Raising Kids and Crafting Too: Jan 13, 2013

If I were to sum this project up in one word it would be flexibility. It didn’t go at all the way I had originally planned, but it still turned out pretty neat in the end. And I even learned some valuable lessons along the way.

I wanted to a project that involved my new Silhouette Cameo my husband got me for my birthday and since I put my Valentine’s Decorations up this week. I decided something pink was in order. I settled on a Valentine Subway Art project.

Now, in the beginning, I had planned on doing a crackle paint project. This is Plan A, and the supplies I gathered:

I gave the wood plaque a coat of the Americana Acrylic paint in Carousel Pink and let it dry 24 hours. Then I applied the Martha Stewart Crafts Fine Crackle Effect in smooth even strokes and let that dry and followed it with a coat of Americana Acrylic paint in Warm White. Now…, if you have been following the weather at all, Louisiana and most of the southern states have been getting dumped on with rain. As a result, the LESSON I LEARNED the hard way, this particular crackle effect medium does not work in high humidity conditions.

So on to Plan B: I gave it ANOTHER coat of the Americana Acrylic paint in Carousel Pink and let it dry and followed with a coat of Americana Acrylic paint in Warm White. Nothing another coat of paint can’t fix, right!!! ; ) After it was dry I sanded the edges and distressed it up a little.

I found a file on the Silhouette website that I liked (hey, I’m a rookie, I’m not about to create my own just yet) and cut it out. Let me tell you that machine is ridiculous! Even my husband is in awe of the Cameo! It is so awesome! To quote Woody from my son’s favorite movie Toy Story, “If you don’t have one, GET ONE!” hehehehe, I just love that movie :)

Once your letters are cut out, grab a cup of coffee, or wine, diet coke whatever you like and pull up a chair because this part takes a little bit of time. With a glue pen, attach the letters to your wood plaque using the images on the cutting mat as your reference.