Typewriter Key Plaques | Ballard Designs Hack

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 This is a stale post.  Don't you smell the stank?

For fresh ideas and the newest new new stuff 

why don't you head on over to the blog we actually update.

www.b3hd.blogspot.com

Love to see you there.

Carry on as you were.

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In my last Ballard Designs catalog,
I about passed out when I saw the typewriter key plaques.

Or maybe I passed out when I saw how much they cost.

I mean I love font art like the other girl.

Love it enough to go through MONTHS of creativity

to create some of my own.

After staring at the picture for about 8 hours straight

I thought to myself

"self"

(yes, I speak to myself as well)

"self, you can make those."

And I did

I went to my fave Dollar Store in Burien

and bought some more wreaths

But this time

I bought smooth green ones

instead of the fuzzy white ones.

And of course you know I have plenty of black spray paint around.

Supposedly, I only paint things white or black.

Supposedly.

On my way home from work, I stopped by Michaels

to see if they had any letters that were

cool

and cheap

Preferably on clearance.

Clearance smooth foam letters

Basic supplies, Ballard hack Typewriter plaques

Photo (c) b3 home designs

50 cents each. 

And I ONLY had to dig for 10 minutes

to find letters that would actually spell something

Anything

Lucky me

I found P, H, T, O(x2)

Guess what that spells?

After trying to kill everyone in my home

by spray painting in the garage

with the garage outter door closed

but the door to my home open

I realized that I didn't like the dull look of the spray paint.

So I broke out the latex enamel.

Yes, said same enamel that gave me fits on another project

that yet remains to be unblogged for the love of all things

:perfectionist:

whatever.

so the latex enamel

I got it at Big Lots

For $2

so when I run out

I will be really sad

Thank goodness in typical B fashion

I bought two cans

That's thinking ahead.

So.

The latex enamel went on really well

because I had a black spray paint base

But even directly onto the letters

it worked well

latex enamel painting

photos (c) b3 home designs

Then I had to figure out what I would use as a backing

And because I'm a world renown scrapbooker

I know that kraft cardstock is in style

So I would never use my PAID for cardstock

And instead whipped out all the card and kraft packing materials

from my stash of "this would be awesome to scrap on"

Of course they were not big enough to outline the whole circle on

but they were big enough to cover the whole opening

Typewriter plaque backing

photo (c) b3 home designs

phew.

I would have LOST IT

if they had fallen short

Or they would have just gone on the pile of still unfinished projects.

That's more likely

Getting mad just takes up so much energy.

Traced the outside of the circles, onto the cardstock

Cut out the backings

Broke out the trusty glue gun

Burnt my fingers off gluing the foam circles

to the cardstock backing

Then affixed the letters to the centers

Affix letters to center of backing

Photo (c) b3 home designs

Then I broke out the nails

First I was going to pierce the nail through the front

on the cardstock

just under the foam ring

Then I had a duh moment and realized that

if I just poked a hole in the back of the foam circle

I could hang them flush on the wall

and not see the nails

Sheer. Genius.

Photo plaques hung

Photo (c) b3 home designs

Almost as genius as that Patty Murray political ad on my tv.

I mean come on,

you didn't think that was a dirty movie did you?

In the middle of the day??

On second thought, that ad is really dirty. 

filthy

and not in a good way

So I guess it is one in the same.

* the observant ones will note that I also picked up and painted an "s"

I am all about decorating in odds. 
The "s" would have been the 6th plaque.  So I ditched it. *

Ballard Designs wanted $250 plus shipping for a similar set up.
I made mine for

$10.50
Foam wreaths | $5 for 5
Foam letters | $2.50 for 5
Spray paint | .99 for 1 can
latex enamel | $2 for 1 can
carstock backing | free - you have a ton of it too (backs of cereal boxes if necessary)

Have fun with it and show me which ones you make!
If you can only find x's, o's and q's
consider making some x and o plaques
or some "q" for question plaques to style a bookcase with
or some initial plaques if your name is like Quantae or something

man I miss that kid

Linking up to the other Hacks at CSI