DIY: Dry Erase Paint Chip Calendar

So at my wonderful new job, I have my very own office that needs some decorations.  Of course, my mind raced to some things I had pinned on Pinterest that I wanted to DIY.

First on the list was a Paint Chip Calendar (examples here and here).

So after work, I headed to Lowe's and picked up some paint chips like below - two tri-color ones for each day of the week and one darker, single color one for each day of the week.

Next, I went to A.C. Moore and got a frame for it, then Wal-Mart for posterboard to back it and wet erase markers (like the kind teachers use on projectors).

I cut the bigger paint chips off on both ends (enough to get most of the writing off) and cut the dark, header ones all a size perfect for each day's word.

I cut the posterboard down to the size of the frame I bought (16x20), then lined up (this was a bit of a pain) and glued the paint chips to it.

Then, simply put your calendar in the frame and write on the glass with your markers!  Using the wet erase markers instead of dry erase works great since they are thinner tipped for smaller writing and they won't smear when you put your hand against it to write something else.  They come right off with water.

This was a really easy project that looks so much cooler than your average dry erase board calendar.  It only took me probably 45 min to create the whole thing!

Just noticed as I post this that I put the darkest color for the third week except for green - might have to go back and change that one.

More to come...

DIY: Handwriting Pendant

I'm so excited to be doing my first DIY post! I keep seeing so many things I want to try on Pinterest, and I finally thought of something original and perfect as a Christmas gift for my mom.

In my family, we all give each other lists.  This works best so we all get what we want, and it's just a bit easier for everyone.  However, it is still nice to have a few surprises under the tree.  I wanted to do some sort of small surprise gift for my mom, and I got an awesome idea based on two different things on Pinterest.

First, I saw this bracelet, where you could send in someone's handwriting and get it engraved.  In the example picture, someone wanted to remember their child's early writing.  I thought that would be a really cool way to remember someone that had passed away, as well.

One of the things my mom and I love to look at to remind us of my grandma is the cards and letters she sent.  She lived in Wisconsin (and as many of you know, my mom is an avid card maker), so we exchanged a lot of notes.  She had a very cute and distinctive cursive writing.

My grandma's handwriting on a card to my dad

I looked into the engraved bracelets, but they all were very, very expensive so I decided that wouldn't be an option.  Then I remembered another cool pin I had seen...  These sparkly pendants were made with nail polish.  I went to the Sun and Moon Craft Kits website, where the blogger got the supplies to make them and found out they are very reasonable.  I then noticed the instructions written below on the pendant trays item page.

"1. I print my image on 90lb card stock using a color laser printer,
 2. I then put a generous amount of our Sun And Moon Glaze on the back of the glass insert,
 3. Then I pick up the glass, turn it over, and place it directly onto my image,
 4. Then I let it sit and dry for a couple of hours and then trim off the excess paper,
 5. I then apply a "thin" layer of glaze over the back of the paper and let that dry for a couple of hours,
 6. After that, put a tiny bit of Sun And Moon Glaze inside the bezel cup and then I place my glass piece that I made inside the bezel cup and center it."

Then, I had an eureka moment.  I realized I could use anything printed on paper in these pendant trays, which meant I could make a copy of my grandma's handwriting and put it inside of one of these pendants!  My mom would freak out!  So I ordered and anxiously awaited the arrival of the supplies.  They finally came, and I carefully followed the instructions.

Supplies: Sun and Moon Craft Glaze, 24" Silver Chain, 1 inch Silver Circle Pendant Tray, and 1 inch Glass Circle Insert

Pendant Tray with Glass Insert before Customization

Handwriting printed on green card stock and cut out with circle punch

Pendant on First Day

The glaze did have a slight effect on the ink.  You can see a little bit of a pink haze around the name, but I thought that just added to the antiqued kind of effect so it wasn't an issue for me then.

But I looked at the pendant again a few days later and the glaze had really taken an effect then.  I was pretty disappointed...

Pendant One Week Later

It still looks cool, but not really what I was going for.  It turned a pretty color, but the handwriting is much less distinctive now.

Maybe tracing the handwriting onto paper from the original card with some kind pen with more permanent ink would have worked better than printing it from the scan? or using a different glaze? or not using colored card stock? or waiting longer between steps for the glaze to set?  I guess now that I think about it our printer is inkjet, not laser like the one they used.  I also did the steps pretty quickly in succession, as I was really excited about it and also trying to hide it from my mom.

I am still curious to try doing a pendant with patterned scrapbook paper and even trying this handwriting technique again, but maybe it would be better to just stick to making the nail polish ones like I saw the original blog for as those were very pretty.

It is definitely still wearable, just not what I planned.  I know my mom loves it anyway because I made it, and it is very special to her that my grandma's writing is in it.  As long as she knows it is in there, that is the point.  Hopefully my next DIY will be more of a success!