"i love you."

"I know."

Classic.

If you aren't familiar,don't admit it and watch this:



I saw this on Pinterest and decided I needed to make some art for above our bed. I had intentions on doing some painting to go along with the blue & brown theme that just happened. I was going to do these lyrics but then decided to cater it to my husband's taste.

from www.abeautifulmess.com

Since I knew it was going to be a big piece of art and wanted to change the look of the room anyway, I took Husby to HD with me to get some paint samples. He, of coarse, chose red and black as the colors. Like I had to ask.

I googled some images and found a way black and red could work. Greyscale, baby. With red letters.

I had found some big "frames" (cardboard backing and hard plastic as the 'glass') that were a perfect size for a statement piece. That, plus the free paint samples = a FREE project that will fill my empty wall space!

So then I went to work when he was gone a couple days. Here are 10-ish steps on how I did it!

Step 1: Letters. I was able to use the Star Wars font so that eliminated hours of my trying to find a font I liked. I printed them on some peel off photo paper (in later photos) and cut them out.

Step 2: Figuring out a word layout you can live with !

Step 3: Begin making your mosaic ..line up those paint samples. (I had to cut mine in half to make squares, but if you find some square ones that will cut your work in half!)

Step 4: When you are satisfied with the mosaic, (gently) try the words again and see if you want to move anything around.)

Step 5: Do the same with the second piece. (sorry for the crooked photo...just tilt your head!)

Step 6: I used a glue stick for the first two rows then gave up. Tape saved the day. Double-sided would be best, but you got to work with what you got! Seriously, Step 6 sucks. I need a big table. My back hurt so bad!

Step 6 (cont...): I started at the bottom middle to keep it centered then did the rows from L to R, making sure my corners looked good. 

Step 6.5: Have sing-a-long music handy and playing loud.

Step 7: When you are (finally!) finished, stand up, stretch, eat a cookie, and marvel at your awesome work. Make sure you get the words right where you want them and then...

Step 8: Peel & Stick! (Or tape or glue...just get those letters on the piece!) I used  THIS. I love it.

Step 8.5: Admire your work then realize this did not come out all center and have perfect edges like you imagined...

Step 9: Get a real frame, or if you are ghetto crafty, like me, finish off your uneven frame with electrical tape!

Step 9.5: Run out of electrical tape just a few sides short! (Grrr.)

Step 9.6: After getting more electrical tape, make sure it's secure and stuff. If you are ghetto money-less like me, and you get your electrical tape from the Dollar Store you might have to help it stick to the cardboard...

Step 10: Admire the awesome and decide that this table cloth would be better as curtains than a backdrop.

Here's our wall BEFORE:

And here is too many angles of AFTER:

And if you are the type that needs a side by side and edited photo, your requested is granted:

 Happy crafting!

gracias ikea.

So on Wednesday Ikea (my homeland) had a great deal on these simple, naked looking, shelves. Now I will admit they are not the most beautiful ones out there but our little place is in dire need of function. We can deal with the form later. I bought two- with one I replaced our previous black shelves in the living room and the other was tranformed into crafty storage! (Finally!)

I wanted to put one in our record breaking teeny tiny closet for some actual storage possibilities (we don't have any dressers & our hanging clothes are on portable rods...not ideal but we make it work.) But whoever designed this 5-plex should be fired. For one thing there isn't even a light in the living room (thank goodness for hot air balloon paper lanterns [see previous posts]... but the even more frusturating thing was that the hanging bar in the closet is stationary, meaning I think the walls were biult around it... thus making the shelf 1 or 2 inches too big to fit around it, without a saw at least. I do not have a saw. Grrr.

So I replaced the living room shelves and put the old black ones in our closet. There's still some wasted space so that's annoying but it's better than the hanging things/chaos that was in there before. Really I'm just happy my crafties have a more permanent home. Clothes can be thrown on the floor ;P

dear portlandia,

There is a great chance we could be reunited this fall.

For reals. Forgive me for leaving you for so long.


I cannot even contain my excitement. 
We are going to have so much fun!

Love,
Your biggest fan, Heather