Aloha!
I have another love/V-day idea to show you today. This one is a gift I made for my actual sweetheart. 🙂
It was inspired by this:
This dreamy wooden art is the masterpiece of Sugar Boo creations and can be purchased at Modern Chic Home for a mere $300!
Or you can do what I did and make one with special meaning for FREE (or minimal costs if you’re still in the “collecting” stage of DIY…most of the items will be on-hand for regular diy’ers).
Here’s what you need:
Paper
Printer (or stencils)
Pencil
Wood
Background paint
Paint for letters
Brackets to attach two pieces of wood together
Wall-mount brackets
I found a piece of wood at our Re-Use Hawaii in the scrap bin for FREE. Suh. Weet.
Mine was 7.5″ x 53″, so I drew up a plan to see if it would work for the length of my message and then cut it in half with my Skilsaw!
First time using it all by my lonesome, so that was a big step for me:
Then I used our electric sander just ’cause I was already using the power tools. 😉
APPARently I still need some practice with the sander…poor thing! he he
I did one coat of Zinsser water-based primer and then one layer of white.
I’m too cheap to buy stencils, AND I wanted the letters to be a precise size, so I used InDesign to create my sign first and then printed out 7 different pages (to get the full thing to fit onto 8.5×11″ papers) and laid it out to make sure it was how I wanted it.
THEN the first tedious part. CUTTING OUT THE STENCILS. Someone stab me with a fork, ’cause I was DONE after doing those dumb things. If you have a friend with a Cricut or a Silhouette, I highly recommend bribing them with treats to save yourself hours of cutting teeny tiny pieces out. Boo to those of you who actual own one.
Then I traced them out with a pencil on to my boards. And THEN the last muy tedious part of painting each of the stinking little letters. I’m sure there a million easier ways to do this, but by the time I realized the project was taking way too long this way, I was already knee-deep in it.
I attached the two pieces like this (sorry pic is crappy…I was rushing because my husband was on his way home):
It will eventually be mounted above our headboard, but she seemed pretty content on our dresser as well. 🙂
Aloha!
Charlie
This is so super sweet! I love that you personalized it!! And I'm sooo impressed that you made the letter stencils yourself! Wow!
Love it! That is so cute! Fabulous job!
I love this!
Thats so cute! Love it.
Great project!! I'm a new follower
Also, I don't know if anyone has or not for you already, but I nominated you for the Stylish Blogger award! Check it out
http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/2011/02/im-stylish-blogger.html
I loved this so much that I featured it today in my Crush of the Week post! http://www.flamingotoes.com/2011/02/crush-of-the-week-31/
Wanted to let you know! 🙂
hello! I am new to your blog so I wanted to say Hi! This a very lovely idea! I love the result. I wish I was so craft-talented. 🙂
Mira
Wonderful Idea. I think I am going to make one for my son's room.
What a beautiful gift!
What an adorable sign! Love that it's so easy (well….except for the lettering…lol!). Definitely going to try this one myself! Have a great day! 🙂
xoxo laurie
Visiting from I Heart Naptime. I love this sign. I am excited to try one for our bedroom. Thanks for the inspiration!!
This looks awesome!
Great idea! It's going on my to do list!
I see someone beat me to it, but I've also awarded you the Stylish Blogger Award! I can't get enough of your craftiness!
Please visit my blog for rules on how to accept.
Cheers!
Theresa
http://alliswellathome.blogspot.com/2011/02/ive-been-awarded.html
Love this! The sign turned out so great.
I LOVE this!!!! Awesome Job!!!
way to go! I need to get out the power tools. I started with a drill last week. laura@imnotatrophywife.com
I just love this and what a sweet reminder for your sweetheart! Would love for you to link up to my Gettin' Krafty With It party!
http://kraftykat76.blogspot.com/2011/02/gettin-krafty-with-it.html
I love your take on subway art! My hats off to you on the stencils. Ugh! Well worth the labor…Looks great!
~Michelle 🙂
Love it
Nice job on your subway art sign.
Looks fab, thanks for sharing
That looks awesome. Appreciate the patience that it would have taken.
Cheers,
Lisa x
ps: I Love your tutorial, hehe
featured you here:
http://choochmagooz.blogspot.com/2011/02/tutorial-tuesday-valentines-special.html
saludos, Mari
I LOVE this! Great JoB! Now I need to go make me one 🙂 Thanks for sharing! BTW…I featured it here:
http://thecreativecrate.blogspot.com/2011/02/morelast-minute-v-day-ideas.html
Thanks again! 🙂
Great project! I think that should be up year round!
I love it!
Your quote is perfect!!
wow! you did a fantastic job on this art print 🙂 love it!
Very cute idea. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a new follower.
Dawn@ Mom-a-Logues
http://www.mom-a-logues.blogspot.com
ooo i think its time for me to get to work:)
I absolutely LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this! I have to make one for my hubs. I am brand spankin' new to this whole blog/DIY thing… but, I think I'm gonna try this!! Thank you!
sageandcocoa.blogspot.com
I love this….so cute. I'm in serious awe of you for making your own stencils..wow!!
WHAT A GREAT IDEA! Love this! I would love for you to link up to my Ten Buck Tuesday link parties!
http://www.youngnester.blogspot.com
Love it. I want to make one now. I need to buy a circular saw to add to my own tools.
Ruth
This is the cutest thing ever!
Come by our link party! We'd love to have you!
http://breadandbutter143.blogspot.com/2011/02/look-what-we-found.html
What a great, thoughtful Valentine idea. Think I can whip one up by Monday? 🙂
craftytexasgirls.blogspot.com
Hi! I just wanted to let you know we featured you on WhipperBerry today. Come grab a featured button if you like!
so cute! 🙂 Rebecca {simple as that}
blog hopping and found my way over to your sign post. I have always loved the one you showed for your inspiration piece. I had been thinking about doing that one for over our bed. Love yours and love how you have it on the dresser leaning against the wall.
What font is that?
Hi Charlie! Thank you so much for featuring a DIY project inspired by one of our Sugarboo prints on your blog!! It turned out beautifully too:) We really appreciate it and would love to offer you and your readers 10% off with the discount code VIPGUEST.
Thanks again and Happy Shopping!!
Best, Julie
http://www.modernchichome.com
Love this as well as the one you showed for your inspiration piece.
What type of paint did you use for the text?
It's just regular old acrylic craft paint! 🙂