When Boring Can Be Exciting

I truly had forgotten just how boring this time of year is in my schedule. Once we are done with our back-to-school activities (and they were kind of early this year as school is starting so much earlier), there really are no "fun" things in my life and I have to make due with the every day mundane. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that. It is nice every now and then to not have a thing hanging over my head. BUT, that being said, you know I like projects and so today I found myself searching hard and "making up" some things that just HAD to get done. Things like "gluing" a ripped seam I just discovered on a new blouse because there was no fabric left to actually sew, "fixing" rips with black duct tape on the edges of my office chair where it hits against the sharp corner of my desk, squeezing in some silicon caulking in a leaking bird bath...well, you get the idea. I was just keeping myself busy. I wanted a project. I needed a project-and none of that window washing, closet cleaning, etc. kind of project for me.

And then, I remembered the extra plywood in my garage and I was off and running. I did some measuring and to keep things simple-meaning, I don't have a table saw to rip a long piece of wood so I simply cut the wood to 5' in length and let the width fall where it may. I do have a jigsaw but didn't think I could get a nice straight cut five feet in length.

The hardest part of making these signs for me is my ignorance in using the computer and word processing. I KNOW there is a simpler way, but I don't know what it is...so, there is LOTS of trial and error for me until I finally find a font that will work in my predetermined space. This sign was a particular challenge because it needs the letters to be tall (since I didn't want to cut down the width) but narrow because all those letters had to fit into 5'.

I started the way I always do with cutting, minimal sanding and then a layer of gray paint and a layer of linen white. I used the chalk paint I had left over from the barn doors, so free to me!

Then came the nail biting suspense. Since these letters were all of differing widths, it was almost impossible to tell if they would fit without cutting them all out and laying them down to see. Success! Many times I simply use spray adhesive to glue the templates down. Then I can just paint over them and lift them off. But this time, because I was having to use a brush to apply this paint and it is pretty thick so there would be a hard drag on the letters as well as the chance of the card stock letters absorbing too much moisture and just disintegrating, I am going to have to actually trace each letter on before I paint them.A bit more work but hey, I love a project-haha.

Since I have applied two pretty thick coats of paint, I am going to let it all dry before finishing it tomorrow. It's a cloudy, dreary day so I am off to get hubby to watch a movie.

Thought I would quickly share the last of Presley's three birthday celebrations. She had a friends' party last weekend, dinner out and gifts on her "real" day and then friends and family for bowling last night-her choice. Afterwards we all went back to the house for pizza and cupcakes. I think it is finally official-she is seven!

Can't wait to finish my sign and get it hung tomorrow. I will share soon. Stay tuned.