Friday, May 13, 2011

Renovate Brooklyn! My latest (and greatest?) project...



John and I recently encountered these terrific framed signs in a little shop upstate, and I'm totally smitten. Come on- admit it- they're pretty charming.  

I know they're a little "twee", but I was thinking it would be fantastic to hang a "RESTROOM" sign above our bathroom door in Brooklyn. Our kitchen is surprisingly full of doors and new visitors always end up walking into the pantry in pursuit of a toilet (...which is surprising for everyone involved, because they don't find a bathroom on the other side, and I'm wondering why they're rifling through my pantry...) A big ol' sign above the door could be the perfect way to put an end to that confusion.

Priced at $78.00 per frame, I was feeling like maybe I could churn out something similar on the cheap, D-I-Y style, but now that I've started this project, I'm beginning to wonder if I should have just forked over the cash. This is a tricky (hard-learned) lesson about D-I-Y-ing... it only counts as saving money if it doesn't look ridiculous and home-made when you're finished, and you don't end up wishing you'd just bought the genuine article to begin with and used all of that time doing something more constructive. Like your actual job for instance. Words to live by, people.


Here's the breakdown, thus far: via Michael's Craft Store
$  9.99 Long Black Frame w/ Glass (Originally $15- on sale... Sweet.)
$  1.99 White Poster Board
$  3.99 Basic Black Acrylic Paint                                                          
$15.97 In Crafty Materials 

Time spent futzing around on my computer trying to figure out how to do the lettering so that it will show up white with a black background: About an hour. Is my time worth nothing, I ask you? I know, I know. "Use a stencil" you're saying. But all of the letter stencils at Michael's were itty-bitty, and I'm looking for letters 3 to 4 inches tall. You think you're so smart... 

I am going to tackle this project tonight and will report back. Hopefully with stories of glowing success rather than out-right failure. And you can bet your bottom I'm gonna make a greenhouse sign too if this all works out well in the end.

Check back tomorrow for stories of woe or glory...

Fingers crossed for glory.

2 comments:

  1. a hardware store would have white vinyl letters or if you know a friend into scrapbooking, you might be able to borrow a "cricut" which cuts out die cut letters and symbols. I love your style :)

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  2. Those are super suggestions... I actually ended up buying some stencil letters at my local hardware store today, but then decided that I preferred the font of the print-outs I had made on my computer. Check in later to see my results!

    Thanks again for the hints!

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