DIY Chalkboard Seating Chart

Chalkboard seating charts are very popular right now.  So I thought I’d share some I just completed and explain the process for those who’d like to DIY it.

It all starts with preparation.  For this project, there were actually 3 boards approximately 6′ x 3′.

They were made out of plywood and painted with chalkboard paint. (They were made by another company and delivered to my home studio.)

You can purchase plywood at Loew’s or Home Depot and have them cut them to the size you need.

The chalkboard paint for this project came from Loew’s. It’s made by Valspar.

The first step is measuring the space you have, allowing for room on the sides (these fit into custom made holders) and figuring out the height of the lettering and the spaces in between names as well as the space needed to accommodate two columns if needed.

For these boards, there were 216 names. The size for each name was 1″ and the spaces in between were .5″.

Next I designed the headers. Here’s a pic of one laid out on my light table. If you are not a lettering artist, you can use a font.  Just size it on your computer, print it out and trace it on the board. You can do the same with flourishes.

My Belluccia and Dom Loves Mary fonts can be used if you want a script font.  Both also have flourishing packages you can purchase separately as well if you want to combine with a font you already have.

The header is transferred onto the chalkboard with transfer paper in white. This can be purchased at any craft store. You can see in the pic that I created the lines and spaces using painters tape that I cut to be .5″.

This eliminates the need to erase lines as you will also spread the chalk marker paint as you erase.

Note: Try to find .5″ tape, masking or painter’s tape, to save time.  I found it after the fact at Uline.com. I did not find it at any local stores.

You can then go over the flourish and letters with a chalkboard paint marker.

The one I used was called  “Bistro Chalk Marker”.  It’s made by Marvy and can be found in single colors at Hobby Lobby.

If you make a mistake, be sure to wipe it off right away.  It says that it comes off when you want but that wasn’t my experience.

But if you wait too long and need to paint over to re-do it, be sure to wipe off as much as you can with a wet rag or else it will bleed into the paint.

A note to remember…if you are going to do the list alphabetically you are limited on making any last minute additions or changes.

I would suggest, unless you are totally sure about your guest list, to list by tables.  Even if you have to paint over a name, you have more flexibility.

Here’s a pic of a small Chalkboard Welcome sign I did for a previous client using my Belluccia font, flourishes and ornaments.

You can also check out more signs from these previous DIY Chalkboard posts here , here and here!

I’m busy at work designing a new font, but in the meantime, you can check out my current two calligraphy fonts here.

Belluccia has remained on the Best Sellers list for 19 months was named one of Myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011 and is available at myfonts.com.

My second calligraphy font, Dom Loves Mary (a “December Rising Star” and  2012 Best Seller) is also available on myfonts.com.

Wishing you a Wonderful Weekend!

Debi

DIY Personalized Pumpkin

Here’s an quick idea for a DIY personalized pumpkin.  All the supplies are available at any craft store.

You’ll need: A pumpkin, a glue gun, 3 different sized ribbons, ( it helps if the largest ribbon is wired) fake spider web, fake spiders, black gloss acrylic paint and brush ( an inexpensive option is the Loew-Cornell Soft Comfort #14360 Liner in Size 1 or larger)  or a sharpie marker.

1. The first step is to put the initial on the pumpkin.  This can be done with the gloss acrylic paint and brush or the sharpie marker.  It helps to first draw the letter on the pumpkin with a pencil.  The line will be very light but it will help guide you.

If you are using a sharpie marker, you’ll need to fill in the areas where you have the thickest strokes.  Depending on what brush you use you may also need to add more width to parts of the letters that need it ( usually the  “down” strokes are the weighted strokes).

2. Next you’re going to attached the ribbons, starting with the widest wired one at the bottom.  The length of ribbon will depend on the size of the pumpkin, but it’s always best to make it longer as it’s easy to cut it if needed. I’d start with a minimum of 12″ for a small pumpkin.

Simply tie in a knot around the pumpkin staff. Don’t tie in a bow. Bend the wired ribbon so that it moves in a wave extending out from the pumpkin.  This will help hold your spider web in place.

