Fabulous Office Sign

I recently switched jobs and my new office mate gave me carte blanche to add any design elements that I wanted to our mutual space. I wanted to add some color to our office and since I love hot pink, this was the natural choice... she keeps reassuring me that she likes the results even though I suspect that this much pink might have been a stretch for her.

I also wanted to choose a verse for the sign to give me a great perspective and reminder during the day while working, so Revelation 19:16 made the top of my list very quickly! [ Read blog post about this verse ] I love how it turned out and I'm anxious to make another sign like this very soon... just have to find a place to put it!

What You'll Need:

• Wood blocks
• Acrylic paint (a variety of colors as well as white for the lettering)
• Paint Markers (optional, however it makes doing the lettering a lot easier)
• Stencils - A variety of fonts will make the finished project interesting
• Glitter (optional)
• Alligator wall hangers
• Tissue paper

How To Do It:

• Choose various wood blocks of different shapes and sizes. My husband let me go through his scrap box and choose whatever I wanted... He rocks!
• Choose a verse or saying; remembering that less is probably more.
• Layout the blocks to find a pleasing layout.
• Divide up the words on scrap paper according to how you want them to be displayed on the wood. Lay them on top of the wood and rearrange until you find a combination that works. This took me a little while to get it right.
• Take a picture so you remember how it is laid out for the finish.
• Paint the wood blocks a combination of colors or shades. Be creative, really nothing is wrong! If you need color combination ideas, go to a paint supply store and look at their color swatch suggestions for color groupings.
• Using a vareity of stencils, handwriting or even freehand the words onto the blocks.
• Paint them using white paint. I personally use a paint marker for this because it is easier to get a finish with especially for lettering.
• Fill the lettering in with glitter. This of course is optional, it looks nice without it, I just really like using glitter in my finished projects!
• Layout the wood blocks on top of tissue paper and trace edges to help you hang on the wall as designed.
• Hammer in the alligator wall hangers onto the back of the wood.
• That's it! you are done! To easily hang, just tape the tissue paper to your wall and hang each block according to the pattern.

Below are pictures of the entire process!

Jazzin' Up an Old Desk to Make into Coffee Bar

My husband actually suggested this project after finding this old writing desk on Craig's List. He thought it would make a nice coffee bar for my office. Up until this time, I was using an old (small and wobbly) end table, not very functional. So we purchased it and painted it... it turned out awesome! Now it is one of my favorite pieces!

What You'll Need: 

• Desk or furniture to refinish
• Sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint
• Paint Sprayer (Optional but highly recommended) or paint brushes
• 24-48 hours

How To Do It:

• Rough up the furniture piece with sandpaper.
• Using a paint sprayer or paint brushes apply 1 primer coat. If using a paint sprayer make sure to do a test strip first. We used cardboard to get the flow & coverage desired. Follow paint directions on dry time.  
• Apply 1st & 2nd coats of paint. Again following the paint can directions for between coat dry times.
• Since we were using red paint, we ended up doing 3 total coats of color. Red can be hard to get even so we played it safe and coated another time.
• Let dry for 24-48 hours before using and decorating.

That's it! It is very easy; just takes a little time and effort... However, it is sure to wow your friends!

Below are pictures of the entire process!

Amazing Wood Photo Blocks

I orginally saw this project on BuzzFeed via Pinterest. I immediately loved it and knew I had to give it a try. It is easy and turns out great, I have a few of these picture blocks in my office at work and they are always commented on!

What You'll Need:

• Picture printed on paper. I originally tried a photo print from Wal-Mart, which DOES NOT work, just print a picture from your home printer or have it printed at a copy shop, I went to Staples, since I wanted a larger finished product.
• Wood. I got my from Lowes in the building area. It was orginally a long board, they cut it to 10x10 squares for me.
• Gel Medium. You will find this in a craft supply store in the artist section or at an artist store. I got mine at Hobby Lobby.
• Modge Podge. I swear every project I do is Modge Podge'd.... Love it!
• Overnight. This does take overnight to dry before finishing the project.... just a head's up on the timeframe.

How To Do It:

• Sand the edges of the wood.
• Trim print to size.
• Cover surface of the wood with artist gel medium
• Let dry overnight
• Using a wet wash cloth, gentely wash the of the paper from the wood block. The wet paper becomes pulp and easily washes away while the image remains on the wood via the medium.
• Clean all paper residue off.
• Let dry.
• Coat with Modge Podge to seal and give it a shiney finish.

Tips:

• If you are going to do a saying instead of a picture remember to reverse your image in a photo program before you print and the image is reverse on the wood.

Below are pictures of the entire process...

Making Glass Sparkle!

After I finished making my frames shine, I naturally turned to glassware. I loved the affect the glitter had on the glass frames and knew it would work for any glassware so I tried it on a candle holder.

What You'll Need:

• Candle holders, vases, glasses... really anything glass will work!
• Glitter
• Modge Podge
• Drop Cloth

How To Do It:

• Modge Podge your glassware.
• Sprinkle glitter over the glue. (Make sure you do this over your drop cloth, glitter has the tendency to get messy!) Shake off excess onto a paper plate or paper towel so you can reuse later.
• Let it dry & repeat the glittering process for coverage.
• (Optional) Apply glitter over some of the surface area and shake on a new color fading it into the previous color. (Picture below) I got this idea as the glue was drying in stages and I got to tell you I love the affect!
• Modge Podge one last coat over the dried glittered surface so you will have less chance of glitter everywhere once you start using these.
• Let dry and dazzle your room with this finished product! Enjoy!

Below are pictures of the entire process...