When Was The Last Time You Got Your Eyes Checked?

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Dinner is in the oven, the dogs are fed, and like many of you, I'm perched on the couch watching election results roll in.  So I thought I'd update on one more project that I completed this weekend.

I've seen some cool pieces of art created to look like an eye chart; here is a version of the Snellen Eye Chart that most are probably familiar with.

My focus was on the chart on the left and used this design to create my own.  I actually started this project a few weeks back by creating a word document and playing around with different fonts, font sizes and sayings.  If you notice in the chart, the first line has one letter, the second line has two, the third line has three letters, and so on.  My plan is to hang this art in my dining room, and therefore, wanted to keep the theme of food, but also have it be witty.  Because I am...well, at least I like to think so  :)

It took some creativity and some playing around with different words, but this is what I ended up with:

If you can't read the chart you may need to get those peepers checked out.  Or you can just read it below...
1 -                    F
2 -                   I N
3 -                  I S H
4 -               Y O U R
5 -              D I S H O
6 -           R O U R D O
7 -          G S M I G H T

8 -        E A T W H A T Y
9 -       O U L O V E L O V
10 -    E W H A T I C O O K

11 -     F I R S T T O F I N I
12 - S H A L W A Y S W I N S

^ that last line is funny to us because I eat crazy fast.  Ladylike...right?  I remember being on a first date a few years back where we went to dinner and I had licked my plate clean before my date had taken his first bite.  While I was quietly celebrating a victory for winning the dinner race, I had also decided that this guy wouldn't win a second date with me.  Then again, he may have been happy about that.

Anywho...after I settled on a finalized electronic version of my eye chart, I had the print shop create a large black and white print of the image to fit a 10" x 20" frame.  Cost = $2.50.

I tried the black and white image in a frame, and it seemed a little too stark white for my walls.  So I used the method for "aging" paper.  For those who don't know...tea is a great stain for paper to give it a "yellowed" look.  It's as easy as steeping a tea bag (I used english breakfast) in hot water for 30-60 seconds.



I pressed excess water out of the bag and used it as a paintbrush to apply the stain.  The effect shows immediately.  Streaks can happen, so I moved the "brush" quickly and in one consistent direction. 

The paper started to curl from the moisture and some areas of the paper became a little too saturated, which you can actually see on the right side of the print in the picture above.  The print took about 30 minutes to dry and the paper was left crinkled; I thought this just added to the aged effect. 

While I was working on this project and staining the paper in the kitchen, Joe Louis was busy making a project of his own in the living room.  Never trust a quiet puppy.



The pup has a thing for paper towel.  Lesson learned....I will now be storing the paper towel on the top shelf of the kitchen island. 



He's lucky he has a cute face.  How could anyone get mad at this?

In other news...I got one of my birthday gifts today. The long-awaited book by Sherry and John Petersik, Young House Love (you can check out their blog turned book here).  I will be nose deep in this for the rest of the night...



Don't you love easy projects!? What projects have you done lately? Have you seen eye chart art? Are you a fast eater too (if so, I'll challenge you to a race)?

Mary (and one naughty dog)