It is almost the end of the weekend waaahhh. But I really don’t have too much to whine about because I am officially going back to work (as a hairstylist) tomorrow. It’s been over 4 months and to be perfectly honest I can’t tell you what was worse the physical pain from the shoulder surgery or the emotional pain of being housebound with no income. I have worked since I was 13 and I didn’t realize how much value I put on being able to work. There were plus sides too! I started my blog, something I have wanted to do for over a year. I was able to bake Christmas cookies with my kids and their friends since I wasn’t the crazy overbooked hairstylist they have always known in December. I enjoyed time with Kaylee while she was home for the Holidays. So yes my reality changed a lot but it has as much good as it did bad. I can’t wait to see all my clients and catch up on what they have been up to.

Well enough about me, honestly this was supposed to be all about my Christmas Valentine’s project I have been working on and I am soooo excited to share! This project started in my mind in November and they were going to be Christmas presents. I was visiting one of my favorite blogs Shanty 2 Chic and saw Whitney’s Joy Plaques
 I fell in love and thought “hey I could do that”. I ordered the supplies online because a) we don’t have a Hobby Lobby and b) most of our Michaels stores don’t carry a lot but, as Christmas shipping goes I didn’t receive everything until 2 days before Christmas. Since then all the materials have been sitting in my craft cabinet until I had a brainstorm, why not adapt them for Valentine’s day decor. I am very happy with the outcome.

Here is what I started out with:

supplies for Valentine's plaques

Ignore the rock in the background, I didn’t use it. I did how ever use 3 pieces of wood cut from a 2×4, my sweet husband cut them and slightly rounded the corners for me. I used 3 wooden candle sticks 2 shorter and 1 taller. 3 finials and Gorilla Epoxy glue, not gorilla wood glue, it foams up, attaching them all with the epoxy and let them dry for about 30 minutes. Hindsight I think I would paint the pieces individually and then glue them.

unpainted plaque

After the Epoxy dried I spray painted them with Rustoleum Colonial Red. 2 coats

Plaque spray painted with Rustoleum Colonial Red

I then cut out some burlap into rectangles a little smaller than the plaque area, created stencils with my Cricut, using thick card stock so it could be used  as a stencil.

cutout burlap

I was a bad blogger and didn’t take any pictures of me stenciling but I used a Martha Stewart pouncer sponge, black craft paint and then stenciled on a piece of the cut burlap. I used spray adhesive on the back of the burlap and attached it to the painted plaque. To add a decorative touch I used fancy furniture tacks on all 4 corners. Here is the finished project. Do you Lurve them as much as I do???

I Love You Plaques

Buffet Vingette

I Love You Plaque Closeup

I can’t wait to share a few more projects, my Valentine’s mantle, Mister old window dressed up for Valentines Day and a new chalkboard paint project. Sometimes it’s hard to sleep with all of these ideas swimming around in my brain. Do you ever have that problem???

Amy

Home Stories A2Z

http://www.thegirlcreative.com/2012/02/just-something-i-whipped-up-valentine.html