I spent Thanksgiving with my brother and SUPERSTAR sister-in-law - one of my very favorite people because she's awesome, super crafty and always willing to jump into a project with me. I might add that she's also smart. Smart enough to go 'another way' when we began this seemingly easy peasy art project! :)
I was strolling around some blogs for an alphabet idea for our playroom wall and came across my very favorite option at a blog called HowDoesShe? I am currently obsessed with my Silhouette so it was a pretty easy sell. However - didn't really think it all through. the whole 26 squares, 26 mounting plywood pieces, sanding the 26 squares, sanding the 26 mounting pieces, painting the 52 squares (thankful for said superstar sister-in-law who helped!), cutting the 26 papers, glueing 26 papers, picking 26 vinyl letters, cutting 26 vinyl letters, mounting 26 boards on plywood squares, installing 26 frame mounting claws, measuring, remeasuring, leveling and hanging 26 squares onto the wall. 26. there are 26 letters in the alphabet.
But it looks FANTASTIC! And I love it! :)
I'm also looking forward to the day where I get to be the one to patch 26 little holes in the wall! :)
Make sure to check out Danae's finished project here! (Like how I set you up there Danae? - pretty sure you mentioned you were waiting for me to 'inspire' your post....?!)
So, the previous owners of our house, ...they built a fireplace surround for the electric insert and, well....
'nuff said. Yes. That's actually wallpaper. AMAZING.
So, be it that we can't afford to replace it at this time and we like having the extra heat for the basement - this is my quest to prettify it.
Since the wallpaper revealed a mixture of odd lumbar, drywall, and panelling - they obviously had "wallpapering" in mind - none of the sides were flat. So, I boxed it in with some MDF for a little more interest and put solid plywood panels on the side so it was paintable. I then primed the sides and front columns.
And my amazing husband laid ceramic tile around the insert.
The top had had been tiled and trimmed with wood baseboards. Mmmmm.
So - we put a new top on it and just painted out the insert with black flat paint. and now...
and this is where I'm stuck. it looks deceiving finished from the front but the moulding is just currently tacked...cause,....turns out....I SUCK at cutting crown moulding. thus, the sides don't line up with the front - which incidentally was cut too short - ummm,... twice - and thus is remains the view from the sides. SO SAD.... :(
so - back to the store for yet another six foot piece of moulding - happy I picked the cheap stuff..... :)
Last night I finished part two in my quest to organize my two year old and four year old. (that's doable right?? - oh a girl can dream....) So I first found my inspiration and plans at a little website I visit - oh about three times a day - called Knock-Off Wood. Completely inspiring and empowering. And gotta say - I had no idea I could use power tools, but they're a whole lot more fun than a needle and thread.
So - this is the new designated area for craft/coloring world. This is in attempts to get it off my kitchen table, bedroom floors, coffee table, couch, kitchen floor, staircase (a personal favorite) and family room floor.
So - this is wood working project number three. But I've got big plans for that Ana White and I! She's seriously a superstar! Next I believe will be a shelf for above the new craft desk and some storage lockers for our mudroom. But,...well...you saw that room a few days ago...and I guess there's no rush on those. :)
Have a great day...
Ralna
So, I finally uncovered a piece of our family room after a few hours - sadly basically just transporting mess from one section of the room to the other....but I found my toy storage unit and am super excited to have it placed in its new home! The paint did get scratched a bit in the move...(FREE movers but perhaps need to temper their testosterone with patience and care) so I will have to give it a little love, I still need to add the crown around the top and eventually I will build a desk off the side and storage for kids craft supplies. But that will most likely be a few months away. And I'm pretty proud of my little accomplishment with my very own two hands - knowing that all the toys I trip over all day COULD be in their enclosed organized home.... Nothing but good intentions I'm sure..... :)
