Chalkboard Hand Lettering the Easy Way & Spring Shelf Vignette

Our family took a quick road trip to Myrtle Beach this weekend to visit family, but before we left, I decided I couldn't look at our hallway window chalkboard for one minute longer.  Y'all, it still had a Christmas scripture on it.  Which is cool and all...I love little baby Jesus, trust me.  But I couldn't deal anymore.

I wiped the slate clean for a fresh scripture that was perfect for spring (and really any time of year).  But if you're like me, even if you have the most beautiful saying in the world to write on your chalkboard, it can still get really frustrating to actually make it look pretty.  Kid you not, I can barely draw stick people.  I'm as artistically challenged as it gets when it comes to drawing/painting/hand lettering.

So if your artistic limit is stick people too, and you know you'll never get to the point where you can free-hand lovely fonts perfectly symmetrically on a chalkboard, you're going to love this trick.

I really love using this method on my window chalkboard because one piece of printer paper is the perfect size for each pane.  I just design sections of my quote/scripture on Picmonkey and print.  So easy.  It can be done on a regular chalkboard too, and you can even cut out your words on the paper and play around with your placement.

Once I'm happy with my placement, I work on one pane at a time.

I rub the back of my paper with chalk first and gently shake off any excess.  (Dang it. That Taylor Swift song is stuck in my head now.)

Then, I flip my paper back over and tape down the sides to hold it in place.  I use a pen or pencil to trace my letters.

I switched to a pencil right after this shot because I felt like I could press down a little harder with a pencil to get a better imprint. (You caught me.  I'm not left-handed.  Definitely faked it for a second to get this shot.)

Once traced, I had a faint outline imprinted on my chalkboard.

From there, I filled in the outline with chalk.  You can wet your chalk too by dipping it every few minutes in a cup of water to make it easier to work with and less dusty.  I think the chalk shows up a little more opaque that way too.

Once I fill in my outlines, this is where I can get a little creative, as creative as my artistically challenged self will let me anyway.  I can do dots and squigglies and that's pretty much it.

Repeat on your other sections and ta da!  You have a beautifully hand lettered chalkboard.  You can use chalk pens too if you want to make it more permanent, but I like to change mine out with the seasons.  It seems tedious, but it's a good rainy day project while watching an episode of Fixer Upper or something. ;)

I love that we always write a Bible verse on this chalkboard since it hangs right near our front door.

Sometimes we need that reminder that God is with us when we walk out the door every day.

And it's good for us to see when we walk into our house after a long, challenging day.

Oh, and do you see a little sneak peek of a change in our breakfast area already?  Those red curtains are gone!  I still need to raise the curtain rod and hem them, but it's getting there.

Do you have any chalkboard tricks you use?  Do you have a favorite scripture on display in your house somewhere?  Are you artistically challenged too?  My 2 year-old can out-draw me, I think.

Now that spring is starting to come to life, I think we'll be seeing a lot more sidewalk chalk in our immediate future.

Blessings,

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Simple and Cheap French Rustic Bathroom Sign

I get absolutely giddy once the weather starts warming up- partly because I can feel like me again in my flip flops for the 9 out of 12 months of the year that I can get away with it here.

But also because it means we get to host a new year of cookouts, hangouts, and all kinds of family/friend gatherings.  We love grilling up a storm in the backyard and inviting over lots of the people we love who we're so blessed to live close to.  

And it never fails, when we invite new friends over, there are always people hunting for the restroom in the middle of a party.  I guess because our powder room looks like a closet in our downstairs hallway.  

I joked before that I should just put a bathroom sign on the door so no one has to ask that awkward, "Um...where's your bathroom?"  And let the whole room of people know their business.  Then, I realized it wasn't such a silly idea to make one after all.  

A while back I found this teenagery bedroom sign for $1 at Goodwill and knew I'd make something neat out of it.  I just hadn't decided what until now.  Really though, I could cross out the word "room" and write "house", hang it on my front door and call it a day.  Because our house is actually clean about 2 days of the entire year. #ToddlerParentLife  

The comma splice on the sign would have driven me batty though. #FormerTeacherProbs

Supplies I used:

• Sign or wood piece
• Dark brown acrylic paint
• White acrylic paint
• Dark gray acrylic paint
• 100 grit sandpaper
• Vaseline
• Large and small craft brushes
• Computer printer and paper
• Sharpie or other permanent marker

I gave the entire thing a light sanding first.  To make it look like a weathered painted sign, I put a little brown acrylic paint just around the edges.  

When the brown paint was dry, I rubbed a little Vaseline on the edges to prevent the next paint color from sticking.  This sign took 5 coats of white acrylic paint before I could get those stripes to disappear.  I could have used spray paint but I didn't have any.  I just used supplies I already happened to have in my stash.

I rubbed off the Vaseline after the white paint had dried to reveal the brown underneath and make it look distressed.

For the lettering, I just typed "Toilette" into Picmonkey and saved as a JPEG.  (Okay, so I know I could have typed "toilet", but somehow it seems a little nicer as the French translation "toilette".  Toilet = gross.  Toilette = fancy pants.  Just like pronouncing Target like Tar-jay instantly makes it a luxury boutique.)

