GriffWorld Travel Map Letters DIY

Oh, the places we've been!

Years ago - and what seems like a life time, when the hubs came up with the idea of naming our travel adventures, "GRIFFWORLD VACATIONS" Did I say, hubs loves to travel! In case you're wondering, our last name is Griffin and the hubs goes by the name, "Griff" to all of his friends. He even came up with a logo like this one pictured below:

And he also mapped out our trips by way of Google, too:

So all of this gave me an idea for our Sustainable Craft Challenge Blog Hop hosted by Julie @Sum of their Stories! This month's theme is TYPOGRAPHY!  Simply put, (btw, I had to look up the meaning), typography is the style or appearance of text or the art of arranging a message in a readable and aesthetically pleasing composition - like GRIFFWORLD, lol!

Decorative letters are quite trendy these days! I had the idea of making cardboard letters using recycled cardboard from a box and transforming them with maps of the places we've traveled.

And repurposing maps onto letters is a creative and eco-friendly way to give maps new life especially if it shows the places you've traveled!  Plus, it's an artful memento of your trips - you're reminded of those special destinations and a sense of adventure every time you look at them!

It's easy to make letters out of recycled cardboard! And then transform them into traveled map decor! Here's how:

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard flaps - from a very large and thick cardboard shipping box
• Letter templates
• Pencil/scissors/utility knife/small sharp scissors
• Cutting mat/board
• Mod Podge (Matte)/paint brush
• Laser lever
• Masking tape
• Command strips 

We recently ordered an outdoor water fountain for our patio and it came in a very large and thick cardboard box. Great to recycle/upcycle!  

It was easier for me to just remove the flaps (8) from the box and save the rest for another project.

Then I found large clipart 8" letters online to print out and use as templates to spell the words, GRIFF WORLD. 

Once I had all the letters printed out, I started cutting them out.

And once all the letters were cut out, it was time to place each letter on the cardboard flaps. I was able to put two eight inch letters on each flap.

And then, drew around each letter using a pencil.

Once that was done, it was .  .  .

time to cut each letter out. From here on out, I will use the letter G to show you how I made the map letters. It would make for a very long and perhaps boring post to show how each letter was done.

Since there were ten letters in GRIFFWORLD, I wanted to divide the Google Map into ten groups - going from left to right on the map - to cover each of the ten letters to print out. 

With each group representing places we've traveled.

The first map is of  Australia. I found it a bit difficult to actually get the visited places lined up with the letters. I would actually hold up the map on top of the letter facing the sun so I could see where the places hit the letter. And while holding the paper map on the letter, I would lay the letter down with the map on top of the cutting mat. Then lift one end of the map up to add mod podge over the letter, smoothing it out. Then lifting the other side to apply the mod podge on the letter and smoothing the entire map out on the letter. Once the map was dry, started cutting the map out around the letter using both a utility knife and .  .  .  

small sharp scissors.

Once the map was cut out on the letter, I dipped my finger in the mod podge and smooth the paper edges down around the letter, then I applied a light layer of mod podge to seal and let dry (not shown).

Here are all the finished map letters with some, but not all of the traveled places listed:

G - Australia - Sidney, New South Wales

R - New Zealand - Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland

I - Hawaii - Lahaina, Kahului, Honolulu

F - United States - California, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oxnard, San Francisco,         Seattle, Colorado, Grand Junction, Denver, Las Vegas, Nevada, Dallas, Texas,       Fort Worth, Pittsburg, Bridgeport, Connecticut, New York, DC, Wildwood, NJ,         Ocean City,  Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Leland, North Carolina,                         Washington,  NC. Columbia, South Carolina, North Myrtle Beach, Key West           Florida, Islamorada, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, Florida Dallas,         Texas, Forth Worth,

F - Alaska - Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Victoria British Columbia

     Canada - Vancouver, British Columbia

W- Mexico, San Miguel de Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Cancun 

O - Jamaica Montego Bay, Ocho Rios

R - US Virgin Islands, St Thomas, Charlotte Amalia  Cruz Bay 

L - Nassau, Freeport, Bahamas, Haiti, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Barbados

D - Florence, Rome Italy, Madrid, Spain, Paris, France,  

Next, it was time to hang them on the wall in the hub's mancave. First, he applied masking tape where he wanted the wording centered and spaced, while I added Command strips to the back of the letters.

Then he used a laser level so I could place masking tape across the last line of wording (WORLD). Then we guesstimated where the center letter R would go, lol!

And added the other letters going before and after the letter R. Sorry about the lighting and shading of the photos. 

Once WORLD was up, it was time to add GRIFF, starting with the letter I. Using the same method as before, centering I,  and .  .  .

adding the R and G, and finally the last two Fs. Since the hanging strips were applied near the top of the letters, it was easy to remove the masking tape lines from the wall. 

The hubs really loves how GRIFFWORLD looks in his room! And I do too!

We have a trip planned to visit Dubai and parts of Africa in 2025. I guess we will start adding the word VACATIONS next! Stay tune!

                   

Welcome to our monthly Sustainable Craft Challenge! As I mentioned before, this months' theme is Typography! The challenge is all about sustainable crafting with a different theme each month!  The projects must have some sort of a sustainable element to them. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers, etc. 