3. Add additional ribbons in thinner widths. As you tie each ribbon around the pumpkin staff, adhere it to the one below with a glue gun so they all stay in place. Then make a bow. As you go to glue the last ribbon, make sure to turn it so that when you make a bow, it doesn’t rest exactly on top of the other bow, but fits nicely beside it.

4. Now it’s time to add the spider webbing.  Cut a piece and place it over the pumpkin staff.  Stretch it so it covers and sticks to the wired ribbon.  You can play around with it a bit perhaps sticking it through the holes of the bows.

5. Glue the spider to the middles of all the bows.  You can also add a few more spiders to other parts of the web.  Attach with a small dab of  the glue gun so they stay in place.

In addition to decor for your home, this would be a good craft for kids ( younger ones may need you to make the letter) or a great hostess gift if you’re going to a Halloween party !

Happy Pumpkin making!

Debi

My new calligraphy font, “DomLovesMary” will be ready soon.

The font family features three different versions of the alphabet, a set of “Add Ons” that will include words like “and, to, of, for, at, etc…in addition to 124 flourishes to be added to either the upper or lower case so you can create your own custom look!

It will be released on myfonts.com on my Correspondence Ink foundry page.

I’ll be sponsoring a give away of a wedding item using the DomLovesmary font on Brenda’s blog soon.  Subscribe to my blog to get the details.

In the meantime, my first cursive font, Belluccia is still available at myfonts.com and fontbros.com..

 

 Belluccia was named one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011.

Halloween Invitation and Party Game

This Halloween invitation and party game were so much fun to create!  First here’s the details about the invites.

They were made for my client’s daughter’s Halloween themed birthday bash. It would also make a great party favor.

The darling and delicious mummy cookies were made by “It’s a Mary Cake”.  You could also fill the coffin with Halloween candy.

Here’s some basic DIY instructions.

The wooden coffin’s came from Michael’s craft store.  They were painted black.  The message was lettered in white on black card stock cut in the shape of the coffin lid and attached.

You could do this with a white chalk or paint marker or white pen.

They were mailed in “mummified” boxes ( I painted the look of fabric strips in gray.)  with addresses hand lettered in orange paint. Again, orange and gray markers could be used.

The coffin was placed inside a white mailing box where an orange card with party details was attached.

When the box was opened it revealed a “web” with spiders guarding the coffin:) Any craft store has theme items.

More spiders and a fake eyeball were hidden in the paper shredding.  Other items could include plastic worms and bugs!

Hope you like this fun invitation idea.

Now for the game….

A Mummy Scavenger Hunt Party Game:

1. Divide the party guests into teams.

2. Each team will create a “mummy.”  They can trace one of their bodies on a large piece of white roll paper.  Or you could opt to have them draw the outline of a mummy on a piece of poster board.

3. One or two guests  are designated as the mummy reviver.  The others go out on the scavenger hunt looking for their mummy’s parts. ( Just hidden in your yard will work.)

All of the mummy parts can be placed in plastic bags with a piece of colored paper inside. The teams would retrieve only the color assigned to their mummy.

The items can include body parts like eyes, heart, fingers, liver, etc… whatever can be found cheaply at places like the dollar store or printed from clip art and cut out of card stock.

4. Each time an item on the scavenger list is retrieved, the team receives a piece of white crepe paper to dress their mummy with. The mummy revivers re-attach the body parts along with the white crepe paper.  ( Double stick tape should work.)

5. As the teams complete their mummy they are awarded prizes for first, second, third…place.

Simple prizes could include inexpensive items like:  hanging spiders, red wax lips, fake dracula teeth,etc…or just bags of Halloween candy.

Let me know if you try this game and how it worked out.

Hope this gets you in the Halloween spirit!

My new font, DomLovesMary, will be released on myfonts.com in mid October.

The font family features three different versions of the alphabet, a set of “Add Ons” that will include words like “and, to, of, for, at, etc…in addition to 124 flourishes to be added to either the upper or lower case so you can create your own custom look!

It will be released on my Correspondence Ink foundry page.

I’ll be sponsoring a give away of a wedding item using the DomLovesmary font on Brenda’s blog soon.  Subscribe to my blog to get the details.

