B & V in the condo, everywhere you look

August 7, 2015: OK, I admit it. I may be going overboard with the monogrammed projects. It first started with the wood 8 inch letter canvas monograms. And then there was the B * V monogrammed beauty that continues to hang over our bed. 

And, of course, there’s the galvanized Make Market letter tags that prompted me to hang either a “B” or a “V” on practically every decorative item in the condo (much to Bruce’s chagrin). I especially loved these combined with these stained wood cutout doilies.   

 
Here’s an example of a B & V monogrammed project gone very, very wrong. This 24 x 30 fabric covered canvas.

  
I honestly did not know what to do with this thing. The design just wouldn’t come together. The fabric was too dark (and the dark, stained Early American wood did not provide any contrast…it just blended into the backdrop of the canvas.

  

And the layout wouldn’t gel. The embellishments looked strange and out of place. The canvas was way to big for the three 8 inch letters, so it all just looked plain silly. And plain wrong.

  
I grumbled hard about this project. I couldn’t seem to do anything to fix it. My mother, Xenia, however talked me into finding a place to hang it so that I can embrace it as my personal work of art that shows my progress as I hone my crafting skills.

  

Eh. This ugly canvas hung there for weeks and weeks. Bruce first protested (saying that we should just put a chalkboard or something on that wall – anything is better. He then just ignored it. And when I glanced its way, I would either wince and look away, or stare (and frown. Or groan. Or snarl).

Finally, I took that awful piece off the wall and popped the letters and blue bird sun emblem off the canvas. The hideous fabric-covered canvas was placed in the dumpster where it belonged, and the pieces were tossed in a crafts bin.

 
I didn’t have very high hopes that my letters would get renewed life in a new project. But I would never give up on them. Somehow, someway, these letters would have a brilliant purpose.

Now you’d think after that unfortunate craft experience I’d take a nice long break from the monogrammed theme. Well, apparently my crafting mind still had huge Bs and Vs flashing like bright neon lights. Soon after dismantling the sign, the naked B found it’s way on Bruce’s floating shelf above his desk.

  
And after creating the 12 x 12 decorative metal grill panels, the B-shaped light bulb went off in my head.

  
  
Now that’s how you showcase a B. 🙂

Even Bruce did a double-take when I replaced the naked B with this simple and clever update. This striking, yet rustic, decorative spin on his monogram makes the B worthy of display above his desk.

And on the new wood floating wood shelf in the den.

  
Of course, the metal-backed B panel had to have its “V” mate. So here’s the V monogram over metal and red textured cardboard.

  
  

Hmmm…it doesn’t seem as “pretty and feminine” as I like my Vs. What’s right for the B may not be spot on for my lovely V. Time to hang it somewhere, embrace it and see if it grows on me. At least until the next crafting inspiration strikes. V-