Photo Booth Props #2

I have a new wedding project to show you! It's another photo booth prop. The first photo booth props I made were these. And I just love them! But I know I need many more and figured I would DIY most of them because they are pretty easy to make! Today's are chalkboard message props. These are great because people can write a message to hold up in the pictures. 

I actually took a picture of all of the supplies, yet somehow it got deleted off my memory card. But, here's what you need and how to make them.

Supplies:

Two unfinished wooden plaques (craft store)

Two wooden dowels

Chalkboard spray paint

E6000 glue

This was so easy to make. All you have to do is spray the unfinished wood plaques with the chalkboard spray and once they are dry, glue the wooden dowel to the back! See, SO EASY!

And now you have some chalkboard message bubbles for your photo booth!

 

Can I just say how excited I am that there are only 138 days left!

Happy Summer!

Today officially marks the first day of my last summer ever. I cannot express the freedom I feel knowing I don't have to study a thing for three months. It's fantastic. In honor of my last summer, I've made a bucket list. For all of the things I want to do/accomplish this summer. And since I don't have a new craft to show you (yet), I'm sharing my extensive list with you!

Summer 2012 Bucket List

1. Plan a wedding

[source]

2. Take a day trip to Ikea in Atlanta

3. Disney World

[source]

4. Join a bowling league

5. Go to a shooting range

6. Lose 20 pounds

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7. Finish a scrapbook

8. Start project 365 

9. Get tan

[Source]

10. Start a journal

11. Redo my blog layout

12. Spend time with family

13. Get published

14. Learn to sew

15. Learn new cupcake decorating techniques

[source]

16. Bachelorette party!

17. Have cookouts

18. Visit Auburn

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19. Read a new series

20. Organize everything

And last, but not least. 

[source]

Happy summer and happy weekend!

Painted Planter

 Today I want to show you my new planter that's acting as my mini garden. 

Last time I was at my parents, it was my mom's birthday. But instead of me giving her lots of presents, she ended up giving me a bunch of stuff. Including some of her herbs and petunias. Which I was super excited about. I knew I needed something to plant them in (since I have no yard) and wanted to get creative with it. So I took my happy butt to Wal-Mart to get planters. I ended up with 5", 8.5", and 14" clay pots.

I had really wanted to paint them first, but I had to plant what she gave me or it was going to end up dying. This is how it looked to begin with.

Once I had some time to paint them, I began by spray painting the bottom of each one. 

 Then I painted the tops with some black acrylic paint. To personalize it a little, I decided to cut some black vinyl to add to each of the pots. I used a K for the top (the initial of my future last name), a 101 for our future apartment number, and I used a damask stencil for the bottom pot to make it a little prettier.

The stencil and I got in a fight, so it doesn't look its best. But, I decided I didn't really care since it was going to be sitting outside and getting rained on anyways. 

 

What do you think? 

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

DIY Bookshelf Upcycle

I have officially finished my big project! And by big, I just mean that it's the biggest project I've ever done. When the fiance moved into our apartment, we ended up getting two new bookshelves and couldn't decide what to do with his old one. My dad suggested using it in our kitchen since we don't have much storage space. It turned out to be a fantastic idea on his part. We really wanted to find a hutch or something similar with some cabinet space, but it ended up not being in our budget right now. Since we're both on med school salaries and all.

It was looking a little on the dingy side and the wood laminate look just wasn't cutting it in the kitchen. So, I decided to redo it. 

See what I mean: 

Mom gave me some old black paint they had stored in the garage a few days ago and after finding out the paint under our sink wasn't white like I originally thought, the black ended up saving the day! I bought a $7 can of primer, a few sheets of pretty paper to match the other decor in the kitchen, a roller, and two plastic paint holders. The primer I bought was fantastic because it didn't require that the bookshelf be sanded beforehand.

The first thing I did was take the back off.  It was just a piece of flimsy cardboard so it was pretty easy to get off.

The next thing I did was prime the entire piece. One coat was sufficient.

While it dried on the balcony, I went ahead and ModPodged the papers to the backing I pulled off in my first step. I was worried that the lines would show where I put the pieces together, but it doesn't show at all. I was pleasantly surprised! I also did a coat of Mod Podge on top.

Then I painted it with two coats of the black and nailed the backing on. And now I have a completely new bookshelf. Well, technically it's a pantry now.

