Project #14: Hang a Wall of Frames

When we moved into this house, I wasn't really blessed with a lot of time to decorate. Strike that. I didn't take the time to strategize how to decorate or to buy things that necessarily fit the house. (Comes with the territory when your on a tight money and time budget!)

So last year, I decided that the blank wall above the overstuffed chair in the den would be a great place to display some family photos. We really don't have a good place in our home, like a table top or other sort of display, to show off our darling dear ones, so this seemed like a sensible solution. I looked into getting some shelving to go along the wall but was overwhelmed by the high prices. It's just a strip of wood attached to the wall, right? Why on earth should it cost so much? Plus, I didn't have a lot of frames, so add in the cost of uniformly colored and matted frames, and this was going to be a budget drainer. Back to the drawing board.

I went through the small collection of frames we already had and found all the black ones. That was a start. Then I received a couple of frames for Christmas. After finding all the pictures I wanted to display, I finished off my framing at Walmart, where you can buy a matted 8x10 frame (for a 5x7 photo) or a matted 5x7 frame (for a 3x5 photo) for $3 each. Not bad. I wasn't as concerned about the frames not being the same style, so long as they were black with white mats.

After creating a general layout on the floor, I began hanging the frames with common picture-hanging hooks one by one, and I came up with this:

The problem now is that it's a little hard to expand the collection easily. Sure, you can just branch out and add another frame, but after a few additions, I realized that you have to be strategic in each of your placements. The other problem is that I scraped up the wall when hanging the frames, so there are lots of black scuffs on the wall surrounding the pictures and in between them.  I also decided that I would have liked them spaced a little farther apart. And also, I noticed that when people walked by heavy-footed or bumped a chair against the wall, some of the pictures would shift. I was constantly having to adjust the frames so that it didn't look like we lived in the Haunted Mansion at Disney World:


Well, the other day, my husband came home and asked if I'd seen the 3M Picture Hanging Strips, and he wondered if they'd be a good option for remounting our picture wall. With a few newly acquired pictures to hang, I was in!


I checked out the strips at the store and found that they were rated for different sizes/weights of frames. I purchased several "value" packs of size small and medium because our frames are rather light and fairly small. This was really the only cost, because I had all the other supplies on hand. It took me two nights because I had to let the paint dry, but it was very easy. Here's how I dismantled the old wall of frames and put up the new one:

Hang a Wall of Frames

Materials: 

• Framed pictures or memorabilia
• Fine finishing sanding block
• Drywall repair tools and supplies (if needed)
• Paint and supplies (if needed)
• 3M Picture Hanging Strips (sized appropriate to your hangings)

Cost: Under $20

Time: Two Nights

Skill Level: Easy

Instructions:

1. Remove all items from the wall. I found lots of scrapes, scuffs, and holes!
   
2. Patch the holes with drywall tools. I could only find my wood putty at the time and not my drywall patch (which would have worked better), but I decided to go with what I had. Allow to dry/set.
   
3. After filling the holes, use the sanding blocks to even out the wall surface.
4. Using a paint roller, reapply paint to the repaired area. Allow to dry.
5. Choose the appropriate 3M Picture Hanging Strips for each picture and afix to the back of each frame. Note that different size strips are rated for different frame weights. For instance, there are small strips that seem to be weighted for about 1 lb. each. Add two strips to hold a 2-lb. picture, etc. Medium strips seem to be weighted for 3 lbs. Check the back of your package for quantity and configuration suggestions. We got away with 1-2 small or large strips per frame. Not bad!
6. Lay out the frames on a table or the floor to create a pattern for your hangings. I tried to align two edges of every picture frame with another frame. This gave me an organized, but not an overly symmetrical, matchy-matchy layout. I think it was a good strategy to adopt.
7. One by one, afix the frames to the wall using the 3M strips according to manufacturer's instructions. I will say that you need to separate EACH STRIP before afixing it to the frame. If you just fold a pair of strips along the perforated line, then you won't be able to easily pull the frame off the wall once it's mounted.

Here's what I ended up with:

(There are two other projects in this picture...stay tuned for details!)

