Sunday, January 15, 2012

DIY Subway Art & Puffs


Ok.

So, I had a piece of wood sitting in the basement
staring me in the face ~
silently laughing at me because I just didn't know what to do with it.

In the meantime,
Hubby got a really bad chest and head cold
and spent all week on the sofa
hugging numerous boxes of Puffs,


source: pinterest

coughing his germs all over the living room,
and guzzling concoctions of OJ, tart cherry juice, and Diet Sierra Mist
by the gallons.

I did everything humanly possible to stay out of the room, 
fearful I would inhale one of his cooties
and end up getting sick...

or heaven forbid

he would ask me to pick up his icky snot rags for him
to empty them in the wastepaper basket.

I did mother him,
baby him,
and care for him....

(really, I did)

from a    

d i s t a n c e.


I busied myself in my studio,
in the basement,
and in the kitchen.

And that piece of wood continued to laugh.

Then, I had an "A-HA" moment.
I took the wood outside to Hubby's tool room to cut it in half
with the circular saw.
(I saw a flash of "Uh-oh...there she goes again..."
cross his pale face when I asked him from a
 d i s t a n c e 
how to turn it on.)

Back inside,
I painted the two boards with a couple coats of black chalkboard paint,
and while they were drying
I headed back into my studio to print off some sayings,
and to dig out the white transfer paper 
and white paint pens.

(Unfortunately, 
Santa failed to bring me one of those new fangled Cricuts.)

I set everything up in the kitchen
(where I could hear poor Hubby's snuffles, snorts and snotty nose)
and got to work.

I taped the sayings to each board with a piece of transfer paper beneath it.

Then, got to work tracing each letter.







That done,
I filled in each letter with a white paint pen
(that you can pick up at any craft store).

After sealing them with a coat of clear wax,
my DIY subway art art was ready to sell!





I'm thinking these need a wee bit of distressing yet...


No more laughing.

That board is now 

smiling...

and our germy house 

has been

f u m i g a t e d.



[ Blessings ]




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63 comments:

  1. Ha ha ha you totally crack me up Laurie!! So funny asking your hubby how to turn on the saw from afar!! could totally see myself doing that!
    Your signs look AMAZING woman!! You are so stinkin talented! I've been totally wanting to do that ~ now I'm GONNA!
    So have I never given you my "airborne" schpeel? You need to always have it on hand & take it like crazy if you're getting sick & only partly crazy when someone around you is sick:) I'll send you an email!
    love ya tons!
    Shellagh

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  2. Nice. I LOVE subway art, and if it wouldn't look like overkill, I'd have it all over my house!
    Stop in at my blog sometime. I have a few pieces there, and also some furniture fun.
    Fondly, Tami
    www.thisandthatfromtami.blogspot.com

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  3. Hmmm, I thought I was the only one taunted by inanimate objects. lol So glad you won the stare down. They look awesome. Hope hubby's feeling better.

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  4. They are so beautiful Laurie!
    I guess its that time of year for the flu and colds.
    Hope your baby ..I mean, hubby feels better soon. :)
    Im just getting over one myself.
    Looks like you made good use of that piece of wood..who's laughing now?!
    :)

    Deborah xoxo

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  5. Laurie, I like your subway art! Stop by my blog and see 2 examples that my daughter-in-law did. You each used a different technique to achieve the same result - love it. Linda

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  6. Glad the old boy is feeling better. You mean you didn't give him SappyCat/SillyDog to drink while he was recuperating so that you could make him SLEEP? Love your subway board. Nice job! xo Diana

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  7. Hi Laurie,

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog to say hello. I did make it to work in time! I'm back to visit "Heaven's Walk" and the photos of your home took my breath away! This is such a lovely, peaceful beautiful place. You also have a great sense of humor.

    I'll be creating a special page in the next coming weeks about my mom and our journey with Alzheimer's. But on a happier note....love, love, love your artwork and I do have a Cricut. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to use it.

    I'll be back to visit.

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  8. Love your subway art!

    No matter how big the pile gets, let the Puffs accumulate until hubby feels well enough to clean up his own pile. Stay clear of the germ zone!

