Crafty Name Project - Tutorial

I am calling this a "tutorial" - and using the term very loosely - only because several of you asked for more details.  I am not crafty and I am in no way, shape or form an expert ... but I'd be happy to be your tutor :)

First, I bought the letters at Michael's for like $2.99 each.  If you're a little loco thrifty, you could amass a bunch of 40% coupons and make multiple trips to the store and get each letter for like $1.80!  I was not impressed by the plain white primer paint.  I knew I'd either have to paint them - dread, dread, dread - or come up with another way to cover them.

It just so happens that I've recently discovered Mod Podge ... and used scrapbook paper to create this and this.  And those nursery letters became the inspiration for these letters, too.  I waddled myself over to the scrapbook paper aisle ... and aisle I love but don't frequent because I do not "scrap."  I found a series of papers with colors that coordinate to NHV's new bedding - but don't match.  I am not a big fan of matchy-matchy.  I liked that this paper had some prints with white backgrounds and others with brown - and I alternated them in the final product.

Got it all home ... and first pondered attaching the paper to the letter and then using an exacto-knife to trim it off.  Decided that my lack of brain cells and somewhat shaky hands (from the doses of Terb I've been taking) would not be a good combination with an exacto-knife in hand.  So Plan B was hatched.

Trace the letters, cut out just inside the pencil line and then attach using the Mod Podge.  I only used the glue between the paper and the wood. and gave the edges a little "special attention."  I did not cover the entire thing with Mod Podge, but you could because it dries completely clear.  In fact, I may do that before we hang them ...

This worked great ... except for the pencil marks left behind on the lower edges of the white letters.  I used an eraser, a damp cloth, and some fine sandpaper to make sure that yuckiness wouldn't show once I hang them on the wall.  You could also paint the edges of the letters with a coordinating color, but that seemed like too much work for me, and I like the white against the wall color.

It really is that easy.  I plan to hang them - this weekend - using just the nail holes on the back (and a good level and lots of help from my handy husband).  I think hanging them from ribbon would be really cute, too.


Noticed that BJ_Mama - queen of craftiness - linked up over at Today's Creative Blog ... and I decided to be a copycat ... mainly in the hopes that this will keep me motivated to be crafty :)