{31 Days of Coastal Style} Easy DIY Driftwood Sign Tutorial

I have a confession to make. When it comes to crafts, I am NOT Martha Stewart. Or Ana White. Or even Karianne of Thistlewood Farms! For me to make a craft it must be: a) cheap (as in, preferably free), b) easy (like do-it-with-my-eyes-closed), and c) not involving a tape measure. (Let's just say: measuring tapes and I do not get along...)

So that's why this driftwood sign project was right up my alley. Free? Check. Easy? Check? No measuring involved? Double-check. Seriously, I'm almost embarrassed to call this a "tutorial", because, really, there are only two items necessary: a big piece of driftwood, and a paint pen (oh, yeah, three if you count a pencil)-- and it took less than five minutes from start to finish!

When I found this big, long piece of driftwood (at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on our Fourth of July family day), I knew immediately what I was going to do with it, and where it was going to go. I knew I was going to make a sign with it (similar to these), and that it was going to go in the beach-themed bathroom of our new apartment (even though we weren't even moved into said apartment yet)! But for some reason, it took me forever to actually get around to making it!

But on to the tutorial:

1) Steal Borrow your hubby's white paint pen. (Or if your hubby doesn't have one, you can always buy one at your local craft store, or on Amazon here- though that would take this craft out of the "free" category, and into the "costs a couple bucks" category) ;)

2) Decide what you want your sign to say. 

I knew I wanted mine to say "BEACH", and a distance. I picked 5 miles because a) that's the approximate distance from our house to the Michigan lakeshore (give or take a mile or two, and b) the number "5" is pretty easy to write nicely. ;) (Oh, and "5" also happens to be the number of people in our family, and the last digit of the year that Mr. Superman and I started courting & got engaged-- so I guess it has some familial significance, too-- now that I think about it!)

3) Lightly sketch out your words in pencil, to determine where and how big you want your letters to be.

4) Trace over your pencil marks with the paint pen.


Mine were a tad too skinny after one "go-round", so I went back over them a second time to make the lines more thicker/visible.

5) Stand back and enjoy your handiwork! :)

BTW, to hang my sign, I screwed two eye-hooks into the back of the driftwood, and strung picture-hanging wire between them. (Sawtooth hangers would have worked well too, but I was out of those.)

And in it's final resting place, my (soon-to-be-fully-revealed) bathroom:

Seriously, I feel embarrassed that a project this easy took me five months to actually break down and do it! (Hey, there's that number 5 again!) I'm so glad I finally got it done! Now it makes me smile every time I walk into my bathroom :)

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

Do you have a project you've been "putting off" for a long time? What are you waiting for? ;)

P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

{31 Days of Coastal Style} DIY Faux "Ceramic" Coral

Today I have what is probably the World's Simplest Tutorial for you! :) 

If you're anything like me, you've drooled over the decorative ceramic sculptures in stores like Target and Homegoods countless times. However, if you're anything like me, you've also a) had hiccups over prices like $19.99 (or even $130, for Heaven's sakes!) for a small decorative accent that b) you've realized will most likely last only 2-3 days max in your little-child- (and clumsy-adult-- who, me?) -inhabited home.

So when I saw, and swooned over, a white ceramic coral figurine like the one above (pretty sure it was at Target, but now I can't find it on their site :( ), I decided there had to be a version of it I could find make myself that, a) wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, and b) could be displayed without constant fear of breakage!

Enter stage right: (drum roll, please)........ the Walmart aquarium aisle! 

Yep, the same aisle with the tiny glass fishbowls, little plastic pirate ships for your pet beta to "sail", and tanks full of goldfish floating swimming happily. That's where I found this pink beauty! It's perfect-- only $4.88, and best of all, lightweight, rubbery plastic that will withstand ANY two-year-old! Only problem, the Pepto-bismol-ish color = not exactly my style. BUT, nothing that my best friend and super hero, Mr. Spray Paint, can't change!

Sadly, I don't have any pics of the process, but it's PRETTTY basic-- remove pink coral from packaging, find safe place to lay it out (or hang from wire on garage ceiling, like I did, so I could spray all sides at once), and give it several light coats of white spray paint! I chose to go with matte paint vs. gloss, since that was what I had-- but you could use high gloss spray paint if you prefer a more "ceramic-like" finish. And.... TA-DA!

Ain't she bee-yoo-ti-ful? :)

So next time you go shopping-- keep your eyes open! You might find a new decoration in the most unexpected place! ;) (And remember, with a coat of paint, ANYTHING can be transformed. Well, I don't know about children-- I've never tried spray painting them...) ;)

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

So now I want to hear from you: what's the craziest thing you've ever spray-painted, or turned into a decoration? Please tell me!!!

P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

2012: In My Rear-View Mirror

Wow, where did this past year go?!? I've heard people say that time flies faster as you get older, but I sure hope that's not true, because 2012 went by so fast it made my head spin! So I guess I'll join the "Year-In-Review" club, and refresh your (and my) memory about what went on here at "A Heartful Home" last year!

