"California" Wall Hangings

I heart California.

Let's just open with that.

I fell in love with San Diego on a youth choir trip and still am enamored by it today.

It's beautiful... it's beachy... it's sunny... it's peaceful.

Coronado Beach is my favorite place to be in the world.

Cayman Islands are a close second.

But there is something about that California Beach.

So when our friend Chris moved into his beautiful, first brand new house, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for a house-warming present.

He's a native Cali and loves it with all his heart.

He's from Orange County/Laguna area so thus my idea was born.

He needed something to hang on his bare walls other than bachelor Corona posters. Ick.

And I had these:

(Don't know why some of these turned sideways... sorry)

But I found these lovelies in my favorite place...on the side of the road.

Which means FREE.

Love that.

(But you can pick up scrap pieces of lumber anywhere...check your local hardware store)

I mean, they're awesome...why throw them out?

Yes...they're rough and scraggly but soooooo?

I grabbed my amazing little mouse sander:

Can you see the difference?

One- scraggly. Other- smooth and purty.

Next, I decided to do a light layer of color on each... I chose to paint them in the color opposite of what I wanted the top coat to be in the end.

So the one I wanted brown, I used blue in this layer and so on:

After I lightly sprayed them down, I let them dry.

Then put their top coats on:

Pretty and vibrant, huh?

But a little TOO pretty and vibrant... they are going in a guys house after all.

So my mouse sander did it again:

All I did was lightly sand and the bottom layer popped right out!

Makes it look all vintage-y and beat up.

Perfect!

I love how the brown turned out:

Then I used Word to get the fonts I wanted

(Sure Cuts a Lot software would make this so much easier, huh??)

But I went old-school and cut out (yes, handcut!) each word:

I decided on "California", "Laguna" and "San Diego"

His three favorite places.

Then they each got their fab word painted on:

Love this yellow and brown combo!

Didn't they turn out pretty?

I sanded the letters a little too... just cuz.

I love them.

My favorite is this one:

I am so in love and so jealous that I don't have a reason to sport California words...

maybe I just don't have to have a reason :)

So they were stacked up, packaged (manly of course) and given away:

He loved them.

And I love that :)

This post was featured here:

Thank you so much, Rachelle!

She has a fantabulous blog...check her out and all the other fabulous things she featured!

Also featured here:

Also...here:

The Craft Cave

Linking too:

Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors