Dry Erase Paint Chip Calendar and Memo Boards

I like to be an organized person. I like to know what's coming up and what's going on without any last minute surprises. And, I have a lot of picture frames just taking up space. I read  that you can use dry erase markers on glass and realized I could use my picture frames to make dry erase boards to help keep me informed as to what's going on! And, once again, it's free! Because I have all the stuff here to make them! 

First, I made a dry erase paint chip calendar from an old 24" x 36" frame. 

Ok, so this wasn't completely free; I did have to buy the glass, which was only $10 at Lowe's. And while I was at Lowe's, I picked up the paint chips. I asked the guy at the paint counter about paying for the chips since I was taking a lot, and he said they were there for the customers to take. I don't think he realized how many I wanted. I got several shades of red, thinking I wanted to do an all red color scheme, but I wasn't all that thrilled with the way it looked. So, I went back and got more colors and finally decided on a bright color scheme. I got about seven chips of seven different colors to make this. You also need something for the background, I used some muslin from my stash, duct tape, a glue stick and spray adhesive.

I used the spray adhesive to lightly spray my board and smoothed the muslin over it. Do this outside! The spray gets everywhere and the fumes are pretty strong. Really strong. Then I flipped it over and duct taped it down. I seriously love duct tape. There is so much to do with it. 

I tried several different layouts of my paint chips before I came up with one I liked. I decided to cut them down so they would fit better. Make sure to leave a space at the top to write the month and the days of the week. I almost didn't :) You need seven columns of five for seven days of the week and five weeks in a month.

I used my board and ruler to line them up and keep them straight, just like I did with the lettering for my "Life Is Better With A Rottweiler" art. I used the glue stick to glue them down to the muslin. Then just pop that baby in the frame, write the month, days of the week and dates and BOOM, you're good to go!

Next, I made a dry erase grocery list.  I got this frame on clearance with the intention of using it with the collage mat that came with it.  But it's the perfect size to fit beside my pantry so I can write down things as I realize I'm going to need them. it's right there so I can write things down as I realize I needed  them. I don't have to hunt for paper and then forget what the heck I needed by the time I find some. All I did for this was find a piece of fabric, use spray adhesive on the backing, smooth the fabric on,  duct tape it down, pop it in the frame and hang it up. Super easy and fast. Almost instantaneous gratification.

Finally, I made two dry erase boards for my fridge so I can keep track of my daughters' work schedules. I did the same thing as the grocery list board, using two different colors of fabric so I could tell whose schedule is whose at a glance. Only this time I added magnetic tape to the back so it would stick to the fridge. I had that in the craft stash too. I have no idea why I ever bought it in the first place. Actually, I have tons of stuff in the craft stash like that. 

 

So now I'm more organized and on top of things. At least that's how I feel. And it was easy and, best of all, cheap. Just take a look around and see what you can repurpose!

Until the next project,
Chris :)

Pillow with an Oversize Flower Made From Fabric Scraps

After 5 years, I'm finally decorating my living room. Oh, I have a sofa, loveseat, coffee table, end tables and all that stuff. What I need is the finishing touches. My living room still looks pretty much like it did when we first moved in. So far, all I've done are throw pillows. I'm still working on a hanging light, curtains and some floor pillows. And I need wall art. But today, I'll show you my flower pillow. I decided to make pillow covers instead of buying new pillows because, a) my family (i.e.kids and dog) are hard on my pillows and b) why buy it when you can make it? and c) why would I spend $40 for a gorgeous pillow cover that my kids are going to beat each other senseless with?

 

 It is pretty awesome, right?

I went through my fabric stash and found a piece of muslin just big enough to cover my pillow. Then I found an old red tablecloth that has a tear and a stain on it that would be perfect for the flower.  I figured out how big I wanted my flower to be, then using a dinner plate, I traced out a circle on the front section of my pillow. Using a drinking glass, I traced and cut out lots and lots of circles out of the tablecloth for the flower petals. I used my rotary cutter to cut all those circles in half. Now, the real fun begins....

I lined up my petals with the outer edge of the dinner plate circle and pinned them down. Don't worry if the petals don't come out exactly even - they probably won't. And I am not going to take the time to figure out measurements so they will...partially because I HATE math, partially because I will then have to do this for every row and I am far too lazy to do that. And I truly hate math.

As you can see, they did not come out perfectly; I overlapped some so it wouldn't be quite so off.

Then, just sew the petals down. I used my sewing machine. You could also use fabric glue, but I want them to stay on while my kids are pounding each other with the pillow. After you finish this row, do another 5 - 6 rows the same way as the first, just don't line it up the exactly with the first row. Stagger the petals as I have below.

 When you get to this point, when you pin and sew (or glue) your petals, pinch them in the center so they have a little dimension. I found it was easier to pinch each petal and sew it down, one at a time, rather than pinching and pinning them down all at once, then sewing. The pins need to go sideways in order to keep the pleat in place and that's really tough (and painful) to do with a sewing machine.

For the very center, I cut out four whole circles, quarter-folded them, then stitched them in by hand to make the center of my flower.

I made a simple envelope pillow cover so I could easily slip it on and off for washing. Plus, I didn't have to sew any buttonholes or zippers. All you have to do is fold over the sides, pin and sew! Just make sure your flower is centered and on the INSIDE when you sew. It's a real pain to rip the seams out and start again. Not that I would know that from personal experience. Turn right side out and voila! Pillow cover!

 

Stuff your pillow inside and admire your handiwork. 

 Now, three days after I finished this, I noticed it had sticky stuff on it. THREE DAYS. Seriously? And it just magically appeared. In the dead of night. So, I washed it. Like an idiot, I tossed it in on the regular cycle, then in the dryer. It was a mess. I had to iron it and it now looks like a carnation. I still like it. Not as much as before, but hey, live and learn. Next time (and I'm sure there will be a next time), I will put it in on the delicate cycle and lay it flat to dry! 

Until the next project, 
Chris :)