May 2012:

I started this blog! ;) My very first post was, Home Is Where My <3 Is. My personal favorite post of the month was my first furniture makeover: My "Chair" Lady! My most popular post of the month, however, was my 99¢ Goodwill chandelier-- it has received 893 pageviews so far, and is currently the third most-viewed post on my entire blog! I guess people like crazy-good thrifty finds! ;)

June 2012:

June kicked off a summer of nautical inspiration: from my nautical thrifting finds,
to my nautical bookshelf, and my neutral nautical "mantel"!

June was the month of super rummage sale-ing, and I scored BIG, both in thrifty finds AND in pageviews! My two most popular posts of all time were Thrifty Treasures Monday: What A Haul! (when I found a console table for $5 and five dining rooms chairs for $20), and the reveal of the Chalk Paint Console Table makeover (with homemade chalk paint!)-- both have received over 1,000 hits!

July 2012:

My favorite post in July (and quite possibly my favorite furniture makeover EVER) was the neutral Union Jack/Jacques side table! The most popular posts of July, according to pageviews, were my DIY Seashell Topiary, as well as more thrifty treasures- Ironstone and Old Gates!

August 2012:

August also featured this wicker basket-chair makeover, and my first pillow-making attempt!

August was another month with several popular posts! I showed you how I freshened up my kitchen by changing out the accessories above the cabinets, and confessed to some serious Target envy (& acquired my first ceramic owl!) I also did my first "blog-techie" tutorial, on "How To Truncate Your Blog Posts".

September 2012:

September was another successful thrifting month-- I hit the Junker's Jackpot (aqua Mason jars, old windows, and RH-look-alike pendant lamps, oh my!), plus I found a giant original canvas painting for $5 and a real vintage "Farmer's Market" sign!

October 2012:

I shared my neutral autumn bookshelf, plus a FREE printable fall sign!

October was a month of makeovers-- I turned a humongous green vase into a Pottery-Barn style lamp, spray-painted a pair of ceramic owls (to replace my poor Target owl, who suffered a tragic fate), and rescued my under-sink kitchen cabinet. But the month's most popular post was my first (and only) "recipe" post, for "Cream of Anything" soup mix! (It is also my most-pinned post!)

November 2012:

Call the tabloids! In November, I got a facelift and confessed to a love affair-- though it didn't seem to bother my husband, thankfully! LOL ;) I also shared some pictures of the world's cutest kiddos (though Guinness hasn't ruled on that one yet)

December 2012:

I never did formally "reveal" my blue-and-green Christmas tree (oops...),
but you did get a good glimpse of it in my post on decorating with camouflage!

In December, I didn't blog as much as I wanted to... but I did manage to share an easy DIY Christmas tree garland (that also happened to be FREE)! I also posted a round-up of 10 Christmas Gift Ideas under $10! (Go ahead and pin it for next year-- because if 2013 goes by as fast as 2012 did, you'll need it sooner than you could ever think!)

So there you are-- 2012 in review! (Of course, that's just a basic overview-- check out my Project Gallery for an exhaustive list! Trust me, I'm exhausted just reading back over everything!)

Thanks SOOOO much to all of my awesome followers! Whether you follow through GFC, Linky, or Facebook, you make me so happy! And I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for A Heartful Home! One of my goals is to start a link-up party (woohoo!) I also plan on doing more room reveals-- even if the room isn't quite "perfect" (in my eyes) ;) (Will it ever be?)

Sooooo... what kind of posts would you like to see in 2013? 
Do you salivate over garage sale/thrift store finds? 
Are you more of a craft person? 
Or do you prefer the big picture of room reveals? 
Maybe you'd like to see more "personal"- type posts? 
And why, do people say "a penny for your thoughts", but you put in your "two cents worth"-- isn't that a ripoff???

Either way, happy 2013, folks!!! :D

I'm In Love... Again!

I'd like to introduce you to my newest love: Krylon Metallic Silver spray paint!

Yes, I know I'm risking sounding like the latest Bachelorette, professing my love to a new object-of-affection every week. It's just that there's so many things I love! But honestly, this one's serious, like head-over-heels, forever-and-ever! (Well, at least forever in Kim Kardashian time...) ;)

Okay, all joking aside-- Metallic Silver spray paint is my new BFF! Check out my Makeover Victim #1: this cutesy, colorful Dollar Tree owl!

Adorable, yes, but not really my style (I did, however, go back and get one to leave original for Princess's room, since she loved this one so much!)

 It took me forever to decide what color to paint him... first, I painted him glossy white, to match my owl twins (which totally washed out his features). Then I tried Krylon Hammered Silver, which turned out WAAAYY too dull and drab for my tastes.

So he got a coat of  Krylon's Blue Ocean Breeze, and stayed that way for a while. Until I decided he needed something more glamorous and neutral to fit with my fall decorating... and that's when I found the Metallic Silver!

Check out the cool crackled finish! I honestly have no idea what caused it-- whether it was the frigid garage temperatures that I painted him in, or the undercoating of Hammered Metal (possibly oil-based?) spray paint-- but I LOVE it! It looks like silver leafing!

Now meet Makeover Victim #2:

Just a plain, everyday, run-of-the-mill glass pumpkin candy jar, that cost me all of $1.99 at Goodwill! . But glamorous? Not on your life!

