maroon to match the deeper color from my set of books and hoped that it would lighten the brightness. 

I had heard good things about cherry wood stain over blue paint for distressing. Originally, I planned on using it, but I wasn't sure what the cherry stain would do to the maroon color that I was starting to not love...So I pulled out some old brown acrylic craft paint, mixed it with water, painted over the maroon color, and left it there for awhile. I really liked the color once I wiped the fleur de lis spots with a terry cloth and decided to do the rest of the sign with that color as my glazing/aged color...


I left it on for about three to five minutes before I wiped it all down. I went over the edges a few times more.


See how the brown paint really went into all of the spots that I sanded?


A little closer of a look... 

I let everything dry over night and all day the next day. The acrylic craft paint wasn't as tacky to the touch as the stain that I used on my french provincial table project. If I had to pick, I think that I prefer the paint to the stain. I have't done the brown paint over white yet though to see which one I truly prefer.


I need to give credit where credit is due here though. My patient and loving husband measured the two stencils and the word saying for me. He even helped me apply the wall words to the wood as I was so afraid of getting it on there all crooked. 

He's great with that kind of thing and I am not! What a life/design saver he is! He's truly the most super sweet guy that I know! I'm a blessed girl where he's concerned!

He didn't even say anything when I asked him to immediately hang the sign once I was done and then realized there was nothing on the back to actually hang the sign with. Out with the tool box and more measuring for my guy! I love you, Nate!!!


One of Nate's favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz so I was glad to find this word quote!


I love my new sign and my eclectic sage, blue, maroon, brown, black and distressed white living room decor!

~*~
If you want to do a similar project with any of the products or styles that I mentioned here's a list of what you'll need ~

Wood sign (Hobby Lobby) $4
Drop cloth $1
Paint color of choice (Walmart) $14
Vinyl word/wall saying $1
Brown acrylic craft paint or wood stain $2?
Spray paint $4
Sand paper $1
Paint brush $1
Rags $5
& Stencils (Hobby Lobby) $4.50



Love,


Friday, January 6, 2012

Crafting with family ~


We had a wonderful time (in-spite of a terrible cold) up north with my family in Petoskey over the New Year Holiday. I wanted to enjoy some girl bonding time, so I thought that it would be fun to bring a craft for us to do together. Sadly, my sister Amanda had to leave early, but my sister Pam and her daughter, Isabel, were up for some crafting fun!

I have been loving a blog that I recently discovered called Down to Earth Style, and I just can't get enough of the burlap wreathes that she has created! There are many inspirational and beautiful blogs out there about home decorating, crafting, and home made gift ideas, but this is one of my favorites! I just love her style! 


I had brown, white, and sage burlap, which are pretty much my go to colors. This will match any room in my home if I decide to keep it indoors.


Pam tying knots...

This was about something fun to do and not a tutorial. You can see how Holly at Down to Earth Style creates her burlap wreathes here.


Isabel was pretty excited about making her own wreath but she wanted Mom's help in case she wasn't doing it right.


She started getting into it and tying her own knots for her green and white wreath. She doesn't like the word "sage." Who knew a six year old would have such marked opinions?! 


Isn't my big sis so cute?!

You can see some finished wreathes in the background. Pam wasn't quite done as she helped Isabel with so much of hers. That and running a home in general...She's my hero!


I started a second wreath... just brown this time. I'm thinking about adding red in there somehow and putting that one on my door next Christmas. I've got about 12 months to think about it...


Isabel can't wait to hang her's on her bedroom door "like a real house!" 


Ta-da! Aren't they gorgeous?! We had so much fun making these!

Later on when we got home....


I painted and distressed the A for Asper to go in the center of my wreath


 I'm still deciding if I should trim it all up even more than I already have? Either way, I love it! 

I can't wait for my next crafting project!

Love,