Subway Art + Ballard Designs + sandpaper = Family Rules

Subway Art is all the rage in blogland. So are Family Rules projects. I liked both concepts, but needed to tweak things so that they fit my style.

I love the subway art that Lil Blue Boo did. You can read her tutorial on how she did this piece here. I went over and got great advice. However, most subway art seems too stark... too industrial for my tastes.

Then there are darling canvases like this one that Jen at Tatertots & Jello did. However, there is no. way. that I could put something this sweet in my house full of boys.

Inspired by two Ballard Designs prints that I love, but would NEVER pay $250 a piece for,
I came up with my own subway art/family rules hybrid art piece.

I started the project with Helvetica font on a Word document. 

I taped the the pieces of paper together and took it to Kinko's where they ran it through a copier they use for big things like blueprints. It was 75 cents a square foot, and I wanted it to be 2' x 3' so it cost about $4.

I had purchased a 24" x 48" pre-cut plywood board at my hardware store and had them cut it down to 24" x 36". I sanded it down, primed it and painted it white. I stood the painted board against the wall and taped my poster sized copy to it. Using a level, I marked guidelines across the board with a pencil.

I then cut the text into strips to make it more manageable and used a spray adhesive on the back of the paper strips to adhere it to regular old contact paper. (It doesn't matter what color, print, etc.)

I used a brayer to make sure it was good and secure to the contact paper, then I cut it into individual lines of text.

 

I made little marks so I knew where to put the letters once I cut them out.

Yes. I cut out each one of those suckers with an exacto knife. It was a suckfest and took me two days. I did one line at a time. Peel the backing from the contact paper off of the letter and place it on the board, rubbing it down securely with the brayer.

When all the letters were tightly adhered, I took the board outside and sprayed another coat of white paint over the entire thing.

I knew I wanted something with a lighter, kind of citrus-y feel, so I broke out the red and yellow acrylic paint and just started mixing. My intention was to sand it down, so I didn't worry about it being perfect.

I didn't let the gnats bother me too much. I figured the stupid little dive-bombers would add to the rusticity of the piece.

When the whole piece was covered, I made sure the paint application looked balanced....

then I let it dry a little bit before I started peeling off the letters.

Some of the brushed on paint seeped under the letter, so I cleaned the edges up by scraping it lightly with a dulled exacto blade.

Once completely dry, I sanded it lightly and then made a wash of 1 part champagne colored metallic paint to 3 parts water. I brushed it on and wiped it off several times to add an aged look to the piece.

Then I sanded the crap out of it. (A technical term for sanded it and sanded it and sanded it.)

I painted an old frame I got at an estate sale for $1 and popped the board into that. (It's not perfect, and it's held in there with duct tape, but it works. Shh. Don't tell anyone.)

It was kind of a pain, but the whole project cost me $15.

Not bad.

And my boys can never again say that they didn't know they weren't allowed to throw a ball in my living room....

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Artwork from a church bulletin.

First, let me explain the why.

I'm attending a bible study on Thursday mornings called Discerning the Voice of God. It is the follow-up to He Speaks (both by Priscilla Shirer). In a nutshell, if we slow down, shut up and try to get closer to God, we'll hear Him.

These two studies are the only studies I've ever attended in my life. Last week I had to choose between the next study offered at the time/place I have been going, or a new one. The new one is called the Power of a Woman's Words and is offered at the same time, but a different place.

I decided to try this whole, ask God for guidance thing. Literally, within 5 minutes I had what I thought was a crystal clear answer. A woman in the group was sharing some painful childhood memories. In response to that, another woman said, "It's amazing the affect a mother's words can have on her children."

That hit me like a ton of bricks. It was like every harsh word or impatient moment I've ever had flashed in front of me. I need to be a much gentler mother. OK God. I get it. I'll go to the study on the power of words.

Then, as further confirmation, I walked into church on Sunday and discovered that our pastor was starting a new series and had redone the stage to reflect it. A sign that said WORDS was hanging front and center. Seriously, Lord. I get it. I'm going to the new study.



Sorry for the blurry photo. I am a camera-phone-dork. But you get the idea.

I loved the design of the bulletin for the series, so I decided to make it a daily reminder of this positive affirmation.

I took the bulletin and enlarged it on my copier so it would fit a pre-cut mat that I already had. I printed it onto white cardstock.

Then I took an exacto knife and cut out the large letters that spelled "words". I shot the back of the cardstock with spray adhesive and glued it to colored cardstock. I also went over it with a brayer to ensure it was firmly adhered to the colored paper.


I popped it into the frame and here we go.

I hung this at the end of the hallway from our bedroom. Chances are that I will see this before I see any of my kids and will remember that a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1) and that we should encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).

This entire project cost me nothing but 10 minutes of my time. I figure if God speaks to me that clearly, I should try to do what He says.

