Crafty Obsessions

It’s no secret I like to get crafty.

Not surprisingly when I see something I like in catalogs, at stores, or even while watching something on the boob-tube, my inner voice says ‘I can make that’. This Martha Stewart-esq part of me started my most recent crafty obsession. String Art.

While researching HTTM finishing touches, I came across some suh-weet string art ideas on Pinterest. It wasn’t long before my brain connected the “tree” dots that is going on in the HTTM and I had decided on adding just a little more tree to the room.

With my brain synapses firing like mad, I made my way to Home Depot with a mission to get myself some ply board or other like materials for my first string art project. While perusing the selection I found this gem of a plain pine circle. The circle shape wasn’t my first thought, but at under $6 — I was SOLD. And in true Courtney fashion, changed my design plan while standing in Home Depot.

Once home I gave the piece two coats of grey stain I had on hand and used for the pallet wall project in the laundry room. After everything dried, I spent roughly two hours nailing in all the nails of the design. You’ll notice some of the ring nails aren’t perfectly straight — that’s due to knots in the pine. Annoying, but hey…I made this so it’s not perfect. And I’m not perfect.

Time to start the string fun. There are a few ways one could go with this piece, but I opted to go for a negative aspect. aka — the tree would not have any string. Only outside the tree.

I managed to score some perfect yarn while at Tuesday Morning — Premier Yarns has this incredible and VERY lightweight yarn that was ideal. Sock yarn could work also pretty great too, but I don’t have any of that in my inventory because I haven’t made my way to knitting socks (YET). I digress.

A short three and a half hours after I started, I was all done and my crafty piece was ready to be hung. The piece of wood had no hardware, so I had to make another trip to Home Depot (oh drat). The finished piece is rather light, so I didn’t need anything super heavy duty. Just a very simple sawtooth hanger. Full disclosure, the nails they included with the hanger were too short, so I happened to have the same size nails just a smidge longer that worked perfect.

And voila, it’s up on the wall. Last bit for the HTTM is to make (shocker, I know) a smallish ladder out of tree branches from the backyard to replace that sturdy yet not really fitting in the room wood cabinet thing. Don’t mind all the junk on the counter top…that was the new toilet paper holder which I love love love. Pivoting toilet paper roll holders, where have you been all my life? Ignore the bad reviews, I haven’t had any trouble with it.

The new string art in the HTTM went over so well, the BH was rather impressed with me. He usually is, but this seemed to really wow him. He suggested we do some string art in the laundry room and I immediately loved his idea and went with it. Back to the Home Depot to get myself more circle pieces (I knew there was a smaller circle option) and another box of nails. With all my needed materials and the letter font selected, I gave the circles two nice coats of the trusty stain we’ve used literally all over the house. Another two hours or so to nail everything in and I was ready to get my string on.

I love how awesome the stain looks on the circles. For about a moment I was sad I didn’t use the same coloring for the HTTM tree piece. But then I realized I liked how there was some variety. This project was a little more tricky than the tree piece, but it was still addicting and soothing. About 3.5 hours since I nailed my first nail, I was all strung up and ready to put the hangers on the back.

The BH graciously helped mark the wall to make sure they were hung level, and then we were in business. Finished, all up on the wall and lookin’ freaking awesome. Please ignore the small pieces that look like tails that I hadn’t yet snipped before taking the photo. I was anxious to take a pic and patience isn’t one of my virtues.

Yes, there are three wine bottles on my favorite shelf. Those empty bottles are sentimental to me, so they lived on that shelf briefly while all the other 60 bottles were being cleaned.

I like the string art so much, I would absolutely love to make them all the time. I’m planning to make one for the MIL for her birthday in August. I’m gonna branch out and use multiple strings a multiple colors. Hopefully it turns out, cause she’ll love it.