Cornering the Market on Cheap Artwork

Apparently, I've gotten really picky in my home decor as I can't seem to find anything out there in this large mass-produced world that I like. I see things on etsy all the time that I like, but then it comes down to how much do I want to spend. I'm not necessarily saying I'm cheap, but, sometimes, those sellers are asking a LOT.

I recently found a saying I really like, and I couldn't find it just the way I wanted it. So I made my own. It didn't take any time at all as I was able to use an open source image editing program (GIMP 2) that's pert near Photoshop and some clip art. I also utilized one of my other favorite tools, 1001freefonts.com. I use this font website ALL THE TIME. They have the greatest typefaces, and the one I chose for this project was Sybil Green. I got the funky frame at Hobby Lobby for $7 since they were on sale for 50% off.

I put this in our kitchen since it's (our kitchen) severely lacking in personality. It has these weird soffits that hold these frames really well. I made these prints to fit in a 5" x 7" frame and printed them on high quality cardstock.

After putting this one up, there's another empty weird soffit right across the way from it. So I had to come up with another cute little saying. We drink a LOT of tea in our house, and it's kind of a religion so I came up with, "I Love You More than Tea" and added some cute clip art to go along with that.

I used all the same tools to make this one, the frames were still on sale at Hobby Lobby, and I'm sure it took a grand total of about 20 minutes in front of my computer to make these. And they're very personal to our family. If you see a cute little saying you like somewhere, don't be afraid to make your very own typographic artwork. Happy Crafting!

DIY: Trendy Baby Decor

I'm going to apologize for this "tutorial" right now. Yes, I'm implying it's not really a tutorial. It's more like half of one. I wasn't entirely sure this was going to work out when I started it, but, as it turns out, I really liked the end result.

I think we've all seen those beautiful chandelier butterfly mobiles that are pretty popular right now. They're all over etsy, pottery barn has one and you can find them on amazon. The only problem with these is 1) they're usually between $50 and $80 and 2) butterflies are really your only decorative option. Enter... the brain trust...

Trendy Chandelier Mobiles: a la Rayna

Supplies:
colored papers for die cutting
die cutting method (cricut, punch, freestyle with scissors, etc.)
ruler
metal ring (I used 10" diameter)
.5mm stretch magic beading string
18 gauge wire
wire cutters / curlers
coordinating ribbon for wrapping exposed metal wire and ring
* I used 1/4" for the smaller inside wire
* I used 3/8" for the larger outer ring
scissors
various adhesives
*I used glue dots for adhere birds to stretch string
*I used scotch tape to wrap loose ends of stretch string around exposed wire and ring
*I used Aleene's Jewelry & Metal Glue for adhering wire to ring and ribbon to wire / ring
various clamps for holding wrapped ribbon when your hands start to cramp

I first had to strategize how I was going to lay out my mobile. This probably took the longest amount of time for me as it was a LOT of trial and error. I designed it as an outer metal ring with a 4-point inner crossbar. In the end, I ended up with these specs where the red dots represent where I tied each chandelier string:

• 1 middle string: 24" long
• 4 strings radiating out at 21" long
• 4 strings radiating out at 15" long
• 16 strings along outer ring at 12" long

With the spacing I chose and the die cut sizes (birds: 2", clouds: 2-1/2"), the individual string specs worked out like this:

• 24" string: 6 die cuts (2 clouds, 4 birds)
• 21" strings: 4 die cuts (1 cloud, 3 birds)
• 15" strings: 3 die cuts (1 cloud, 2 birds)
• 12" strings: 2 die cut birds 

Phew. Now that that's over... 

1.) I first made my inner crossbar with the 18 gauge wire and adhering it to itself with  the jewelry and metal glue. Be careful with this stuff. I almost bonded my fingers together about a million times. But it works some serious magic with the wire and the ribbon. I wrapped the outer ends of the crossbar around the outer ring with the wire curlers and also used the glue to adhere these 4 points in place.

2.) Using the specs listed above, I then attached all the die cuts to the chandelier strings and then attached the chandelier strings to the crossbar and outer ring with the stretch beading string.

