So I found this great Etsy store: Minimal Map Designs .  This shop sells printable maps online.  You can purchase custom PDF maps that you print off at your local print shop. So for a couple of bucks a piece, you get a custom piece of art!  Booyah! Now how to turn it into Vintage Map Wall Art!

I printed them at our local Staples as “Blueprint” size print.  The size of the actual paper was a little big, so I needed to trim down some of the edges.  I used a straight edge and a rotary cutter.  I ended up giving the map  a 3/4″ border.

 Once all the edges were trimmed  I was ready to age my paper!  I used about 8 English Breakfast tea packets and 4ish cups of hot water.  You don’t need a lot of the tea solution,  just enough to coat the print with.  I used a large plastic tub to dip dye it in.   It only needs a few seconds in the tea, and then gently pull it out of the solution. 

As soon as you pull the print from the tea,  place it on a dry towel.  I am not going to lie, these papers will be delicate so be careful!  Once it is completely  dried I repeated the process again.   This is not necessary,  but I wanted to deepen the color.  After two baths in the tea solution it had a perfect  vintage patina! 

Vintage Map Wall Art – IKEA Framing

I then put it in a very cheap IKEA frame!  You can get these big frames for only $14.99.. 

 The one odd thing about the size of these prints is that they ARE NOT standard U.S. size prints. So instead of placing the print behind the matte, I placed it on top. Voila! Worked perfectly.

For the perfect finishing touch I used these awesome clip from Crate and Barrel.

 I am SO  thrilled with the way these pieces of art came out!  But I am not half as excited  about these as I am the room they are in !  Stay tuned, the whole room reveal is coming and it is going to be EPIC!

 Thanks for reading and TAKE LUCK!

Corey

The post Vintage Map Wall Art appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

I wanted to white wash it, and my sister suggested I try a “German Schmear” technique.  I loved the idea!  Lucky for me Sandra AKA “Sawdust Girl” recently did something  a little different, with a TON of character, so if you like my wall, you will LOVE her faux brick wall!

 How to: Faux Brick Wall

Materials Used – Faux Brick Wall:

• Brick Paneling ($25 a piece)
• Wall Spackle ($6 per quart)
• White Wash

(  It averaged out to be about 1 quart of spackle per 4’x 8′ panel.)

Tools Suggested – Faux Brick Wall:

• Table Saw
• Nail Gun
• Spackle Knife
• Paint Brush

So here is the thing… I freaking love this house, it has nice tall ceilings! On the flip side the 8′ brick panels didn’t really cut it. So I kind of needed to puzzle piece my wall together.

 How to: Faux Brick Wall – Attaching Brick Paneling

Initially, I had TRIED to cut the bricks in a zig-zag pattern so that none of the bricks would be cut in half where the panels ended. Again,  I TRIED!  (Look at the picture. Proof: one such panel is laying on the ground.)   It was not happening. I got mad and impatient and just slapped the entire panel up.

Here is the thing, the panels are made so that they will go together.  So no, it is not perfect, but it was good enough for me.  Plus, I knew I was planning on adding a few layers, and I crossed my fingers that it would cover the seams.

In order to attach the panel to the wall, I used finish nails.  I would suggest securing it with liquid nails or caulk, but  I change my mind with decor so much I wanted the option of taking this down. So,  I  just used the finish nails. ( A LOT of them.) When securing the panel to the wall, make sure you tack throughout the middle of the panel, as well as around the edges.

Even without adding my top layer of spackle and paint, I think that the seams are pretty well hidden.

How to: Faux Brick Wall – The Spackle

Now for the fun part!  Try as I may I didn’t know how to show you this technique without a video.  So here I am in all of my late night, all day work, glory.

I know this looks like it would take FOR-E-VER, but really it wasn’t too painful. Honest.  After a few hours of  DIRTY  work and 3 containers of spackle later, I had a gorgeous statement wall.

Look at that texture, and would you ever guess I am taking a picture of the seam?!  Yup, that is a close up of the seam!

How to: Faux Brick Wall – The Top Coat

Once the spackle had completely dried, I needed to top coat it. ( Plaster is a chalky consistency, and can rub off on clothing and little hands if it is not sealed.)  You can purchase a “white wash” from most home improvement stores, or you can make your own by watering down a white paint or primer.  (Which is what I did.)

