Rustic "String Yarn" Sign

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Hey guys!  How is the new year treating all of you lovely people?  Things have been crazy here.  "Then Man" Is getting a new job so we might be moving up to Seattle. We are also looking for a new vehicle for him because a drunk driver totaled his in front of our house a few days before Christmas. Insurance is taking….    f o r E V E R…..

.anywho.

Today I want to share with you all my Rustic Yarn sign I made.  You can follow along on how I made this.  If looking to buy one if you're not that crafty, I do sell them in my store.  Below is a link to the shop.

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The List
 
1 8' molding of your liking. (Home Depot)
1 Large Slat board from The Wood Connection
1 Roll or bundle of Yarn. (JoAnns)
3 boxes of Brass "Gold" Screws (Home Depot)
4 Small Flat corner Braces
2 2" Plate mending Plates (Home Depot)
Paint
Wood glue
Sanding tool
Stain
Brushes
Cardstock

Below is your board from the Wood Connection.  You will want to paint that first so that it can dry before you add your wash over it to get the primitive look.  You can paint your's any color.  I wanted my letters to pop out because I used a pale yarn color so I did White.

Once the paint is dry take some brown and a little bit of  black and thin the base out with water.  You want it really runny.  Apply in the cracks and edges.  Then take a towel while still wet and wipe in the middle of each slat like the picture below the "LOVE" template.

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Below is a frame "The Man" made out of molding.   We made sure the molding was the same thickness as the slat board.  It either had to be thicker or the same thickness.  If you have a skinny molding piece your board will stick out.  Measure and make the cuts needed to fit around the sign.  A great tutorial that I have found for this can be viewed here.

Once the Frame is made you will want to stain it.  I used 3 different stains and white acrylic paint wash.

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Once the frame was dry we attached the corner braces.  CORNERS ONLY AT THIS TIME!

Below is a template I made in Illustrator for the word I was going to put on my sign.  I cut it out on card stock using my Cameo, however, you can use scissors if you don't have a fancy cutting machine. :)

Once its cut you can tape it to your board and take a pencil or pen and mark along the edge about every 1/2 inch.  I gave a rough guess doing this.  I just made a small circle with a pen.  

*** DO NOT TRACE ALL THE WAY AROUND ***

A tracing line will show. 

Once your dots are done you can pull the template and get a drill.  You want to pre-drill your holes since we are screwing in screws.  You don't want any split wood cracks.

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Once your holes are drilled you can start screwing in your screws. Make sure to not screw through the wood.  I put a scrap piece under my board just incase because I was working on my dinning room table. :)  Once the screws are done and level with each screw, you can start wrapping your yarn.

What's great about yarn is you don't need to attach it to the screws.  You just wrap a few times and it stays.  There is no wrong way to wrap your yarn.  I just wrapped opposite from the screw I was on and did whatever was necessary to fill in around corners. :) I also bought a pretty thick wool yarn and that helped.

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Once the stringing is done you can attach the frame using the mending braces.  Refer back to the back of the frame picture above. *BUY THIS SIGN*

*BUY THIS SIGN*

Hope you loved this little tutorial.  It was so much fun making this and i'm so in love with how it turned out.  

Until next time, keep creating, living, and obsessing.

Check out where I link up at!

Vintage Chanel Bridal Shower

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Hey guys!! Have you missed me? Today I'm sharing the bridal shower I put together for one of my best friends! She is already married and her wedding was fabulously gorgeous. 

Below is the invitation I sent out to all the ladies. Since I'm in the graphic design business, I made them. They are 5x7 chalkboards that I stained. I sanded the chalkboard part to give it a used look and made a custom vinyl invite for the inner part. It turned out fab! They were mailed in white invitation boxes. These will be available in my shop hopefully by the end of summer for my wedding collection. 

A few weeks before the shower I took photos of the lovely couple to display at her shower. They turned out amazing. We hung them around with twine and little wooden clothesline clips with doilies in between.

Almost every detail was custom made by myself or a tom of help from my parents. More on that down the post. :)

With the help of my mom and dad we put together these hat boxes the night before. Crazy! I know.. I have time management issues. Haha. I painted the base white and used a antique spray to make them look vintage. My dad and mom helped cut and put the paper on the lids and I mod podged them. 

Inside the favor hat boxes:

1.) scarf 

2.) small whimsical vintage frame

3. China tea cup and plate turned into a candle. (My dad made them)- I know, he's amazing. And if you all knew him you would be shocked he did that. Let's just say he's stone cold Steve Austin meets your average hunter/fisherman. 

4.) chanel perfume. (You can buy samples on ebay!)

5.) nail polish with a file tied with twine. 

There might of been something else, but I can't remember. Haha. 

The food table was all done by the brides mom. And it was all amazing. I gathered fine china plates in various sizes and my mom had ordered the hardware to have my dad put together the china stands. I just love them. The bride even used them for her wedding. I kept a few. The hardware was $5 I think on ebay and you get 5 sets. That was one of the many cheap projects.   I also found with the help of my moms amazing good eye sliver players at a thrift store. 

The games table!! I found a lot of my game ideas on Pinterest and you guys can check out my board here.

A few of the games we played were:
-Who Am I?
-The Price is Right
-What's in my Purse?
-How well do you know the bride?

All the printables for the shower were designed by me. (Soon to be added to the shop). 

The alcoholic beverage of choice. It's called the dreamer. 

.Pink lemonade.

.Whipped volka.

.Whip cream on top. 

