How to make an established/monogrammed sign {bridal shower gift}

I’ve always wanted to make an established sign as a gift and a recent bridal shower was the perfect occasion.

How to make an established/monogrammed sign.

Materials:

  • Wood 18 x 9 x 1
  • TransTint Dye (Dark Walnut or Dark Mission Brown)
  • Craft Paint (gray and white)
  • Stencil (I used a vinyl stencil I created with my Silhouette Cameo)
  • Spray Lacquer
  • Sawtooth picture hanger

Tutorial:

I sanded down a pretty piece of wood then died it with my favorite color of TransTint Dye from Rockler a long time ago as part of my participation with the DIY Club. I seriously love this product. A little goes a long way and I can control the color – just add water. I also love that I can let the unused portion sit on a shelf. Water evaporates and I can just add water to re-use the unused portion. I’ve used it on many projects and have so much left!

transtint dye

Using my Silhouette Cameo, I designed and cut out a monogram, border and last name vinyl stencil. {Be sure to measure the sign and create a border/design that fits within those measurements.}

Silhouette Cameo

I peeled off the letters and used the “negative” part of the vinyl as a stencil. Placing it straight was the hardest part. Holding it up to the light and cutting straight lines using the guide on the back of the vinyl was helpful.

Silhouette Cameo vinyl monogram

I pulled away the wax paper, applied the vinyl stencil and made sure it was all good and stuck by rubbing the design with a credit card.

DIY vinyl

Slowly peel away the backing…

DIY sign tutorial

Next I painted the border, monogram and “established 2012″ using gray acrylic craft paint. I gave it a few coats.

DIY painted sign

I’m impatient, so I let it dry a few minutes then peeled away the vinyl. Then I let it dry fully.

DIY monogram sign

I created another vinyl stencil of the last name and cut it out using my Silhouette Cameo. Once the first paint was dry, I followed the same steps to apply the last name stencil. I placed the name in the center of the sign and used white paint.

DIY gift sign

Let dry. Last step is to attach a hanger to the back {make sure the nails/screws aren’t bigger than the depth of the wooden sign!}. I also gave my sign a coat of spray satin matte lacquer.

sawtooth sign hanger

Ta-da! I personalized gift:

DIY established monogram sign

{So sorry about the low light/poor quality pictures! Ugh! I didn’t realize until pictures were uploaded after the gift was given.}

What do you think?

Wish me luck today. I’m heading to the apartment (enlisting the help of my 19-year-old nephew) to tackle my first attempt to sand hardwood floors!

Enjoy the weekend!

OH! It’s the LAST CHANCE TO ENTER THE BETTER HOMES & GARDENS “Color Guide” and  ”New Cottage Style” decorating book giveaway. Need some inspiration? Stop over to enter to win!

BHG Decorating Book Giveaway

bhg.book.collage

Disclaimer: I created the above project using some supplies I’ve received in the past for previously sponsored projects. Opinion is my all mine based on my experience.

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DIY painted foam playmat becomes wall art

The long weekend here means catching up on some little projects that kept getting put off. Remember when I painted a foam playmat, thinking it’d be a great kitchen/cooking mat?

before…

painted playmat tutorial, DIY kitchen mat, Gorilla tape

after…

{painted foam playmat tutorial}

How to paint a foam playmat, floor mat, do it yourself, DIY, vintage restaurant sign, aged, distressed, lobster, beachy, New Orleans

It looks great there, doesn’t it?

DIY, tutorial, painted floor mat

It really does. But, Mr. DIY is the cook and he’s not always neat, if you know what I mean. Food flies everywhere.  And you guys – it was just so pretty. I’ve never painted anything so large that came out so well and I just couldn’t let it get covered with food and smashed down by grown up weight and feet and ruined. I’m so proud of that painted playmat. I’ll make another for this area with a farmhouse theme, I promise.

In the meantime, we have this huge blank wall at the barn patio…

barn patio makeover

Know where I’m going with this? It can be affordable huge DIY wall art too and looks awesome here…

barn patio after

and just for fun, here is what this covered barn area looked like when we bought our house…

and now…

painted foam playmat

And there will be more projects here on this covered patio area {with better lighting and pictures} as I update this space. It’s great for entertaining: cook outs, picnics and bon fires. It’s a cozy comfortable place to relax and get away from the house too, to curl up with a good book with some privacy, even in the rain.

I love the way the playmat fills up the huge empty wall. What do you think?

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Dining Room Plate Wall

I love the look of plate walls – a great way to fill a wall with so many options to fit your own personal style.

Meet: Hilary from My So-Called Home.

dining room before

Hilary shares my issues with indecision. What to put on the walls? She finally realized it would be better to put something there and change her mind later on than to do nothing at all. And of course, lots of Pinterest browsing helped, specifically these two lovely rooms:

Then her idea became a reality. Now all she needed was a whole mess of random plates and she knew exactly where to get them– the same place she scored her awesome campaign dresser. This place has more dishes so many dishes (how dreamy!) Most of the dishes Hilary got were about 50¢ each.

