Pennsylvania State of Mind

If you haven't yet signed up for Pick Your Plum, DO IT NOW!!! The items they sell are at a ridiculously reduced price and unlike other items you've seen before! Recently, they sold unfinished, wooden plaques shaped like all 50 states. Since my sister lives in Virginia but will always call Pennsylvania her home, I knew I had to decorate a state for her! Since she also loves Chevron patterns, I decided I would incorporate that, as well! Here's the simple way I decided to decorate this plaque...

Materials:

-plaque

-scrapbook paper (I used a Chevron pack I found at Michael's and used purple and green Chevron, but the options or limitless)

-Mod Podge

-foam brush

-scissors

-glue gun/sticks

-ribbon (about 6")

Instructions:

1. Using a foam brush, coat a thick layer of Mod Podge onto the plaque

2. Lay purple Chevron paper on top of the Mod Podge, making sure to smooth out the paper so that there are no bubbles (I had to use two pieces of paper and match them at the seems but would highly recommend using a piece larger than the plaque itself

3. After the paper has adhered completely to the Mod Podge, use scissors to cut the excess paper around the small details on the plaque to maintain the state's shape

4. Cut out a small heart in green Chevron. Place Mod Podge on back of heart and adhere to center of plaque (or, if you'd like to designate a specific part of the state, place it in the corresponding area).

5. Paint a layer of Mod Podge over the top of the plaque. Let dry.

6. Using hot glue, make a loop with the ribbon and adhere to the back of the plaque. Be sure to use a large amount of glue to allow the ribbon to stay in place and hold the weight of the plaque when hanging).

Chevron Painted Children's Stool

One of the (many...just ask my husband) gifts we gave Claire for her birthday was a wooden stool. While she probably can't use it the way it is meant to be used just yet, I could not pull myself away from buying it when I saw it at the craft store (story of my life)! Do you ever start thinking  about the endless amount of possibilities there are to decorate something and then get so overwhelmed that you have to put the project away and give it a few days (or weeks, or months...) before actually picking it up again and making it happen? Yeah, me neither ;) After thoughtful contemplation for longer than I care to admit, I decided on the pattern and color-scheme I wanted and got to work.

 Here's what... 

 Materials needed: 

 -acrylic paint (I used a light purple and a light blue for my color scheme) 

-foam paint brush or roller

-painter's tape 

-vinyl, adhesive letters -sealant spray 

 Instructions: 

 1. Paint the stool with two coats of acrylic paint in the color chosen as the base.

 2. After paint is completely dry, place painter's tape across the seat of the stool in a chevron pattern. 

     My pattern is, in no way, even, but I think its got character!

 3. Paint two coats of second color over the seat of the stool.

 4. Once the paint is completely dry, carefully peel off the painter's tape. Touch up any spots that may 

     have bled.

 5. Adhere vinyl letters to the seat of the stool. 

 6. Spray two coats of sealant on the stool. 

While it is not perfect, and I can see the lines I should've made straighter and marks of paint I could've made cleaner, I look forward to watching her use it to brush her teeth on her own or to sit on to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the morning and to hopefully keep for years and years to come because mommy made it for her! In my book, there is no greater reason to craft than that!