I flipped the JPEG image horizontally and printed.

I don't own a vinyl cutting machine or anything, so this is my method for making signs.  And it's cheaper anyway.

I gave the sign one more sanding for good measure and wiped away any dust.

Then I placed my printed lettering face down (hence why it needed to be a mirrored image) and taped it to hold it in place.  I painted a little water on top of the lettering just enough to wet the paper, not to soak it.

I rubbed the lettering to transfer the ink from the paper.  I used a Sharpie pen top but you can use anything as long as it doesn't rip the paper.

The ink transfer from the paper left a light imprint.

From there, I outlined the transfered lettering with a Sharpie.

And filled in the letters with dark gray acrylic paint.

I forgot to photograph this step, but I gave the whole sign one more sanding using 100 grit sandpaper.  I focused on the lettering to distress the dark gray paint.

I didn't want to damage our bathroom door, so I used Command hanging strips to attach it.

This bathroom is in our dark downstairs hallway, so it's challenging to photograph, but it turned out pretty great for only $1 find at Goodwill.

It was the perfect size for our door.

And at least now future guests won't have to feel embarrassed to ask where our restroom is.  Unless they don't know what "toilette" means.  Then, we might have a quick French lesson.  I'm pretty sure they'll figure it out.

Want to see other super frugal thrift store projects?  Just click the images below.  Gotta love crafts that cost almost nothing!

Blessings,

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Bless'er House FAQs

First of all, I have to tell y'all: THANK YOU so much for giving me feedback on my breakfast area change ideas.  Your responses on last night's poll on Facebook helped me a ton!  I feel so driven after all of your input.  I think every gal needs support from lots and lots of friends when she's feeling lost, don't you?

While I'm gearing up to take on these new ideas, I thought it would be fun to share answers to frequently asked questions I get in my inbox fairly often.  Everything from paint colors and decor sources to how some projects are holding up.  So here we go...

1.  Has your Mason Jar Vanity Light caused any problems or been a safety concern?  Have the jars cracked?  Do your bulbs burn out really easily?

This is most definitely the #1 question that constantly comes up about my mason jar vanity light in our powder room.  (This project went viral last summer and is still my most viewed post every day. Crazy.)  We have had absolutely no problems with this light, and actually we haven't even had to replace our light bulbs in it at all yet.  It's been up since last June and still doing great.

Mason jars are typically used at boiling temperatures for canning and jellying anyway, so they're durable.  But this light is also in a room where it's only on for a short period of time.  If it's a major concern for you, you can cut the bottom of the jars using this method.

Side note: I just found out that there are now LED bulbs available that are designed to look like Edison incandescent bulbs. Yes! I want 'em.  All over my house. (You can find my mason jar vanity light tutorial here.)

2.  What paint colors do you have in your house?

Our entire downstairs is Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige.  If I had to do it all over again, I would go with a shade lighter.  I still like it, but it's a bit dark for me in the windowless areas like our hallway and kitchen.  It's a really great neutral and changes from beige to gray, depending on the light.  It's actually the paint color behind me in my headshot.  Looks like a totally different paint color than the living room shot below, doesn't it?

Our powder room and guest bathroom are Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.  I love this color if you're wanting something other than a neutral.  (I have painted the rest of our hardware in the powder room to match our light in oil rubbed bronze but still need to snap a picture of it...oopsies.)

Our office and master bathroom are Sherwin Williams Pediment.  This is by far my favorite color in our house because it's so versatile and light.  It goes with anything!

3.  Why didn't you put an electric fireplace in your faux one instead of a log stack door?

Bottom line: We wanted to do it for as cheaply as possible.  And an electric fireplace was going to cost several hundred more.  We also wanted to still have access to our outlet behind the firebox door. Since we typically have very mild winters where we live, and a very energy efficient house, a fireplace really isn't necessary for us.  (You can see the full faux fireplace tutorial starting here.)

4.  Where did you get your living room curtains?

They're from Kirkland's called Taupe Gatehill Curtains; I bought the longer ones.  They're really great quality too with a nice, thick fabric and priced right.  I love that they add interest by incorporating some pattern without overpowering the room.

5.  I love your ceiling fans!  Can you tell me where you got them?

Our living room ceiling fan is called Twin Breeze by Harbor Breeze.  And, no, the entire fan doesn't rotate like a helicopter or anything.  It'd be pretty crazy if it did though!  Even though it has little fan blades, it works really well...this coming from someone who endures sweltering hot Carolina summers.

Our master bedroom ceiling fan is called Angora by Harbor Breeze.  It works really well too.  As much as I love the look of a gorgeous chandelier in a bedroom, there is no way the hubby and I could sleep without our ceiling fan.


6.  You're always making things look "old" and wanting to give your house "character".  Why didn't you just buy an older house and fix it up?

I could write an entire post about this, but really it came down to price, location, and the extra work.  We didn't want our first house to be a fixer upper.  I mean, we're newbies figuring out this home improvement thing day-by-day, so a house that needed some TLC would have been too much for us, especially since we have a toddler in the mix.

