Thursday, January 31, 2013

More Jess stuff :)

I saw a few of these "button art" pins and thought I'd give it a try. Super easy and very cute! (Much easier and neater than the cereal box/paper mache J I made a few days ago.




I decided that the J blended into the headboard too much to I decoupaged some of the paper I used on the dresser to it :D



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

My Sharpie dishes

I've seen MANY posts on Pinterest about these wonderfully easy diy Sharpie mugs and thought "Hey, I can draw, why not?" So I went to the 99cent store and picked up several plates, saucers, and cups to give it a try.
Here's what I found out:
Baking at 350 for 30 min does NOT work.
Colors change when baked! Especially Yellow...it turns a yucky pinkish color.
It is nearly impossible to find a ceramic enamel or sealer that is food grade (that doesn't require a kiln...)..I'm still looking.
Drawing freehand one a surface that is not flat, is not easy.
These are so freakin cool!

So, if you want the drawing or writing to last I suggest:
Use only BLACK or SILVER Sharpies.
Bake at 400 for at least 40 minutes.
Put your pieces in the oven while it is cold. DO NOT preheat.
&
Let them cool COMPLETELY in the oven as well.
After I followed these few rules, I tested a piece by running it through my dishwasher, and the image stayed put!
I would recommend handwashing even so.

I would also make these few recommendations:
Cheap dishes are better as the finish is not as good and the ink can get into it. (Nicer dishes don't hold the paint)
Put your images or text in the areas least likely to come in contact with utensils or lips. (ie the wrong side of the cup and the outer edges of the plates.)

Mistakes are very easy to erase.
I suggest a q tip with a bit of alcohol or if that doesn't get it off, a paste made from baking soda and water. A bit of scrubbing and it will come off.

Because I freehand my drawings and text I made it hard on myself, but really enjoyed making these. I assume one could use transfer paper to get "neater' results.

I really would like to make a bunch of these for gifts next Christmas, but I want to test mine a bit more to see how long they will last before I do.

I'm not expert on this stuff, but I am seriously considering buying a few pens that are actually made for writing on glass and trying it again :)
































*One month later and the owl cups still looks the same! It's been through the dishwasher probably 5 times because I never seem to remember not to stick it in there, but none of the ink has come off :D

Jessica's Room

I've been working for a couple weeks trying to update my now 13 year old daughters bedroom. It's been nearly 7 years since we've changed anything in her room and she's gagging at the pastel pinks blues and greens she chose so long ago.
So far I've repainted her wooden headboard, desk and dresser and reupholstered the stool cushion for her vanity.
Most of the furniture in her room is hand me down, thrift store or garage sale finds, including her vanity that I purchased for $25. The headboard was $15, dresser $15 and the desk has been around for about 20 years.
(Eventually this kid might get something new!)
The big letter J? A cereal box :D
I still have a lot of work to do including: adding a poster to the drawers of the newly painted dresser so it doesn't look like it belongs in a 4 yr old boys room, repurpose part of my old desk for book shelves and make her a study area with her current desk in half of her closet :D