DIY Project: Watercolor Quote

This is a really easy project, that is fairly quick work, although time needs to be allocated for the materials to dry several times between start to finish, so keep that in mind. If you're in a hurry, carefully use a hairdryer to expedite the drying process.

What You'll Need:
masking fluid
watercolors
water coloring paint brushes
1 thin, cheap paint brush (for the masking fluid)
water color paper
1 frame
pencil

What To Do:
1. Decide on a quote.
2. Using your frame, determine the size of your watercolor, and size your paper accordingly to fit your frame, and/or frame mat.
3. Using your pencil, very lightly trace your quote on your paper. This will be your guide next.
4. Using your guide, and your cheap paint brush, paint your quote on your paper using the masking fluid. Let dry. It will be shiny, yellowish, almost completely translucent, and dry to the touch when it's ready.

Masking fluid, just applied, it looks white and opaque.

When the masking fluid is completely dry, it turns yellow and translucent.

5. When your masking fluid completely dry, start painting over your quote using your water colors. Think of this in layers. Begin with a background, let it dry, and then build depth by adding consecutive layers of watercolors, drying in between each layer, until you've reached your desired result. Paint carefully, or slather it on, drip it, spray it, splatter it, let it mix, blend, or turn it sideways and let the colors run. Finally, paint over your masking fluid with a darker wash, shading your quote.

6. Dry watercolor completely.
7. When paint is fully dry, carefully remove the masking fluid, revealing the crisp white paper underneath.

8. Done! Add your quote to your frame, and it is ready to hang.

DIY Project: Projects Yearbook.

Screenshot, via iPhoto.

The other day I had the idea of compiling a photo book of the projects I've completed, a year book of sorts. I made and ordered it the next day, via iPhoto, and every since I've been eagerly anticipated it's arrival. Today it was finally, FINALLY delivered to my front stoop.

Very happy to have my project yearbook in hand!
via my Instagram

As soon as the book was delivered, I looked through it for typos/mistakes/print quality/etc., just as I always do when receiving a printed product such as this. And I'm pretty happy with the quality of the book, for the most part.

Notice anything odd?

The binding is well made, the cover and dust jacket are both gorgeous. The quality of the photo printing was so-so. The pictures in the book came out darker, and less clear than they do when the pictures themselves are printed. That is a bummer. But the biggest downer was the couple of pages of the book that have been printed upside down. Yup, that's right. Up. Side. Down.

The book had several places where pages had been inserted upside down. 

I really, really love my project yearbook idea! Even though this particular copy isn't perfect, it's been really fun to have a tangible collection of all the things I made last year. I am really looking forward to getting the correctly printed replacement book! In fact, I've already started working on this year's book, although I'll be using another printer. I hope it will be a lot easier and more convenient to fill in each project as I finish it, versus spending hours on end adding, editing, and proofing everything in one sitting at the end of the year (or, as in this case, at the beginning of the next). Also, I hope the next one will print correctly, and more true to the images, on the first try. 

DIY Project: Stamped Holiday Cards

This project was purely an accident; I had no plans of making my own holiday cards this year. However, between traveling and catching a nasty flue, I forgot to order our cards. By the time I remembered (last night before bed), it was much to late to order with any hope of receiving them before Christmas, not to mention mailing them out in time.

Initially, I thought I might be able to use some left over cards from a few years ago, but when I went to dig them out, there were only 10 or so left. What to do?

I literary woke up in the wee hours this morning, with the idea of using a stamp I stumbled upon online a while back. At the time, I thought it was so funny to find a Swedish dalahorse style stamp here in the US, so I bought it without any real plan of what to use it for, then put it away in my stationary drawer, and forgot all about it. Until 2 am this morning.

 

I got up right away, and spent the early morning stamping cards. I snapped a few pics during the process, but just with my phone, so they aren't the best, but I figured I'd share them anyways. 

I'm so happy that I had all the supplies at home already, so I could start right away, but I would have preferred better card stock. (Note to self: stock up on better card stock.) I just so happened to recently have ordered a brand new set of stamp ink pads, in an array of colors, and I chose to go with a classic red for the cards.

The horse stamp also came with an extra little flower stamp, so I used that as well to decorate the cards, and the envelopes.

Initially I had planned on writing a holiday greeting on the outside of the card, but I scrapped that idea as it didn't look that great. I wish I had an alphabet stamp set, and I would have used that. Instead I wrote the greeting on the inside. 

When the cards were all done, I figured I might as well finish them for shipping. A few hours later, all our holiday cards are made, signed, addressed, and ready to be be dropped in the mail box today!

