martha

I have a crafting bug right now. I want to make a cool zinc A for Gus' room. Slum I know you have wanted to buy one forever, now you can just make it. courtesy www.lifeabundant.blogspot.com

So here's the step-by-step. I purchased three cardboard "E's" from JoAnn Fabrics. They were such a steal! {Sorry, forgot to photograph before painting, but just picture plain cardboard letters and you get the idea. I'm sure most of you have seen these around in craft stores...}

I spray painted one in a turquoise paint, another one black {I'll get to how it turned "zinc" in a moment}, and the edges of the largest "E" red. All were colors that I already had in the garage.

For the largest "E", I traced the letter on two pieces of striped scrapbooking paper I found at Hobby Lobby and then decoupaged the pieces onto both sides of the letter. {the rusty look was already part of the paper, I didn't do anything there.}

For the "zinc" one {which totally rivals the zinc letters you'll pay anywhere from $18 to $98 for at Anthropologie, even up close!}, I took my "E" that had been sprayed black, and with a dry paintbrush applied Folk Art's Enamels Metallic Silver Sterling acrylic paint. I could rave about this product! In a very random fashion I applied the paint, occasionally wiping my brush dry again. I made sure to let the black show through a bit in some areas. In no time I had a lightweight {cheap! cheap!} "zinc" letter. {And yes, I'm totally planning to exploit this technique on many future projects, I was so pleased with the results.}

NEXT I WANT TO MAKE THIS NECKLACE FROM ANTHRO. ALL I NEED IS LEATHER AND A CHAIN SUPER EASY.