EAT - Your Words * Your Way {Tutorial}

This post should start out...

Hello. I'm Jamie and I'm a Projectaholic. Because I'll do a project at anytime, for any reason (or no reason at all) and I cannot help myself.

Back in January I discovered a blog called Shabby Chic Cottage. Apparently Gina is a genius at making simple fabulous. She is such a genius she was featured on the Etsy blog, I think it was, and that's how I found her.

I had been seeing these large, metallic gold, letters at Hobby Lobby for forever. I loved how big they were and the font was great but there was just something about that gold. It was too much like brass (which I hate) and I honestly don't really care for gold. You know, unless it's weighted, like in karats.

Anyway, I didn't really have any intention of buying any until I saw Gina's. Gina was going for silver. Well, I don't need silver either, though I like it ever so much more than gold. And that was that. I was over it. Until...

These letters are 50% off almost every week at the Hobby Lobby. And now every time I walk by them I think about Gina's. Then one day I thought how can I pass up doing something with $5 letters?

"Whitewashing" Letters Tutorial

At first I tried sanding them. Not so much to remove the gold, because I actually want it to show through a bit when I'm done, but because I know paint is not going to adhere well at all to this surface. BUT, I DO NOT recommend sanding them for two reasons: 1)It doesn't do any good! and 2) It smells funny when you do and I'm thinking that might mean it isn't safe. But that's okay because I have another plan.

I cover it in a light coat of Delta Ceramcoat in Magnolia White (I love this color!).

After that's dry I do another coat. It's great because the paint doesn't completely cover what's underneath so it gives it a whitewashed apperance without all the work.

I like how this looks but I want a little more contrast. My kitchen is a honey yellow with robin's egg blue accents. So I decided to add some blue. I use Folk Art's Sky Blue because it's what I have on hand.

I don't want the letters to BE blue I just want some highlights here and there. I use a dry brush technique and stroke on some blue very lightly in random places. If I get a little too much blue in one spot, I go back over it in white also using the dry brush tecnhique.

Once they're dry, I, VERY lightly, sand just the edges. I really like how the gold comes through. Gold in smalls doses. That I can handle.

THEN, and this is important if you don't want your paint to scratch off every time something comes in contact with them, I put on a coat of Mod Podge. Did you know you can use this stuff on everything! I love it.

Now. If you figure your letters are never going to be touched again once they're up and hanging, feel free to skip this step.

(Letters are hanging above Harriet. More on her later)

I think they turned out quite nice for $15, some paint and very little elbow grease! How about you? Wanna try it?