Chore Board Project

        I've had a panel of beadboard sitting in my craft stash for a couple of years now- it's about 24x36 inches- exactly what I was looking for when I found it in the scrap section of Home Depot's lumber department.  Alas, they do NOT appear to have the cull bin there anymore- I found so many great pieces of wood there marked down, big bummer!!!!
           I had plans for this panel- to make a choreboard with clips.  As I mentioned, it's been a few years because I've been trying to envision how this was going to look.  I wanted to frame it, but wasn't quite sure how to go about that... (despite having a Kreg Jig, and a mitre saw, and a power drill.. )  um, yeah... I get intimidated easily.  Despite having these tools, and they are mine- and I have used them, I get nervous about trying new things.  And hello, I still have really bad flashbacks to wood shop in junior high.  I pretty much sucked wind trying to make mitered edges for a frame- and that was with a hand saw.  I can still remember the teacher, too- he also doubled as the boys P.E. coach.  But I digress...
         Just as I was getting geared up to perhaps start this project, my drill charger pooped out on me.  See, I TOLD you that I used my tools.  It's probably just as well, because the drill didn't hold its charge- talk about REALLY aggravating!  When you charge your drill up at night, so you can use it the next day, and it's already lost its charge after sitting all night.. GRRRRR!!!  So I had to wait until Christmas to ask for a new drill- 'cause that's a big ticket item!  I now have in my nervously excited and cracked chapped hands, wait for it:! a Dewalt drill with 2 lithium ion battery packs!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about, people!!  Awesome, simply awesome.  Christmas, birthday, Mother's Day, think: tools. Or Home Depot gift cards. :D  The home improvement store is my favorite "craft store".  I get super excited just going in there and walking around..  Okay then, but I was talking about the chore board.
        This weekend I found some motivation- it had been hiding out somewhere, and I finally found some and grabbed on.  I went to my favorite craft store (Home Depot :D ), and bought some 1x3's. Two to be exact.  I wasn't quite sure how much I'd need (no, I didn't measure edges, which would have helped, but I think I would have needed more than one piece no matter what, so I figured I could use the scraps for other projects). 
          I had purchased some metal clips from the office supply section of Walmart about the time I found the paneling scrap, so I had those on hand.  They're pretty inexpensive- a package of 2 for under 2 dollars- they might even have been around a dollar-ish.  These clips had holes at the top so that I could screw them into the board rather than hanging on a nail or hook.

     

      I decided to try the stained/dark on cream approach, so I stained the wood pieces after I cut them- now here's the getting out of the mitering part ( I wasn't quite ready to try that with a big project yet):  I measured one side and added on about 2 inches for overhang, then cut an identical piece.  I layed it how I wanted it on the board, then measured the distance between the two sides for the other pieces. 
       I then used wood glue to attach the wood frame temporarily, and screwed in several screws through each of the pieces in the back. 
       I drilled holes approximately the same size as the very short screws I planned on using to attach the clips.  I centered them where I wanted them first, then marked the spots and drilled.  I used a small screwdriver to attach my screws. 
       Now all I need to do is attach some hardware on the back so I can hang it, and I'll be done- other than laminating those sheets so I can write on them with a dry erase marker.  From being resourceful in how I found my supplies, I spent less than $10 on this project.  You could find sheets of the MDF panels (not beadboard, but completely flat) for in between roughly $3-$6 at Home Depot- it depends on the thickness with the cost- and those panels would be 24x48 inches- a great size for this.  They will cut them to smaller pieces if you ask.  You could then paint them with either spray or bottled paint.  You could ALSO try using chalkboard paint with the flat MDF board.  There are SO many things you could do!! I'm getting all excited just thinking about the crafty possibilities :D 

     Have you ever tried something, just wondering if you could pull it off?  This project would be one of those for me.  I've done variations on the "count your blessings" with picture frames, but thought I'd see if I could do something with chalkboard paint. 
      I went to my handy dandy Home Depot and picked up a piece of MDF board- they cut it for me at 12"- I was able to get four 12" x 24" pieces for approximately $5.00.  Can I get a WOOHOO! ?  I happen to think that's a pretty good deal for all the projects you can do with those pieces (not to mention I can cut them down at this point with my miter saw- to do even MORE projects).
       I primed my board and then brushed several (approximately 3) layers of chalkboard paint on- letting it dry in between layers.  I used the technique I found on Pinterest for transfering the font onto the board (it's Doris Day, if you're wondering)- which consists of printing out the lettering from your computer, then rubbing pencil on the underside of the paper.  Tape the paper where you want your lettering, then trace over your lettering.  The pencil lead transfers the outline of your lettering- then you can fill it in with paint. 
        I watered down some flat white paint, and then used a fine tip to outline and fill in the letters- I loved the fact that with this being chalkboard, I didn't have to worry about filling it in so that the black board didn't show at all.  (I'm incredibly picky about that, and will spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to make it look "right")  The look mimics the look of chalk- it's a win win! :D
      I will say that before anyone writes on this, chalk needs to be rubbed completely over all the surface of the board, then rubbed off, to prepare it for use.  If you skip this step, what you write won't erase completely, and you will be at the very least, frustrated!
       I'm getting hooked on chalkboard paint- it's really fun, and pretty easy.  You can buy it in a spray can, or brush it on with a quart of it. 

