Menu Board

So I know I promised a tutorial on the pop pouch with the owl.  I will get to it, really really!  I have a slight ADD problem, and I always seem to be working on a least 3 things at once.  Like today--I have really been coveting the menu boards I have seen on so many blogs, pinterest, and etsy.  So, I made myself one.  It isn't as super fancy as some of the pricy ones, and I am sure any self-respecting crafter would be horrified at my lack of brads, distressed inking, or burlap.

I did go buy a new picture frame for this project, but Kohl's had them Buy One, Get One for $1, and I had 15% off, so I didn't feel too bad.  Also, it is an eco-friendly frame.  So it's justified, right? :)

I used muslin for my background, and I just wrapped it around the piece of paper from the center of my frame.  I cut it 1" larger in all directions, folded, ironed (turn the steam off, trust me), and dabbed a little craft glue to hold it down.

The lovely ribbon is from Michael's.  I probably bought it after Christmas for $1 a piece several years ago.  Again, eyeballed it--laid it where I wanted it, cut a couple extra inches on either end, and ran a bead of glue down the center and stuck it on, wrapping around to the back.  I did lay the MENU letters down first to decide where to put the horizontal ribbon.

I am sure scrap booker people know some vastly better method for sticking paper down, but I just used my craft glue again for the letters and the days.  I made this loveliness on my computer using Power Point.  I saved it as a PDF just for you guys!  Feel free to make your own menu, and for goodness sakes doll it up more than I did.

I didn't even wait for the glue to dry before I stuck the whole works back in the frame, closed it up, and wrote out next week's menu!  I'll update this post when it makes it to the wall and get rid of this crap-tastic picture of it laying on my cutting table.

I had to share this picture of my darlin' Priss "helping" with another project.  It's what she does.

Craftaholics Gift Part 2

I am not sure how I feel about trying to make things for people I don't know super well.  Sometimes it feels like such a shot in the dark that I feel like I'll never get it right.  Sometimes I use the opportunity to create something I would not normally make.  This is one of those times.  I decided to create a piece of art for my partner to hang in her daughter's nursery.  I have never seen this nursery.  I have never seen this little girl.  Going on the basis of a sage green room in which lavender and rose look nice,  I went for it.

This is what I got:

Hopefully I'll get a picture of it on a wall to replace this.  Ugh.  I know that one of the first things I am going to HAVE to do as a blogger is get better at taking pictures.  And maybe use an actual camera instead of my phone.  Sshhhh...don't tell. :)

I have seen several projects around the www using doilies as stencils.  "Ha," I thought.  "I can do that, no problem," I thought.  I should know better by now.  Whatever.  Anyway, this is what I started with:

Materials:
1.  Large 11 x 14 canvas (from Michaels, on sale in a two pack!)
2.  Paper doilies (Massive package of 24 from Walmart.  Overkill, yes?)
3.  Basting Spray
4.  Scissors

I started by placing some doilies on the white canvas, lightly spraying the back of the doilies with spray starch to stick them down while I was painting.

Then, I painted the entire canvas a nice rosy pink.  I don't even want to talk about the fact that the brush and paint are from when I took art lessons in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!  I was just impressed that I could find my paint brushes after two moves and several years of non-use. 

I didn't bother to paint in the middle of the doilies, since the canvas was covered up under them.  Save myself some time and paint!  Now for a difficult part: wait for the paint to dry.  At least most of the way.  I am terrible at this part.

I put some more doilies on next, WITHOUT taking off the first doilies.  Same process.  No need for another picture yet, okay?

Then, I painted the whole works lavender.   I left one doily pink around the edges.  I thought it might look cool.  Some of the doilies are overlapped.  And again, the waiting game...

Eventually I couldn't stand it any longer and started peeling my doilies off.  That was MUCH harder than I thought it would be.  If anyone has suggestions for a better temporary glue, please let me know. 

This process took a while, and involved picking lots of tiny pieces of paper off the canvas.  Not much fun.

Eventually, it looked like it does above.  I think I like this look!  So did Miss Priss, my crafty sabotager helper.

Last, I painted on the initials, following the basic design of a font I like.  Very broadly defined following.

And, bam!  There we are.  Something cutesy to hang on the wall.  I don't know quite what to do with the edges of the canvas.  It would probably look sweet if the whole works was framed in a nice white frame.

I just hope my partner likes it!