Chevron cork board makeover

Today was a miserable rainy day.. I have been house bound since Friday with two poorly kids... and getting a little b o r e d. So I did what anyone with two couched kids would do. Clean. Makeover my corkboard!

I was given this cork board when I turned 10. My Poppa made it for me from scratch and I have loved it for  17 years since!

However all these chevron make overs I have seen about the place have made me want to try my hand at it, and I couldn't think of a better place.

Here's what my board looked like this morning....

And just because I can, here is what it looked like six years ago at my 21st...

I took a few piccies during the transformation to show how I did it. Here's a wee tutorial in a picture...

Basically I didvided the board into 6 and measured out the first 'zig zag' using what I had at hand. A book.

I then made a stencil out of an OHP transfer. I used this to help me with my spacing, and then afterwards to help trim my rough edges of tape. This made the masking job much less painful.

Off course I skipped right ahead onto painting, and I ripped the tape of straight afterwards - so no pics of that part - I was much to keen.

As you will see in the last pic, this is not a 'true' chevron pattern as I haven't continued the zig-zag at the left or right. That, my friend was pure accident! I am happy with my result, however I would probably try and get it right on my next project, which will probably be a rug!

All in all, I am happy I decided to do this rainy day update, and it took me less than an hour and a half!

Here is the finished product:

 I didn't really have anything new around to dress her up in, so I settled for some of what I already had... but I will have a play around again here soon - part of the fun.

I have a few more of these quick and easy updates up my sleeve I look forward to sharing. And if you ever thought about trying out a diy chevron update on something... do it!

Linking to:

Too much time on my hands

Making the world cuter

live laugh {linky}

New Nostalgia

Throwback Thursday

504 Main

Rustic wall hanging

Our first project is complete and I couldn't be happier!

Full credit to the hubs though as he was the brains behind this one....

He made the frame up from recycled tongue and groove that he cut to size and glued together.

The 'blank canvas' looks like this:

At this stage of completion we still had no idea what we wanted to put inside the frames. I thought I quite liked it empty, and then thought maybe some photo's taped on with washi tape... but then we actually did a little trip around the house and found the item's that made the cut - each of them telling a little story about our family.

The key is for our son. He has had a 'thing' for keys from a young age, especially since seeing the movie 'Coraline'. He likes to play and pretend with skeleton keys, opening mini invisible doors to magic passageways. The butterflies are for our daughter, who naturally as a four year old girl has a thing for pretty things with wings (not limited to butterflies at all), and the two safety pins are one each for my son and daughter.

The lion knocker is for the hubs who is fierce a Leo by star sign and a lion lover. And probably most obvious, the fish, that spells my name is for me! Not that I have any mad feelings for fish (apart from enjoying eating fish) a long time ago the hubs made it for me on a slow day at work.

We both like the mixture of materials and the contrast between the steel and old wood.

When it was up on the wall though it looked just a little bare. So we added one final and finishing touch. A wee shelf for nick knacks.

Another thing I like about this hanging, is that once we get tired of the current arrangement, we can easily rearrange and substitute items. But for now, we are liking it a lot!

We have hung this in our living room, above the TV which makes it a center piece in the room. I wish I could show you a wide view of where it is hanging but we actually have another little project happening underneath... I should be able to reveal it in no time though - I hope!

Linking to:

AKA Design DIY Linky Party
New Nostalgia
Liz Marie
504 Main
funky junk interiors
Too much time on my hands

Works in progress

I have had a ball getting started on some bits and pieces this week. My mind (and my pinterest project inspiration board) is brimming with inspiring ideas, and the hubs has been busy with a few surprisingly awesome projects of his own which I look forward to blogging as well.

Here's a wee sneaky preview at the things I am working on at the moment... You can see I am going through a bit of a vintage/rustic sort of phase at the moment....

I will blog full details about each piece when they are finished!

Today was one of those 'perfect' rainy days. We had the fire on low all day, probably more for the atmosphere as it was not cold at all, and I whipped up a delicious slow cooker meal that filled the house with yummy smells all day. I do love a lazy Sunday.

Meanwhile, here is some inspiration for the week. You can look forward to seeing my own version of ALL these projects in the near future:

I have a tin trunk already awaiting a makeover - this is just one of the look's I have seen on pinterest. I love the bright blue and I definitely need some beautiful bright colours in my life.

Can you believe this wall art is made from a door mat? Clever huh!

And finally I just LOVE this deer head image - and I have a space in my house that would be perfect for a canvas just like this.

This last pinspiration relates to a project that the hubs has in the pipeline - I can't WAIT till it is done.

I hope you all enjoyed your Sunday just as much as I did!

Alex

{every journey begins with a single step}

Woah - here I am putting myself out there into the scary big wide world of blogging! I am a very long time craft and diy blog reader, but have been busy living my life in the background, and in all honesty, suppressing these amazing creative juices that run through my veins.

I am now scared but ready to put myself out there and show what I am made of.

In the last couple of weeks, ever since I decided I was going to do this thing, I have been one happy little beaver. Putting the kids down to bed, and then whipping out my supplies which have been gathering more than their share of dust, and playing around with bits and pieces I have stashed away.

I look forward to unveiling some of these little projects as they reach completion.

However firstly... a few things you should know about me!

1. I am spontaneous... In 2011, the Hubs and I decided a little sabbatical was in order.. we had had enough of the big city of Auckland, and decided to go south for a year to Dunedin. What an idea, and it was more than I could have imagined! I look forward to sharing a little bit more about this experience that changed my life. Fast forward a year later to now though, and we have returned to our home, which we rented out to 'friends' in our absence. Well it is true, no tenants will ever really look after your house.. We now have a lot of fixing up to keep us busy!!

2. Home is where your stuff is. When we moved to Dunedin for a year, we probably could have stored all of our gear, but instead we did our homework and found a shipping option we were comfortable with, and then took almost every stick of furniture and miscellaneous item that we own away with us. I am SO glad we did this! I loved having not only the people I love with me, but the things I love to. All of those little bits and pieces collected over my few years as an independent home owner really gave me a sense of 'home' even though we were far from it.

3. I have no single sense of style. Nope not one. But MANY! I am in love with so many different 'styles'. French, vintage, shabby chic, modern, retro... all sorts... At the moment I would say I am going through a very colour restrained phase, but I feel those bold colours ready to burst out at any time... just look at that pop of yellow in the header - watch out... it's coming!

4. I am cheap! Although the hubs would not agree.. actually what I mean is I just LOVE a good bargain. I frequent op shops and sales and would like to begin garage sale-ing - if only the hubs would stop working so hard so I could leave the house solo on a Saturday morning... although I may just take the leap and get the kids out there garage sale-ing with me - I am sure they would love it too! Whenever a big purchase is on the cards I do my homework and find the most economic solution - and enjoy the whole process too.

5. This is the single most scary thing I have done in the last five years. Makes my life sound a bit dull.. But what I do is personal. It is me. And I plan on putting it all out there. Scary means exciting though and I am SO excited! I look forward to building a readership and getting to know each and every one of you! Welcome to my blog - home {made}.

xx

Alex