Cheap & Lazy Girl’s Guide: Monogram

Hey, who you calling cheap and lazy? 
I like to think of myself as “resourceful”. 🙂 

Here is the deal. I purchased a Silhouette machine back in May as a treat to myself. It promptly arrived with promises of crafting bliss! Oh the things I could monogram! Oh the amazing crafts I could make with this amazing machine!

Confession: It still sits in the closet in the box it arrived in. Every time I open the closet door it taunts me. Something about having a 12 week old just makes the task of figuring it out so daunting!


So if you are like me and either completely intimidated with tackling your new amazing monogramming machine, or do not have one yourself, I am going to share how to create a DIY monogram that I painted on my umbrella holder.

It’s easy, hence the lazy part. 
And it’s free, hence the cheap part.

First:
Go to a free online monogram maker. I used this one. Once you have generated your monogram, save it to your desktop. Then open a word document or power point and insert the file. Resize the monogram to your desired size. Easy enough so far right?

Second: 
Find a scrap piece of paper. Trace said monogram straight from your computer screen onto said scrap paper. Of course, you could print it but if you are like me and out of ink, you improvise. 

Third: 
Cut out the monogram and create your stencil.
This is the hardest part. But hey, no pain, no gain! 

Fourth: 
Stencil the monogram onto your project with a pencil.

Fifth: 
Fill your monogram in with paint or a marker! I had to do several coats to get full coverage.

And voila. You have a monogram!!

Perfect? No.
Free, fast, and easy? Yes!

Tip: If you are neither cheap nor lazy- you can order cute monograms from the 11 Magnolia Lane Etsy Shop.  

Alright ladies- now you have no excuse not to slap a monogram on it!
xoxo-
Heather

Sharing with: Dimples & Tangles,  Between Naps on Porch,  Savvy Southern Style, Huckelberry Love, Home Stories A-Z, Turquoise Home  | Remodelaholic | Craft Dictator | Miss Mustard Seed  | I Heart Nap Time |  Tatertots and Jello | Today’s Creative Blog | Jennifer Rizzo