      I finally did it!  Woohoo!  (What I finally DID was add numbers to my bench that I painted almost a year ago. ) I need to include my inspiration for it : http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com/2012/02/b-is-for-bench-5.html  .  As soon as I saw her numbered bench, I knew most certainly that I wanted to make my own. 
       I used the technique I learned of printing my image out from the computer, then rubbing pencil on the back of the image.  Center the image where you want it, and trace around the outside of the image.  You can use a snip of tape on your paper as a hinge- very handy for checking to see how it's transferring, and if you need to go over something again. 
       Once I was done with that, I took some black paint- I used FolkArt brand, and thinned it down a little bit, so it flows evenly without thick brush lines.  I used a fine liner paint brush, definitely a good investment, and it was only a few dollars.  I definitely recommend FolkArt because it is highly pigmented, and still not very pricey all things considered (under $2) . I have learned through the years as I've bought various acrylic paints, that if you pay a little more for FolkArt or Americana, it covers better and you spend less time painting- not as much need for multiple coats with a better pigmented paint.
       After letting it dry, I sanded lightly to distress my numbers (made sense since the bench itself is distressed).  I'm really pleased with the result, yay! :)  Only took almost a year to finish...

Fall Burlap Garland

       Okay, my inner craft nerd was totally stoked this afternoon... After much preparation work for our latest MOPS craft (this is not it- I willl post it soon), I was desperate to "play".  You know what I mean, by "play", I mean play with my craft stuff and create something fun.  For our MOPS group, we'd used squares of burlap tied up to hold goodies for our first meeting's goodie bag.  As soon as I saw it, I had more plans for that burlap than the garbage bin. 
      I folded it in half diagonally and cut, then repeated folding again with the 2 pieces and ended up with just enough for a little "Fall" pennant garland.  I used the empty pieces from my Cricut vinyl- the "negative space" left over, and painted dark brown paint in the open letter area... Inside, my nerd-dom was absolutely squealing at this point.  I used some cream twill tape and hot glued my burlap pieces over it.  At that point, I turned to my bag of ribbon scraps- I adamantly deny hoarding!  (My husband might dispute that!)  I actually do use my ribbon scraps!  I won't save any short enough that I can't tie a knot with.
      It was quite by accident that it ended up staying on this particular wall.  I was surprised how nicely it looks underneath the wreath- I hadn't planned on putting any Fall decor there, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out.    Sshhhhh... ( I didn't even let the paint dry before I started gluing..... I was that excited about what I was going to make :D  )
      I love recycling and reusing things and I especially love when it turns into something cute and useful! Yippee!

"Those who wish to sing" sign

Yay!  I finally made something for my own home- specifically, my girls' room.  I've been working on so many other things that I haven't felt like I've had a chance to work on anything for myself for a while.  This sign was on my "to - do" list, and was one of the first things I cut out with my jigsaw.  I wasn't sure how I felt about how the shape of the wood looked until I painted it and distressed it, now I really like how it turned out.  I love this saying and it makes me think of my little girls, who are always singing.  There's no way to stop someone if they have a song in their heart, is there? :)

Make your own wood tray!

       First things first :  I found the tutorial for how to make this tray at : http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/04/diy-magazine-tray.html .  This blog is fantastic for tutorials on how to make your own, well, lots of things! I didn't add hardware other than the handles.  These handy dandy wood trays are made from furring strips- not the smoothest wood you could use, but it adds to the distressed, less than perfect look.  It also made this tray around $5 ish dollars or so to make- including the handles.  It's a pretty decent size tray too- sturdy!
       So the details:  I painted parts of it brown, then aqua.  I decided it was a bit too aqua for my liking, added a vinyl stencil, then painted white.  Before the paint dried, I peeled off the stencil, revealing the undercoat I'd distressed a bit.  I'm still not completely sold on how I painted it, but I'm not sure what I'd do differently.  I have more wood in my garage to make another one, and I want to put some kind of a word on the side, I just can't figure out what I want to put.  I can't really paint it until I decide. Bahhh! 
      I definitely recommend making these- I did use my miter saw instead of the hand saw the tutorial recommended.  Maybe mine was really dull, but I tried it and it just was not a happening for me.  Then I ended up with an uneven cut.  Double Bahhh!

Talk about a quick craft!  If you have a spare picture frame you're not using, and a whole lot of hair clips that need to be organized, then here's a great idea to help you out.  I took an empty frame that I found at a rummage sale (50 cents,can't be beat!! ), sanded it and painted it, then hot glued strips of cute ribbon to the back of the frame.  I started to run out of ribbon on the last one, so I looped it and glued it to make spots for our headbands to fit in.  Both the frame idea and the looping I've seen on blogs and Pinterest, but never seemingly to a specific person....   Please excuse the layout of the pictures- if they're a little bit wonky it's because I haven't figured out the new format of Blogger...   if you have a lot of headbands, you could make a frame devoted to the headbands in addition or instead of the clips.  So go reduce, reuse, recycle! (and ORGANIZE in the process! :)  )