Six years of laughing so hard that milk comes out of my nose.

Six years of cracking us up.

Six years of cuddles.
Six years of bringing more love into our house.

I love that he used to practically sleep in that red baseball cap. I think there were people who wouldn't recognize him if he wasn't wearing it.

I keep thinking I have a favorite picture of him...

...but then I remember this one....

...or this one...

There are just too many that are my favorites!
Happy Birthday Grant! We love you!

At least I know what to make when The Queen comes for dinner.

My wonderful son Devin.
So sweet.
So handsome.
So smart.
Such a goofball....

Last night I made stuffed bell peppers for dinner. They're fairly quick and easy, plus red bell peppers were on sale for 19 cents each this week and I had plenty to use up.

Due to a meeting, Handsome Hubby couldn't be home for dinner so I thought I'd make it a bit easier on myself and let the kids grab their peppers, buffet style. As he was dishing up his dinner, this was the conversation I had with Devin:

Dev: "Are we having kind of an informal dinner?"
Me: "Yep, just grab yours and make a space at the table." (Note: I've got craft supplies all over one side of the table.)
Dev: "Well, this just seems like a pretty formal meal for a night like this."
Me: "Stuffed peppers...?"
Dev: "Yes. They're kind of formal... Kind of fancy... Like something you'd eat if you sat down with the President... Or someone British."

Pip pip and cheerio. My kids never fail to crack me up.

American Idol? You bug me.

Dear American Idol,
I think you got a few things wrong in picking your Top 24. Why did you send yodeling, warbling, named after a soap opera character Haley Vaughn through, but cut sweet Tori Kelley? I went to high school with Tori's parents, and I was really rooting for her.

They say this cut happened a month ago and Tori is doing fine. What about me? I'm not fine. I am bugged and disappointed. Yes, I know she's only 16 and has plenty of time to try again. Yes, I know she wasn't the best singer in the competition, but she certainly wasn't one of the worst. There were a few girls that went through who were nice, but didn't do well in any of their Hollywood auditions. (I'm lookin' at you, Janell Wheeler...)

Also? Why did you let Lee Dewyze through, but cut Thaddeus, the big crying teenager? And don't even get me started about the fact that they cut Single-Mom-Of-A-Handicapped-Daughter-Who-Has-Overcome-Many-Obstacles-While-Smiling-Through-Her-Tears-And-Was-At-Her-Third-And-Last-Hollywood-Week, Angela Martin and they cut her? She could sing, we were rooting for her, she had a great story, and they cut her. Why not just put her through? Come on! What's the harm? Why?

signed,
Armchair Music Critic
ps: Ryan Seacrest still bugs the *&^! out of me, but at least he's stopped saying, "Seacrest, OUT!"


Dear Parents Parking Their Cars At School,
When I park my car on a busy street and get ready to open my door, I look in my side mirror to make sure it is safe to do so. Why don't you look before you throw your door wide open? Don't you like your car door? Wouldn't you like to keep it?

signed,
Anticipating Your Stupidity, Yet Always Surprised By It


Dear Parents Dropping Off Kids At School,
Why do you stop your car in the middle of a 2 lane street and let your kids out? Don't you like your kids? Wouldn't you like to keep them? Why don't you pull through the school's "valet" driveway and let the volunteer parents open your kid's door and let them out directly onto a sidewalk?

signed,
Shaking My Head, Thinking About How Stupid You Are


Dear Handsome Hubby,
Sometimes I have a day where 20 things I needed to accomplish are still 20 things not quite finished by the time you get home.

Sometimes one of those things is an art of craft project that I've been stalking on other blogs, and getting confirmation that it's a current and good idea by seeing similar things in stores.

Sometimes it's something I finally started to work on right about the time you walk in the door.
Sometimes it is a really, really bad idea to come in, wrinkle your nose and criticize something before you see it finished.

Sometimes if you do that, I will be instantly frustrated. I will feel cut off at the knees creatively, will second guess my original vision. In political or legal jargon: your attitude has a chilling effect on my creativity.

signed,
The Cranky, Premenstrual Crafter


Whew. I feel better. I'm going to link up with the Dear Someone letters over at ShortMama's.
I've wanted to participate in this for a while. Go over and see what other people are bitching about.

MORE decorating with road kill....

I love turning someone's trash into my little treasure. My kids haaaayyyyyyyyyte it when I stop the car and grab something off a curb. I, however, hate to spend money, so I pick up "road kill" all the time. (Old frames are a favorite score.)

One of the reasons I like road kill, besides being free, is that you can experiment a little and you're not really out anything but your time if it doesn't work out. (Assuming you have a decently stocked craft closet...)

Last week there were two little tins being thrown out. They were sad and forlorn, sitting on the curb next to someone's trash cans. I grabbed them, took them home, cleaned them up and spray painted them with a silver metallic paint.

