Cultivating my crafty side

Anyone who knows me, knows I would be categorized as "left-brain."  I am good at math, love excel, only cook with recipes, etc.  My right-brain doesn't get much exercise, or I should say didn't until we got the house.  I've had to grow some muscles on my right side that haven't been there since I was a kid.  I am happy to report however, that they are growing....hence this post :)

I saw this sign on another persons blog about a month ago.

It conveniently retails for $300!

I mean, I like this look....but not for $300!

I decided I could probably make that.  It's not very artsy, simplistic, and I could probably calculate exactly where each of the letters should go to make it look like the original (I know, I'm a nerd). 

So I went to Home Depot and got a big piece of plywood (sidenote - this will have to be a verbal play-by-play...I forgot to take in-progress pictures) and got them to cut it into two large 35" X 35" squares.  The original is 36" X 36" but I made one 35" X 35" because the math works out better (5" stencil letters, 1 inch above and 1 inch below, in 5 rows makes 35").  Anyway, I also got a 2" X 1" board and had it cut into 4 pieces to frame out the back.  I used Gorilla Wood Glue to attach the two 35" square pieces together to give the sign a little thickness and nailed the frame onto the back.  It took several coats of ivory spray paint to cover up the marks on the wood while still leaving behind evidence of the graininess.

I debated on how to fill in the letters but ultimately decided on sponge application of a chocolate craft paint with a little bit of champagne sparkle paint mixed in.  I also debated on sanding it down a little to make it look a little more like the original, but I was scared I would take off too much paint and then create more work for myself.

Anywho, here's how it looked when I was finished.

Not too shabby for an engi-nerd!  Trey hung it above the mantle for me in our living room and we hung that flower picture that had been there above the piano. (Sorry that second pic is a little fuzzy, my camera isn't all that great)

Here's a close up of the letters so you can see that they aren't just opaque.

So, what do you think?  Should I start selling these too? :)