Change for the Cheap!

Well, I’ve been a bit busy as of late. So has Chelsea. For good reason, we’re in the final stretch of college – literally! Graduation is less than a month away! We’ve been interning at different schools everyday, all day and loving every second of it! Yet, after a long day of teaching, a crafty project (yet a simple one) is always relaxing.  These are simple, less than 10-minute projects with a personal touch.

Project #1: Change Jar

Loose change. I find it in the bottom of my purse. I find it in my laundry hamper. I find it in the trunk of my car. I find it on the floor in my room. Don’t get me wrong. I like love loose change! Especially when I run out of places to store it and finally muster up the courage to roll it up and take it to the bank.

I’m still working on the collection (the more loose change, the better the happy dance after counting!), but seeing loose change all over my dresser was DRIVINGMECRAZY since it was not fitting into the little wooden box I usually keep it in anymore.

So… here’s what I did. I found a Smucker’s jelly jar in our collection of random things. I found some scrapbook paper that coordinated with the colors of my room and cut off a thick strip of it.  I then taped (yes, that easy) the paper around the jar and then used dollar store vinyl letters to spell out “change” on the jar. The last step was using spray paint to cover up the red and white checker pattern. ORB was the obvious choice. I had it already and it matches my room. There aren’t many/any how-to photos since I figured it was rather simple.

Project #2: Monogram “Art”

I’m not the biggest fan of monograms (I wouldn’t have a bunch of different “A’s” all over a wall or monogram every towel and pillow case and blanket and sock I own) but I’ve recently started to like them more.

My teacher bag that I’m obsessed with (L.L. Bean) is monogrammed. I have a cool monogram painting on my room door that Val made for me and now I have this super cool picture frame!

The picture frame itself is old. I got it at Jo-Ann’s light years ago. Well, I’m not that old… but it was definitely in my high school era. Whenever I got it, I painted it white and used turquoise paint for the edges to make it cute I guess. Well, it wasn’t really my style anymore soooo I used lots of primer (that turquoise was a pain to cover) and then two or three coats of white spray paint to cover it up.

Anywhoooo, I used another coordinating sheet of scrapbook paper and cut it to size (4x6).  Once upon a time (December, I believe?) my mom spotted these awesome black and white damask pattern sticker letters. The black is actually velvet!

After snipping and mathematically determining eyeballing the center of the piece of paper, I slapped that “A” on there and stuck it in the frame. I added it to my collection of frames on my dresser. I love photos and art so looking at my dresser makes my heart happy each day!

Happy thoughts,

Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design