The kids had decided it was too hot to play outside.  So where did I go? Directly outside into the blazing afternoon sun.  It may have been hot but it was quiet.

We are nearing the end of summer.  The kids have been sloth like and uninterested in much except picking at each other.  (We may even start school a week early to help combat their boredom!  Mwhahaha.) They have succeeded in making me feel like I could lose my mind.

So instead I will paint.  When I get stressed I make.  It could be fancy food, volumes of food, paintings that make me happy.   One very cold streak last winter I freaked out and made American girl doll sleeping bags and several outfits even though dolls rarely get played with at my house.  Those tiny garments brought some order to my brain. A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl.   “Move over kids.  Mama’s got a project.”

I love painting on rough boards but my hubby was running low on his supplies of those.  He had this piece of leftover material from making our chicken shed. My board was about 45″ square, but any size square would work.

It’s rough so it works to give the painting some texture and it should hold up good in the weather so it works for me.  It’s a strange flesh color that was the color of our entire house for a few years but we will soon cover that up.

The Dreaded Straightedge – Required for the Barn Quilt

I am a fan of using what we have. Making something out of nothing is the best.

I am normally not a big fan of measuring anything, ever (I drive my engineer husband crazy.) I had a vision of a simple star barn quilt for our new chicken coop but this definitely required a straight edge.

Even though the pattern looks a bit intricate it was easy enough to map out by dividing the board into four rows, each direction.

 

Barn Quilt DIY - A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

Step one- divide into 16 squares

And then drawing a diagonal line from corner to corner, forming a large “x” in the middle. Ruler skills, people.

Barn Quilt DIY -A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

Step Two- Draw two diagonal lines.

And, finally, each remaining square will be divided in half diagonally.

Barn Quilt DIY -A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

Barn Quilt- Step Three

Barn Quilt DIY A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

Barn Quilt DIY sketch

The Fun Part -Painting

After I had drawn my straight lines on my board I did some quick labeling of what color went where so that I could paint by number without thinking, the ultimate art therapy for me.  I’m not big on making everything perfect. I don’t  tape anything off.  I just paint as straight as I can and let it be. I’m a big fan of “good enough” when it  comes to fun projects like these!

I used all neutrals plus a light blue.   Our chicken coop is a distance form the house so I wanted this quilt to be really graphic and visible from away.  Plus, a little black and white makes everything cool.

Barn Quilt DIY -A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

Barn Quilt DIY

Little Helpers Are Welcome

Eventually they found me and joined in the fun of painting triangles.  And as much as I needed some alone time seeing my kids join in “making” makes my heart happy.

Barn Quilt DIY- A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

My little Helper

Barn Quilt DIY-A project with a beginning and an end and a finished product that lasts for more than 20 minutes can do wonders for a girl. “Move over kids. Mama’s got a project.”

After I was all done I sprayed the whole thing with a matte acrylic spray to seal it and my favorite husband hung it up for me.   It definitely spruced up the front of our little chicken coop.  But more importantly I am in a much better mood and like my kids a lot more than I did a few hours ago.