Spiffin' Up: Easy DIY projects

Things have gotten a little heavy around here lately, so we're taking a break from the poochiness and doing some lighthearted projects. On today's list are a couple water buffalo, stripes and tape. If you're puzzled, that's because they have nothing in common except that they're easy. Easy enough for me to take on even when my life feels crazy. (Thank you car selling, car shopping and car trouble.) 

I've noticed that seeing things get better (drab to beautiful) like today or even chaos to order (a drawer or closet reorganization), is theraputic for me. While I can't make us have my dream car this evening, I can give a couple water buffalo a makeover. You know...progress is progress!

Here is Mr. Water Buffalo, before. Looks grumpy, doesn't he? Mrs. Water Buffalo is slightly less grumpy. I recently saw a blog challenge to make something gold, and I have gold spray paint in my collection, even though I can't remember a project I would've used gold for. In a couple coats of Krylon - 18kt Gold Plate Mettalic paint, they were reborn.  

See? I was a little weirded out when I saw them in their new color, but wasn't sure why. My husband figured it out immediately. He said, "Where'd you get the golden calves?" Huh. I had thought of painting them white prior to the challenge, and think I will still. I've long dreamed of shiny, white animal sculptures to go in my study's someday-painted-inside bookcase. Here's one of my inspiration photos:

Young House Love

I'm crazy about that rhinoceros. He may be where my animal sculpture dream started...

Now, for the stripes. I bought a doormat at Ikea long ago, with the intention of making a cute version of this: 

Available at Etsy - 40.00

I had the idea of putting letters on it and spray painting the reverse, except I didn't find sticky enough letters. So I decided to do stripes and hope inspiration will hit down the road as to how to attach letters that stand up to the traffic going in and out my front door. If you have any ideas or suggestions of mediums, please let me know. I'm stubbornly hanging onto the dream because I love this calming message so much.

Remember how I said these projects were easy? That's how I did it. I just held cardboard over what I didn't want to spray and sprayed, working my way across. I have a bit of blue grass now, but a very fun doormat while it awaits the words. 

The next thing I wanted to let you know is a secret for those of you who spied Washi tape on Pinterest or a blog and long for some in your life. Having to order online was a drawback for me...I immediately start wondering how much I'll pay to ship something that small. Well folks, you can pick up something similar at...wait for it...Target. It's in the tape section and if at first you only see two options, keep looking because packaged slightly differently are more fun patterns. Like this one with a whale dispenser and yes, a mustache. 

I haven't hung my photos against the wall (inside frames) or wrapped my presents or made my cards or taped every key on my computer's keyboard, but you never know...the Washi tape world is wide open now. I'll keep you posted.