can y'all believe that it's time for school to start back?! crazy!!
what's really crazy to me is that this is the THIRD year that i haven't had a "first day of school" as a teacher. i've been home with my girl(s) for three years. what a blessing it's been! even though libbi's school won't start back until after labor day, i decided to go ahead and prepare the best way i know how....
so i crafted.
and i made a burlap door hanger :)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/0acc0ef0.jpg)
it was really easy - my kind of craft - so i thought i'd share! :)
DIY burlap door hanger:
i started with some burlap. i have no idea how much i used. i just used my mathematical skillz and "eye-balled" it.
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/0bb457f4.jpg)
(and if you're starting to roll your eyes already, just be prepared. i said this was a DIY, but i never said it would be technical) ;-)
i did leave the burlap folded over when i cut it so i would have a two pieces that matched up perfectly. i left mine attached by the "stem".... not really sure why, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. :)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/80992487.jpg)
i read tutorials where some people used red burlap to make their apples instead of painting them. but the majority of them i read said that they had a difficult time painting OVER the red when adding in details, so i decided to go with the natural color and just paint it red.
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/12af2eb9.jpg)
i used some red paint i had lying around in the closet. i just put the apple on a piece of cardboard and began painting. i used a paintbrush, but i think you could probably use a sponge, too. (psa: be prepared for your work space to look like a crime scene. and your hands to look like they've been through a blender. and make sure to explain to your 3 year old that it's JUST paint before she sees your hands and freaks out thinking you are covered in boo-boo's. horrified is an understatement. maybe i can sell these hangers as a way to pay for her therapy??)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/462e2897.jpg)
anyway, i painted both sides of the apple. well almost... i ran out of paint, so the back isn't completely red. (but i won't tell if you won't) :)
after it dried. i used my trusty 'ol silhouette to cut out a template of the font i wanted to use. you could print this off your computer, trace it, or just freehand it.
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/67fab818.jpg)
i cut out my "Stencil" laid it on my apple, painted inside of it, and forgot to take pictures of it. :) (i used puff paint b/c that's what i already had on hand).
once that was dry i added in the polka dots. now this is where it starts to get a little advanced. you may or may not have these high-tech tools lying around. i wanted the polka dots to be perfect, so i had to break out the big guns. don't feel intimidated by my cutting edge materials...
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/87219d75.jpg)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/b0c48365.jpg)
yes, that's right. i used a medicine cup to make polka dots. hey, it worked, didn't it?! :)
it basically just made the outline when i stamped it onto the apple, so i was able to go back and fill in the circle with my white paint.
easy and cheap! ("that's what she said")
.... that was for you, sarah ;)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/70b30bd0.jpg)
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/a861ba18.jpg)
once the paint dried, i used my hot glue gun to glue the pieces together and left a small opening so i could fill it up. again, please do not let my "expensive" and "hard to find" materials make you feel inferior in any way.
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/7bdf5406.jpg)
finally, i added a pipe cleaner (another "just lying around" kind of thing) to the back and some tulle to the stem and it was ready to the hang it on the door....
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/7a61a146.jpg)
voilà!
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/7eaae536.jpg)
the burlap door hanger is complete....
![](http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/amybeth_johnson/August%202012/8d3057ab.jpg)
now let's enjoy the last few weeks of summer! :)