DIY: a language lesson from the kitchen

in my former life i was a spanish teacher. because of that i am always noticing different moods of language {i know. nerd alert}. the kitchen is all about the imperative mood {or commands.} think about the words you use while in the kitchen. cook. eat. whisk. beat. flip. add.


all of these are commands.


this {and a picture from the lettered cottage} inspired my art work for my newly redecorated kitchen. some of this artwork is a work in progress so you'll have to wait to see it. what i have done was cheap and easy.

supply list:
- again letters from hobby lobby. what i used are the super think letters. $1.99 each.

- paint

- two sided 3m mounting tape $2


how to:
1.) so simple. paint the letters.

2.) hang with the mounting tape to avoid the hassle of putting nails in the wall and making sure they are level.

welcome fall

here is my latest copy. so easy! it should look familiar to a previous inspiration post...



supply list:
- a wreath (i owned this, but if you get one half price at hobby lobby i think $5 would be enough).

- ribbon ($2 at hobby lobby)

- first letter of your last name (again, i bought this many years ago, half price, so $5)

- fall picks (again, half price. for 4 picks about $3.)

- floral wire


how to:
- using wire attach letter to center of wreath.

- put your picks into the wreath however you want.

- attach ribbon. seriously SO easy.


cost to me $5. about $15 if you have to buy the wreath. the good thing is that you can change out the picks and ribbon for different seasons.

go ahead, try it!

DIY letter decor: a variation

i am sure this one has been done before, but i feel as if it is an original.

maybe not.

i wanted to spell out my daughter's name above her crib. like most moms i was concerned with it not being too heavy if it fell or something that she could easily grab.

i decided on canvases.

unfortunately when shopping around for canvases (i needed 6) they were out of my price range. i wanted to spend $10 - 15. total. the canvases would cost be $30. minimum.

so i came up with this solution while walking around hobby lobby (very pregnant i might add). i liked that it was different from the usual square canvas i'd seen used.




so, if you want to try, here's how:

supply list:
- cross stitching rings. (89 cents at hobby lobby i believe)
- canvas (maybe $4 a yard.)
- acrylic paint (67 cents and up)
- letters (i printed mine from the computer = free!)
- ribbon (i got mine at michaels for $1)

how to:
1.) you could paint the outside ring first or you can do it after you put the canvas in. your choice.

2.) cut the canvas with some room to spare to fit inside of the ring. stretch the canvas so it fits snugly inside the ring and tighten the screws.

3.) do any painting you want on the circle. i did dots with the end of a paint brush and stripes. i also painted the outside black.


4.) print out the letters you want to put on the canvases. cut out the letters. trace them onto the canvas. (**you could use transfer paper if you don't want to cut, but that is an extra cost.)

5.) paint in the letters

6.) measure out the ribbon so all will hang evenly

7.) tie on the ribbon and hang on the wall. voila!

letter decor

i love using letters as decoration. there is something so simple about it. yet comforting. this is something you will find a lot in pottery barn design.

you will see many examples in future posts where i have used letters or words in my decorating. here is an example of something i did in my laundry room.


supply list:
- letters - hobby lobby has many sizes and fonts. i chose a medium size. normally i think they are $2.47, but i got them half off.

- paint color of choice (you could also decoupage with scrapbook paper). Acrylic paint is anywhere from 67 cents and up.

- brackets and nails to attach to the backs - again, i purchased mine at hobby lobby in the framing department. about $2 per packet.

how to:
1.) i painted mine to look vintage so i was pretty sloppy when painting. i did one coat.

2.) again, to achieve a vintage look i sanded the letters so the natural wood when come through to make them look aged.

3.) measure and attach the hardware on the backs of the letters so that they will hang level on the wall. they are now ready to hang.

here is another example of letter art. from my sis. of course. she used scrapbook paper that goes with her daughter's bedroom colors.




other ideas i've seen for letters. go ahead. copy them!
- i am planning on doing EAT in my kitchen. above the sink. i think. i will do it in large black letters or cut the letters out of paper and decoupage them to plates. i will let you know what i decide.

- on my fireplace i have "m" for my last name. i may move this to a photo collage i am doing in my hallway.

- in the bathroom. "bath". "splish splash".

- in an entryway. your last name with the year your family was established (i.e. smith est. 2002).

- on bookshelves. again, the initial of your last name.

- as a border in a nursery. you could do the abc's all around the room near the ceiling. i would trim this out. it would frame it and make it look nice. i think using different sizes and fonts would keep it fun and whimsical.

- on your front door inside of or on a wreath. again, the initial of your last name.

- christmas time. spell out words of the season. joy. merry. display on photo ledges.

- in a mudroom with lockers. put the initial of the person whose locker it is on the wall above their locker. or above hooks for keys.

where else have you used or seen someone use letters?