It wasn't quite right.

Then I decided I wanted a fresh blue-green color. I decided to mix two of my acrylic paints until I got a shade I liked.

It dawned on me that I should be taking pictures about halfway through this project, so I don't have photos of the various "before" stages. Using the smaller tin for a "before" photo example, I slopped on a super heavy coat of this paint mixture.

While it was still very wet, I took it outside and sprayed the crap out of it with a clear gloss. (Sprayed the crap out of it is a technical term, meaning you should apply a very, very thick layer of paint.) I did not allow the gloss spray to dry between coats, but instead I let it run and drip down the sides of the urn.

What I ended up with was the color I wanted, but instead of just looking like a salvaged metal urn, it has a bit of a vintage, ceramic, quirky look to it.

Mommy likes.

How fun to use something completely the wrong way and still have the end result turn out well.

Happy V-Day.

Today has been brought to you by the Letter S.

Scene: JoAnn Fabrics. I am making invitations and needed decorative paper.

Grant: Look at all of these papers! What are these papers for?
Me: They're scrapbook papers. People use them to make scrapbooks, but I use them to make cards.
Grant: Mom, you said a bad word.
Me: (reviewing everything I had just said) No, I didn't. I didn't say a bad word.
Grant: Yes you did!
Me: What did I say?
Grant: (pointing at the selection of papers) You said...

My mind is on total over-load, trying to figure out what the heck this kid is talking about. Then it dawned on me....

"No Grant, that's SCRAPbook paper..."

God bless you. Now move on.

Scene: Our kitchen. I'm battling an unwilling kindergartener over a homework assignment.

Me: Please do your homework.

Grant: I need to sharpen my pencil first.

Me: No you don't, it's fine.

Grant: Look! It's raining!

Me: Yes. Please do your homework.

Grant: When do I get video games back?

Me: At the rate you're going, never.

(We have a month long moratorium on video games right now for everyone.)

Grant: Ahhh-choo! (Big sneeze!)

Me: God bless you!

Grant: I think I'm allergic to bees.

Me: Well, there are no bees in here.

Grant: oh. (pause) Then I must be allergic to this paper!

How do I win?

I might stink.

Our shower is backed up.
Our bathroom sink is backed up.
It's my fault.

Why? Because I shed more than a sheepdog.
I have a lot of hair. It's thick and full, with lots of volume. Yes, I'm genetically lucky. However, it's a great mystery how there can be so much hair on the floor, in the sink, on my clothes, etc.... yet there never seems to be any less on my head.

I feel bad for Handsome Hubby, who has to share a bathroom with a Sasquatch.

I feel bad for my kids, who find my hair in their school books, on their clothes and on one occasion that they've yet to let me forget: Devin's oatmeal. Sorry! (I swear, they're going to put it on my tombstone!)

I feel bad for me when I am startled by a rolled up little ball of hair that was formed after going through the washer and dryer, because I think it's a spider. Every. Time.

But today, I mostly feel bad for my sweet Hubs, who is going to have to come home from work early and take care of our plumbing issues. I know what's going to happen... he will unclog the shower and pull what looks like a wet mouse out of the drain.

And he'll be doing it with an un-showered stinky wife standing over him, apologizing profusely the whole time.

Under pressure.

Ever take a big bite of something and then someone asks you a question?

You know that feeling you have as you hold up one finger and chew, chew, chew so you can swallow and answer them? That feeling where you're thinking, "Gosh, why did I take that big of a bite?" or "Way to wait until I take a bite to ask me that..."

I'm kind of feeling like that at the moment. It's barely February and I feel the rest of the year rushing towards me. Me, the deer in the headlights, just now realized what's on calendar and the enormity of some of the tasks I've committed to:

In February a birthday dinner and a 5k

Mother's Day Brunch in May

A June wedding in Mexico that we need to budget for (and I need to get bikini ready for)

Our 25th High School Reunion in July

Our annual camping trip in August

Thanksgiving Dinner in November;

and the following weekend:

A big party for my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary

and of course, Christmas.

Do not misunderstand. I am excited about all of these events and am looking forward to them.

What I am about to say sounds like complaints, but they are not. I have my hand up first when it comes to volunteering or getting involved. It's just that at the moment, I feel a bit unorganized. I don't have a clear game plan yet.

We host Mother's Day Brunch and Thanksgiving, which are both things that I love to host. Handsome Hubby and I get to collaborate and cook together, and I get to do one of my favorite things... decorate with a minuscule budget.

I am on the organizing committee for my reunion, (I spent the last 2 days building an e-commerce website so we can sell tickets for it) and I am the event planner for my parents' party. There are so many ideas in my head, I don't know where to start.

I need a game plan.

And a Xanax.