DIY {BRIGHT} Marquee Letters- TUTORIAL

Nothing says Christmas quit like glitter, lights and Gold am I right?! This is probably one of my favorite projects I have made. It just gives off such a statement, it makes me happy to look at, it is festive, it is glamorous, it is magical and The word bright can be so inspirational. Enough of the sap...oh Christmas just brings it out in me. Lets get on to how I made this fun sign and how you can too.

{Supplies Needed}

-Paper Mache letters- Spelling out whatever word you want I got some of mine at JoAnns and since they were out of some I got the others at Hobby Lobby they were the same price of $2.49 each but if you use your coupons and make a couple trips you can get them cheaper.
-Exacto Knife
-Spray paint
-Sponge brush
-Mod Podge
-Glitter
-Pencil or marker
-75-100 count white Christmas lights on white wire

{What I did}

First things first you are going to take your exacto knife and just cut along the edges of the front of the letter. It cuts really easy and comes off easy as well. Do this to the front of all of your letters.

Once it is all cut out it will look like this. You can throw away the front pieces and those funny squigglies in the inside.

Then I spray painted the sides, the insides, and the back of the letters with a gold metallic spray paint. 

Once they were dry it is time to glitterfy these babies. I mean you can't just have lights you have got to put some glam in there too, to make the lights have a magical sparkle. Using your sponge brush cover the entire inside of the letter with mod podge.

Then sprinkle your glitter inside and swish it around until the whole inside is covered in sparkles, tapping out the excess and using for the other letters. Repeat this will all your letters until they are all glittertastic.

Once everything is glittered and dry you are going to move onto installing all the lights. First take your marker and make your dots where you want the lights to go, on the back of the letter. I did mine about 2 inches apart all the way around the letter. It was the perfect distance and the lights fit perfectly to each dot.

Next you will take your exacto knife and cut an X through the dot. Make sure it is deep. You want it to be pretty small because you want the light to fit in snug.

Then you will pop in your lights. leaving one light between each letter until you get through the whole word. There is a lot of extra wire in the back so I took some twine and tied the extra wire together so that it wouldn't show through the front.

Then you have your beautiful sparkly lit marquee sign that you made yourself.

I had the perfect place for it on our island there is a raised area that I have been loving to decorate. It is long enough for decor and our bar stools on the sides. Because of all the lights they get a little back heavy so I put a garland in the back to hold it up a little better and I love the look it gives it with some pine piking through the letters. So festive right?!

I had mine on an area that they were just floating standing up, but you can also put them on a shelf or mantel and have them leaning against the wall, or you could even hang them on the wall. Also a really fun idea that I might try next year is in the window so you see the sign from outside. Fun right! So many possibilities and so many cute places to put them.

I love that where I put them I can see them pretty much anywhere on that main level. When I walk through the door it is the first thing I see, when guests come over it is the first thing they see and I just love the statement it gives. I keep it lite during the day as well, because it is so sparkly it is just as beautiful.

Aren't they pretty. They aren't just fun and festive, but the gold, sparkle, glitter and lights is just so stunning. I don't know about you but I love the lights, it is my very favorite part of all the Christmas decor out there. I deck my house in lights everywhere, outside, in every window, filling the tree and all around my home decor. It is pretty! Like when in it night time, you turn off all the lights, and your home is only light but the plugged in Christmas lights, you are by yourself, it is quiet and it is peaceful, it is magical and it make you think of what is truly important.

Now go and make your own you will love that you did. You can make these for many different seasons and holidays. I think one that says snow would be amazing among all the white decor, a love sign for Valentines is also on my list, because of the romantic feel it can give. I better go stalk up on some white Christmas lights and glitter. You should too!

Like my Bright Marquee letters? Make sure to also go and check out these other fun and festive Christmas projects: Fabric Scraps Garland, Faux Pine Joy, Ornament Wreath, Stocking hanger, and Advent Activity banner.

Don't forget to check out my first day of my favorite shops series and the Albion Fit $50 giveaway going on right now. And come back tomorrow for another one of my favorite shops and another giveaway for under your Christmas tree.

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USA Silhouette Slate {tutorial}

I am loving these wood slates from the Wood connection and this smaller one was perfect with a little glitter and paint.  Simple but great to show some love to our country and remember to be thankful for our freedom and for those still fighting for it and protecting us. Plus who doesn't LOVE glitter and pretty things to put in their home?!

{Supplies I used}

-Small Slat Sign {The wood connection}

-White and blue craft paint or spray paint

-Paint brush

-sand paper

-Gold glitter card stock {American Crafts can be found at Michaels}

-Craft cutting machine or scissors

-Mod podge 

-Painters tape

 {What I did}

-First I took some white spray paint that I had on hand. You could also use white craft paint but I liked how fast the spray paint was and that it got in all the slates. 

-I sprayed the whole thing white and made sure to get the sides and in the crevices.

 -Once the white paint is dry I took some painters tape and taped off two of the slats and all the sides.

-Next I painted the remaining slats with Navy Blue craft paint. You could spray paint them but I just used some craft paint that I already laying around from my last two projects HERE and HERE.

-I painted three coats of blue paint and when the last coat was mostly dry, but still a little wet I removed all the painters tape. This gave it the crisp line and prevented any of the paint getting on the other slats.

-While the paint finishes up the drying processes I moved onto the Glitter United States silhouette. It was easy peasy. I did mine with a cricut mini machine but if you don't have a cutting machine you can simply trace and cut with scissors. I found the silhouette I wanted in the Cricut craft room and cut it out on the gold glitter card stock. 

-Next I sanded down the edges and parts of the surfaces of the wooden slate to give it a worn look. 

-Lastly I painted mod podge on the back of the glitter paper and placed it in the middle of the slate. Then I put wax paper over it and laid a couple heavy books on top to make sure it was on there really good. Then after about 10 minutes everything was dry and finished.

I love how it turned out! And love seeing it on my little shelf everyday for this next month.

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