I think Martha would be proud.

Also, I absolutely adore damask print!

Finished product:

I think my next project will be to work on some type of food storage system! Maybe some glass containers with some pretty labels? Hmmm. I'll keep brainstorming that one. 

Happy Thursday!

DIY Painted Striped Shirt

Long time no blog.  Yeah yeah, sorry sorry. Yesterday marked 6 months until the wedding and lately, that's all I've had on my mind. I've also been way less focused on school, which will probably take its toll during my GI final this coming Friday. I will be SO GLAD when this module is over. Needless to say, I haven't enjoyed it as much as the previous two. It's just....too much stuff. However, my two patient interactions this module were awesome. And probably the only reason I haven't completely burnt out yet. It's so amazing to me how every person has a different story to tell. Granted, a medical history isn't necessarily the most happiest of stories, but it's still really cool to hear each one. 

But enough of the sentimental blogging. 

I've been working on quite a few projects for the wedding (and the blog) but I either haven't completely finished one to show it to you, or its a gift that I can't show you until the wedding is over. So, today's post is a random spur of the moment project I saw pop up in the craft blog world and I wanted to take my own shot at it. As you've already learned from the title, it's a painted striped T-shirt. 

I thought this was the coolest idea. I wish I could share the original idea with you, but I just saw it one day scrolling through Pinterest. So, instead I'll just give you my own tutorial.

Supplies:

 

Plain white T-shirt

Fabric paint*

Foam paintbrush

Masking tape

*I used acrylic paint mixed with a textile medium to make it fabric paint

How To:

 Use your masking tape to make stripes down the shirt. I used a ruler to make sure they were the same width all the way across. I also put a strip of masking tape vertically on each side. (But I didn't get a picture of this). I did this because I only wanted my stripes only go across the front. 

Before you begin painting, make sure to put some scrap paper inside of the shirt so the paint doesn't end up bleeding through to the other side.  Then, dab on your paint with the foam brush until each stripe is covered. I decided to alternate my colors.

 Let the paint dry and slowly peel off each piece of tape. 

And now you have a new piece of clothing in your wardrobe. :)

 Or at least a new, cute, pajama shirt?

It needs something...like a necklace. Or another stripe. 

I promise it's not a crooked as it looks. ;)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Tulle Pom-Poms

Can you believe I already have another project for you? I have had nothing but wedding on my mind and felt the urge to knock out a lot of stuff lately. Today, I want to show you how to make tulle pom-poms, my way.

I wish they didn't look so much like loofahs. Eh. Oh well.

I had searched different ways to do this, but none of the techniques I found resulted in a "full" pom-pom. So, I tried a mixture of techniques.

What you need:

Bolts of tulle 

2" Styrofoam balls

Straight pins (ignore the wire, it didn't work)

Scissors

Ribbon

Directions:

1. Cut rectangles of tulle (mine were probably about 7-8" long) and fold accordion style (like a fan).  2. Stick a straight pin through the middle of your folded rectangle. 

3. Fold both sides upward and stick the pin into the Styrofoam ball. 

4. Repeat many times.

5. Cut a piece of ribbon (for hanging) and pin it into the middle of the ball. (You may want to add some hot glue too, just to give it extra strength.)

 

And you're done. Now you have a nice loofah-like decorative pom-pom. Hooray!

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to recruit some unlucky individuals to help me make about 20 more of these. AKA - my mom and sister. :) 

Photo Booth Props #1

I know I know. I'm pretty much the worst blogger ever.

Also, these past two weeks have been absolutely non-eventful.

I had my first GI test this past Friday. And it was killer. But I won't bore you with school stuff.  Since I had this weekend off, I spent it doing all things wedding and family. Today I just wanted to share one of my wedding projects I completed this weekend.

My plan is to have a photo booth at the wedding so I've started making/collecting random props. I saw these on someone's Pinterest and thought they were the cutest things.

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And then, I decided I could make my own.

Mine aren't quite as cute. But that's okay.

Supplies:

Two foam fingers

X-acto knife/Self-healing pad

White fabric paint

Foam brush

Freezer paper

An iron

I used the exact same technique for these as I did for my Muggle shirt.

And this is how they turned out :)

And this is what happens when my crazy sister takes interest in my crafts.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!