It all started when I decided our plain living room wall was far too depressing for my taste. Or anyone's really. I could try describe the paint color, but I will just leave it at "undefined" because I cannot think of any friendly words to describe this particular shade of beige. It was definitely time for some paint chip glamour. But not actual paint since paint is expensive.
I drove to Lowe's and headed straight to the paint chip section, grabbing waaay more than is socially acceptable. Luckily, I have giant coat pockets and since paint chips are technically free, I shoved them all in my pocket. I was feeling pretty self-concious though and wanted to at least leave a quarter or something on the counter to relieve my guilt at taking so many free hand-outs. I didn't because that's unnecessary.
Instead I wandered the store for about 15 minutes trying to look like I was a shopper. It is SO HARD to look like a nonchalant shopper in Lowe's...no one just goes there to browse. I have problems.
Next I ventured to Walmart, which might actually be my least favorite place ever...besides a super dark aquarium or something. My main goal was to find cheap ice-cream for a ministry dinner that night, but I also walked out with the BEST glitter twine ever. Like I have said before, I am really into gold glitter these days.
I will not tell you how many hours I spent cutting tiny hearts out of the paint chips. Ok, six. The answer is six hours. But, I wanted the hand-cut look, so did I really have a choice? I tend to have extreme dedication when it comes to crafts.
But, the real madness ensues when today I decided I needed a smaller hole-punch if I was going to do this thing right. So, being fully aware of what I was signing up for, I got in my car and drove straight into a blizzard. The roads were absolutely terrible. I'm not even exaggerating a little bit. It was the kind of road condition where you just don't trust anyone.
After almost getting rear-ended twice I decided to turn off and take back roads so no other cars could "get me." Yeah, no, I didn't turn around and go home. I turned to the left and took BACK ROADS. And I remembering saying to myself "Hah! Now no one can get me."This is the point where I started questioning my own sanity, but I was also listening to the Local Natives , and all the percussion and strings were kind of making me feel like I was in a movie.
Long story short, it took me twice as long as normal to get to Hobby Lobby. I found the tiny hole-punch instantly and also picked up some other things for a banner I had in mind. Hobby Lobby can be a very dangerous place for me, but I was SO well behaved today.
I spent the rest of my day hole-punching, stringing hearts, and sewing...all while watching some of the best movies to make you wish Meg Ryan was your best friend, You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. And My Best Friend's Wedding, but that's Julia Roberts and let's be real, she's kind of a psycho in that one.
So here is the "finished" product. I plan to add more, hence the "finished."
The garland is Valentine's inspired, but honestly we'll probably leave it up for awhile. It's darling in person. Tiny hearts are simply hard to resist.
The banner comes from Song of Solomon 2:4 which includes the line "...his banner over me is love..." I love this line of Scripture. If the banner is His gospel, then I enter the "banquet house" with the message of His gospel, LOVE, over me. As Matthew Henry's commentary puts it, He displays His banner over my head "not as one he triumphed over, but as one he triumphed in. Christ is the captain of our salvation, and he enlists all his soldiers under the banner of love; in that they center; that they must continually have an eye, and be animated by it."
heart garland:
paint chips...free
glitter twine...$3
1/16 hole-punch: $4
You can use a heart-shaped punch to cut out all the stars. I chose to hand-cut them so that they wouldn't be uniform. I then punched two holes in the top and strung them on the twine. Super super simple.
banner:
burlap (pre-cut)...$6
muslin: $3 (from scrap bin...tons leftover)
small clothespins: already had.
you can get them at most
craft stores for a couple dollars
twine: already had
Also super simple. Cut the letters of your choice out of the muslim and stitch to the burlap with embroidery floss (other thread is too thin to hold tight.) Use whatever you want for the string and just clothespin the burlap to your "clothesline."
Sidenote: I am all about clotheslines as a decorative element. I have four in my home right now. Also, mini clothespins have become a staple in my supply drawer. Probably because I have so many clotheslines.
Happy crafting!
No comments:
Post a Comment