Table settings were simple and fab. A lot of vintage flare mixed with romance. 

The Chanel logos were made out of gold vinyl that I designed in illustrator and cut out with my Cameo. These will be available for free if any one wishes to use them.  Please send me a message and I will send you the file. :)

The cake/cupcakes was beyond amazing. The brides mom picked out the piece that make this wedding dress the icing on the cupcake! ;) 

Well there you have it. Please ask any questions you may have. Keep creating, living, and obsessing. 

Check out where I link up at!

Lamps.Com Contest and Giveaway!

Hey Everyone!

So I have some very exciting news for not only My Simple Obsession, but for our readers TOO!  Recently we were contacted by Lamps.com to enter into their DIY Chandelier Face Off.  

HOW COOL! Right?

I don't know about you all but I love lamps.com.  I am always on there looking for new lights when it comes to upgrading my standard builder grade lights.  My 3 year old and "the man" call them "Boobie Lights"- I know Right.  You know you all have thought it too.

.So Anyways.

Here is the cool part.  If we win, My simple obsession gets a $100 Gift card to Lamps.com and one of our lucky READERS will get a chance to win a $100 Gift card as well!  Awesome Right!  So here is what we have to do.  Go to this Link HERE and vote for the White beaded Chandelier.  There can only be one vote per email address.  If you have multiple address GREAT! The more the merrier! Also, Share, Share, Share.

The more that we get this out the better chance that we will be able to share the lucky prize with one of you!

Voting ends May 17th!

Currently I have my eye on one these beauties for my living room.

Which fixture from Lamps.com would you get if you won the $100 gift card?

Until next time keep creating, living, and obsessing.

So get out there and Vote!

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Easy DIY Lemonade Stand

Hey Everyone!

If you all didnt get a chance to checkout my tutorial on one artsy mama im posting it here for you all.  I wanted to do something that I think every parent would enjoy making while the kids get to reap the benefits! ;)  As it is the end of summer for most of us and school is just beginning, it's time for us to clean out our houses and garages for those end of the summer yard sales!  Whats not a better way then to have your kids join in and sale a little lemonade and treats? It gives your kids something to do and will also spike interest in garage sale hunters!

....So today I bring you...

First things first,

The List

• 2 Wooden "Drawer" Crates (JoAnns)
• 1 2'X4' 1/4" board (Lowes)
• 2 1"X2"X4' Side posts (Lowes)
• Elmer's Wood Filler "Natural" (Walmart)
• 2 Bags of 3/4" screws "#6" (Walmart)
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Clamps
• Miscellaneous decor

BTW!!! Did you know that if you find a ding or a crack in any wood or craft items at JoAnns, they will  give you a discount!  I got 40% off just for this little crack on one of my crates! And it was already 25%! So on top of that I practically walked out of there with a free crate drawer unit!  Plus, JoAnns lets you use as many coupons you have all in one checkout! I <3 that store!

Step One:

Your going to measure the side of the crates.  ( I cheated. I took out my drawers and laid one crate down on my 2'X4' board and traced it.) Don't do what I did unless your good with eyeball dimensions.

Once you measure and trace out your measurements on the board, cut it out with a jigsaw. *Tip* Slow and steady wins the race.... "Just saying.."

Step two:

Then take your clamps and place the newly cut board in between your crates and place a  clamp at the top and bottom.  This will hold them in place when you screw into the wood.  Look below for reference to clamps.

*Tip* Lay the crates down so your screwing down instead of up right.  It helps the screws go in deep. review picture to the right for further tips......

Step Three:

 Measure the top of the crates where the table will be. It should come out to 9 1/2" X 24".  Draw it out on the 2'X4' board and cut it out with a jigsaw. (BTW, I should mention that you will be cutting 3 pieces out of this board so make sure your measurements count. If you have to make all the measurements before hand and draw them out before you do any cutting)  Once again, slow and steady with the jigsaw!  After your board is cut, sand the edges down. "We don't want our kids coming up to us with splinters!" Screw in the top board.  I went in from the outside with this one because the top piece is skinnier than the top of the crate. (Make sure you inset the screws.)

Step Four:

Take your 2 Long posts and screw them into the side of the crates. (Screw from the inside) It's nice to have someone to hold it for you while you screw the screws in. I was not so lucky since "The Man" is now on night shift. *Sad face* But it worked out great anyways because, "I have mad skills yo!" Use picture to the left for reference.

Step Five:

Measure the length from post to post and the length of how wide you want your sign.  I measured mine based on AB's height.  (Yes, I'm that mom that makes their two year old come out in the garage so I can have her stand behind the lemonade stand to get the right height for the sign!) Draw it out on the board if you haven't already and cut it out with the jigsaw.  Sand all the edges! And clamp it the the posts, one on each side.  Place one screw at the top and one on the bottom on each side. (make sure to sink the screw a bit, this will help with the next step)

 Step Six: 

Take your wood filler and fill all screw holes.  Let them dry for 15 minutes and then lightly sand them smooth.         Once that is done take one screw and Screw into one of the posts leaving the screw sticking out slightly to hang a sign on.  See picture below for reference.

And there you have it! A lemonade stand to decorate as you please!  

I have some very cool things to add to this to put all those other lemonade stands to shame! To see how this bad boy turns out check out our blog next week!  Hope to see you all there.  

Below are some awesome pictures of AB's First Lemonade Stand that I had made for her 1st Birthday Party.  Hope this gives you all some ideas for decorating your lemonade stands!

Until next time keep creating, living, and obsessing! ;)