Thursday, October 2, 2008

What To Do With An Old Record

My blog is 20 days old today. This may not seem like a huge deal to you, but for me it may hold the title for thing-I-haven't-been-obligated-to-do-but-am-still-doing-anyway award. Dennis says this is because I'm finally being true to myself. I think I'm inclined to agree!

This week has been really busy with work and other stuff (like tarot card reading parties - haha) so what I'm about to unveil has been completed since Sunday! And it has been burning a hole in my proverbial pocket, let me tell you.

At the moment, most of my income goes towards bills and paying off debt (curse you university) so when I couldn't handle the blank space on the wall above my couch anymore, I started exploring cheap... er, economical, ways to create art.

Enter Jessica from Juicy Bits.

Let me digress for just one moment. The blogosphere is an amazing place!! Since I have started WonkyEye I have been exploring other people's blogs as well... and h-o-l-y-c-r-a-p! There are oodles of talented women out there posting all their ideas and creativity and hard work on blogs and I never cease to be amazed. They are a constant source of awe and inspiration (as if my mother wasn't enough!) and hey, I'm not above "borrowing" ideas either so a blog is much cheaper than running to Chapters for a craft book or Fabricville for a pattern.

Anyway, I was linking through some of my favourite blogs a few days ago and stumbled onto Juicy Bits. This woman (whom I've never met and actually don't know much about) has a wicked blog and is kinda sorta the coolest mom ever. Especially if you're 4 and really like monsters. (I wish I could say that I made those guys! ---> ) I think I looked through every post she's ever put up and found her tutorial on fabric dots. I got the feeling she was a little embarrassed for posting such an easy project idea but who could argue that sometimes the most effective and beautiful ideas are often the most simple ones...

Moving on... let me introduce you to my brand new wall art!

I am so ridiculously proud of how awesome these look. And they were so easy anybody could do it! And these fabric dots were obviously destined for my walls because:

1.) When I went to Fabricville to get some fabric, all quilting material was 50% off!

2.) Dennis just happened to have 12 useless records leftover from his DJing days.

Yes, I did deviate from the tutorial in that I used records as my base. This worked out perfectly because I didn't have to cut anything, I got to recycle something that would have ended up in the landfill and they have pre-cut holes for hanging!

My brother (thank-you Stephen!) came over on Sunday to help me hang them. It was easy-peasy. We measured out 12 equally spaced dots, we drilled holes for 12 little screws (nails would work I think but my walls are plaster) and then we hung them. Okay, Stephen hung them because I obviously have difficulty with spacial awareness because in the time it took me to mount one record, Stephen had the other 11 up. I'm not kidding.

So, that's why I am feeling somewhat like a creative genius these days. And the living room looks so much better with something on the wall! Don't you think?

Oh yeah, I also have another fun (unadulterated) photo from my photography course. Little Belle. Awwwww..... :)

4 comments:

Jessica Levitt said...

So much flattery... :) But I don't mind it at all.

I'm sure if you saw my kitchen you'd agree I'm definitely no "mother of the year", but maybe I can agree with "cool".

It's so fun to see someone else made the dots. How you have them is more how I envisioned them. Now I really want to do something like that myself. And cool idea using recycled records. How very green of you...

Unknown said...

You are the coolest decorator EVER!!!!!! You dots make me smile so big! They are so happy and balanced and neat and wow and just plain awesome - I want some!!! Don't know for where yet - but I want some!!!! We are redoing the bedroom this fall... will keep you posted. (wink wink... Chrsitmas?!)
love, Sharlene xoxo

Kirsten said...

They look fantastic! I followed your link from the Juicy Bits fabric dots post to see what you did.

We have a funny shaped, big empty wall in our living room that has been empty for 4 years, and we can't decide what to do with it. I'm going to show your photos to my Hubby and see what he thinks (here's hoping we can finally put something on that empty wall)!

Lyz said...

I too found you from Juicy Bits! I love what you did with the dots, and I also love your writing! I may be popping up again later...:)