4.30.2011

Well, since I never got a My Size Barbie...

...I thought I'd make some My Size Subway Art instead. Do you think Mattel will go for it? Do you think Mattel knows why this type of "art" is called "subway art"? Do you know why this type of "art" is called "subway art"? Please enlighten me if you do. :)

Sort of like this almost-ottoman that Rick built, our new wall decor is the same size as me. Here's proof:

I probably could've taken off my fluorescent slippers for this photo.

Unlike My Size Barbie, though, these 5' tall panels don't come with their own personal hair extensions and painted-on panties.

Bor-ing. Or less creepy? You decide.

They actually began their lives as dingy 7' bi-fold doors that I found abandoned in the basement, which, incidentally, is also where I would abandon my My Size Barbie, if I had one.


Rick cut the doors down to 5' and painted them white (with oil-based primer first since those bi-folds absorb water-based paint in a not-so-pretty way) while I used Sure Cuts a Lot (the best program EVER if you have a Cricut) to type, design, and cut out the words for the panels in mostly black adhesive vinyl. Two of the words are in yellow, which is the color I am attempting to make the accent for our living room.


After all of the words were cut out, Rick helped me transfer the words to the panels using appropriately named transfer tape. It took some effort to make sure everything was lined up and not crooked, because even though we measured and marked where we wanted the words to be, the stickiness of the materials made this part a little tricky.


But in the end, we figured it out.





What the...?! How'd that get in there?!

This is really just more proof that it is completely and utterly necessary for your well-being to stash such an item deep in the dark basement.

I was certainly an avid Barbie lover in my day, but I was never lucky(?) enough to have a giant one. Or one that had been beheaded and glued to a plastic pedestal. How about you?

Weekend Bloggy Reading

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18 comments :

  1. You are hilarious!!! I love the DIY panels too...such a great idea and they look great in the room!!

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  2. I never got the giant barbies (or barbie heads) either. I was rather bitter about it too.

    But those life size DIY word art panels -- that I have to have!!! =) hehe I love it girl! fantastic word choice and they look sooooo good!

    xoXOxo
    Jenn

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  3. Rachel6/01/2011

    Erin Maiden Name Married Name Maiden Name Married Name (dunno if I can put your last name(s) on here since you have a lot of readers...privacy and all...but you know what I am saying :-p)

    I have decided that you should come to Oklahoma and help me decorate. I have a spare roooooom. Adam and Rick can make plywood boxes in the garage while you teach me the ways of the Cricut. :-)

    I really do miss you. I will be home in July...we have to get together for lunch or dinner or opera brownies and squished grapes while I am there!

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  4. Amanda@Serenity Now6/01/2011

    I think your panels are fabulous!! Love the words you used too. My sister and her friend used to call Mattel on a daily basis and ask them to mass produce taller "my size" Barbies b/c they were getting too old for Barbies and still wanted to play. ;)

    I loved this post...featured it today. Thanks for linking with my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. :)

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  5. The Mommy Therapy6/01/2011

    These are awesome. I love the way you used the yellow words as an accent.

    I had the life size Barbie and found her really just too cumbersome to play with, the small ones were much better. I hope that makes you feel better, you weren't missing out on anything.

    Visiting from Amanda's Weekend Bloggy Reading Party!

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  6. Kelly @ VATW6/01/2011

    These are infinitely better than subway art, for the record. Love them, and your very Barbie-licious fluffy pink slippers!

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  7. Kelly @ VATW6/01/2011

    BTW, thanks for your note. We managed to avoid the tornado damage and are so thankful to be safe and sound!

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  8. Aislinn6/01/2011

    My grandma had a barbie head thing in the basement... I played with it sometimes... it was creepy!!

    On a different note, love the new project! Are those the white boards Rick was painting while I was there??

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  9. Carol@thedesignpages6/01/2011

    Those look amazing. I am in the midst of creating a piece of my own but I don't own a cricut so it's a lesson in patience. Stencils and pencils and paint, oh my!

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  10. michelle6/01/2011

    How crafty!! They look so good in that room!!

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  11. Kelsey6/01/2011

    These are so great... I love the whole room! I don't have a Cricut (and I had to google it to make sure it's what I thought it was), so I'm going to give this a shot with stencils and paint! Now... if only our house came with a My Size Barbie, I mean bi-fold doors, from the previous owners! :-)

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  12. I think I actually know!! As far as I can tell, people took signs from subway systems and started using them as a decorative element, which actually looks pretty cool.

    (these guys started in 2001, I don't know if it was their idea or not, but I like their pictures: http://www.subwaysigns.com/ )

    Then people started doing custom signs in the same style, and then started taking more and more liberties with the style, and now any bad typographical art slapped on a piece of wood gets labeled "subway art." (Not that yours are bad, by any means! But I've seen some really awful ones.)

    I actually really love yours! You've hit a nice balance between the original conventions and your own style, and it looks great.

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  13. Any other suggestions or places to go to get words like this printed out? I'm attempting to do something similar and I TRIED painting the words on last night, epic fail. haha. Hope you guys can help xo!

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  14. Two things:
    Where did you get your side tables?
    There is a big house on mainstreet with a barbie head like that in the attic window staring at everyone who drives by.

    One more thing:
    Did you know you're a "no-reply blogger?" PLEASE google it and fix it!!!

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  15. this is brilliant. And I have a cricut but still haven't checked out this 'sure cuts a lot' thing. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  16. Hello! I'm a new reader and just browsing so I don't know if you have to have a specific Cricut to use Sure Cuts a Lot. Or does it work with any of them? You know... I could probably just go look it up. Anyway, cute idea!

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  17. This post showed up on Pinterest and I LOVE your panels!! I'm thinking this might be a great idea for our church! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. You're the first person I've known who has a Sure Cuts Alot. I have a Cricut (naturally, right?) but was afraid the S.C.A. was a hoax. Haha. Hmmm...may have to redo my bday list. ;) Not that I made one, but whatev.

    I played with Barbie til I was like 12...maybe 13. Ssshhhh. (Back when little girls were still little girls.) But, nope....never had a life size one or the salon styling head one. So deprived, I know. ;)

    Anyway...the point. I have been wanting to make subway art for forever (almost). I love yours! Great job!

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