Thursday, February 13, 2014

Friday's Faves...Creating A Homemade Sign


I told you the story of my cow painting, "Bonnie", in this post.
What you can't see in the photos on that post is that on the wall next to "Bonnie" there's a defect in the wall texturing that's been there ever since we bought our house.
I edited the defect out in some of the photos, and more than likely most people don't notice it,
but to me it glared at me every time I looked at "Bonnie".


So, on a morning when I should have had my nose to the grindstone getting some things done in my home office, I got a random creative idea to make something to hide the defect on the wall.
I made a "Fresh Milk" sign to hang next to "Bonnie".
I made it on the back of this old sign that I had stored away in my autumn decor box.


I gave it a quick almost dry brush with gray craft paint.
I stenciled on the word "FRESH" with barn red craft paint.
With a different stencil I painted the word "MILK" in white.
I decided the letters needed some definition so I lightly outlined them with black sharpie.
Then I found an online drawing of a cow from a side view,
printed and cut it out,
traced it on the sign and filled it in with black craft paint.
When the sign was dry I sanded it until it had an old, worn look.
Next I buffed it with some MinWax paste wax and a soft rag.
Then, to "dirty it up" I rubbed a bit of brown shoe polish on it, and buffed it again.

When I hung it next to "Bonnie",  I thought it needed something more.
So I hung this transferware saucer, a Goodwill find from a while back, above it.
It even has a cow on it!


Something still wasn't right.
So, I tried this with some red striped grain sack style ribbon...


And then I tried this with some dark blue gingham ribbon...


And then I left it alone for awhile, went on a run, came home 
and spent the afternoon doing the work I'd been procrastinating.

That evening the Hub's and I had to run some errands, 
one of which was to buy a birthday gift for our soon to be five year old granddaughter.
While I was shopping for her, I spied this Spode dinner plate at Ross.
It seemed it was meant to be!
It's called "The Milkmaid".


So, it came home with me and now the wall looks like this.



I'm liking this much better.
But after all of that, I'm not sure I'm lovin' those "reminiscent of the 80's heart cut-outs" 
on the sign I made.
Maybe a defect in the wall texture isn't such a bad thing after all.
What say you,
Bonnie hanging by herself, or with the homemade sign and transferware plate?

Well, it's almost Friday friends!
Have a
HAPPY, HAPPY Friday
and 
a BLESSED weekend.,


     
         




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10 comments:

  1. Funny, cause further up in the post I was thinking, "Oh, I love those heart cut outs in that wood--I think it's lovely, Elizabeth--the Spode plate just sets it off--great job--!

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  2. I just love how the whole thing came together, and the Spode plate was the icing on the cake. It shows how important it is just to wait and look at it for a little while, and it will end up just perfect. I love the entire picture, from the blue chest right on to the Spode and all points in between.

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  3. All the elements tell such a fascinating story. Each one by itself is great "chapter" but put it all together and you have a complete story. Defect and all, so in my humble opinion, keep the story together to create an entire book. Who knows, maybe in the future more "chapter's" will be added along the way!

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  4. I love your sweet vignette! That blue dresser is gorgeous!

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  5. Well, I think it's a very coordinated and fine look for your wall. Don't worry about the 80's heart cut-outs. It's just a matter of time till they are very much "in" again! (I've lived long enough to see things cycle like that....) Besides, I never gave it a thought until you mentioned it.

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  6. I think you need to leave it all just like the photo. The blue plate brings out the blue chest...or vice-a-versa..

    Debbi

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  7. I love this whole area! Especially the dresser, the little truck and your cow painting-so fun! :)
    Susan

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