Monday, April 01, 2013

Grande Finale to National Craft Month!

Sorry this note is so late. I had to wait for my neighbor to come reassemble this project. Parts of it were outside of my abilities.

You have seen parts of the "map room" aka the guest room aka the study aka Stella's "chewing room." It's very masculine: suede paint on the walls and a giant map as a focal point. (Ours is a wallpaper that we got from Rand McNally. They don't seem to have it any more, but they have something similar and way more expensive.) And then there was the fan.

Totally wrong. Too white. Too feminine. Too blaaaaah.

So I was cruising Pinterest one day and saw this:
Photo from dimplesandtangles.blogspot.com
She had spray painted the base (on another one she had done the whole fan, including the hardware that holds the blades) and applied fabric with decoupage. Ooh...I could decoupage fabric onto the blades in the craft room. Another use for the extra yardage. But wait...why work on a fan that was basically fine when there was a horrible fan in serious need of some spray paint? Hmmm. Decoupage...map room...decoupage maps! I discussed it with the dude* and we decided to go for it I should do it!


And voila!




Each blade shows a special place...from Edinburgh and Durham, from New Hampshire to Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
I'm soooooo happy with how this came out! I can't wait for the dude to get home! (And I know I left the stickers on the new shades. I wasn't sure about them, and I want to be able to return them...)

*I know a lot of you have husbands who don't care a whit how you decorate and what crazy-ass changes you make. You are so lucky. We decorate by committee here, and everyone has a veto vote. Which is why we don't have decorative pillows in the bedroom, for instance. OTOH, we feel lovely and cozy here.

19 comments:

Beth said...

That is just pretty cool. I especially like that you used maps of places that were dear to you.

Real Live Woman said...

That came out great! A grand finale!

Deb said...

Well, I think that this is definitely a grand finale!! I really like the idea and I think that it came out great!! Can't wait to hear what the dude's reaction is. He's gotta love it!

Kristen said...

I don't care for ceiling fans, but that is a damn cute project. WIN!

Sandye said...

What a brilliant way to end the month! Great project.

xeyedmary said...

That is spectacular! You are so very clever. COngratulations on making it thru the month- you made tons of great things!

Mary in TN said...

I like maps everywhere. In one of the kids rooms, we just glued maps to the wall. It was a mess to take off but lots of fun. I did not know you could get map wallpaper. Guess I need to go to a big city and see what's avaialble.

Margaret said...

Ok, talk about a grand finale! Wow! That is just so cool!!! Your guy has to love it, he has to! I admit I'm one of those whose husband doesn't care about the decorating. :D Sometimes I wish he cared more.

Linda said...

On my gosh!!!! What a great idea for the fan Nikki. I think its my favorite.

Linda

Cole said...

Woohoo! You did it! Great work, now go have a nap! hehe

Great finale ~ my daughter has a ceiling fan in her room and I'm sure she would love to add some color to it!

Margaret said...

I have loved your month of crafting but this finale sure takes the top prize. I would adore having a room with a map on the wall and think your idea for a "map fan" is positively inspired. Do post photographs of "the Dude's" reaction. An Oscar to you for a successful craft month.

Annie said...

The pièce de resistance! That is the coolest fan ever! I work with maps all day long, so I definitely appreciate this one.

Needle Nicely said...

Oh, Anna, how perfect! And I empathize with you about your husband's expressing his opinion about the decor--mine does it, also. That's why we have so many framed pieces braced against walls waiting for a deciding vote (with two of us, when will that happen?).

Alas, this is the end of your daily entries until November. Sigh! I really enjoy your perspective.

Chris said...

Wow!!!!!! What an awesome finish to the month.

Heather said...

Now that is a grande finale! It looks absolutely wonderful.

adrienne said...

*love*

Minnie said...

Congratulations on finishing the craft month. I have enjoyed coming to see what you made each day. I don't think I would have made it. Good job.

Jennifer said...

Totally dig the map blades, and I am a sucker for special meanings, so I particularly love that you chose special places rather than random map bits. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

This is my second favourite craft this month!
I have a load of old maps I inherited from my Grandad, I'd like to do something arty with them.