A project

Sometimes I just need a project -- a work-with-my-hands, manipulate real-life materials project. I typically get this feeling ESPECIALLY when I have a lot of writing or desk work going on, so I'll readily admit my need to MAKE SOMETHING is part creative drive and part procrastination technique. But I'm trying to love my procrastinating self just as much as I love my uptight, get-things-done self. Because we are all the SAME SELF. Goodness, I hope someone quotes me on that.

I may have mentioned here that Rebecca asked for a room redo for her birthday present. She moved into Jordan's room a little over a year ago (because it's bigger and has a bigger bed). So she's been forced to live with Jordan's bedding and decor choices. I've definitely been dragging my feet over redoing that bedroom because I have other really important and significant things to do. Like watch Netflix. And obsessively read Google News. Also, decorating costs money, and as many times as I've hinted . . . I've yet to receive any anonymous checks in the mail in support of my decorating fund. Also, there's been no movement on the chocolate donut fund. Or the really expensive hair products fund. But those are all first world problems, so let's move on.

My point here is that I MADE SOMETHING. Guys, I used to be so, so crafty. I had like a decade-long painting, sewing, quilting phase where I made a ton of stuff. But then I somehow, some way, lost the will to craft. I did have a brief period of buying craft supplies -- without actually making anything with them. But now I'm done with that too.  Is this a mid-stage thing? Anyone else out there lost the will to craft? Is there help available?

My goal in this particular project was to create a focal point above the bed. Something cool and modern and BIG. When I saw this string-art project on Vintage Revivals I was awestruck. In the tenth grade my geometry teacher assigned us a string art project. We used black poster board and neon-colored embroidery floss and made spirograph-like designs by punching holes in geometric patterns. Man, I loved that project. This is kinda like that. Except it's messy. And random. I was never super good at geometry anyway.

Vintage Revivals has all the pertinent details (and I don't want to steal her tutorial thunder). I should tell you that when I printed out the letters for LOVE, I used about a 650 point font. Also, for the love of all things non-complicated, use birch plywood for this project. Birch plywood is smooth (and sand-able) and will make the spray painting a thousand times easier. When I went to buy the wood there was no birch in the 4' x 4' size I needed. But I figured the regular plywood would work. And it did. But it's definitely more of a textured, woodsy look. Also, let's address the hanging. The finished project weighs roughly 273 pounds. Sterling and I discussed a number of hanging options (including drilling a bolt through all four corners), but in the end we put screws in both sides and used heavy-duty picture wire . . . and then put two bolts into the studs. 

It's actually a fun and satisfying project to create. I did the whole thing on the sly, so it would be a surprise on Becca's actual birthday. I laid out a big fluffy comforter on my bedroom floor and watched HGTV while nailing in a WHOLE BUNCH of tiny nails. Even though I knew it was physically impossible, I kept having horrifying mental images of me nailing the plywood to the wood floor beneath. So I kept checking. Like obsessively. Other than that . . . good clean fun. 

And that's the story of how I revived my crafty-self for an entire three hours.