What's especially handy about this is that I can easily remove these frames and rearrange them without damaging the wall. So essentially I could have a different pattern every week if I wanted to! (I'm sure the 3M company would love me buying all those refill strips!) But, if I ever decide I want to do something completely different with the decor here, I can easily do so without disrupting any of the wall. Lesson learned! Plus, there's still plenty of room for more frames. I like it.

What about you? How have you creatively displayed your familiy photos? Have you ever used these 3M strips? Got any creative suggestions for making your arrangement truly unique?

Project #13: Make Wooden Toy Food

Wooden toy food is such a classic toy. Not to mention that it goes great with our emerging home-built toy kitchen (check out our first kitchen piece, the stove).  But what really makes it great is how you can make it with a box of scrap wood. Whenever we build something in the workshop, there's inevitably some leftover scrap. No matter what shape or size results, we throw it in the scrap box. Who knows when it will come in useful?

Well (as promised), here's a great way to clean out the scrap wood box. It just takes a little bit of imagination, some sanding, and whatever paint you have on hand. And it will probably take a couple of nights because of having to allow your paint and putty to dry.

Make Wooden Toy Food

Materials Needed:

• Scrap wood
• Screws
• Medium to fine sandpaper
• Paint (non-toxic)
• Wood glue
• Wood putty
• Clear sealant (non-toxic)

Tools Needed:

• Saw (circular, jigsaw, or miter saw will work fine)
• Drill
• Paintbrushes

Cost: Under $20 (maybe even free!)
Time: Two Nights
Skill Level: Easy

Instructions:

1. Decide what foods you'd like to make. You can get inspiration from a number of websites. My favorite pre-made wooden food designer is Melissa & Doug.  Check out all those cute little food sets! If you're like me, and giving your child a kitchen appliance for each birthday/holiday, you might choose items associated with that appliance. So, with a refrigerator, you might give cheese, milk, or orange juice.
2. Cut your scrap wood pieces with the saw. Be sure to follow all manufacturer's safety precautions when operating power tools!
3. Sand each component piece (some food will require multiple pieces to build) heavily with sandpaper. Sandpaper wrapped around a block of scrap wood works best for hand sanding; an electric sander makes things a lot easier (and faster). Be sure to remove all harsh/sharp corners and edges. even if it causes the shape to be a little less accurate overall, the safety of your child must be top priority!
4. Assemble component pieces with screws and wood glue.
5. Fill screw holes with wood putty. Use a scraper or sharp edge to smooth, even with surface of wood. Allow to set/dry.
6. Apply a coat (or two) of paint, adding writing or decorations as desired. You might use items in your own pantry as models for colors, designs, and fonts. Don't worry about being too elaborate; just convey the main design of the item through your painting. Allow to dry.
7. Spray with a coat or two of clear sealant. (Toymaker's Finish is safe for use on children's play things.) Allow to dry.

This is a really fun, cheap way to create fun toys that really foster the imagination of your child. What can you come up with? Here are some items I've completed so far:

Remember, the idea here is not to be perfect, but to be creative and handmade. That makes it all the better! What food items have you made out of wood?

Project #8: Make Old-Fashioned (but New-Fangled) Wooden Toy Blocks

When I was growing up, my parents were always building furniture it seemed. So I spent a lot of time "playing around" in the wood working shop. Dad had a scrap box where he would throw odds and ends (left-over wood pieces) and I was allowed to use any of them to make anything I wanted.

Well, now that I have my own shop area (though not nearly as equipped, finished, or supplied as my parents'), I too have a scrap box where I throw my odds and ends. "Maybe I'll be able to use that sometime." "It seems like a waste to throw that away; I'll just tuck it in the box for later."

Well, later has come. For Christmas, I'm going to raid the wood scrap box to make a couple of sets of toys for my one year old. One of the projects is to make old-fashioned wooden building blocks. (You'll have to check back soon to see the other project!) Who doesn't love the endless creativity, dexterity-building, imagination-inducing power of old-fashioned wooden blocks??? And add a few pretty paint patterns with your store of craft and oops paint, and you've got a new take on an age-old (non-electric!) toy. I'm feeling giddy. :)



The best part of this project is that it's quick, simple, and nearly free (if you have all the supplies on hand, as I did)! Gather up your miscellaneous supplies! This one will help you clean out the junk from your workshop (and make room for more!).

