Tick Tock...

I was asked to make a clock project for our Relief Society's Super Saturday. For those of you who don't know, Super Saturday is a time to get together with the other ladies in the neighborhood and craft, visit, eat, and craft some more. These gatherings are a lot of fun and gives us a chance to learn from one another and get to know each other better. There were several crafts going on, such as glass etching, crocheting, paper qwilling, and wood craft. Mine, of course, was the wood craft. 

I was asked to do some wood clocks like this one I did several years ago:

I no longer have the clock. I gave it to a friend, who was once my neighbor. Whose mother is still my neighbor. Who is also my friend, who happens to be in the Relief Society presidency. Which, I'm guessing, is one reason I was asked to do this project. 😉

I made this clock with reclaimed fence wood and a vinyl wall clock from Die Cuts With A View. I got the clock about 4 years ago from a local Real Deals store, which has since closed. The clock cost me a whopping $3! A total steal, seeing as the original price was $39.99! 

I was slightly worried about getting clock parts for this project. I didn't know if I could find the same clock parts. I looked at various ways of doing it, but really, the easiest is vinyl. I was browsing a new website I found, Hollar.com, and guess what they had? 

Source

Yep. Jackpot! These babies were $5 each when I bought them. (Now, of course, they are $4 each.)

I ended up making 12 of the clock bases for our Super Saturday. Now, I don't like to procrastinate things, but I am ashamed to admit I did not make these clocks until the day before the big shin-dig. My excuses are many. I had to make Mother's Day gifts for my booth. My son had surgery and required my attention. I had a dentist appointment. I had to sleep. You get the idea. It was like rushing through an essay the night before it's due, only way more enjoyable.

I used 1"x4"x8' furring strips for the wood. I cut the boards into 20 1/4" lengths and gave them a quick sanding. Each clock takes 6 boards.

I laid them next to each other and attached them together with wood lath, glue and screws.

Now, simply repeat 12 times.

All of the ladies had a fun time painting the clocks. I am really kicking myself for not getting pictures of each of them, but I requested pics of the finished clocks hanging in their houses. If I get permission, I will post them here.

Each clock only cost $11. Not a bad investment, if I do say so myself!

Mother's Sweet Peas...

Today's post is sweet. Sweet with peas! I have had this idea running through my head for a while now. With Mother's Day fast approaching, I knew it was time to give it a try.

I made more signs like I showed you last time, here. I used my wonderful chalk pens and bought a few paint pens as well. I have used paint pens before, with horrible results. I don't know if it was me or the pens themselves, but I got paint everywhere! Thus, I have not wanted to invest my money into buying more. However, I really like the control I have when writing with pens, and I wanted some in green. Chalk pens mostly come in the popular neon colors, but the paint pens I used come in a variety of greens. I got mine at Wal-Mart for about $2 per pen. 

I got to work on the first sign, which made me nervous, because I don't like to freehand art. I shook my pen, held my breath, and went to work. Before I passed out, I stopped to see what I had done. To my utter surprise, it wasn't bad! 

So, I kept going. The lettering was tricky. I looked at the font I wanted and tried to replicate it. 

Why do I put myself through this stress? 

I asked my kids what they thought of my sign. Almost all of their responses were a giggle and, "Aww, how cute!" My oldest's response was...a small smile. Triumph!

What have I learned from this project? Well, first and foremost, is to try doing things that scare you. You will surprise yourself! Next, if you have failed at something before, don't give up. I looked those paint pens straight in the eyes and won! Third, getting my oldest son to smile for me melts my heart into ooey-gooey fondue!💗

A Small Tutorial...

Mother's Day is coming! I need my booth to be prepared! What is something fast and easy for me to make several of? 

Small pallet signs! 

Problem: I don't have any pallet wood right now. Solution: 5 1/2" x 6' cedar fence board. This stuff is rough, so plan on sanding it down and creating lots of sawdust. You can absolutely save time if you use other wood, but in this case it was faster to sand than go shopping. 

I cut the boards to 10 3/4" lengths. Why, you ask? Because I wanted the signs to be square, and 2 boards next to each other measures 10 3/4". (There's that sneaky math creeping up on me again!)

I then cut some wood lath 8" long. I glued and screwed 2 on the backs of the cedar board to hold them together.

Two cedar boards and 2 wood lath gave me enough pieces for 6 pallet signs. I had 2 - 5" lengths of the cedar board left over, so I made them into smaller signs. Waste not, want not!

Here's my stack, all ready to go!

All I had to do now was decide how I wanted them to look. I stained all of them in either Minwax Jacobean, Ebony, or Gray, and added some clear coat spray. Then I found some cute quotes about mothers on Pinterest. I got out my new favorite tool, a white chalk marker (yes, I have a new favorite tool for just about every project I do), and free-handed the quotes. I finished with a last spray of clear coat.

Viola! 

And the smaller signs:

Now my booth will be full and ready for Mother's Day!

More Cabinet Doors...

I had a very productive Monday. The weather was nice, I had nothing on my calendar, and most of all, I had ideas!

I had several old cabinet doors just waiting to be given a new life. I got them from the same shopping trip I mentioned here. No tutorial this time. In fact, I forgot to get before pictures. (Sigh.) My only excuse is that I was too excited to get to work!

Here is one idea two ways:

They can be used for photos or message displays. 

This one has new life as a coat rack and cork/chalkboard. Wouldn't it be fun in the entryway or mudroom?

The last one decided it wanted to be an artistic picture "frame." Not a frame in the typical sense. It has clothespins to hang pictures from a strip of braided leather. The leather was left over from another project I did that used an old belt. I found it while rummaging through my collection of "stuff." It was the perfect length, so it was kismet, fate, meant to be!

Now, if you will excuse me, the garage is calling...