I have gotten a lot of questions about the  top coat, so  I  made a sample  using different paint/water ratios.  IF you want more brick exposed, I THINK  that a “Acrylic Clear Poly”  would work.  Definitely  test an area before trying,  I am just giving you my BEST GUESS.

 So there you have it folks, a gorgeous faux brick wall that adds a whole lot of character with zero clutter!

 Take Luck,
Corey

The post How to: Faux Brick Wall appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

I grew up in Ohio,  I remember curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book. It was one of my favorite things to do… ( I WAS *cough* a total nerd:).   I have since moved to Florida where fireplaces are scarce, and are not really practical. Well,  just because I don’t have a fireplace doesn’t mean I need to miss out on decorating a festive mantle!  In lieu of a mantle, I “decked” the shelves!

 If you are looking for more seasonal inspiration. Make sure you  check some of my favorite blogger buddies, they have plenty of great ideas on how to “deck the halls” this holiday season!

Blank Canvas

I have a floating shelf that is mounted above the television in our living room.  It was my perfect canvas to create holiday magic! ( If you are interested to see how I turned an Ikea Shelf into a rustic ledge  you should check out this tutorial! )

“Gifts” ie. Cardboard Boxes

When staging a shelf, I always start by placing my largest items.  In this case, I used large boxes wrapped as gifts.

Mercury Glass

Next, I wanted to add a new texture and a bit of glam.  I used vases from a thrift store, and turned them into mercury glass.

Mercury glass is pretty simple to make!  Just use “Looking Glass” spray paint (no other kind will work).  Spray it into your container. Next use a spray bottle containing 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water.  LIGHTLY spritz the inside of the container with the mixture. Directly after use a hairdryer and dry the inside.If the paint and liquid are settling on the bottom, slowly turn the container as you dry it.  It  creates this beautiful aged patina on the inside of any glass container!

Greens

A few years ago we upgraded our Christmas tree. Instead of getting rid of the old one, I dismantled it, and now use the greens for decorating.

Grapevine Balls

I wanted to add another texture, and the grapevine balls were the perfect addition! ( you cab get them at a lot of craft stores in the floral department)

Candles and Magnolia Leaves

I next added a few white candles from the Dollar Tree! It added just a little bit of color contrast I was looking for. The finishing touch was adding a few magnolia leaves.  I have magnolia leaves as a common theme throughout the rest of my Christmas decor, this tied my mantle in perfectly!

There you have it folks, a quick and easy approach to a rustic “mantle makeover”!  A big shout out and “thank you” to our  lovely and talented host Jen from House of Wood!

 Happy Holidays!

 Take Luck,

 Corey

The post Deck the Halls Blog Hop – Christmas Vignette appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

Today I am over at Remodelaholic showing you  just how you can make your very own rustic fall decor !  It is my new favorite!

Make sure you check it out here :  Rustic Wood Slice Banner

The post Rustic Wood Slice Fall Banner appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

I was recently getting my home all decked out in Fall decor…   My house changes regularly, which presents a small snag when I put up seasonal decor , not everything fits where it use to! Well, I had a vacant spot on my  front entry shelf.  (You can get all the DIY details here.)

There was only one thing to be done.  It needed a customized  “Fall Themed”  chalkboard sign. (Obviously).

Materials Suggested:

• 1/4″ paneling
• flat black paint
• 1/2″ board
• White Colored pencil (prismacolor)
• OR  white permanent chalkboard marker
• Stain

Tools  I Used:

•  Table Saw
• Nail gun

Ok, so this is just a simple walk-through of what I did. I am sorry it is not a printable… I am not that good.  Anyways, I used a piece of cheap MDF paneling and painted it with FLAT black paint.  I then proceeded to add the design to my board.

I used “prisma color” white colored pencil, and a “permanent chalk marker”.  (With all of the chalkboard rage, it seems that craft suppliers have addressed the needs for more chalk writing utensils, check at your local craft store, they are everywhere.)

If you are not the  free-handing type,  consider  using a free printable,  or designing your sign on a free service like Picmonkey.  Then  simply use transfer paper, and then trace with the white. Easy Peasy.

Here is the design I chose to do :

To really  make my sign pop, I added a rustic wooden frame.  This is a quick and easy frame.   I used a 1×2″ board and cut out a small lip on one side. (See image below)

   I then measured out the size of my board and cut my 1×2’s to fit the dimensions. I cut the ends on 45 degree angles in order to create mitered corners.

   I simply  put a dab of glue on the face of the 45 degree cut, and then tacked it in place using a finish nailer.