In the meantime, my first cursive font, Belluccia is still available at myfonts.com and fontbros.com..

 

 Belluccia was named one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011.

DIY Instructions for Personalized Wedding Dinner Plates

Just a quick post about some dinner plates I created for delightful Mom-of-the-Groom Wanda, for her son and new bride’s wedding.

Unfortunately I didn’t get better pics before she came to pick them up, but I wanted to share anyway.

The color scheme was charcoal and peach. A smooth flat surface is usually best but I managed to work with the ridges that were on the rim.

For those of you who don’t know the process, I’ll share.

First, you need to purchase paints made to go on ceramics. These can be found in any craft store. The brand I used is “Folkart Enamels”.

Next, you will need a decent brush for lettering and design. An inexpensive one can be found at JoAnn’s. It’s a Loew Cornell Soft comfort  brush.  The number for the one I used is 14360 Liner. There are different sizes depending on how large or small you want to paint.

If you don’t feel comfortable lettering a name, consider just painting a design in multi-colors.

Whatever you paint, a second coat will be needed to create an opaque look.

After drying for 24 hours, put the plates into a cool oven and set for 350 degrees baking for 30 minutes.  It’s important to let them cool down in the oven so they don’t crack.

Even though the paint is baked on, they will still need to be hand washed (no dishwasher) after use.

This project can be time intensive, but makes a unique personalized gift for any bride and groom.

I found out that Wanda had all kinds of creative ideas she came up with for her son’s wedding decor.  So I promise to share the pics she sends me in future posts.

All the best to the new Mr. and Mrs. Cullins!

 

And as always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.

Creative DIY Wedding Ceremony Backdrop

This ceremony backdrop has to be the coolest wedding DIY I have seen yet.   The creative couple hand wrote poems on a long roll of butcher paper that was rolled out in place of an aisle runner. During the ceremony, the couples’ mothers read the poems.  How touching!

I love the simplicity of this idea and what a big impact it had on the ceremony.  Couples could choose to write anything that has meaning to their relationship on the roll of paper.  This easy DIY would add a lovely personal touch to any wedding.

And as always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.

Belluccia’s First Birthday!

Cake for everyone!

Cake for everyone!  One year ago today Belluccia was first released on MyFonts.com.  She immediately made the Hot New Fonts list, and the Best Seller’s list.  Next she was one of five fonts on the Rising Star list for July 2011.  She continued her climb  to be included on the Most Popular Fonts of 2011 list.

And as she celebrates her first birthday, she is still on the Best Seller’s list!

So I want to say “Thanks” to all of you who have purchased Belluccia and included her in your beautiful designs.

To do this, I’m including this pen and ink  “Happy Birthday” cake for you to download and use for personal use.

Her “sister” font is almost finished and ready for the next phase where the original hand lettering becomes typeable.  It’s a long process but I think she will make her big sister proud:)   Thanks again for supporting Belluccia!

As always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.

Creative DIY Save the Date

You may remember the modern chevron designed wedding invitation that I posted previously.  Well when I saw the Save the Date that had been sent for the same wedding, I thought it was such a darling idea I asked the bride if I could post it.

She was more than happy to share.

Taylor, the bride, found an old window pane and lettered “Save The Date” in the top three panes.  This can be done with either a chalk marker or acrylic paint.  She used the bottom three windows to put the numerical date.  The numbers are cut out and backed with newspaper to go along with the rustic feel.

They found a great weathered red barn as a backdrop.  A picture was snapped.  They selected a casual font (available where they had the pictures printed) and then used the 4″ x 6″ pics as the actual Save the Date.  Though they used white envelopes, another option would be to use red, blue or spring green.  Then use a gel pen in a contrasting color to address them.

This is a great example of a creative invitation that is economical too!

Way to go Taylor!  And Happy Wedding to you, Jacob and your families.

And as always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.

DIY Wedding Signature Cocktail Menu

Eat, Drink & Be Married!

Can’t decide on one signature cocktail for your wedding?  Why not choose two…one for the bride AND the groom!

This 22″ x 28″ sign will let your guests know exactly what they are imbibing.  And you can re-use it later in your home for future parties!