Be sure to check out all the creative Typography Sustainable Craft projects from my fellow crafters listed below:

Julie @Sum of Their Stories - Turn Leftover Alphabet Stickers Into Fun Bookmarks

Mel @Decor Craft Design - DIY Spring Tin Bucket Vase

Gail @Purple Hues and Me -  GriffWorld Travel Map Letters DIY

Terri @Our Good Life -  Quick and Easy Handlettering on Glass

Christine @Christine's Crafts - Dementia Fidget Blanket - Easy to Make and Adapt!

T'onna @Sew Crafty Crochet - Rae Dunn Inspired Cutlery Placemat

How to Make a Mesh Goody Bag for Teacher

Teachers do so much to make sure our kids do their best, so why not give them a little appreciation at the end of the school year with an adorable handmade gift! This DIY mesh goody bag gift for teacher is a great way to put a little bit of yourself into a thoughtful gift for the teachers in your life. It's a great way to say "thank you" to a teacher. And the best part, it's so easy and simple to make! This post first appeared on bowdabra.com where I'm on the design team. 

 

Materials Needed:

• 10" Wide Mesh Ribbon
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Fabri-Tac Fabric Glue
• Parchment Paper
• Cardstock Tag
• Hershey Kisses (goodies)
• 1 1/2" Wired Ribbon
• Mini Bowdabra, Measuring Tool, Wand
• Bowdabra Bow Wire

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Let's begin by cutting 18 inches of 10" wide mesh ribbon. 

Once cut, lay the mesh on parchment paper and fold the mesh ribbon in half, matching all the side edges and top edges evenly. Begin gluing the right side edges together starting at the top. Apply glue on one edge and press down both edges together on top of the parchment paper.

Continue adding glue along the edges and pressing them together until .  .  .

reaching the folded mesh bottom.

Use the side ends of the parchment paper to press down the glued edges to make sure the edges are secure and seal together. Let dry.                                                                                 

Once dry, turn the goody bag inside out and .  .  .

straighten the bag out. 

Then find a free printable tag online to express your sentiment. Or, you can copy and paste this one on cardstock and cut out.

Use Bowdabra Bow Wire to attach the tag to the mesh goody bag after you fill it with Hershey Kisses or goodies of your choice!

To Make the Bow using the Mini Bowdabra: Insert an 18″ piece of bow wire folded in half into the Mini Bowdabra, tucking ends under. Leaving the wired ribbon on the roll, pinch the ribbon in the center and twist down into the Mini Bowdabra, leaving six inches for the tail. 

Create a loop by folding over the ribbon at the 3″ mark on the ruler.  Twist the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra smoothing the ribbon out.

On the opposite side, fold over the ribbon at the 3″ mark creating another loop, twisting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra.                                  

Next, make another loop, folding over at the same mark, as before, twisting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra and .  .  .

making another 3" loop on the opposite side for a total of four loops (two on each side) Use the Mini Bowdabra wand to crunch down the bow, using scissors to cut off the excess ribbon. 

Dovetail the ends by folding each end together and cutting at an angle from the end up to the fold at an angle.

While the bow is still in the Mini Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop, pulling tightly while gently pulling the bow out.

And finally, tie the bow around the mesh goody bag using the Bowdabra bow wire, and then fluffing the bow and mesh top for a gorgeous look!

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy Crafting!

How to Make the Cutest Bow Napkin Ring

 
Celebrations 0 Mother's Day, Graduations, Father's Day, etc., are in the air and the perfect time to get creative and decorate your table setting with adorable bow napkin rings. There is nothing that makes a table setting look more glamorous than adorable napkin rings, especially one that's made out of bows! This is the sweetest looking bow napkin ring and is so easy to make using your Mini Bowdabra. And the fun part is that you can use any type of one inch ribbon to match your decor, the celebration or table setting! This post first appeared on Bowdabra.com where I'm on the design team.

Materials:

• Decorative ribbon - 1"wide
• Scissors
• Acrylic napkin rings
• Fabric glue or hot glue
• Mini Bowdabra, Measuring Tool, Wand
• Bowdabra Bow Wire

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Let's begin by showing you how to make an adorable bow using the Mini Bowdabra! First, cut an 18″ piece of Bowdabra bow wire, folding in half and placing down into the Mini Bowdabra, tucking ends under. Next, pinch the end of the ribbon on the roll, placing it down into the Mini Bowdabra.

    

                                      

Then create a loop by folding over the ribbon at the 2" mark on the Mini Bowdabra measuring tool. Insert the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra smoothing the ribbon out. You don't have to twist the ribbon since it's the same on both sides.

                                        

On the opposite side, fold over the ribbon at the 2" mark creating another loop, inserting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra.

Continue making eight more loops on each side for a total of eighteen loops.

Use the Mini Bowdabra wand to crunch down all the loops on the bow.

To finish the bow, make a button (small) loop to cover the bow wire, then scrunch all the loops down with the Mini Bowdabra wand and cut off the excess ribbon. 

While the bow is still in the Mini Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop, pulling tightly while gently pulling the bow out.

Tie the bow wire in a double knot and cut off the excess bow wire. Then fluff the bow for a fabulous look!

Next, take the acrylic napkin ring and apply a dab of glue on the top center.

Place the end of the ribbon on top of the glue, centering the ribbon.

Wrap the ribbon around the napkin ring to where the ribbon began, cutting off excess ribbon and gluing in place. 

Once dry, glue on the bow where the ends of the ribbon strip are glued to the napkin ring.

How adorable is this bow napkin ring! Now make as many 

bow napkin rings as needed.

The perfect choice for setting a gorgeous holiday table