3.) I used the scotch tape to wrap all the stretch beading string loose ends from the chandelier strings around the inner crossbar wires and outer ring.

4.) After all the loose ends are taken care of, wrap the inner crossbar wire with the thinner wire. I fastened the ends of the ribbon to the wire with the jewelry & metal glue. Pure magic. Just don't glue your fingers together. This step serves to hide all the loose ends of the stretch beading string so you don't have those ends hanging out and looking gross.

 
5.) I then used the thicker ribbon to wrap the outer ring. I used more technique for this one as it will be more easily viewed.

6.) I then tied 4 20" pieces of stretch beading string to each junction of the inner crossbar and the outer ring by which I could hang the mobile. In doing this, I ended up with loose ends again so I used a cool 4-point wrap technique to hide the ends and also add some decorative flair to these junction points. And I used lots of jewelry and metal glue!

7.) After all that, you just have to gather your 4 hanging strings and be very careful about making sure they're all level so your mobile isn't hanging all weird and crooked. Unless, of course, you want it that way. :) Hang it, and you have a perfectly beautiful (and cheap) trendy baby mobile with the die cuts of your choice!

I will admit that I had a lot of these supplies to begin with, but the beauty of this project is that you can really make it with whatever you have on hand. I ended up making it myself for less than $15. It's much more personal, fitting her room perfectly, and I got to choose the colors and shapes I wanted. I also wanted those clouds in there, and I couldn't find any that were just the way I wanted. Again, I'm picky like that. Know any babies coming your way? This would be a really fun and very personal shower gift for that new little bundle. Happy Crafting!

El Cheapo Artwork a la Rayna

As we are nearing the arrival of our second baby, we're trying our best to get her room ready and prepared just the way we want it. I'm not going to say I'm picky, I just have an idea of what I want, and that's usually what I want. I don't like to compromise a whole lot on that front if I don't have to. Artwork for her room has been a bit of a challenge in that regard so I decided to take it into my own hands. Enter: Rayna's Craft Tutorial #2.

El Cheapo Artwork a la Rayna

Supplies:
plywood backing for the corresponding paper size (3/8" thickness at least)
brayer
decoupage glue
foam brushes
cutting mat
artwork hanging hardware (I used the sawtooth hangers)
craft knife
pencil
hammer
desired scrapbook papers for artwork

1.) Make sure your plywood backing is the same size as the paper you're going to work with. If it isn't, cut the plywood backing to size. Note: I bought my plywood backing at Michael's where I was able to use a 40% off coupon and get 12" x 12" for the same size as my scrapbooking paper.

2.) If you wish, you can turn your paper right side down and lay the plywood backing on top of it so you can trace the outline of where you want it glued. I just kind of winged it, which also worked.

3.) Brush on a generous amount of glue onto the side of the plywood backing where you'll be gluing your scrapbook paper. This is the point at which you have to work pretty quickly...

4.) Lay your scrapbook paper on top of your gluey plywood board, get it in position as QUICKLY as possible, and then use the brayer to flatten it out and get out any air bubbles that may have appeared when you laid it down. Again, WORKING QUICKLY.

5.) When you're happy with the appearance of your artwork at this point (this is pretty much how it will look when you're done so keep that in mind), you can flip over the entire piece of artwork and lay it right side down on top of your cutting mat. If necessary, use your craft knife to trim the paper so it's flush with the sides of the plywood board.

6.) At this point, I ran my fingers around all 4 corners smoothing down cuts and wiping away excess glue. Then, I attached my hardware. I recommend getting a plywood board with at least a 3/8" thickness because that allows the nails to be pounded in without going through your artwork in the front. That would be bad. You can also get this kind of hardware (and several other different kinds of hanging hardware) at Michael's and use a coupon!

7.) Turn your artwork back around so the right side is facing upward, and, if desired, brush on another generous layer of the decoupage glue to kind of set and seal the paper artwork. It also adds a really cool vintage patina so it looks like you've had it forever. :) Make sure you get the glue around the edges of the paper so it won't start to peel up in the future. Also make sure to remove any excess glue.

Voila! Now you are done and can hang your lovely artwork anywhere in your house. People will wonder where you bought that beautiful piece!

