Category Archives: Diy (you Can Do It!)

DIY Wood Sign

15 May, 2013 6:07 pm , 6 Comments ,

A few months ago, I picked up a couple of old barn wood planks at an antique store.  As usual, I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do with them, although I knew it would be a wood sign of some sort.

Today, I made a very simple, personalized sign with one of them.  This is a very easy project!  Of course you can use any wood, old or new, to do this stenciled sign.

wood sign

This board is weathered, battered and has old nail holes in it. It’s beautiful! :D

wood sign

I used Powerpoint to print this out. After finding the font and the size I wanted, I just cut out the letters to make a stencil.

board paper cut out 2

I use to teach pre-school, can ya tell? Look at those nicely done cut-out letters. All my kids were very accomplished scissor users when they graduated pre-school.  Ha! ;)

board with paint

I used a stencil brush and left over paint. Always pounce your brush on a paper towel before you begin. Less is more when stenciling!

board on wall

I still need to place pictures in the frames, but finally this wall is complete.  Question… Why does 1995 looks so old and seem so long ago??  Was I even old enough to get married?  Wasn’t I just a baby?  1995 is like… last CENTURY!  Oh crap, I am old!

board wall closeup

Yep, 1995, the year I was born married.  I still have one more board. What to do, what to do…

Linking to: House on the Way

Posted in: DIY (you can do it!), DIY Decor , Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

DIY Stenciled Ceiling

9 May, 2013 12:01 am , 8 Comments ,

I was given the opportunity to review a stencil of my choice from Royal Design Studio!  I said yep!  Have I ever stenciled before?  Nope.

Their website is full of gorgeous stencils.  They have so many choices, it took me days to decide.  But I kept coming back to the Chez Ali pattern.

Not having stenciled anything big before, I decided to stencil the ceiling in my powder room.  Yes, the ceiling.  ;)   It was a little challenging, given the fact that I only have two arms, and could have used some more.  (I’m not very good at asking for help.)

stencil 2

My ceiling is an odd shape.  I did my best to find the center, and started from there.  Once the stencil was taped to the ceiling, the painting went fairly quick.  Working over your head, when you are too stubborn to ask for help, does require frequent breaks though. ;)

stencil 3

Tape around your ceiling where it meets the wall. This will prevent the paint from getting on the wall once you get close to the edge of the ceiling.

stencil 5

This was my last section to stencil. Working around the vent was easier than I had anticipated.

Included with your stencil package, from Royal Design Studio, is a ceiling filler.  This is a smaller stencil that allows you to get up close to the edge of your ceiling.  Brilliant!

stencil 6

brush and paint

This sample size jar of paint was all I needed to do the bathroom ceiling. There’s still a half left.

I used the paint sample I had from my bedroom.  It was plenty!  Not a lot of paint is needed.  Actually less is more.

Once I was finished with the ceiling, I let it go for a day, then decided to use a “glaze” on the ceiling to soften the contrast.  The glaze consisted of  a little white semi-gloss paint, some water, and Valspar Translucent Iridescent Glazed.  I stirred it all together and applied it with a rag in a circular motion.  After two coats of the glaze, the color was softer and had an aged look to it.

stencil 12

stencil 11

Finished! Woohoo!

Thank you Royal Design Studio!  Now I’m walking around my house to see what else I can stencil. :D

In a few days I will host a Royal Design Studio stencil giveaway.  The winner will have the opportunity to choose a stencil of their choice… a $50.00 value!

 

Disclosure: Stencil was provided to me by Royal Design Studio. 

Linking to: mop it up mondays

 

Posted in: DIY (you can do it!) , Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses” Blog Tour Giveaway

7 May, 2013 6:01 am , 20 Comments ,

Welcome to the “Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses” blog tour!  House of 34 is a part of this tour that features finished projects and giveaways from Sweet Seams’ latest book.  I am hosting a giveaway.

This book is awesome!  The designers over at NYC-based Sweet Seams wanted to create a collection of fast, fun, and inexpensive dresses to make for their daughters, granddaughters, nieces and god-daughters.  All the dresses begin with a simple T-Shirt.  Crafters can upcycle any T-shirt that may have been stretched out, shrunk or stained near the bottom.  The “Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses” feature 28 very different styles to choose from.  There’s something for every little girl.

I do a lot of sewing, but not of clothes.  My gig is home accessories.  But after having a chance to look through the book, I wish my daughter was small enough to sew for!

Here’s a few examples from the book.

bubble dress

Bubble Tee from Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses by Sweet Seams Studio, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photography by Dan Howell and dress design and instructions copyright © 2013 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

wrap dress

It’s a Wrap from Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses by Sweet Seams Studio, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photography by Dan Howell and dress design and instructions copyright © 2013 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

hankerchief dress

Square Dance from Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses by Sweet Seams Studio, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photography by Dan Howell and dress design and instructions copyright © 2013 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The complete “Sew Pretty T-Shirt Dresses” blog tour is listed below.  Please visit the other blogs and check out some of their finished dresses.  You can also sign up, with the blogs hosting a giveaway, for another chance to win this book.

Below this list, you can enter to win a “Sew Pretty t-Shirt Dresses” book from House of 34.  (Sweet Seams provided the “Sew Pretty t-Shirt Dresses” book for the giveaway.)

May 5

Nouveau Stitch will feature a finished project, “Flirty Shirt”

Just Pure Lovely will host a giveaway

The Crafty Princess Diaries  will host a giveaway

May 6

Crafting A Green Worldwill feature a finished project, “Cool Water”

Stitched by Crystal  will feature a project for her 9-month-old

May 7

Prudent Baby will review and host a giveaway (71,674 UV)

House of 34 will host a giveaway

 

May 8

Smashed Peas and Carrots will feature a finished project, “Bubble Tea”

Simply Modern Mom will review and might do a project

May 9

Marsha’s Spot will feature a finished project, “Patchwork of Art” and host a giveaway

Sew Spoiled will review the book

May 10

Dollar Store Crafts will review the book

Only From Scratch will feature a project


May 11

Wild Olive will feature a finished project

Positively Splendid will feature a finished project

May 12

On the Laundry Line  will feature a  finished project

Elegance and Elephants will feature a finished project

May 13

Luvinthemommyhood will review and host a giveaway

My Little Gems  will host a giveaway

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in: DIY (you can do it!), FYI (ideas & info) , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,