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Dawn: Posted on Friday, March 22, 2013 10:58 PM
As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my hubs and I teach a Sunday School class (Young Love) and our new classroom recently underwent a redecorating project (a post about that is in the works). One of the final projects was to provide a supply of pencils on each table. We needed: 1) cheap or free supplies 2) the décor to coordinate with the room. 3) the pencil cans to display a table number This is where my stash of saved empty cans came in handy! =) Using 2 rolls of fringed burlap...bought at half price at Hobby Lobby ($4 a roll...$2 half price), I used my Cricut Expression 2 to cut out numbers 1-9. These were used as stencils instead of using the actual number that was cut out. First, I placed the stencil on the burlap and used a sponge dabber dipped in paint to create the number in the middle of the length of burlap. Second, after drying I simply wrapped the burlap around the cans, securing it with a line of hot glue on the back. It was as simple as that! And this is how they look in the classroom: Goal accomplished...minimal cost, functional and coordinates well with the room! Inspired, Dawn |
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Dawn: Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 12:25 AM
I've been quite busy in the workshop and here is one of my favorite projects of late. It started with a little trip to Hobby Lobby to visit the 60-90% off aisle. I found this fun little wooden owl, but as you can SEE... it had a missing part! Guess both eyes didn't make it through the Christmas holidays. Yikes! This sweet little owl was marked down 80% off... I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it, but owls are all the rave these days, so I grabbed her up! The eyes were an easy fix...I popped the good eye off and then Mod Podge two new ones using scrapbook paper cut out to look similar to the original one.  I also distressed her a tad. This project was for a teacher's classroom, so I opted to glue the owl onto a painted canvas (this one is 18x24 inches in size) and then used my Cricut to cut the lettering... So...what happened to the "eye"...well, here you "see" it on another project. It was turned into a flower for a sweet canvas for a special girlie girl in my life... Good luck with your "Scratch -n-Dent" purchases. Be creative...think differently...think fun! :) Inspired, Dawn |
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Dawn: Posted on Friday, March 23, 2012 7:42 PM
Recently, I was inspired to clean out a cabinet at ~ No. 9257 ~ ...again...imagine that! I found an extra trash bin that I wanted to use in the grandkids room, but it was (oh so) plain. Sometimes I long for the calming, clean lines and not so busy look, but in this room I was going for color. So, my project for the day was to turn this boring white trash can into something a tad more cheery. Here is what I started with... The B was cut using my Cricut. I had several of them on hand too and was happy to find a purpose for one of the monogram letters. Next, it was time for colorful POLKA DOTS! I used the circle dabbers and craft paint for these... Then it was time to bring out the Mod Podge!  I glued the monogram B to the center...but after looking at it I just wasn't satisfied! =( It sorta looked like it just threw up polka dots everywhere! Ha!The polka dots were too small and I wanted some that were larger...scrapbook paper and my circle puncher helped me out.  I also jazzed it up by adding ball fringe to the top... Hmmm...Hmmm...Hmmm? What else to do to it? I still thought it needed another touch of something. So, out came my black paint again to distress it a bit. Oooops! Got a little carried away with the distressing technique! The top looked "messy"... Never fear...mistakes don't scare me! I pulled out the nail polish remover to take the paint off. And this is how it looks with the other room decor... It's too cute to put trash in now... =) Inspired, Dawn |
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Dawn: Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2012 7:56 PM
 I am thrilled to share this project with you all...probably because it is a testimony to perseverance here at...~ No. 9257 ~ Remember, Grand baby #2 will be here soon and it was time for his big brother to transition to a new big boy room. Check it out...here and here! Initially, I suggested that the daughter-in-love put these spice racks up to hold the wall of books. This inspiration pic comes from Jen at Iheartorganizing.com. She used the spice racks (freshly painted a bright red) for storing books in her boys' bedroom... HOW CUTE ARE THEY???  However, we live in an area where there is no IKEA :( I know! How can that be??? And the spice racks were not available online...in store only. So, we were off in search of plan B... In the wee hours of the morning (when sleeping seems to be a luxury for me), I stumbled upon a Pinterest pic that immediately caught my eye...it would be PERFECT for little Caden's new big boy bedroom. The project involved using gutters as book shelving. Who would have thought?!? So thankful for the creative minds of others! :) Within days, my son and daughter-in-love were off to Lowe's to grab a few gutters...costing around $30. They cut them down to 2 foot sections and then they were ready for a colorful paint job. This is where the perseverance came in...it took MANY coats of paint (and a few different kinds of brushes) to truly cover the white gutters. Thankfully, we had some paint on hand from a recently painted loft area here at ~ No. 9257 ~... My daughter-in-love started the paint job... ...but wasn't really satisfied with the progress, so I took them over to relieve her frustration. Indeed...it was quite a task to get these suckers looking red! But here is how it progressed... Here you can see that I used a coordinating brown color (again on hand from a previous project). This color added a little depth to the inside of the gutters. It also helped to disguise the coverage of the paint. While the last coat of paint dried, I was off to the laptop to create a monogram for 2 of the gutters... Then...the Cricut got some use... Mod Podge was used to glue the scrapbook Cricut cut letters and monograms on. Then an overall couple of coats was applied to the gutters for protection... Finally, the gutters were installed on the walls using gutter clips for support...cute, eh? :) Enjoy your adventures in reading, Caden ! Inspired, Dawn |
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Dawn: Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2012 8:58 PM
Happy 22nd Anniversary to me... My hubby rocks! I guess he has been eavesdropping and heard that my Cricut had called it quits. So he took it upon himself to visit a couple of stores in search of the best present this stay-at-home artsy, craftsy mom could want. Early this morning he busted out this...the Mack Daddy of Cricut cutters. Beyond thrilled...no words...entirely shocked...happy dance time! He even got the "anniversary" edition. (It appears that Cricut is celebrating their 5th anniversary.) The thought behind this gift truly was most meaningful :) I have to admit, I got tickled at the vision of him traipsing in and out of craft stores looking for this perfect gift. He really does care that I love to create! Thanks dear...now, let the crafting begin! So, first on my list of projects to knock out what finishing this bar stool that I bought at a flea market for just a few bucks. It was ugly and very worn, but nothing a new paint job can't fix...black paint to the rescue!  This is not the original photo. My bar stool looked FAR worse than this and was originally in a bathroom with a silver tub of towels on top...but then my young teen decided to dump it in the attic where it sat very lonely until I found it. It makes for perfect extra seating in the kitchen or even a plant stand...but def in need of a face lift! This is where my Cricut comes in. I cut out my images... Then laid the images out on the top of the stool... Now...ready for Mod Podge! Smooth down carefully...sort of like wallpaper... get the air bubbles out! This pic was taken after a couple of coats of glue. And now, the finished project... I like! Now, won't you come for a visit and try the new anniversary stool out? :) It's waiting on some company... Inspired, Dawn |
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