Lucky Day

Inspired by my blog twin, Emily, over at 52 Mantels, I have created a St. Patrick's Day mantel.  I realize that you are probably more intrigued by the term "blog twin" than by the contents of my mantel.  I'm OK with that . . . no {sniff} really, I am.  I found out that Emily and I started our blogs at the same time, so that's why I think of her as my blog twin.  I am sure that I actually have blog milleniaplets.  (Why, yes I did just make up the word "milleneaplets" - I have that kind of power.)  The internet is a wide and wonderful place, full of lots of people in different places on their blog journeys - find out more about mine here!  

But, back to my oh-so-interesting mantel . . . I greened it up with some of my current decor:

*Green grass vases borrowed from my living room mantel*

*Yarn balls made from my stash (no, I didn't just glue yarn to a

styrofoam ball - I couldn't bear to "waste" yarn doing that, so

 those guys are all yarn, all the time)*

*A green plate from my cupboard*

*Random green cups and votive holders"

I did add a couple of new touches:

*Green birds I found on clearance last fall*

*A sweet spindle/spool thingy from Mimi's*

*My very own Lucky, Lucky . . . burlap art*

Oh, you want to know how I made that lucky beauty?  Well, here you go!

I used my Silhouette (current favorite tool) to make me some words and shapes.  Now, I realize if you are just glancing through my tutorial and not reading every. single. word. you may be thinking that you don't see many "lucky's" or any shamrocks.  That's because I started the day making a tray insert for my dear friend Judy.  She brought over a tray of goodies the other day (because that's just the kind of person she is) and I didn't want to send it back empty, but I was fresh out of delicious baked goods.  No problem - I just whipped up an easily remove-able tray insert instead!  Then, after I was done, I thought to myself, "Self, as long as you've got the Silhouette up and running and your paintbrush all green, you might as well make some Irish art."  We were in agreement (both on the project, and that I am indeed a touch crazy).  Crazy or not, start with a tray (for the tray project) or a piece of 12" square wood/finished canvas (for the lucky art).

Cut a piece of cardboard (I used a larger cereal box) to fit into your tray, making it about 1/2" shorter both ways in order to have room to fold your burlap under.  Paint said cardboard a coordinating color (I chose lemony yellow).  For the lucky art, paint wood/canvas, or leave it raw, depending on the look you like.  

Take your "stencils" and coat the backs with this awesome glue:

When it's blue, it's permanent, but if you let it dry, it's repositionable (can I just mention that apparently "repositionable" isn't a word, and one of the suggestions as a replacement is "unmentionables," which I find hilarious).  Now, I know you can use vinyl to make stencils, but again, I just can't bear to "waste" vinyl just for a stencil . . . but I'm hoping to get over that, because I bet it's way easier than doing things this way :)

Cut a piece of burlap about 4-6 inches wider than you need to fill the tray/cover the wood/canvas.  Tape it to your work surface (with a piece of newspaper or other scrap paper underneath to catch the paint that WILL bleed through, or plan on scrubbing your work surface when you're done).  I handily taped mine in the exact dimensions of my tray/wood/canvas - this way you can line up your stencils.  Add paint (but not too much!), and then remove stencils to reveal the magic.  I do want to explain the enJOY message - my neighbor's initials are "JOY" - so she likes to write "enJOY" on things as a signature!

 Center your painted insert/wood/canvas on the back of the burlap so that the message is straight and pretty, then cut off the corners (leaving enough to cover the corners if you have a thicker piece of wood/canvas).  Glue on - I used hot glue.  

For the tray project, stick your new insert into the tray - and look - you've just made something wonderful!  I didn't do anything to the actual tray since it wasn't mine . . . but if it was . . .I probably would've painted it.  Still looks nice like this, though, don't you think? 

 Here's a detail of my flowers - I really did like how they turned out.

 I wanted to show you how I doubled over the burlap on the back of my canvas (to make it pretty, even from the back!).  I wanted to use scrap wood for this, but I don't really know how to use our circular saw, and it's not really our saw, it's more his saw, so I would inevitably have broken it and gotten in HUGE trouble - pre-made canvas it is!

 Oooh, so nice. I used gold paint on my shamrock highlight to make it really special.  And extra lucky.  I love how it turned out.  I made one with all the same color of green paint first...

 but then thought, "Ombre!" and look...

 I am going to send the all green one to my grandma - she's the only person I know who ALWAYS puts out St. Patrick's day decorations, and she sometimes she still sends us cards (usually with $5 inside - sweet!).   Want to read a great story about my grandma? Read this post by her dear friend (I admit, I got all teary when I read it!).   


Have a lucky day!


I like to party here:

Special parties:
St. Patty's Day Project Parade at Itsy Bitsy Paper


MONDAY:
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THURSDAY:
Things I've Done Thursday at Bear Rabbit Bear      Home for the Holidays at Uncommon      Taking Time-Out Thursday at Mom On Timeout      Create and Share at The Trendy Treehouse    DIY Thrifty Thursday at Thrifty101     Link it up Thursday at These Peas Taste Funny    Thrifty Thursday at Saved by Love    Thursdays are Your Days at 52 Mantels        DIY Diva at Mine for the Making   It's a Party at A Creative Princess         Share the Love at Love Notes by Lauryn


FRIDAY:
Latest and Greatest Friday at Days of Chalk and Chocolate     Winter Wonderland at igottacreate   Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous   Freestyle Friday at Happy Hour Projects    Shine on Friday at Happy Go Lucky    Featured Friday at Blissful and Domestic      It's a Hodgepodge Friday at It's a Hodgepodge Life    Fun Stuff Fridays at Toys in the Dryer    Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage      Potpourri Friday at 2805     From Scratch Friday at Marriage from Scratch     Pinned it, Made it at Finding My Way in Texas      Dwell on Friday at Dwell on Joy     Financial Friday at The Grant Life     Finished it Friday at The Spunky Diva        Create & Inspire at A Little Inspiration


SATURDAY:
Get Schooled Saturday at Too Much Time on My Hands      Tickled Pink at 504 Main      Scrappy Saturdays at Candace Creations    A Pinteresting Link Party at Here's to Handy Andy   Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors   Head 2 Head Saturday Showdown at I can't stop crafting    Sharing Saturday at Crafty Moms Share    Sweet Saturday at Gingerbread    Link & Greet at Country Momma Cooks   Once Upon a Weekend at Family Ever After


SUNDAY:
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