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  9. Nice job on those boards, Laurie!
    Hope Rog is doing lots better.
    xxoo

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  10. Smiling from ear to ear...owwwww your poor husband......i hope he is feeling much better now....love from me...xxx....

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  11. Oh those are so awesome Laurie! I never would attempt something like that...you did a great job.

    My husband was sick before Christmas and kindly passed it on to me so I was sick on the big day...oh well, it's that time of year! Hope he's feeling better:)

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  12. Love. love. love them laurie!
    The queen of the subway! :)

    Have a well week ahead of you, hope hubby is on the mend.

    See you and what ever else you will drag up from the basement soon, keep inspire us girl :)

    xoxo
    ~Dore

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  13. LOL- my guy is down this weekend too with an ear infection, but doing better today.
    Hope you don't get what he had...guy cooties are worse than girl cooties for sure.
    Love the signs you made.

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  14. I love them both! Great job. And...what is up with Santa. He missed my house on the Cricut, too.
    Fran

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  15. Looks great--I love that it is handmade.

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  16. How creative is that? wow. I am IMPRESSED. You know you could sell those on an etsy site.

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  17. I love how your boards turned out. Especially the
    second picture.

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  18. I Love how they turned out!
    Hope your hubby feels better soon!

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  19. Those signs are divine and I hope hubby is feeling better and you've managed to avoid his germs!

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  20. You crack me up Laurie, but I know that it was not funny having a sick hubby! Hope he is better now!! Cute idea!!
    Blessings~

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  21. Wonderful job, Laurie.

    So sorry your hubby is sick. Hope you stay well.

    Blessings to you, friend.

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  22. I LOVE the signs! They are so hot right now! You did a beautiful job, Laurie!

    I hope you feel better soon. I am the only one that has been sick around here and it always seems to last for weeks. I am just chugging along!

    Have a wonderful week!

    XO,
    Jane

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  23. I love that your creative energy flowed while you were loving your hubby through his cold. Awesomness!

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  24. I LOVE the sign!! The message is great :-)

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  25. Your sign turned out great!
    I couldn't help but laugh ... husbands with colds are very big babies...at least mine is.
    Hope you stay healthy!!
    Have a wonderful week!
    Lisa

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  26. Your sign is so nice, I really do like it. The transfer paper you talk about, is that good old fashion carbon paper? Is you hubs feeling better? Since my hubs will never see this, I can feel free to speak, he is just a drama queen when he gets sick! But please don't tell him, I wouldn't want him to know what a pain the arsh he is. I love your song that play, Angel Eyes by Jim Brickman. It just makes me feel so content. Thanks for sharing your inspiration at Sunday's Best!

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  27. Your signs turned out lovely! I love that you are willing to use a saw regardless of knowing how to turn it on...too funny!
    Hope you don't sick!!
    :)

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  28. Hi Laurie...Really like your subway art! Strong words! Good for you staying away from hubby while he's sick...I do the same thing...love from afar! hahaha! xo

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  29. Hahaha! So fun having a sick guy in the house, isn't it?!!! Hope he's feeling better. Love your signs.,

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  30. WOW...they look awesome...what a fantastic way to up-cycle old wood...very inspiring :)

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  31. Look at you laughing back at that piece of wood! I love these and I love the quotes. :)
    I hope hubby feels better and you don't get the snotty ick. I will be fumigating our house once again today and get all the other ick out. :)
    love ya!
    xoxox

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  32. Oh no, sounds like every time my boyfriend gets sick. Hope his man flu clears up!

    http://hayleyiraina.blogspot.com/

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  33. Laurie, i hope your husband is feeling better now!!! and i do hope you dont catch anything, its awful being sick, especially in winter!
    Love your subway art - such beautiful words! and a white paint pen!! i am going to have to find one of those! what a great idea!
    love and hugs to you, laura xxx

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  34. verrrrrrrrrrry cool!!!Love your blog! Im now a follower!

    Mark @ Room363

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  35. Brilliant!!!
    Oh...and aren't men the biggest babies when they are sick?!!!

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  36. Laurie,

    I love what you made! You really have a gift. And you made me laugh. I needed that today :) Thank you for the kind words you left on Primp about the giveaway!

    xo

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  37. They are fantastic, subway art is so cool. I hope your husband is feeling better now. I don't blame you for keeping your distance lol.