I did two of them for our baby room and completely beat the price of anything we saw in the stores. We had seen some beautiful artwork at Target, but we didn't really want to pay $15 each for a set of 3.
This is what we did instead:
*plywood backing $2.50 (with coupon) (x2)
*scrapbooking paper $0.69 (x2)
*2 foam brushes  $1.99

And I already had everything else so I spent $8.37 for 2 very personalized pieces of artwork. I'm so proud of myself. So head on over to your local craft/scrapbooking store and go nuts. Happy Crafting!

Easy Peasy Valance for Dummies

I don't mean to offend anyone with this title. This just perfectly describes my relationship with sewing and making pretty things quickly and easily. I get bored pretty quickly so it's best if I can make something nice very easily. It has also struck me that this is my first tutorial. Yay! I'm very excited, and I'm sure something will go wrong, but this is a good one to start with. Again, easy.

So our house has these ugly, old, dirty venetian blinds that we never use in certain windows, e.g. our kitchen window above the sink (a). They're the windows that we never cover because they let in awesome light during the day. I tried taking down those ugly venetian blinds and found that underneath them it was even uglier (b). So I had to come up with something to cover them up because there was NO WAY I was going to continue looking at those stupid, ugly venetian blinds just because it was uglier to remove them.

Easy Peasy Valance for Dummies

fabric cut to window (width inside trim + 2in) and (desired height + 4in)
coordinating sewing thread
1" x 2" batten (cut to finished width of window)
(2) 1-1/2" L brackets
staple gun
power drill
tape measure (not pictured)

1.) The first thing I did was cut my fabric to the appropriate size. I added 2 inches to the width and 4 inches to the height. I found it was helpful to label the top and bottom of my fabric so I didn't get confused later. Trust me, it happens.

2.) Stitch a zigzag stitch (or serge, if your machine does that) all the way around the piece to lock in the threads.

3.) Fold and pin both the left and right sides of your fabric in 1 inch on the wrong side. Sew a 3/4 inch seam allowance in a coordinating thread color.

4.) Fold and pin the bottom of your fabric in 1 inch on the wrong side. Sew a 3/4 inch seam allowance in a coordinating color.

And you're done sewing! Wasn't that easy? Now we're going to work on hanging and installing your valance.

5.) Cut your batten down to size. I like to make it about 1/4 inch shorter than the width of my finished valance just so it tucks inside the fabric nicely.

6.) Lay the batten down (with the 2 inch surface down) on a secure surface. Align your completed valance right side up on top of the upward-facing 2 inch surface of the batten (a). Ensure the edges are lined up evenly with the edges of your batten and the top edge of the valance is even with the top edge of the batten. Staple your valance to the batten (b).

7.) Fold your valance over the batten so you are looking at a finished valance with the staples in the back. Lay the valance assembly right side down and measure about 5 inches in from each side of the batten to screw in your L brackets for installation. I always make sure the top of the L brackets go above the batten just a bit so there's extra room for installing it to the inside of the window trim.

8.) Now all that's left to do is install your valance inside your window trim and make sure it's level and even. Or at least as level and even as you want it. :) Just a side note: you CANNOT see the wooden batten from the outside. I checked.

And you're done! Now you can (and should) admire your beautiful handiwork.

Here's another one I did in our breakfast nook. The sunlight's amazing in there, and we NEVER put the curtains (or the blinds previously) down. I also made roman shades out of this same fabric for the other 2 windows in the breakfast nook, but that's a whole different can of worms and a subject for a later date. Happy Crafting!

Yaye! (That's Joey for Coloring)

For Mother's Day, Scott made the mistake of getting me the book 100 One-Yard Wonders, which is a sewing book for the mostly sewing-impaired like myself. So I've already made 4 projects from this book, and I keep finding things I want to make, but I'm having to remind myself to take a chill pill once in a while. I need to do that. I get a new type of project going, and I want to do ALL THE THINGS. So this is me. Taking a chill pill.

Before I decided to cool it, though, I made one of the easier projects in the book because 1) I've been just waiting for the chance when Joey would really be into coloring to make this, and 2) because I had all the supplies on hand. Oh, and it's EASY. Easy is good.

