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What's in a name? Everything....especially
when you spell it out for all to see in a kids bedroom or nursery.
Here is a boutique-take on simple wooden decorative letters.
Supplies:
• Wooden craft letters (Where do I buy
wooden craft letters? > Learn More)
• 3-5 yards of ribbon depending
on number of letters used (we needed 3.5 yards for our 6 letters)
• 2 colors of craft paint
• Medium sized stiff craft paint brush
• Sand paper 200-grit
• Sand paper 100-grit
• 1 yard of self adhesive Velcro
• Double sided tape
• Scissors
Step-by-step:
1. Sand down the letters, paying special attention
to corners and curves. Depending on the wood and cut of your letters,
they may need a little sanding, or a lot (SEE FIGURE 1).
FIGURE 1 |
2. Once they are smooth to the touch, you can begin
painting. We chose to have a pink undercoat to our letters. The
undercoat is the color that will show through after the letters
have been distressed.
(Crafty Chic Tip: For a more dramatic look,
place the lighter color underneath and a darker color on top.)
When applying the undercoat, paint only the edges
(SEE FIGURE 2).
(Crafty Chic Tip: We do not recommend laying
the letters on newspaper to dry as the paper could stick to the
letters. A better alternative is wax paper.)
FIGURE 2 |
3. After the undercoat is dry (about 30-60 minutes)
you can begin painting the top coat (SEE FIGURE 3). We needed
two coats of our white paint to cover the pink.
FIGURE 3 |
4. After the topcoat is dry (60-90 minutes) it's
time to distress the letters with the 200-grit sand paper. Lightly
sand the edges and corners of all your letters. This will give
the letters a slightly distressed look. Don’t be too rough,
though, or you’ll sand through your undercoat.
5. Once you're finished distressing the letters,
it's time to hang them. Using a level, mark on the wall were you
want each letter to go.
6. Cut Velcro small enough to fit on the back of
your letters. This is how you will be affixing them to the wall;
one piece of the Velcro (the loop side) will adhere to the wall
while the corresponding piece (the hook side) will stick to your
letter.
7. Once you have placed the Velcro on the letters
and wall, you can start working on the ribbon. Cut the ribbon
into lengths about 18 inches long.
8. Tie a bow, making sure both tails are the about
the same length.
9. Use double-sided tape to adhere the ribbon tails
to the back of the letter.
10. Use more Velcro to adhere the ribbon to the
wall.
FINISHED |
Variations:
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1. No ribbon. This is a good option
for boy names. To attach, simply use Velcro like above,
or use wall tacky putty. (SEE
FIGURES 4 & 5)
2. Perhaps you have a wall filled
with family photos- paint letters to spell your last name
and hang them above all of your photos.
3. Use small letters to spell
out the word “bathroom” and affix those to the
guest bathroom door so guests are never lost.
4. Wooden Train Letters. Craft stores sometimes
have train letters ready to finish. Stain or paint them
for your own unique touch. Seal with a clear coat for extra
durability. (SEE FIGURE 6)
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FIGURE 5 |
FIGURE 4 |
FIGURE 6 |
There are many places to buy wooden craft letters,
either finished or in their natural ready-to-finish state. Discount
stores sell them periodically, but they are usually finished.
High-end department stores also have them at better quality and
a higher price.
You can find natural letters in the craft section
of discount stores or at your local craft store.
If you want a truly custom look, check out this
online distributor who makes wooden letters to order. You can
preview your design before ordering as well. Choose from one of
there lists of fonts (lettering) or you can suggest your own.
>
CraftCuts.com The letters used in the examples "Ethan"
and "Ashton" are from this online seller.
Embroidery Pillow
Add a boutique look to an ordinary pillow with simple
embroidery. In this example, we added a cursive letter "E"
for baby Eloise.
Supplies:
• Simple white pillow case
• Embroidery floss
• Embroidery needle
Step-by-step:
1. Print out a large letter in a font (lettering)
you like.
2. Trace it onto your fabric using a washable pen
or pencil made for sewing.
