Well, here it is, folks. I've finally gotten around to posting one of my DIY projects. This is the first of many. TBD when I will actually post the others. But I have a lot to share. I love DIY projects. And moving into a new apartment necessitated quite a few of them.
A while back I had seen an adorable use for those stray socks everyone seems to find after doing laundry. You know, the ones that never have a match? It was a sign that read "Free Dobby" and had clothespins attached. (That's a Harry Potter reference, by the way, for those of you who aren't educated in the ways of nerddom.) The second I saw it I knew I wanted it for my laundry room when I had space. This moved seemed as good a time as any to add it to my decor.
There are postings to purchase these all over Etsy. But they can be a little pricey. Plus you have to pay for shipping. I'll never pay for something when I know I can make it myself at a much lower cost, as was the case with this project. So, if you're like me and don't see the point in buying this awesome little piece when you can just make it, this post is for you.
A shame it has taken this long to share a project with you. Really, it's just my laziness. Recipes are easier to post.
This project came about when I was still in my old apartment but was thinking about decor for my new place. Before I really just had a laundry closet. I have a little more of a laundry room now, so more opportunity to do something with it.
A while back I had seen an adorable use for those stray socks everyone seems to find after doing laundry. You know, the ones that never have a match? It was a sign that read "Free Dobby" and had clothespins attached. (That's a Harry Potter reference, by the way, for those of you who aren't educated in the ways of nerddom.) The second I saw it I knew I wanted it for my laundry room when I had space. This moved seemed as good a time as any to add it to my decor.
There are postings to purchase these all over Etsy. But they can be a little pricey. Plus you have to pay for shipping. I'll never pay for something when I know I can make it myself at a much lower cost, as was the case with this project. So, if you're like me and don't see the point in buying this awesome little piece when you can just make it, this post is for you._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
~ What You Need ~
Wood plaque (found cheap at your local craft store)
Black paint pen
Black spray paint
7 clothes pins (more or less depending on the shape of your plaque)
2 strands of ribbon, 10 in. each
Black spray paint
7 clothes pins (more or less depending on the shape of your plaque)
2 strands of ribbon, 10 in. each
Hot glue gun
Pencil
Pencil
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~ Directions ~
Step 1: Spray paint the clothes pins with the black spray paint. Allow to dry completely.
Step 2: Trace out the letters on the wood plaque using the pencil. I did this free-hand. If you don't trust yourself to make it look right doing free-hand, I'd suggest downloading a Harry Potter-themed font from the world wide web and printing out a stencil.
Step 3: Carefully trace and fill in the letters you just traced with the pencil, this time using the black paint pen. Allow to dry. Then decorate the rest of the plaque to your desire. I traced around the edges of my plaque using the paint pen. You might decide to do something different if you have a plaque that is shaped differently.
Step 4: Use the hot glue gun to attach the clothespins along the bottom of the plaque. Also, glue the two ribbon pieces to the back top of the plaque. Tie the ends of the ribbon in a bow.
Once everything is dry, hang the sign in your laundry room.
Step 2: Trace out the letters on the wood plaque using the pencil. I did this free-hand. If you don't trust yourself to make it look right doing free-hand, I'd suggest downloading a Harry Potter-themed font from the world wide web and printing out a stencil.
Step 3: Carefully trace and fill in the letters you just traced with the pencil, this time using the black paint pen. Allow to dry. Then decorate the rest of the plaque to your desire. I traced around the edges of my plaque using the paint pen. You might decide to do something different if you have a plaque that is shaped differently.
Step 4: Use the hot glue gun to attach the clothespins along the bottom of the plaque. Also, glue the two ribbon pieces to the back top of the plaque. Tie the ends of the ribbon in a bow.
Once everything is dry, hang the sign in your laundry room.
