DIY Growth Chart

I have been impressed with the DIY growth charts in blogland.  However, I have never been very artistic which is why my home improvement projects usually involve paint rather than art or decorations.  However, I couldn't resist the growth charts. Dear friends of ours have been looking for a growth chart they like enough to buy for their daughter who is three. I decided to make her one. 

I spilled the beans and asked the parents what colors they would prefer.  They chose very feminine colors like pale pink and purple because their daughter loves princesses and mermaids. Her room has a pink theme with many brown accents.

I started with a 1"x6" board 6' long my husband helped me pick and carried.  I bought the paint with primer from Home Depot and it only cost about $3 for the entire amount. I did three coats on the front and sides.  I wish I had painted the back. Next time I will.

I started out with a small container of purple paint I had from another project.  I was using cardstock as the stencil for the lines of the ruler.  Unfortunately it was an epic fail.  The first time it was perfect, but when I re-used it for the second line it looked awful! Don't do this.  I think the stencil has to be plastic since the paint altered the paper after the first go.

I panicked since of course it was December 22nd and we were having them over December 24th. I called my husband at work, sorry honey! He gave me the number of a craft store since he suggested paint pens.  They were closed because I left it to the last minute! Finally I stumbled upon Michael's website where they mentioned paint pens.  I called and hurrah they did carry them. 

Before I headed down there I had to repaint the sign to try and cover up the hideous lines. There was a huge display of paint pens with three different sizes and many different colors.  I chose a vibrant purple and silver based on another phone call..."honey what do you think about purple?...really ok, I'll get another color. hmm too busy, how about silver? This better bleeping work!"

I can't speak to how easy they were to use on the lines because my husband did all of the marking and the paint pens on the lines.  I wrote the numbers and that part was very easy. I also chose to write her initials at the top in my somewhat scripty handwriting.

Since I am no artist, I chose to purchase some butterfly stickers and we simply stuck them on the board and have had no problems in the month since. They're still on there, but we do have a back up pack in case a certain little girl decides to pull them off to play with them or if she has a younger sibling at some point who removes them.

These pens have inspired me to finally make a family established sign. I feel like it's actually possible now. It was the most rewarding gift we gave this year. Homemade really is better!

Still Here with an updated bathroom for less than $60

Well.... it has been quite awhile.  Since my last post my husband started a new job, I went back to school, we finally upgraded his car from a 1993 Cadillac, I painted the ceiling in the dressing room and the walls, we celebrated our second Christmas together and whew I think that's enough of a broad overview.

I'm gearing up for another semester of student teaching.  I'll miss my free time and project time, but it is so rewarding to help students learn.  I'm looking forward to another wonderful semester.

In the meantime, I thought I would finally post the bathroom transformation. For just around $60 we were able to update our bathrooom. Awesome!!

Here's the process of painting the bathroom vanity we got on sale at Lowes.  I saw it, wanted it, walked away, walked back, looked it over, had Matt look it over, hemmed and hawed.  Asked a Lowes worker if I would be able to repaint it, he said no, (I didn't believe him) so I kept considering it.  Finally, Matt told me to just get it if I wanted it. So we did!

It's a laminate vanity cabinet, so first we sanded it. This was a joint effort.  We spent about $3 on the sand paper. 

Then, I pulled the vanity back into the kitchen to prime it.  This project was done in August which meant it was very, very hot.  So all of the priming and painting was done in the kitchen.  It could have something to do with the fact that I don't like the flooring in there. I can see it now oopsie! I spilled paint on the floor guess it's time to redo it!

After letting it dry for a day after priming with special bathroom paint, I painted with rustoleum's bathroom paint.


Once I let the second coat of paint dry, I sprayed it with a protective spray paint that my husband bought me.  Hopefully this will keep it dry and great forever.

Then he installed it right before we left for Disneyland.  He is sooo good to me and sooo good about putting up with my newest idea of a way to improve the house.

So here are the final results of the bathroom update...

The BEFORE

and the AFTER

This photo shows the inspiration for the entire room's colors.  I purchased these for $9.99 each at Marshalls a year and a half ago.  I chose the wall color based on the background of a few of the images.  French words, blue and brown with scroll work what could be better?

Not bad at all for $60 right? What an affordable update to a tiny bathroom.