Hilary washed and dried and numbered (masking tape) her plates.

Secret: One of her plates is not actually ceramic but this sweet little incredibly tarnished silver dish that took a couple coats of primer and white paint to fit in with the rest.

 

Hilary found adhesive cloth hook hangers in the “hooks and hangers” section at Lowe’s.

Hilary used paper plates and paper patterns to create a template.

Before:

And After!

 

 

Who knew that a few thrift store plates could create such a big fun impact?

Hilary is also happy to report that three moons have passed since these plates went up and they’re all holding strong.

I love Hilary’s collection of plates. I also love every other dining room detail. A beautiful appetizing dining area.

Do you have a plate wall?

I have a dining room plate wall too. Let me clean up in there and I’ll share an update in the near future. Hilary, thanks for sharing your beautiful dining room, inspiring plate wall and tips for a hanging! Pop over to see more budget friendly LOVELY DIY at My So Called Home.
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Styrofoam Convex Mirror Tutorial

I got crafty at the DIY Club recently. Loving most things Pottery Barn, these PB Found Parat Mirrors were on my birthday wish list but that day came and went and besides…

parat mirrors

they aren’t convex mirrors and the price tag of $79/each isn’t something I’d really want to spend. Lamps Plus has this LARGE convex beauty for $104. Definitely not in my budget.

convex wall mirror

I’ve always wanted to do something with convex mirrors so I decided to create a DIY version.

Materials:

  • Styrofoam 12″ wreath forms (I used 3)
  • DecoArt MagiKote
  • Dark brown spray paint
  • DecoArt Americana paints (Ebony and Traditional Burnt Umber)
  • Hot glue
  • 8 1/2″ Convex mirror (x3) affiliate link:
DIY convex mirror tutorial

Tutorial:

1. Using a foam brush, coat the top and sides of Styrofoam wreath form and let dry.

The DecoArt MagiKote seals the Styrofoam, creating a paintable surface.

Without on the left, MagiKote on the right…

2. Give each Styrofoam wreath form 2 coats of spray paint (dry between coats).

3. Remove brackets from back of convex mirrors.

4. Attach convex mirrors to center of wreath with hot glue. I used hot glue on the back of each mirror. Once in applied to the Styrofoam in the center, I used hot glue around the perimeter of each mirror too.

5. Touch up with Americana paints.

6. Let dry and hang using Command velcro strips.

What do you think?  {besides the fact that the top one is a little off?!} It’s okay. They’ve since been moved and are now aligned.

I love them as they were but I can never leave well enough alone so I’ve done a little embellishing using beaded garland (attached with hot glue)…

beaded detail on DIY convex mirror

My convex mirrors are hanging using Command Velco Strips.

DIY convex mirror

These will go in our master bedroom makeover but for now I’m liking them here, in the family room

DIY convex mirror tutorial

…until next week when you’re likely to see them moved again. It’s a sickness. I just love rearranging. You know you do that too right? . . .

They’d look fab horizontally displayed too!

DIY convex mirror project

Like this project? I’d love for you to share! 

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DIY Club

What’s all the HOOPla? DIY Hoop Art Tutorial

My friend Amanda from

Mommy is Coocoo

created  a wall of beautiful art using embroidery hoops and pretty fabrics. Super easy and affordable do-it-yourself to fill up an empty wall space. So many options for making a design for a custom color palette and space.

Materials:

  • Fabricfabric scraps
  • Embroidery Hoopsembroidery hoops

Tutorial:

  • Simply stretch fabric in embroidery hoops, trim to size and hang. Amanda recommends not putting a whole lot of thought into it. Sometimes a random surprise is the best plan. fabric hoop art tutorial

Wall before:{naked!}

bare wall

Wall after:

hoop art tutorial

Fun, colorful, affordable, super quick and easy wall art that makes a big beautiful statement!

hoop and fabric wall art

embroidery hoop wall art

See more creative DIY (and more!) from Amanda at Mommy is CooCoo!

 



Rustic {Hunger Games} love quote sign tutorial

I personally haven’t had a chance to read the series (or see the movie) but it is on my reading list (I’m just starting the 3rd in the Bronze Horseman series) but I do love to read and I do love DIY and rustic charm. Our talented DIY friend, Angie from
Photobucket
 has combined all of that to create a beautifully inspiring piece for her master bedroom…

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Thrifty Treasures

My trip to the thrift store this week resulted in two Venice prints. A little more expensive than I’d normally consider ($10/each) but the retail price shows $40/each and they have an old world feel that’s perfect for the living room.  $80 for $20. Not bad.

living room wall decor

I needed to add some steel wire to the back to hang {tips for hanging pictures on plaster walls}…

wire cable for pictures

and now they fill a previously empty wall space:

living room

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DIY bath sign and $50 Wallums Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. :)
Your 1 winners on “DIY bath sign and $50 Wallums Giveaway” is:

1) Tara

DIY bathroom sign

I recently had the opportunity to try my choice of vinyl from Wallums. Wall’ums is a San Francisco based company specializing in 100% removable, unique and custom wall decals.

wallums

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