Make Old-Fashioned (but New-Fangled) Wooden Toy Blocks



Materials:

• Scrap wood (non-treated varieties--since we don't want harmful chemicals near little ones!)
• Paint (non-toxic)
• Clear sealer
• Sandpaper

Equipment:

• Electric sander (optional)
• Paint brushes, varying sizes

Cost: Under $20
Difficulty: Easy
Time: Two Nights
Instructions:

1. Collect scrap wood pieces.
2. Cut block-sized pieces. (Tip: A set of blocks is much more functional if you have several pieces that are the same size. This way, you can stack two identical blocks side by side and put a "roof" on top. Therefore, try to cut at least two of every shape.)
3. Sand edges so that corners are smooth and mostly rounded. (Tip: An electric sander turned upside down makes this step infinitely quicker and easier!)
   
4. Paint blocks, and decorate as desired. (Tip: You can paint modern or trendy patterns on these blocks to really bring them into this century. Or, for a more traditional look, keep them solid and paint--or stamp/decal/sticker--letters and numbers on them.)
   
       
   
       
   
   
   
5. Seal paint with clear sealer (non-toxic if you can find it!).

Depending on how many blocks you make, this could be a very quick or a very long project. Once I got started, I went back and made more. I just couldn't help myself. Eventually, for the sake of time and sanity, I had to settle on my 49-piece set. Dowel rods, 1x3s, 1x4s (cut into triangles), and 2x2s work great for this project, for example. Try lots of shapes and sizes. Creativity is encouraged!

I cut, sanded, and applied the first coat of paint in the first night. Then I finished the detail work on the second and third nights. That's right. I got a little carried away on my details and painted a lot on those tiny pieces of scrap wood. But it made me so happy. :) You could easily finish this project in two nights. But the more detail you add, the more time it will take. Sounds logical, right?

I had all my scrap wood and oops/craft paint already on hand. I didn't buy anything for this project. I tried to choose a couple of similar or complementary colors to paint two sets of shapes. That made the set come together. And all the colors went nicely together, I thought. When I needed an extra color, I just mixed it myself on a paper plate. Not bad!

I can't wait to give this to the little one for Christmas. She's spied them already (oops!) and is definitely interested. They are going in hiding for a few more weeks. These would make great gifts for a one-year old birthday party, or even for a baby shower! Why not coordinate with a new baby's nursery? You could paint letters (or splurge on stickers/decals) to spell out the baby's name. What a great, personalized gift!

What about you? How have you used your scrap wood? What inexpensive, but creative and personal ideas have you come up with? Please share!

Project #6: Make/Sew Outdoor Cushions

When it comes to outdoor furniture, the difference between relaxing and total comfort comes down to a nice cushion. When I started looking for cushions for my new outdoor furniture, I was disappointed by the selection. Some were too pricey. Some were too flimsy. Sizing seemed to be a problem, too. My custom-built chair, for instance, took a 24"x24" seat cushion. I couldn't find that size anywhere in local stores (or even online!).

Most cushions in stores were quite colorful, but just not what I envisioned for my neutral back porch. I'm trying to stick to a chocolate and tan color scheme so that I can easily throw in splashes of color on a whim, without breaking the bank.

• Here's our Cabot semi-transparent deck stain, in Cordovan Brown:
• Here's our rug from Home Depot:
  
• Here's a swatch (Rhino outdoor, khaki) of our curtains from http://www.fabric.com/:
  
• And I had already picked my inspiration "color" fabric for the time being. No introducing more colors or patterns than these (at least for now)! Here's the two coordinating fabrics (Richloom Coventry Spa and Covestripe Spa) we'll use--very sparingly--for throw pillows, from http://www.fabric.com/:
  

So you can see that patterned retail cushions were overwhelmingly TOO colorful for this purpose. (Maybe I'm just too picky or pre-planned?) And then some cushions had longevity concerns--do people really replace their cushions every year or two?!? Why would I spend that much money every year or two?

