Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Elk Elk Baby–Spring Pinterest Challenge!

I’ve been into antlers lately…

They’re sprinkled around the house.

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I collected them from my Dad who had them in his house growing up.

Then recently I got a very happy call from my Grandma who offered me a set of elk antlers. She got them from Jackson Hole, WY several years ago and said they have been collecting dust for the past couple of years.

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I told her I’d love to have them but gave my usual disclaimer that I couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t be painted. She okay’d it and I started brainstorming!

My first thought was to paint them a gorgeous glossy white but then I came across painted antlers. More specifically, Katherine Nichols at The Painted Antler.

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Via

Gorgeous, no? Seriously, you must go check out the eye candy on her site.

Anywho, that’s when I decided I wanted to paint mine in a color-block fashion too.

I brainstormed forever on colors and ended up with Silver, White and Sea Glass green. I used acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby.

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First things first I taped off the sections with painters tape. I tweaked them along the way but decided on this general design.

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Helpers are not required for this part but it’s always nice to have company.

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I went back and forth but ultimately decided not to prime them. I’m glad I didn’t. It wasn’t needed, the paint covered really nicely. One coat would have been just fine, but I put two on to make sure it was a solid layer.

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Doing what I love!

Weird stuff…according to David.

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I planned to paint the natural sections white but I re-evaluated and decided to leave the small sections original. I wanted it to still look authentic and not store bought.

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I bought a $2 wooden plaque from Hobby Lobby and painted it white. I should have sanded the edges, but I didn’t think about it until it was too late. I decided after some googling that a European Mount was how I needed to mount it to the plaque.

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I picked up a nut and bolt from Walmart as well as a pack of washers.

Oh and I used the back to test paint colors!

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There were two prong like pieces sticking out from those back corners but a few clamps of the pliers and they broke right off. I needed a flat backside to mount it to the plaque.

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I drilled a pilot hole and put the bolt through….

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I then set the antlers on the plaque, and fed the bolt through the hole and put the washer and nut on top and screwed it tight.

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Now that the skull was attached to the plaque I had to figure out how to put it on the wall.

But first, and most importantly, where would it go?

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This is when it’s handy to have a helper. My hubby held it everywhere I could possibly want it and I took pictures so I could analyze it later.

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He loves this part of my projects. Or not.

Fast forward another week and I finally got the balls courage to hang it. That sucker is heavy and more than two feet wide. I had to make sure it was hung sturdy.

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Enter, my can-do-anything-Dad!

Every time my parents stop by for a visit, my Dad somehow gets put to work. What starts as a “Hey Dad, I am planning to do X,Y,Z…what do you think?” always turns into a “Let me take a look…oh well here just let me do it!”

Works for me! Thanks again Pops!

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So that’s the story of the antlers on the wall.

Oh and we’re not hunters, in fact we feed the deer on the lot next door with corn! We love zee animals.

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Taken a few days ago out of our bathroom window.

I do love a good antler decoration though, if it’s given to me I’ll take it.

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That peeking stenciled wall always makes me smile.

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So what do you think? A little weird? Or right up your alley?!

I really love them and the fact that they’re from my Grandma and a place that’s so special to her, it makes them even better!

PS that giant succulent on the counter is REAL. I l-o-v-e it. For $10 at Home Depot and my added succulent obsession, I couldn’t pass it up!

20 comments:

  1. I really love how your house is coming together!! I think the antlers look great. I like the colors your chose!

    PS - I had a bang incident similar to yours, except I was going for sides ones. It's been like 3 weeks and I've already started to just grow them out.

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  2. Love the antlers! I have a set(?) just laying around that I need to do something fun with! I chuckled at your hubby's "weird stuff" comment...mine says the EXACT same thing to me all the time...haha!

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    1. Renee you definitely need to do something with them!! You could let the kids finger paint them! Haha :) And yes, Tee and David just need to get over our love of doing "weird things!" :)

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  3. They turned out so great! My grandparents lived really close to Jackson Hole and we'd always drive under the antler arch as kids and were SO amazed by it!! :)

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    1. Thank you so much Brittney! That is so awesome, I have seen pictures of the antler arch but have never been! Bucket List maybe?! :)

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  4. I want want want one!!! I am currently scouring the internet for 'faux antlers' because I don't think Mark would be very please with real ones...

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    1. Angie, try looking at ZGallerie! They may not be too terribly expensive for the small ones. I still want that giant fake white moose head!

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  5. Love the antlers (and the runner and the hanging lights . . .) I swear I am the only one these days who hasn't done something fun with antlers. Must get on that.

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    1. Thank you so much Joanna! The lights are from Lowes by the way! Now that I've started with some, I don't want to stop! None are safe in my house :)

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  6. So Cute! I'm totally on board with the loving of antlers right now. Ive been passively looking for some for a while (they're not as cheap as you would expect) until my BFF finally picked on up for me at an estate sale. I turned mine into a jewelry holder complete with silver leafed tips. Oh, and I'm still passively looking for more!

    Nikki Kelly

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    1. Nikki I bet that is so cute!! I'll have to take a look at them if I can find them on your blog! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  7. I can't get over the canvas sign with the quote in the background. Did you make it? How can I get one? It would look lovely in my classroom.

    M. Suttles!

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    1. Hi Megan! I did make it. It's actually a drop cloth from Lowes. I put grommets along the top to hang it. I just painted the letters with black acrylic paint. I used contact paper I cut with my cricut to paint the letters but free handed would be pretty too! I LOVE it. It's nice and big too so it takes up a good amount of the big wall it's on!

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    2. Thanks! That will be a summer project for me!

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  8. Love these! I've seen The Painted Antlers before, and loved them. Yours turned out so well! Love that you left a little of it natural.

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    1. Thank you so much! I am glad I did too. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  9. The weird things comment makes me remember a card my husband got me - it said:

    "I just don't like to see you waste your time on silly things" he said
    "Well then," she said, "close your eyes."

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    1. I like that very much :) Plus what's silly to some may be the exact opposite to others! Thank you for sharing :)

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  10. I looooooooove the color combo you went with, and it looks absolutely perfect on your wall!! Fantastic job!!! :)

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    1. Thank you so much Gabbi!! I picked those colors and didn't even realize they matched my plate wall in the dining room. Yay for happy accidents! :)

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