First, let me say thanks for sticking with me through my extended absence. I had really, really good intentions about posting some of my cute Christmas décor and handmade Christmas gifts. And then the reality of the amount of time it was going to take me to actually hand-make all those handmade Christmas gifts set in. Like, 15 crocheted infinity scarves…and a handful of necklaces…a painted purse…a magnetic chalkboard memo holder…some dang killer (if I do say so myself) crown bookends …I think there was more but clearly I’ve repressed those memories. And then I was so burned out that I couldn’t bring myself to blog for a while. Bad, bad, blogger.
Although I am hoping that one day I can snag some photos so I can at least post the DIY barn quilt that my mom and I made for my aunt -- on December 23rd and the morning of the 24th. Did I mention that we host the gift exchange for my mom’s family at her house on the evening of the 24th? Yeah, can you say cuhrazzzzzy time? But it might seriously be like, the best handmade gift EVER.
You know what a barn quilt is, right? Basically a big honkin’ piece of wood with a quilt-type pattern painted on, to be hung on the side of a barn for decoration? Like this?
Image Source = http://www.ryanwalshquilts.com/2010/12/barn-quilts-and-american-quilt-trail.html. I chose this image because we used basically the same pattern, but with a barn red, green, and off-white color scheme.
I ask because Hubs didn’t know what we were talking about, and honestly thought that we were going to try and make an actual quilt with barns on it in a day and a half. Now that would have been really crazy!!! Although in his defense, the fact that we used mod-podged fabric pieces instead of paint probably helped mislead him. The “quilt” will be somewhat sheltered under an overhang if it goes on the barn, and it very well may even go on her porch instead, so I am very very hopeful that a couple of good coats of mod-podge followed by several coats of sealer will help it withstand the weather. At least we know that if anything happens to it, we can whip up another one in a day or two, ha!
But I digress. This post isn’t about Christmas. It’s about Valentine’s Day, and the decorations that I sorta almost got up in time.
See, I knew for a long time that I wanted to print some DIY Valentine’s wall art consisting of song lyrics that are meaningful to the Hubs and me. And I really, really wanted to clip them to some crib springs that I purchased from the local hoarder in my hometown back in the late summer with the plan to hang them over my living room sofa to display photos and such. Kinda like Donna @ Funky Junk Interiors did -- I've been drooling over this picture of hers since I first saw it about a year ago:
I think it goes without saying that this fabulous image is Funky Junk Donna's. But I'll say it again anyway!
But, I’d had to leave them behind at my Mom’s because we were hauling other things back to GA that weekend and there wasn’t room in the truck for them. So, I had to wait for Mom to bring me the springs when we met up in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago (for a Blackberry Smoke concert, say WOOOT!). And then once I got them back here I realized I wasn’t crazy about their au natural rusty patina. Well, actually that’s not entirely true -- I was crazy about it, but it just wasn’t working well in my living room….a little too “junk” and not enough “funk” if you know what I mean. So I decided to spray paint them. And as we all know adding steps to the process is not a good thing when there’s a holiday deadline looming. So basically, I have some printed-off song lyrics and partially painted crib springs, and never shall the twain meet….not before this Valentine’s Day, anyway.
Still, the song lyrics were so dang cute I wanted to share J And I did at least show them to Hubs, and received a non-commital grunt for my efforts. Clearly, he was moved.
Possibly my favorite – a line from a Shooter Jennings song called, appropriately enough, “Everything Else is Illusion.” No sentimental backstory here, but if you know me then you know I LURRRRRRRRRRRRRVE me some Shooter Jennings! This might even make it onto the wall after Valentine’s Day….
This next one is from The Distillers’ “Beat Your Heart Out.” Good punk love songs are hard to come by, and this one always reminds me of those early days when we first met…
The next two are from David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Called Me by My Name.” Not exactly a traditional love song to say the least! But it does have special meaning for Hubs and me…which I won’t go into because it’s a long story and totally one of those you sorta had to be there things…and it was our first dance at our wedding reception. I was going to hand-doodle some cutesy little hearts off to the right side of the first one. Can you all say “Awwwwwww”?
And
I know I’m missing some apostrophes. This particular font from Picnik (sniff, sadness) wouldn’t put them in.
So I was going to put those on by hand, too, because it would’ve driven me nuts otherwise.
I also printed off some pretty Valentine’s backgrounds and clip art, just because I liked them, and these vintage Valentine card images:
I added the words to this one, because my great-grandmother used to say this and the image just sets off that association for me. I didn’t even know it was from a song until it I heard it on a Dan Zanes cd I bought for Sweet Pea when she was a toddler!
This one has no lyrics and no song association, but it does totally remind me of Hubs’ “punny” sense of humor!
I’m more than a little bummed that I won’t have a chance to get these up for this year’s Valentine’s Day, but hey, at least I’ll be one step ahead for next year, right??!?
Glad you are back! I missed you.
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