on making illuminated art.

I am by no means the cleanest and most perfect crafter. I have the tendency to do something wrong. And this project was by no means an exception to that rule.

I saw this project on Pinterest AND craftgawker and felt like it was something completely doable. So I went out and bought the supplies and printed the outline for the letters. Both of this things can be found at the website!

The first thing I did was trace my letters onto the canvas. On the website it says to use scotch tape to help secure it to the canvas. Since I couldn't find any tape I held it in place and did the hard way... obviously because I am a badass.

Also, I followed the tips the author of the website gave. Painting the outline of the letters made it a lot easier to paint and then paint the rest of the letters. I gave it two coats of paint (I used acrylic) and left it out over night to dry.

Obviously it's a little bit crooked butttttt since it's going in my room it doesn't matter to me.

So after I let it dry over night I finally managed to find some tape and tape the letters down to help puncture the holes that the lights would go in. For this... I used an awl. Of course I didn't know what one was, but Austin showed me and let me borrow his.

After that I just pushed the lights through! I couldn't find a string of 35, so I bought 50. Since I had so many left over I just pushed them around the frame of the canvas.

And ta-da. Of course two of the lights in the E popped out of the canvas when I went to take a picture. That's why it looks a little wonky. But it definitely turned out better than I expected it to!

on attempting to refurbish furniture

If you're friends with me on facebook you can't miss that I've started a renovation project for my room at my moms house. This includes replacing the carpet with hardwood floors, painting EVERYTHING, and refurbishing all of the furniture that is going into the room itself. That includes the bed, both dressers and some knick knacks that will be taking up more space!

My first project was something I found at Goodwill and I picked up for only $20.00. It was really cool and I saw an opportunity to do something fun with! Don't mind me in the background... It's the only picture I snapped before I started messing with it!

The first thing I did was sand it down a little and that included the edges. I didn't want to take all the black paint off since the plan was to distress the wood once I painted it! 

Next I painted it the same green that I was planning on painting the trim in my room. That was easy enough. 

I don't have any picture of the wood after I distressed it, but all I did was sand over the green paint varying in pressure in random places so that the black shows through. After that, I decided I wanted to frost the glass. As to what I frosted over, I decided I wanted to have words on the mirror. Once I decided what I wanted it to say I printed our the letters in a large, bold font that was easy to read, cut out the letters and used a spray adhesive to keep the letters on the glass.

And, of course, when I was taking the mirror out it snagged on one of the hooks that holds it in place and snapped a corner off. 

But no worries. Since it's going in my room, the idea of it bring broken in the corner didn't phase me. I just glued it back together and let it set. After it had set, I used a glass frosting spray I bought from Hobby Lobby and followed the directions!

I put it all back together and was pretty pleased with it. It's definitely not perfect, but I learned a lot about the products I've used and the materials I worked with. All in all... I would consider it a successful $20 project. 

on being MIA

Which, believe me... I know I have been!

But outside of Bonfire, I don't have much updating to do besides on my first apartment... except that my best friends and I have begun selling out handmade crosses and other wooden crafts.

(You can like our facebook page here)

It started out as all of us loving to make cute little crafts, and then one of us knew how to use a jigsaw... and then boom! We're making crosses out the wazoo.
Not only that, but we aquired weathered fence posts and made one for our balcony (which we lovingly call our backyard...).

I'll make a post for our apartment once I can get everything straightened up... :)

on summer (finally)...

**Advice is at the bottom if you don't care about my boring life**
I'm so so so so sorry for not updating in almost TWO MONTHS!
I've just been crazy busy with finals/preparing for finals/not really having anything other than priorities and studying to blog about. I haven't even been able to bake since Easter, and my Easter baking only consisted of dipping some delicious little Peep Chicks in melted chocolate. :(

Buuuuuut, there are some exciting things going on!

1. It's finally SUMMER TIME! And for the first time since I was a junior in high school I'm not working and taking summer school. But those classes don't start for another week or so, so I've been free to roam around town (which is not as exciting as it sounds) and have been able to get some things done that I've been wanting to do!

2. I'm three days away from my four year anniversary with the best boyfriend in the world!

3. And the said boyfriend's older sister, a great friend of mine, is getting married to the love of her life.

4. And I finally have time to read... I have quite the pile of books that are screaming my name.

To start off I got a few things done.... I got my freshman year scrapbook done. Here are a few pages to see the handy work on my second scrapbook. X / X This really didn't take me very long to actually do... it was buying the materials and ordering the pictures that had me unmotivated to even think about starting this project, but once I got going and started getting crafty, the scrapbook was done and I wish I could make my next one now!
Also I got two shadow box collages done. One is of Austin and I over the past four years, and the other is of my first year doing Student Bonfire. My first attempt at these collages.

On Wednesday the 25th, me and Austin will be celebrating our four year anniversary. We went from starting our relationship as a freshman and sophomore in high school, and now we're celebrating as a freshman and sophomore in college (well, we're a sophomore and junior TECHNICALLY, but it's the thought that counts!). An example of what the two of us do best. But, you can't forget the "I love you more" argument. X / X.

And of course, it wouldn't be polite of me to post pictures of Savanah and her fiancée (even though they are the cutest couple in the world), but I definitely can't keep this out of what is exciting about the summer. It's going to be an absolutely beautiful country wedding with two wonderful families coming together. Not to mention I LOVE weddings.

And last but not least: My summer reading list. ;)

I have some advice, as always.


1. For the girls who are are dreading the departure of their older boyfriend going to college: Enjoy the freaking summer. Spend as much time as you can together and worry about him going away in August. Being happy now will make it easier to be happy later. If you are going to make yourself absolutely miserable, then you will be. **I was this girl two summers ago** My boyfriend went off to college while I was stuck in high school... I made myself miserable and guess what? I was making him miserable too. Just have fun and enjoy the time you do have together and then be a big girl and trust and love your boyfriend, not only that but be proud that you have an ambitious boyfriend with goals and dreams. And know that if he's still with you, you're apart of those dreams too. ;)