I've been needing a shop sign to hang at craft shows, and I made one in my own way. It began with a plain white curtain panel from Goodwill and a fresh bottle of spray paint. Everything else was already in my possession: logo and business card design by
Jelene, various paints and brushes, and gumption. See the sidebar and my page banner for a glimpse of the design I was working from.
First, I sprayed blue paint onto the curtain, matching the background on
my Etsy banner and business cards. For a stencil, I used a large yogurt container with the bottom cut out, as pictured.
The first step is finished!
Can you see the faint, pencil outlines of lettering? This took a long time because I laser-printed my design onto a transparency sheet, then traced it onto butcher paper via an old-fashioned overhead projector so that it would be the perfect size. I cut the pieces out, and then traced them onto the curtain. Now I have the stencils for any future needs.
I worked with the lightest colors of paint first. It was easiest, considering the mixing I was doing to create the purple and gray.
Here's a closer look at the big, buggy gray eye. (I love my cartoony scorpion sewist!)
I saved painting the lettering for last.
The finished banner! Well, almost. I've gone back and re-painted the thimble and done some more touching-up. It measures about five feet tall by three and a half feet wide.
One problem I didn't take into account is how it looks with light behind it: every paint stroke is visible, and it's distracting and unattractive. I may need to sew a heavy lining to the back.
My original plan was to applique the entire thing. The fabrics were all picked out, and in retrospect, I should have stuck with sewing. It would have required miles of thread, but it also would have matched my merchandise and looked good in any light. I thought painting would be quicker, but I'm not so sure that it ended up that way. This took two weeks of hard-fought spare time in between paint-drying time.
Just for fun, here's a Sunday Shadow Shot. (Hi,
HeyHarriet!)
Last weekend, after ensuring there was no wiring in the way, I put my jig saw to the drywall and cut this long, narrow inset, then taped and painted the area to match the surrounding wall. The space was narrower than I'd hoped. Usually there's about 16 inches between studs, but since there is an intake vent beside this space, it's rather small.
Yesterday, I installed bracket strips so that the shelves would be adjustable. I also cut shelves and trim, then stained the pieces.
Later in the day, ShadowBoy, my young assistant and I caulked and tacked the trim around the cubby, and stocked the shelves.
We're pleased with the result, and glad to have foregone creating a cabinet door for it. Working around the phone jack wasn't much of a problem. Not all of my bottles, jars, and spices fit in this small space, however, so only the lesser used ingredients are stowed in this cubby.
I had done a similar project a couple of summers ago, when I created this (currently sparse) display nook at the opposite end of the hallway. What I've learned is that I grow more patient about taking my time and doing things correctly with each DIY project I undertake. With the shelves pictured below, I was intimidated by the precision involved in installing brackets for adjustable shelves, and made them permanent instead. I regret that, and know that it was worth the extra time and frustration to make the pantry cubby shelves adjustable. Heck, I've already re-arranged them twice!
It's the same with sewing. Once, I avoided zippers and button holes and the like. Now I understand those facets are well worth the risk of screwing up a project. Actually, the trickier a project is, the less likely I am to hurry and make errors.