These smaller 8″ x 10″ drink signs can be set out at the reception or after party so guests can easily select from a choice of 4 specialty drinks. The frames can later be filled with pics and used to create a wall gallery in your home.

You can create all of the above with a combination of your favorite fonts, just make sure they’re readable. It’s fine to mix up the styles for the larger His and Her titles but keep the ingredient wording legible.  I’ve used Alana Pro a versatile script font by Laura Worthington  for the listings here.

Fontbros.com , where my cursive font Belluccia is sold, has some free fonts that would fit well for the drink titles.

Using coordinated framed menus is an easy way to add decoration and bring a sense of occasion to any party.

So you can Eat, Drink and Be Married in style!

And as always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.

DIY Scrapbooking Dessert Project

A long time friend is moving to one of my favorite cities… Austin, Texas!  So a fitting farewell with just the girls was in order.  The lovely Anne Holmes was hosting at her cool condo on the lake.  I offered to bring dessert to the buffet, knowing I had a simple yummy recipe from my friend Kim to try out…Key Lime Ice Cream Balls!

To create a fun fitting message, I got out my calligraphy pen and brush and turned to my scrapbook supplies. Here’s the DYI instructions and dessert recipe at the end:

Step 1: Gather Supplies. Any colorful scraps of solid and patterned paper, circular cutting system with templates and blade cartridges ( I used Creative Memories), cutting mat, glue stick, glue gun and toothpicks.

Step 2: Decide on a message.  Cut larger 2 1/2″ circles out of pattern or solid paper and smaller 2″ circles out of solid paper. Make sure you have enough to spell the words you need.

Step 3: Attach the smaller paper circles to the larger ones with a glue stick.

Step 4: Letter on circles to create the words needed.  I used a pointed calligraphy pen and black ink.  You can letter with a black marker in simple handwriting.  Attach toothpicks to backs of circles using a glue gun.

For the envelope, I just happen to have a blank card with colored dots in my stationery collection. It came with a see through velum envelope.  I lettered the names and ampersand using a round lettering brush and three colors of gouache paint. Again, non-calligraphers, just use markers in different colors.

I also happened to have polka dot wrapping paper that I used to cover a cookie sheet.  I used this as the base to set the ice cream balls on.

Before presenting the dessert to Claudia, the ice cream balls were placed on the tray, then the letters placed in the balls to spell out the message “All the best Claudia & Dan…Your FB girls”.

A list of recommended Austin restaurants was included inside the card.  As a gift, they will pick out the ones they’d like to try and a gift certificate will be sent to them in the mail.

Here’s a shout out to all the FB girls who attended this lovely send off : Shelley, Teresa, Lori, Anne ( hostess), Carolyn, Sharon and Teri.

And here’s the recipe for the Key Lime Ice Cream Balls:

-Defrost one frozen Key Lime Pie

-Add 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream- mix together and freeze in covered bowl

-Scoop balls of mix and dip in finely chopped macadamia nuts and toasted coconut

-Place in aluminum cupcake holders

-Refreeze, then serve.

Enjoy!

Chic Bohemian Summer Party featured on 100 Layer Cake

Check out this chic Boho Summer Party  photo shoot via 100 Layer Cake’s blog.   So cool to see how they used my Belluccia cursive font in a variety of ways;  In the title, a framed sign, a label for jam and creative place cards.  Love how it matches the bohemian feel.

A Boho Summer Party featured on 100 Layer Cake Blog

Belluccia cursive font used on label for jam on 100 Layer Cake blog

Details from Bohemian Party Photo Shoot on 100 Layer Cake Blog

Lots of great take away party ideas! Check them all out here.  They also have  DIY instructions for the fun feather drink stirrers.  ( Like how they used Belluccia in the title:)  My friend Teresa’s yard is the perfect spot to host one of these.  Hmmm… a summer girl’s night out perhaps.  I’ll bring the hen:)

Feather Drink Stirrers on 100 Layer Cake blog

And as always my calligraphy font, Belluccia, one of myfonts Most Popular Fonts for 2011, is available at : myfonts.com and fontbros.com.