  I  then added a quick coat of stain…

  Lastly, I added a small amount of wood glue to the back edge of the sign and then pressed it into place.

Voila.  All done.

Happy Fall Ya’ll and Take Luck All,

Corey

The post Fall Chalkboard Sign appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

While making the decorations, I some how got it in my  head that  Marquee letters were an absolute must.  NATURALLY?  I  mentally  justified it, deciding it would also make a great addition to the kids room after the party.

So today  I am going to show you how I went about making mine!

I began by  cutting out my letters using a jigsaw and then  using a 1/2″ bit I drilled holes  that the lights will b fed through.  After everything was cut, and drilled,  I sanded down the whole piece.

Tools Suggsted:

• Jigsaw
• Drill and 1/2″ bit
• Sander
• x-acto knife
• Hot Glue Gun
• Router (if desired)

Supplies Used:

•  Plywood
• Primer
• Paint
• Ping Pong Balls
• String Lights
• Hot Glue Sticks

Next I routed out the a groove on the  back of the letter connected all the holes on the back.  This will allow a place for the cord to sit,  should you wish to mount it flat on a wall. If you are resting it on a ledge,  this step is not completely  necessary.

  Next  I primed the letters. After the primer  dried, I gave it a quick once over with a fine grit sandpaper.  Next I  spray painted the letters.  When using spray paint always remember to use MULTIPLE LIGHT COATS!  It makes all the difference in the world!

Once  it is evenly  coated with the base red,  I  used a small amount of black  spray paint and dusted the edges.  (I was feeling impatient that day.)

Now we are ready for the lights!  Feed the lights through the holes.  (In  some cases  my holes were too far spaced, and I simply ad to leave a light in the back.)

I used  a hot glue gun to secure the light cord to the back of the letter.

To give the appearance of large bulbs I utilized basic ping pong balls!

 I simply cut small “x’s”  in each one using an x-acto knife.

 Then  just pop the light into the “x”.  For good measure I added a small dab of hot glue on the base of the ping pong ball and pressed it into place!

Look!  Here  they are in all of their photo backdrop glory.

 Can  you tell they were worn out by the end of the party ?

They found their long term home up in the kids rooms.

The post Light Up Marquee Letters appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

Anyone who knows me, is fairly aware I am pretty  dang stubborn.  Once I had my heart set on plantation shutters,  I WOULD figure out how to do it, within my budget.  So, I hit up our local ReStore,  I was able to find this set of plantation doors.  They weren’t the right size, but for $20  I could make them work!

  I started dismantling them by removing the tilt bar.  I  just used snips to cut the staple.

   After I removed the tilt bar, I proceeded to remove the Louvers.  I was surprised at how easily  they  popped out.   I also removed the “shutter pins”.  I saved these, and would use them later.   Next I needed to create new frames for my plantation shutters.  I cut “stiles” for the frame.

  I then drilled holes that would receive the shutter pins.

 I then placed all the shutter pins.

 I then cut down the louvers to fit my new frames.  I intentionally cut down from both sides so that I could keep the original center staple in place.     

Once the louvers were cut to size I needed to drill the center hole that would receive the other side of the shutter pin.

Next it was time to assemble. I partially assembled the frame using a  Kreg Jig pocket holes.

I then proceeded to slide all the louvers in place. Once all the louvers were in place I finished securing the rails to the stiles.

 I then gave it a final paint job.

I then needed to replace the original tilt rod. I  first cut it down to size.

I had no clue  how I was going to get these attached, but my husband is a genius and  suggested  simply  buying the same size staples , and simply  push them back in!

…and that is just what I did. I placed a small amount of glue in the original holes, and then placed a staple through the center staple on the louver and then pushed through into the  tilt bar.

Last thing necessary was adding hinges.  My plantation shutters required two sets of hinges.  One set to connect the two doors to each other and the other st to hang the shutter on the wall.  As you can see in the above image,  I mounted the shutters to frame work around the window. ( I have seen them inset, but this is just how I chose to do it.)

… and that my friends is how I made custom cafe plantation shutters for less than $45 ! Whoot Whoot!  

 Thanks for stopping by and take luck!

Corey

The post Cafe Plantation Shutters appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.

Guess what it is super easy to make! I am giving step by step directions over at Remodelaholic today!  Make sure you  head on over and check it out!

The post Pottery Barn Inspired Entry Organizer appeared first on Sawdust 2 Stitches.