The Enchanted Bungalow & Knottliten Cottage: January 2010

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Grandson Weekend

This week must have been "grandson" week. On Friday, I got to have my 22 month old twin grandsons. They helped with this project by posing for "no shoes" pictures (they'd have been very happy to pose for "no clothes" pictures too, but I didn't have a use for those at this point).

Then on Saturday, my 12 year old grandson came over and ~~helped~~ pretty much finished up the project and a couple others. For a great tutorial on the "remove your shoes" project go to How Does She . . Alison does a great job explaining the steps!

We my grandson mod podged on the paper, stuck on the shoe stickers, mod podged over it all and let it dry ( sort of - I'm not one that has much patience for that part of a project).

Then came my part - I put the pictures in, drilled the holes and put the string through.

He also mod podged a picture of him, his sister and the twins onto a little canvas that I had.

I had a picture of my mom taken when she was about 16. I do not know why, but it was "torn" out and I've always wanted to do something with it. At the Dollar store the other day, I found a funky shaped plate that said "tractor picture" to me, so he took care of that little project for me too.

Then we moved to the messy stuff. I had purchased these topiaries at an after Christmas sale for 1.00 each.

We protected the bottoms with bags, sprayed them with spray adhesive and stated putting on the moss.

It got very messy

but I think they look good!

All in all, I'd say it was a good day's work! (So we went out to lunch!)

Linking up with: Met Monday

Make it for Monday

And DIY Day

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Typewriter Key Plaques

I got my Ballard Catalog a couple weeks ago and of course, started going throught it right away! One of the MANY things that caught my eye was the typewriter key plaques! They looked like they'd be easy enough to copy, so I started my hunt. My dear sister-in-law has taken up my hobby of "second handing" and so when they were down for New Years, we hit our favorite shops. And right there in St. Vincent's was the perfect thing - 6 Christmas tins - all the same size at 90% off!!!!! So I paid my quarter a piece for them and brought them home. The bottoms will be used some other time (I hope), but for now the tops will become typewriter keys!

I gave them a good coat of primer (red oxide - it's what was in the paint cupboard), then a coat or two of black paint - just good ole Walmart ColorPlace. (Sorry - forgot to take a picture of the black painted lids)

I printed my letters on regular computer paper in Bookman Old Style font (400) and rubbed the backs of them with white chalk.

and traced around them with a pencil and then my white paint pen. Lookin good . .

But THEN - I had to fill in those lines!! I tried the paint pen - didn't look so good (again, sorry no pictures - in my frustration, I forgot). A paint brush with white paint was a little better, but the letters kept getting fatter and fatter! NOT SO GOOD!

The letters in the catalog and on my daughter's antique typewriter were white background, so I decided to start all over and go with that.

So more spray paint (Heirloom White) - lots of paint to cover the black and the outlined letters.

I decided I would just cut out the letters with my trusty ole scissors (no Cricut here), but before I went to all that trouble, I decided to see if I would be able to paint my border around the edge.

Hmmm not perfect, but then what is? I glued those letters on, gave a coat of mod podge and hung those babies up. (Yup - even before the mod podge was dry)