More Winter Projects

The cold weather has set in and between chores and schooling, the projects have earnestly multiplied around here. Advent brings with it art projects such as ornaments and Christmas cards, but winter itself seems to invite creative crafting. Just a little blog hopping reveals a great variety in different projects; it’s interesting to see all of the mommy-talent expressing itself between dishes and diapers.

One project that is making rounds is the “Family Rules” chart. All of the other (mostly still unfinished) endeavors were put on hold so that I could make up my own chart. Now, I will tell you that I really don’t like Mod Podge. It always bubbles no matter what I do. So of course, I dealt with the same issue, but I think it came out well because even though I globbed it on (I wanted this project done pronto!), I was diligent about scraping it flat as it dried. It also helps that I’m SO not a perfectionist in this sort of thing, so a little buckling here and there didn’t turn more of my hair gray. I got the whole thing done in one evening, and added an extra layer of the glue the next couple of days.

You can find the original directions here. I was very tempted to do this with fabric, but seeing as how I am just as much as a pretty-paper conniseour, I used that medium. I also didn’t go out and buy a canvas. I just found a board in my basement that my husband didn’t need, and he cut it to the size I wanted. I cut and pasted down my paper strips before I lettered on them, and despite my finding neat font styles, I ended up just freehanding the words on my own with a copper paint pen. The darker, patterned paper didn’t read too well (and, I know, I was warned about that, but I had to have the paper you see), so I outlined the lettering with a thin black pen afterwards, which helped to pop it out.

Here are the rules I used for our family: