Makers Gonna Make

I'll let you in on a little secret about me...

I cannot spend money on something I know I can make myself.

It's kind of funny because now my hubby just grins when he sees me dragging supplies into my studio.

No "What are you making now?" No "Why?" 

Just the grin and the knowledge that I must have seen
something somewhere that sparked the maker to come out!

That's a bit of what happened this weekend.

I am on a little laundry room spruce up kick after finding these amazing baskets at World Market.  
(If you want them, be patient and wait for a sale to come around again!)

I am in the laundry room so much it should be a place that makes me smile!

I wanted to add to the pictures above my folding table.  

I found a bunch of cute things online, but when I saw them in person they weren't as cute.

I knew what I had to do.  I took a combination of ideas and came up with a design plan.

A 3-foot board for above the other pictures.  

wash * dry * fold * repeat

If you want to make your own gather these supplies:

1~ 1"x6"x36" pine board

2-3 ~ acrylic paint colors

1~ printed saying 

1 piece ~  carbon paper

2~ sawtooth picture hangers

dull pencil

paint brushes 

Step one:

Prep your saying.  I printed my saying at 165 point font.

I then trimmed it and taped it together to make sure it would fit the board.

 

Step two:

Paint your board.  I love acrylic paint because it dries so fast.  

I did many, many coats to get the coverage I wanted.

 

 Step three:

Paint the back of the board.  

I like things I make to have a finished feel, so I always try to make sure the back is painted too!

Step four:

Align your saying on your board and loosely tape the ends with painters tape.

Slide a piece of carbon paper under your saying and begin tracing the outline of each letter.

Slide the carbon paper down until you have traced every letter.

Remove the paper and praise the wonder of carbon paper!  

Step five:

Use the paint you chose for your letters and begin filling in the words.  Be sure to use a brush with a nice, crisp edge.  Add coats of paint until your letters are the shade you want.

Step six:

Add additional colors for depth or distress your board or do both.

I dry brushed aqua and white paint across the surface and then distressed around the edges.

Step seven:

Add your hanging hardware.

Step eight:

Use a level to measure and mark the spots for the nail holes. Seriously, the level is a game changer!

Hang your new sign and smile!

A perfect new addition to my well used space for less than $10 and a couple hours of time.  

Not a bad price for something that adds so much cuteness to the laundry room!
Now I need to repaint the embroidery frames...it's a vicious cycle...hehehe

*All the links are for you!  I don't get anything from the companies for sharing, 
but I would not be above accepting perks from any of them...can I get an amen?!?