Crafting in Crazyville

My Aunt Ellen has had a busy year.  She sold her family home of 40 years, this month celebrating the anniversary of her 60th birthday and purchased a home in her own name.  Yahoo!!  Busy year but a grand year.    

To celebrate 2013, Ellen's style her 9 grown kids are throwing a surprise party.  I could have given her the usual gift card but thought something personal for her new home would be a better fit.  

The next challenge, what to make? After stumbling through the ailes of Joanne Fabrics the idea of a sign that can be customized sounded good.  Since everyone hates waiting for dessert here is the finished product.  (Don't you always scroll down to the end anyways?)

Finished product

She could display this in a hallway, bathroom or bedroom.  Purple is such a versatile color that it goes nicely with off white or the mandatory 50's style pink bathroom.  Plus, the center is a chalkboard so the message can change to suit her needs while keeping the main message.  Think "Wipe Your Feed" for the hallway or "Be Kind, Drop the Seat" for the bathroom.

This is how the craft was done.  First step, like always, gather the supplies which include:

• Circular cut piece of wood.  I could have had hubby cut one, but time marches on. 
• Chalkboard paint.
• Purple and white acrylic paint.
• Foam brush and kids paint brush - shh don't tell them.
• Purple ribbon
• 400 grade sandpaper - again don't tell hubby I stole this from his workbench.
• 2 treaded eyelets to hang the masterpiece 
• 1 piece of chalk

Some of the items used.

Now for the real fun, painted the wood twice with chalkboard paint. While waiting for it to dry, sanded the words and gave them one coat of purple paint.  After 24 hours, added purple trim to wood and a second coat to words. 

Wood piece with purple trim.  

Finally, after lots of paint on my fingers, and kitchen counter added white pooka dots to the words and wood sign.  I used the top of the kids paint brush to make the perfect dots.  To ensure the sign would withstand repeat uses, I covered it with a chalk and brushed it off.  

Paint drying

Added eyelets on both sides with ribbon for hanging. If the eyelets were on the back, the sign would bounce against the wall when the wind blew.  The words use foam double sided tape to adhere to the wall.

That's it fokes.  I hope she enjoys the gift and does not see this before Saturday.  Happy 2013 Aunt Ellen.


Sharon, The Mayor of Crazyville