Our neighborhood was perfect for both of our commutes (when I was still teaching last year); our area has great schools; and it is close to the city but still has a rural feel around our neighborhood.

This new house is much more energy efficient and everything is up to date and up to code, so we only have to worry about cosmetic changes as we want to make them.  No guessing if the foundation is good or if we're dealing with shoddy electrical work.  The fewer surprises, the better.  By building a house with everything builder grade basic, we could really make it our own over time for the cheapest price possible.


7.  Can you share any photography tips?

Sure! I'm no pro and am still learning, but I love sharing what I can.  Here's a post about my photography tips.

8.  I'm just starting my own blog.  Do you have any advice?

First of all, yay!  Good for you!  Be patient, and know that it is a time commitment, but it is extremely rewarding.  Do it because you're passionate about your subject matter, not because you want popularity or to make money or anything.  If you put your whole heart into it and find a good balance between blogging and "real life", you will be rewarded ten times over.

And most importantly of anything I think, remain true to yourself.  Reach deep down and find your voice.  Be vulnerable sometimes.  Anyone can boast about what they do well, but it's always refreshing for me as a reader to see when a blogger can admit defeat and embrace mistakes, so I try to do the same.  Be authentic...because if you're not being the real you, you're missing out on one incredible journey.


If you have other questions, let me know in the comments or on Facebook!  And if you read through this entire post, I think you deserve a cupcake...a big one.

Blessings,

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DIY Industrial Factory Window Shower Door {Remodelaholic}

Happy Friday!!!  I am so so excited to finally be sharing my tutorial for my DIY Industrial Factory Window Shower Doors from our bathroom makeover.  This one will blow your mind, y'all!  My inbox has been flooded with some of you asking for me to spill the beans, so I've kept my secret until today.

Are you totally sick of this bathroom makeover yet?  This is the last of it, I promise.  

I've included all of the details over on Remodelaholic today for my contributor post, so pop over there and leave me some comment love.  Click HERE to see the post!

I hope y'all have a wonderful wonderful weekend and glimpses of some spring weather.  

Blessings,

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Master Bathroom Makeover Source List and Budget Breakdown

Are you experiencing deja vu right now?  I'm not a fan of posting the same photos over and over again, but I've gotten lots of questions about paint colors and where I found some of the items for our master bathroom makeover.  And since the reveal post was already pretty lengthy, I thought it'd be good to put an entire separate source list together to have all of the info in once place.

I truly want to thank you all for your kind compliments on this bathroom reveal last week!  Every like, comment, share, and sweet message keeps me going on this adventure in our home.  It's a wonderful feeling to have all of our hard work pay off.

After today, you won't be seeing our bathroom for a while.  I promise. :)  We still have 4 rooms without even a drop of paint on the walls.

When I dove into planning our bathroom makeover, I tried to pull out every trick in my little DIY book.  I lost count of how many trips to the hardware store we made, so the final breakdown isn't to the penny, but it's pretty darn close.

Wall color: Pediment by Sherwin Williams in eggshell finish (I had the color mixed into Valspar paint to reduce the cost a bit.  We used a leftover can from painting our office, so this was like a freebie for us.) 

Cabinet color:  Winter Gates by Benjamin Moore in semi-gloss finish (Again, mixed into Valspar.  I only had to use half a quart to do the job.) $20.44

Cabinet hardware:  Label pulls and distressed black knobs are both from D. Lawless Hardware. $6.80 for all

Mirrors:  Driftwood Framed Mirrors from Kirkland's - $19 each (On sale + used a coupon)

Rug:  Marshalls - (Bought two years ago, so I can't recall the price now.)

Window Moulding: DIY (previous post here) $25.82

Window Blind:  Mahogany Bamboo Natural Roman Shade provided by Levolor - normally $30

Hand Towels:  HomeGoods $3.00 each 

Bath Towels:  Walmart (Bought two years ago.)

Ladder:  Repurposed from my in-laws' barn - Free

Factory Window Shower Door:  DIY coming soon on Remodelaholic - $58.03

Window Wall Decor:  Repurposed window from my in-laws' barn and pages from an Audubon Field Guide laminated and taped to panes (previous post here)

Plant:  HomeGoods $8.00 

Mirrored Metal Tray:  Goodwill $2.00 

Glass Canisters and Soap Dispenser: Dollar Tree $5.00

Cubby Shelf:  Target Threshold Brand $45.00 (With 10% off President's Day Sale)

Jewelry Organizer:  DIY $17 (tutorial here)

Candleholders:  Thrifted DIY $4 (tutorial here)

Plank Wall:  DIY $97 (tutorial here)

Wreath:  Target $41.00 (With 10% off President's Day Sale)

And drumroll...

Grand Total:  $374.09 

If I've forgotten anything on my list or you have any questions, let me know in the comments.

What do you think?  Pretty good bargain for the pricetag?  If I didn't believe in DIY projects before, I definitely do now.

Blessings,

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