DIY Project: Motivational Gym Cards

This is definitely an odd one, and if you're one of those gym rats who just loves working out and nothing can tear you away from your daily cardio fix, this one is not for you. This one is for the people who find that making yourself spent 60 nominates in the gym every day is about as easy as dragging a dead donkey through an obstacle course; for the poor souls who feel time slow to a next-to-frozen-crawl as soon as your feet touch the exercise equipment; for the struggling gym-rats-in-progess who want to quit THE ENTIRE TIME, but continue anyways, usually fueled by an internal Smeagol-esque back and forth, which if spoken out loud, would surely qualify you for the psych-ward. This one, my dear fellow exercise-dreaders, this one's for you.

The inspiration for this DIY, besides the [obvious] CRAZY in my head, was twofold:
          1. A gift sent to me by a friend earlier this year, which contained a stack of lovely quotes
          2. A large collection of super motivational fitness quotes on Pinterest - which really isn't where you need them, huh?

A few of my gym cards...

Yes, you can laugh.

Motivational Gym Cards

There are a number of ways of making these, from writing on flashcards, to laminated cards, to photo prints. Choose the way that works for you.

What You'll Need:
A number of motivational fitness quotes - check Pinterest for ideas
Add any personal goals as well
cardstock, flashcards, or photo paper of desired size - my cards are 4"x6"
printer, photo printer, or marker
rubber band or small fabric pouch

Directions:
1. Collect your quotes, choosing those that speak to you. Add your personal goals, short-term & long.
2. Print quotes - either by hand, on your printer, or photo printer
3. Protect - initially I had planned to laminate mine, but as I printed mine on photo paper, they already have some protection, and I figured it would be a wasted effort as I'll probably change these out quite often, but to each their own. This is more important if you use paper, or want them to last a long time.
4. Make portable - I made a little drawstring pouch for mine using fabric scraps, which took about 5 minutes, but a simple rubber band to keep them together in your gym bag is fine.

Cards in action: from my latest workout:

This DIY is so odd and cheesy, I almost didn't share it. I made my cards on a whim, not knowing if I'd ever get any use out of them. However, I've actually found them pretty great, especially for those days when I'm sore and tired and just don't feel like working out, or during those last 15 minutes when I'm sprinting toward the finish with no energy stores left. I see these little messages, and I push a little bit harder, go a little bit further, and kick a little bit extra ass! So I decided to share them anyways, in all their crazy, cheesy glory, and they just might help motivate someone else as as well. 

A matching set.

I made a couple more paintings this weekend, to match the first one.

Image source: my Instagram

I took photos to share this morning, but it's all foggy here, so the pictures are not as vibrant as they could have been in better lighting. I figured dark pictures are better than no pictures at all.

Here is Orchid #2, which I wasn't that fond of while making it, as I made a few stupid mistakes, but after the colors dried completely it grew on me after all.

Orchid #3 is my favorite of the three paintings.

This water color project has been such a pleasant surprise for me. I'm so happy that I gave painting a try again after all these years, I'm really enjoying it.

My frist painting in more than 15 years.

Yesterday, as Hubby & I were driving to run some errands, the inspiration to paint suddenly dropped into my head, much to my surprise, since I haven't painted in more than 15 years.
"I want to paint a painting", I said. "With water colors."
"Let's go pick some supplies up", was my dear husband's answer.
"What about the errands?"
"They can wait."

 Image source: my Instagram

So, we switched our course and went and picked up supplies, and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the backyard, me painting, and him reading and watching me paint. It was absolutely lovely. So relaxing and refreshing. Here is the finished piece, my first in 15 something years:

I framed it this morning, thinking I would hang it, this Very First Painting, in my office, but Hubby really wants it in his. 

The impulse to paint struck me with such surprises, but I am glad to say that I truly enjoyed it. It was relaxing, and satisfying, although I remember nothing of the "how to's" involved. Half a life ago, I was just starting to learn. Now, I'm starting over.

I am so lucky to have a partner in this thing called Life who truly appreciates and supports my creative mind, regardless of medium. He is a keeper.

DIY Project: Framed Quote Print

This morning, a friend of mine posted this Voltaire quote on Pinterest, which really resonated with me. It linked to an Etsy shop, selling among other things, ceramic plaques with famous quotes.

Image Source: mbartsudios Etsy shop via Pinterst

A plaque like this wouldn't really work in my office, but I had the idea to print & frame it, in colors that would coordinate nicely with the rest of my decor. I made the print in Pages, and then printed it on photo paper, using my Canon photo printer for a saturated, professional look.

The shine on the glass makes the first line hard to see in this photo (it's easy to see in person), so I've added this closeup, which looks all dark & drab, but that is just so the lighter text will show up in the picture.

This was such an easy project, perfect for some quick DIY satisfaction, as a boost between finishing larger projects. And as it turns out, it fits perfectly in my new office, I'm so happy with it.

Image from my Instagram: