04/25/2012 - "Pepper" Plant Marker

This was a very fun crafty day for me! I went to the Destination DIY "Makin' It" Party, got interviewed on the Portland KGW8 News and won a Destination DIY t-shirt, and a SCRAP "To Go Kit"...not to mention free beer and pizza. I worked on this plant marker during the day and cut up rubber strips and chatted away at the party.

Reclaimed Material: wood scrap
Other Material: paper
Tools: paint, paint brushes, pencil, printer, scissors

How I did it: I sketched and painted the lettering on this marker before I added the picture. My drawings and paintings of people are cartoonish at best, so I used a real photo of Jason to turn him into a turn-o-the century "doctor" selling his miracle product. I printed his picture in a sepia tone and painted a hat, mustache and suit on him. I cut it out and used a glue stick to adhere the photo to the wood and painted a border.

What I would do differently: During my volunteer time at SCRAP I have met some awesome crafty artists who have given me some great tips and info. I learned from a fabulous artist, Erica, that oil paint takes at least 2 weeks to dry. Yes, I used oil paint because I had a lot of colors and didn't want to go out and buy more paint. The plan is to varnish these signs so they can live outside, but it will be a while yet.