Well, being the project-craver that I am, I decided to make my own. After all, if you can't find exactly what you're looking for, just do it yourself. I ordered more Rhino khaki fabric, and started looking for foam. Foam is notorious for rotting, mildewing, and holding water--not what you want to hear when you're making outdoor cushions. So I opted to go with Nu-Foam, which is totally stain and mildew proof. The manufacturer recommends using this foam for boat cushions. I was sold. Luckily, my local cloth stores sold the foam by the yard. I was looking for 4" foam, but they only had 2" by the yard, so I purchased two slabs, cut them with an electric knife (a slightly laborious job), and glued them together. I also bought some extra thick batting to wrap the foam in to give it a little extra "cush." Nu-Foam is rather stiff, but seems to hold its shape well, so it just needed a tad extra help.

Next I set out to design my cushion. I didn't have a pattern. Instead, I sketched out what I was looking for: a square cushion with a zippered back so that I could remove, clean, or repair the cover (or contents) as needed. First, I made several yards of piping, using cording and 1-1/2" strips of fabric. Then, I cut one strip of fabric 22" long and 5" tall. I cut this in half length-wise and installed a 22" utility zipper. Next, I cut an 80" long and 5" tall piece that would wrap around the remaining sizes of the cushion and overlap (with ends folded under) the back zipper panel on each end (just to give it a finished look). Then I cut two large squares that were 25"x25" each. Finally, I sewed all the pieces together (5/8" seam allowance): top to sides (right sides together), with piping sandwiched in between, and then bottom to sides (right sides together), with piping sandwiched in between.

I was really pleased with the resulting cushions. They are exactly what I wanted. Though not quite as "cushy" as I would have ultimately liked, I know that these materials will last a long time and hold up to the weather that they will encounter while residing on my back porch.

These cushions went together quite well. Lining up the two squares is crucial, though, so that your cushion doesn't look slightly-twisted (a la an Oreo cookie)! Be sure to pin! I found ready-made 22"x22" square Nu-Foam cushions at the cloth store, which will make future electric knife episodes non existent. Plus, it will be cheaper, because I can use a coupon on each of these cushions, or buy them as they come on sale. I purchased my zippers on sale, and even got a great discount at Fabric.com when ordering my outdoor weather-proof fabric (plus free shipping on orders over $35). So all in all, I believe you could make each cushion for about $25 if you really stick to your guns and watch your spending. If that sounds steep, let me assure you that it paled in comparison to some cushions I perused at designer stores. And, I'd much rather pay a little more now to get a cushion that will last a while, with proper care. It took me one night to design my "pattern" and cut the fabric, and another night to sew two cushions! I'll call it a two-nighter.

What tricks and tips have you learned while making outdoor cushions? Can you recommend other materials that have worked well? How do you preserve your cushions so that you don't have to replace them every year? I'd love to hear/see your cushion stories!

Jennifer

Project #2: Sew a Pillow Quilt (Quillow Pilt!)

When I was in elementary school, my grandmother made all seven of her grandkids pillow quilts for Christmas one year. They came as cute pillows with decorated fronts. These pillows unfolded into a cozy, soft blanket. And the bonus was that the pillow "pocket" served as a great foot warmer in cooler weather.



I took my pillow quilt with me everywhere--on road trips, on the couch, etc. And I still have and use it today. When we were younger, my brother and I often got tongue-tied trying to say "pillow quilt" and it often came out as "quillow pilt." Well, the name stuck in our family! We all have our own quillow pilts now and love them. They make perfect gifts for all ages. In fact, this year, all my nieces and nephews are getting handmade pillow quilts from me! I'd better get busy!

I made my second project by night this weekend. It's the first of my pillow quilts--one for my daughter. I think I could have done it in a single night, except I needed some extra supplies, and of course the cloth store isn't open at 11:00 p.m. I also think the pillow front took me more time, as I tried to decide exactly what to put on it. If I'd had an idea going into the project of what it was to look like, I probably wouldn't have wasted so much time just playing around and trying different things.

