DIY: Laundry Room Lost & Found

We have an epidemic in our Laundry Room.  It's the epidemic of lost socks.  I swear the dryer eats them!  I decided that a little laundry room revamp was in order and it starts with a place to keep those little lost socks--that multiply!

All the little single socks end up collecting dust while hanging out on top of the dryer--either that or they just end up getting really lost.

I started with a scrap piece of wood that was lying around in the garage.  Hope they hubby doesn't need it for anything!  It's mine now!!

I sanded down the edges and a few of the rough areas.  Easy, peasy.  I covered the entire board in a pretty beachy shade of blue.  It reminds of clean.  In a laundry room....clean is good.

The color is Ocean Breeze and the brand is craft smart, which is you can grab at Michaels!

I used my silhouette and some vinyl to create a silk screen stencil.  If you've never created a silk screen, check out my previous post (the one right before this) and it will give you what you need! 
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I didn't have an embroidery hoop large enough to fit this screen, so I had a few leaks with my white paint.  I used a bit of spray adhesive to stick the stencil down while I applied the paint.

See where the paint leaked a bit???

 

 

 

 

No worries, a few cotton swabs and some water cleaned up the lines in a jiff!

 

 

 



 

 

I had these adorable vintage style clips in my scrap stash and decided they would be perfect to clip the socks to!

 

 



 

 

 

Once my paint was dry, I gave the board a little sanding to distress it and sealed it with some acrylic matte sealer.

 

 



 

 

 

Originally, I thought I would screw in the little clips--only I couldn't quite get a screw driver in the tiny little space.  Instead I used industrial adhesive E-6000 which you can pick up at your local craft store.  This stuff is the most amazing glue!  Be careful, you can glue your fingers together!!!  Be sure to use in a well ventilated area!!

 

 

 



 

 

 

And here's my little Laundry Redeaux!  I also hung a couple of clothes pin canvas that I snagged at Hobby Lobby on Clearance!  I love 90% off!!!!

 

What do you think????

 

 

 

 

I love my Laundry soap jars.  Anyone interested in my Laundry soap recipe??

 

I'll do a little video tutorial next time I make some, one batch lasts us a few months :)

 

Happy Crafting!!

 

Tutorial: Screen Print Flour Sack Towels with your Silhouette

I love the Vintage looking tea towels I'm seeing on the various home décor websites.  I decided to pick up some flour sack towels from Wally World and give screen printing a shot.  Only I don't have screen printing materials....so I made my own!

The first thing I did was find some awesome graphics, from The Graphics Fairy!!  Check out her amazing website:

 www.thegraphicsfairy.com

There are a LOT of steps to this so check out my video tutorial below!

 

 

Here are some more photos of the final product!  Coming to the Etsy store soon!

 

 

 

DIY Custom Subway Art Restoration Hardware Style!

It's about time.  I've been steadily working on projects, photographing and procrastinating about the first blog post.  I swear I have adult ADD.  I get started on one project and before it's remotely close to being complete I'm off on another tanget.  Ah well, that's how things go.

I've become slightly--no completely--addicted to the blog world.  I love reading everyone's blog and pulling bits of inspiration from everythingI read.  There are a lot of SERIOUSLY talented peeps out there!  So, let's start off with one of my favorite-and most recent projects--DIY Subway Art.

I love thrift store treasure hunting.  I crave the chance to rummage.  You never know what you might find.  I was at a local GoodWill near the day job.  I like to visit several times a week during my lunch hour.  While there I found two large 26x36 inch canvases for only $6.  Only problem is that, well, they looked like--this:

U-G-L-Y--You ain't got no alibi--but I regress. You know you can't buy a canvas that size for under $50 so I snatched them up and ran!  I've been coveting all of the fabulous Subway art from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and the likes.  But the PRICE.  I can't fathom paying $795 for these little beauties from Restoration Hardware.

I know, I know.  Look at them.  They are gorgeous!  But hey, I'm crafty!  I can make my own with a little time and a whole lot less $!!  First I opened photoshop and created a canvas the same size as my canvas, plus I added 2 inches on each side so I could wrap my subway art around the "ugly" canvas.  You can do the same in various photo editing programs or even in Word.  I picked places that were meaningful for my family and I.  My husband was born in Anchorage and I was born in Ft. Worth, TX.  My parents live in Ft. Worth an his in Embudo, NM.  I also added the street that our first home was on and some special locations and vacation spots.

I grabbed my handy dandy External Drive and headed over to Staples.  I had the lovely Print and Copy gal print me up my Subway Art as an Engineering Print.  They use a large format printer--however before you go Hog Wild with a rainbow of colors understand that Engineering Prints are only done in black and white.  The best part?  The print was only $3.99 for a 30.5"x40.5" print.  Rockin'!!!

No here's where I'm a bad blogger, I forgot to take the inbetween photos.  I was too excited to get the project done!  First, I spray painted the canvas white so I had a clean slate.  I didn't want any of the oh so--uh--pretty yellow flowers to show through the lettering.  Next, with my print rolled up in a tube, I painted modge podge (the homemade kind) onto the canvas, about 6-8 inches down the canvas at a time and rolled the print onto the canvas.  Much like you would do with wallpaper, I think!

It will bubble.  It's thin paper and the nature of the game.  Once I had the whole front of the canvas covered I flipped it over and smoothed it out by running my hands over the back of the canvas.  I didn't want to risk tearing or smearing the Subway art.

Once I had things as smooth as they were gonna get I focused on the corners and sides.  Again, I used my homemade modge podge and glued the sides down and wrapped the corners much like wrapping a gift with wrapping paper.  Voila! Perfection!  Now here's the important part-LET IT DRY!!  Once I felt sure that the canvas was dry I took a fine grit sand paper and lightly sanded the creases in the paper that formed from the bubbles.  I seriously love the way it ages the piece!

Last but not least, I sprayed a light coat of clear acrylic to seal the piece and let it dry outside for a good hour before I brought it inside to hang.  I couldn't be more thrilled with the way this project turned out!  I needed a large piece for the wall and finding large pieces on a budget can be difficult!

I have a LOT more projects to share with you so be a dear and follow me, K?

All the best,

K

P.S.
Linking up at The Shabby Creek