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  38. Love the signs! You're one talented gal!

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  39. Wonderful job on those signs! Hope your husband is on the mend.

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  40. Laurie, how perfect!! I love them both!! Very Inspiring!

    I hope your husband is on the mend!!
    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

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  41. Hi Laurie...these look fab !! hahaha... so glad you didn't catch the lurgy from" him indoors" !! Hope he's feeling better. Is the transfer paper like carbon paper ?? Gail x

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  42. I hope he is feeling better and the signs are great! Takes the weight right off of your shoulders! ;-)

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  43. It's charming ....very charming. :) Hope he is feeling so much better now.

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  44. Okay, the best part is the fact that you asked your husband about how to turn on the saw - and then did it! Too funny.

    We did the massively sick thing last month, so it's fresh in my mind how little fun that is. Hope he feels better.

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  45. Your signs are just the cutest. I always hate to ask my husband about a tool, it makes him too suspicious. I'm glad you avoided your darling husband's cooties! :)

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  46. these look beautiful & a great idea laurie!
    x

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  47. Those are awesome Laurie. Wow! Hope you are feeling better. Seems like everyone is sick right now. Oh and thank you blessing my heart this morning with your kind words.

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  48. Hi Laurie! Such lovely Subway art! And I am so impressed that you know how to work that saw! I am quite intimidated by the power tools, but I am getting a bit braver! Thank you for your sweet note! Our puppy, Basil is a 6 yr old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. They are wonderful family dogs! He spends most of his day looking for a lap to curl up in. Every Cavalier I've met has the same easy going, friendly disposition. They are fabulous dogs!
    Best Wishes and Blessings,
    Amanda

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  49. You house sounds like ours has been for the past 2 weeks with all the hacking and coughing-

    Love your subway art=-the Laugh sign especially! I think they turned out great with or without a Cricut (but wouldn't one be just so fun!!!)

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  50. I love these, who needs a Cricut when you're this talented! Hope he's feeling better.
    Debbie

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  51. Wow Love it. You make it look so easy.

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  52. Thanks Laurie, for the upholstered chair love :) Believe it or not, the trim just was hot glued on. I looked through several tutorials on upholstering, and that's the way apparently! Thanks for visiting. Loving your subway art. Hoping you stay well and cootie free! ;)

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  53. Laurie,

    love your signs! I'm a huge fan of inspirational signs around my home and wish I had room for the large ones you made. Love what you did with the third one "Live, Laugh, Love" I think this one has been overdone in it's current form that is seen everywhere, but you made it awesome by adding to it! I love it so much......I might just have to borrow that idea. Now if I can find a piece of wood.....

    Love your space here Laurie! I've added you to my blogging bliss link.

    ~Sandy

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  54. Perfect Laurie! I love how they turned out - it is fun when you have those 'aha' moments! Your poor dear! And you! I hold my breath when walking through the room a sick family member is in - but they do want to be babied! When I was sick last I still got up to make dinner! I come from sturdy stock!
    I heartily believe in Zicam, Airborne and the like - they do help shorten the duration of colds etc...
    Take care of yourself and I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday!
    Kathy

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  55. what a clever idea. It looks beautiful.
    I also love your winter pictures, even if I don't love winter. I am glad that I discovered your blog.

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  56. Hope everyone is better! Great art! Thank you for sharing this wonderful post at Potpourri Friday!

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  57. Hope the hubby is feeling much better! Loved the subway art - going to share it on my FB page. Have a great week. :) Clydia threemangoseeds.blogspot.com

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  58. Lille Weiss hat gesagt.....

    Hey from Germany,you have a very,very nice
    House.

    Monika u.Wiebke

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  59. Very cute! Hope you get to feeling better! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  60. I just love the way you respond to the taunts of inanimate objects! And you have a good faraway bedside manner to boot too. Such gorgeous art you always create. xo ~Lili

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Bless you and thank you for visiting! I read each of your comments and treasure them all. So, please make sure your settings will accept emails, or leave your email address so that I can reply! ♥ Laurie