I'm rating this project as easy. The only real difficulty  in this project is not the sewing itself. It arises in dealing with sewing such a large piece of fabric. It also stems from the level of complexity you choose to take on with decorating the front of your pillow. Otherwise, this is a very easy, straight-forward project! Enjoy, and be sure to share your own experiences and pictures making your "quillow pilts!"

Sew a Pillow Quilt

Materials Needed:

• 2-1/2" yards of 45”-wide, 100% cotton fabric ("Fabric X")
• 2-1/2" yards of coordinating 45”-wide, 100% cotton fabric ("Fabric Y")
• 2-1/2" yards 45"-wide (or wider) quilter's batting (light or medium weight)
• Coordinating thread
• (Optional) Remnants, ribbon, rick rack, buttons, etc. for decorating front of pillow

Cost: $20 - $30
Time to Complete: Two Nights
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Instructions:

1. Cut the following pieces:
• 2 yards Fabric X (finished size: 72” x 45”)
• 2 yards Fabric Y (finished size: 72” x 45”)
• 2 yards batting (finished size: 72” x 45”)
• 18" x 18" Fabric X
• 18" x 18" Fabric Y
• 18" x 18" batting
2. (Optional) Decorate the 18" x 18" piece of Fabric X as desired. Note that larger items should not be placed within the outer 2" of the square for seam allowances. (I appliqued a letter on this one using the same technique as described in this post about appliquing a t-shirt. I simply used MS Word to print the outline of a letter on an 8.5" x 11" letter sheet of paper, which became my pattern.)
   
3. Place the 18" x 18" piece of Fabric X against the 18" x 18" piece of Fabric Y, with right sides together. Place the 18" x 18" piece of batting on the back of Fabric Y. Match and pin all edges.
4. Sew all thicknesses together, using a 5/8" seam and leaving a 6" gap at the middle of the top edge of the pillow. (I used my serger in this picture, which made the seams a lot less bulky in the end!)
5. Turn right sides out. Press, easing seam out along edges.
6. Press under 5/8" of Fabric X and Fabric Y along 6" gap. Tuck batting underneath one fold of fabric. Pin. Edge stitch to close.
7. Place the 2 yards of Fabric X against the 2 yards of Fabric Y, with right sides together. Place the 2 yards of batting on the back of Fabric Y. Match and pin all edges.
8. Sew all thicknesses together, using a 5/8" seam and leaving a 10" gap at the middle of one of the short ends of the quilt.
   
9. Turn right sides out. Press, easing seam out along edges.
10. Press under 5/8" of Fabric X and Fabric Y along 10" gap. Tuck batting underneath one fold of fabric. Pin. Edge stitch to close.
11. To quilt blanket:
• Place the pillow, face down, on the right side of Fabric Y. (Fabric Y should be showing on the back of the pillow.) The pillow should be centered, left to right, on the blanket and flush left with the end that was edge stitched (see Step 10 above). The top of the pillow design should be along the edge-stitched edge of the blanket. Pin.
• Measure the distance from the edge of the pillow to the outer edge of the blanket. Add 1/4". This is your quilting distance.
• Measure, mark, and pin (through all thicknesses) the quilting distance down both sides (long edges) of the blanket. This will result in two stitching guides.
• Stitch two straight lines along the stitching guides from the top of the blanket (including on top of the pillow) to the bottom (lengthwise). You may want to use a slightly longer stitch length to compensate for the extra thickness.
  
12. Sew top of pillow to edge of blanket, using a 1/4" seam allowance. The bottom of the pillow (facing toward blanket center) should not be sewn to the blanket.
13. To fold pillow quilt:
• Turn blanket pillow-side down. Fold blanket in thirds lengthwise, along stitching.
• Fold over about 8" of blanket (non-pillow end).
  
• Fold blanket into squares (roughly thirds) towards pillow end.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Tuck blanket into pillow and fluff to form.
  

UPDATE: And now I've made five pillow quilts for nieces and nephews for Christmas. Check out these beautiful fabrics from JoAnn's, Walmart, and Hancock's:

All were decorated using the applique technique mentioned earlier.  I can't wait to give them at Christmas!