Enter Krylon's Metallic Silver spray paint.

I really wanted to turn into fake mercury glass, like Karianne's-- but my search for Looking Glass paint came up empty. :( So Metallic Silver it became-- and though it's not quite so shiny, I love my pumpkin's new glamorousness!

So there you have it: two totally different makeovers from one can! And now you can see why I love it so much ;)

So do you love spray paint as much as I do? Do you have a favorite go-to-color? Or maybe you're a spray paint newbie! Trust me, once you try it, you'll be hooked ;)

...at least for 72 days!

P.S. I have absolutely NO connection with Krylon or the people that make it-- although if they saw how much I love spray paint, they might consider it!

The Tale of Two Owls: A Spray-Paint Story

'Member the sad day when poor Owl-rick bit the dust? :'(

Well, ever since then, I've been searching for another sweet ceramic owl to take his place (albeit a higher, safer place this time-- out of reach of little grabbing hands...) Sadly, Target no longer had the little owl pencil holders. And I couldn't force myself to shell out $16 for a similar one from Anthropologie (though I seriously came close-- that's how badly I wanted an owl!)

I thought I had scoured every thrift store in the area, but last week I decided to stop at an out-of-the-way St. Vincent de Paul that I hadn't been to in a while (they also have exorbitantly high prices, for a thrift store!) Lo and behold, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but not one but TWO ceramic owl figurines!

Yes, twin brother owls, just waiting for me to adopt them, bring them home, and give them a makeover!!! No, they weren't exactly the same as my stubbier, chubbier Owl-rick, but they were OWLS, and they were adorably cute in their own way. And for the price of $1.00 each... well, how COULD I say no???

I knew what I wanted to do with them already: give them glossy white coats, just like the one I had given Owl-rick shortly before his untimely demise. So the next time I was at Walmart, I grabbed a 99-cent can of gloss white spray paint, and got right to work.

I decided to do a "test" to see if scuffing up the surface made a difference in how well the paint adhered. I used a scuff pad to rough up one of the owls, and left the other untouched (neither of them had a really shiny coat to begin with).  It seemed like both of them took paint just as well-- they both required about four coats to completely cover their "dark past" (one can of spray paint just finished both owls)

I did learn an important spray painting lesson, though... I was wondering why, like the time I painted my wicker basket chair, the spray paint only seemed to stick to some parts and not others! Then I realized that I was holding the spray can only 4-6 inches from the owls, and the air from the spray was actually "blowing" the paint out of the crevices that I was trying desperately to fill!  Lesson learned: hold the spray paint can about 12 inches from the object you are trying to paint, and let the paint "mist" onto the object, instead of "blast"! Maybe it wouldn't have taken four coats if I'd have sprayed it right from the beginning! LOL!

(Want more spray-painting tips? Check out my other spray paint projects here)

So the twin brothers are now great white owls! They currently grace the TOP SHELF of my dining room bookshelf. My littlest monkey is fascinated with them, however-- he stands in front of the shelf and makes "hooting" noises at them! :)  It's a good thing he can't reach these guys!

Fittingly enough, the day after I finished my pair, I spied these at One Kings Lane:

Source: onekingslane.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

For only $19.00 for the pair, I might just have bought these in my previously owl-desperate state. But I think I like my price of $3.00 (including spray paint) a lot better!

I'm still trying to think of appropriate names for them, though... Hooty One and Hooty Two?  Screech and Scratch? (Sounds too much like Cheech and Chong...) *sigh* Guess I'll just have to wait for the right inspiration to strike..

So have you done any thrift store rescues lately? Any spray paint makeovers? Got any name suggestions for my owly pair? Let me know!

A Basket Case (Basket Chair Makeover)

Remember my chair post a week ago, when I showed you the newest thrift-store addition to my Home for Soon-to-be-Rehabbed Chairs? (aka the Half-way House… )

Since I haven’t yet gotten my dream house with deep, fluffy, curtained window seats (like this one or this one), I had great visions of turning him into a comfy reading hideaway!

One can of gray spray primer, and four cans of Krylon Bright Idea Yellow later, he was ready to take his place in the real house! This is how he looks now, all “cozied up” in his new home:

A few wicker painting tips:

1)      Use a spray paint with primer built in (I doubt it would have taken four cans if I had done this!)

2)      If you do choose to do an initial primer-only coat, use a primer color that corresponds with the shade of your final paint color (i.e.  if your final color is going to be yellow, use white instead of dark gray primer!)

3)      Forget the “many light coats” rule that usually applies when painting furniture… go thick and heavy! This is one case when runs are not bad! After three cans of “light coats” that only touched the same parts each time and left the rest bare, I went thick and heavy with the fourth (and thankfully, final) coat—spraying it heavily enough so that it ran down the caning and filled in the cracks. TADA-- coverage achieved!!!

This is what the corner of my dining room looks like. You’d never know that, tucked in between the piano and the bookshelves, is a secret reading space!

I love my new reading nook!  

P.S. I am also loving my new “You Are My Sunshine” pillow! Check out how I made it (out of a recycled quilt!) here.