3. Stitch the letter using a backstitch.
4. Use a dinner or salad plate to trace a circle
around the letter. Stitch the circle using a featherstitch….
for more info.
> Learn more
about embroidery and needlepoint
Tailor a Full-size Bed Skirt to Fit a Crib
Can't find a bed skirt that you love and can afford?
Heather Hales found a regular bed skirt that she just loved at
a closeout store for only $8. With a few snips and tucks and sewing,
she made it fit her daughter's crib.
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If you have vintage toys that
you just can't bare to put on eBay, here's some ideas to put them
to decorative use.
Vintage-people Embellished Mirror
Supplies:
• 19 Little People®* vintage dolls
• Melamine or other non-breakable dinner plate
• 5" craft mirror
• Clear silicone adhesive like Liquid Nails Clear
• Super glue
• Plate holder that mounts for wall hanging
Step-by-step:
1. Glue mirror to plate using super glue (Crafty
Chic Note: If you use Liquid Nails to adhere the mirror, the mirror
will be distorted due to the thickness of the adhesive.
2. Use Liquid Nails to adhere the dolls around the
mirror. This kind of silicone adhesive is best for the dolls because
they are not flat on the back. The silicone will help create a
flat surface.
(Crafty Chic Note: If the mirror is to hang
in a child's room, be sure to use the silicone and not hot glue
or other inferior hold. That is because hot glue can peel off.
This is especially important for younger children. Warning,
small toys that this could be a choking hazard, so children under
3-years-old should not play with our be around small toys such
as these.)
3. Attach wall mount to plate and hang on wall.
Vintage Crate Art
If you love the old advertisements on vintage crates, but the
crate itself is not in the best shape, here's a solution.
Supplies:
• Vintage crate with advertisement that
is in descent shape
• Saw
• Clear polyurethane
• Brush
Step-by-step:
1. Cut the end of the crate out so that the ad is
on its own wooden back.
2. Brush on several coats on the clear polyurethane,
allowing each coat to dry according to the polyurethane's directions.
3. Add a picture hanger clasp and you're ready to
hang.
Vintage Reproductions
Vintage decor is all the rage for kids' rooms and nurseries. If
the "real thing" is a little out of your price range,
or just not the quality you're looking for, consider buying reproductions.
This wall hanging is made from reproductions of vintage records
about cowboys. They have the look and feel of the '50s, but the
condition is pristine and the cost is much less.
 Vintage
Plates
Vintage plates are a great way to dress up any kids' room or nursery.
The horse plate is a hand-me-down from father to son.
The china plates (pictured right) are
actually called “bone dishes.” Their original purpose
was not as delicate as you might think. These plates were a place
for diners to put chicken and fish bones in. Who would have known.
Now they make a lovely vintage touch for a little girl's room.
Another idea is to frame a vintage
plate in a shadow box. This way of displaying plates highlights
an individual piece and bonus: you're never have to dust it.
Hungry, Hungry Hippos®** Clock
Supplies:
• Hungry, Hungry Hippos® Game
• White marbles that come with game (optional)
• Clock kit (found at local discount or craft store)
• Clear silicone adhesive like Liquid Nails Clear
Step-by-step:
1. Drill hole in the center of the Hippos game according
to the instructions on the clock kit.
2. Attach clock kit per instructions.
3. Glue on white marbles (optional) sporadically
around game board as if game were in the middle of action.
4. Attach picture hook to the back or use natural
curve in game board to hang over nail in wall.
Make Your Own Photo Art
A good way to add art and interest to your walls
is through pictures. Don't just settle for generic posed photos,
take pictures around a theme, In the example below, pictures of
the model above were taken with thing found at the zoo. These
pictures were framed in the same barn red frame and placed together
on the wall.
Other fun photo ideas:
Take pictures of your kids in the bath tub and hang
them in a grouping in your child's bathroom.
Frame messy pictures of your kids eating dinner
(baby pictures work great) and frame them in similar mats and
frames for your kitchen.
*Little People® is a registered trademark of
Fisher Price.
** Hungry, Hungry Hippos® is a registered trademark
of Milton Bradley.
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Decorative
Bedding