We've also been doing a lot of traveling, and this is an easy way to transport crayons. If all the slots are filled, you'll know if you're missing any, and, if your kid is like mine, Joey just likes taking the crayons in and out of each slot. He's gotten pretty good at it, actually.

The only obnoxious thing about the pattern was, of course, having to stitch all the little crayon slots. It is totally worth it, though, and, of course, the entire point of the thing. And it gives us an excuse to color that much more. So grab your favorite yard of boy or girl-inspired fabric and get crackin'!

Aren't Baby Shoes the Cutest?

We finally came up with a way to save all those baby shoes we didn't want to throw away: make something artistic with them! Why not? For about Joey's first year, we had a growing mountain of little baby shoes that were too small for him but we couldn't bear to throw them out. I think I saw this idea in a RealSimple magazine, but of course I did it my own way. :)

I went to Michael's and used one of their coupons to get this shadowbox (I never go to Michael's without a coupon...). It ended up being $11 or something ridiculous like that. I thought this was a great shape for all those little shoes, although don't ask me what's going to happen when I run out of room. I haven't thought that far ahead, yet. New shadowbox, maybe?

We decided which shoes we wanted to keep. It ended up being the right shoe from all his pairs of tennies. I printed off the month tag labels with the time he last wore the shoes and used my cricut to cut out the labels. I fastened snaps to the sides of the labels and attached the whole assembly with glue dots. They stick really well to this fabric background on the shadowbox, surprisingly.

Then I used much larger 3d glue dots to adhere the shoes to the fabric shadowbox because they needed something a little stronger. Don't worry about them sticking out any more than they already do, though. The 3d dots don't actually add any height.

So, in the end, we were able to get rid of all the dirty shoes we were keeping and keep something that really reminds us of how quickly they grow.

We've got this cute little baby wall going for Joey, and soon I look forward to making another little shoe shadowbox with perhaps some pink, flowery shoes!

FINALLLYYYY! One UFO down...

I can honestly say it feels like a HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders. About the weight of a giant double afghan, to be exact. I started this project several, several years ago. I think it was one of the first things I wanted to make Scott after we got married. Yep, that was almost 7 years ago. At least I can say I'm dedicated to my UFOs (for those who don't speak 'craft', that means unfinished object, of which I have too many).

This is a picture of his blanket back when I had "finished" it. I think I just got bored with it and decided that was enough for now. Scott is such a wonderful husband that he never said anything about it, and he used it all the time despite its unfinished potential. :)

But then I FINALLY got to feeling so bad that I decided I need to finish the damn thing. Then I could stop thinking about it and stop feeling guilty and he would have a wonderful blanket to actually use! And I also have made a sort of pact where I'm telling myself that I'm going to lessen the number of UFOs I have and to also stop not finishing them! It's a tall order, I know. I have faith in myself, though. So I'm going back through my stash and trying to finish things I've started way too many years ago and just dropped out of boredom. *sigh*

This was a great way to get started, and Joey, of course, insisted he help. Really, I just gave him a ruler so he'd feel important. :) This was our fringe station, and I kept having to rearrange it because Joey liked stepping on the piles of yarn, but we all had a good time in the end. I couldn't help but laugh. :) It took me several hours to do all this fringe, though. It took me about 5-1/2 hours to do both sides of fringe. That includes cutting all the yarn and evening the trim, though so it was A LOT of work. Glad it's done. :)

This is probably one of the most incredible blankets I've ever made just for the fact that it's a great winter-weight afghan, I love the colors and, with the fringe (which I usually hate) and this lovely scalloped border detail, it really does make a very simple blanket really beautiful. One day, I myself will have a double weight afghan. :) Not now, though. I'm still reveling in the glory of having finished this one. I probably won't be ready to start another regular-person-sized afghan for a while. Ugh.

After I got all my pictures for ravelry and said blog, I went right to where my husband was playing video games in our cold basement and put this on him. And here he is where I am making him enjoy the blanket I just worked SO HARD to finish after a ridiculous number of years. If that doesn't say I love you, I don't know what does. <3