Faux Monograms

On a quick jaunt to Target today I felt my blogging mojo start to creep back in ever so slightly. There were an abundance of overstocked endcaps full of clearance. Yes...I was in heaven. Even with 2 toddlers, who were way past needing their naps, I felt inspired. Leave it to Target to bring me back....thank you Target, thank you!

Ok, so our project for this evening is faux monograms. First I printed my letter in a variety of my favorite fonts, ranging from 600 to 700 type. I was making mine big enough to fit the tray thingy I bought at Target, but you should make yours according to the scale of whatever item you are using. You might just have to play with it till you get it right.

Next I cut out my letters with the most AWESOME scissors on the planet, the Fiskars precision tip spring loaded scissors. I think I may have told you before that these things are amazing. They rock, I tell you...they rock...as in I cannot live without them.

This is the tray thingy, as I like to refer to it. The sticker on the back calls it a photo tray...whatever that might be. I decided it would make the perfect frame for my monogram.

And here is the finished product. I love it and think it is imperfectly beautiful (it's a bit off center, but I'm too lazy to go back and fix it, so this is what you get).

Not so sure I like it here. I might try it out in the bathroom tomorrow. Or the hallway. Maybe the kitchen. My longterm plan is to use it in my future redesigned master bedroom. That's one of my goals for this summer. I'm envisioning white beadboard, black and white damask comforter, painted black furniture, upholstered headboard, and a touch of robin's egg blue as an accent. Sounds dreamy, right? I'm trying to collect things here and there when I find good deals, because the budget just doesn't allow for a big expensive overhaul. I can be patient. It will be sooooo worth it!

This Martha Stewart platter I have had since we first got married, almost 12 years ago. I LOVE it. Right now it hangs in my kitchen, but I take it down and use it every now and then. I didn't want to paint on it, or make the monogram permanent for this reason. Once I cut out my letter, I just used little tiny pieces of double stick tape to adhere it to the platter. So when I want or need to use it I can peel the monogram right off.

I think I might have a teensy addiction to monograms, in addition to my ribbon addiction. There are "S"'s all over my house. I love the way it personalizes my decor and gives it meaning, if only to me. And isn't that what making your house a home is all about? The things we surround ourselves with should have meaning and purpose. They should bring us joy. It doesn't really matter that I don't have a home that looks like the cover of a magazine. It doesn't really matter that almost everything in my home is secondhand, deeply discounted, and wrecked and rigged to high heaven. What REALLY matters are the people who dwell with me here...in our own little heaven on earth. We're definitely not perfect...far from it...but we are incredibly blessed.