Saturday, December 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Go Green and Go WOW
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We are hearing this everywhere nowadays and it's a good thing. Recycling and reusing props, materials and supplies can definitely help you stretch that CM budget. We just had a major event at my home church where 80 percent of the decor came from reused items. It looked great. The key is to keep items recyclable items in good reusable condition. Let's face it - if you use junk to create a project, it will end up looking like junk. Here are a few tips towards keeping stuff looking good and ready to be reused for your next WOW.
1. Use quality plywood for build outs or framing projects when creating your room themes. Going cheap with MDF or particle board might seem great for your budget but in the long run you’ll get more value out of wood that can be reused for future projects.
2. Screw instead of nailing. To help wood material stay in better shape use screws when attaching pieces together instead of nails. This makes it easier for separating the pieces with less damage. Pieces can then be reattached using the same screw holes to reduce work time.
3. Treat both sides of raw wood material with primer or paint, preferably both, even if one side is not to be displayed for your project. This protects the piece from warping, and also readies the piece to be reused on the reverse side for the next theme project, saving you time and money.
4. Recycle pre-used materials, such as old wooden fencing, for signage, planks, etc. Take inventory of what you and the church have on hand, noting what each item can be used for. One of the best ways to keep your budget in check is to plan ahead and creatively use what you already have.
5. OOPS- we used it again. Leftover paint doesn't have to stay the color you found it. Mix paints to create the color you need. Keep a gallon of black and white paint on hand to make quick tone adjustments to any paint and you got yourself a new color.
6. Reuse it or lose it. From big things like using both sides of foam boards, banners and canvas sheets to small things such as screws and bolts. Every little thing counts and in the end makes a huge impact to your budget. If it totally, impossibly can not be reused then you trash it and reduce the need for more storage space.
7. Organize and store properly. We all need more storage room. The answer to that comes from above. Create more room by going up. Use ceiling suspended shelving, holders, and hooks to create more storage. Label everything and use clear storage bins for small items for easier identification. The better you store your material the better shape they will be in for future use. As a bonus you go from being the church packrat to being Mr(s). Resourceful.
Hope helps you stretch your budget. Go Green by reusing, reducing and recycling. Now, go create that WOW.
P. Ray
1. Use quality plywood for build outs or framing projects when creating your room themes. Going cheap with MDF or particle board might seem great for your budget but in the long run you’ll get more value out of wood that can be reused for future projects.
2. Screw instead of nailing. To help wood material stay in better shape use screws when attaching pieces together instead of nails. This makes it easier for separating the pieces with less damage. Pieces can then be reattached using the same screw holes to reduce work time.
3. Treat both sides of raw wood material with primer or paint, preferably both, even if one side is not to be displayed for your project. This protects the piece from warping, and also readies the piece to be reused on the reverse side for the next theme project, saving you time and money.
4. Recycle pre-used materials, such as old wooden fencing, for signage, planks, etc. Take inventory of what you and the church have on hand, noting what each item can be used for. One of the best ways to keep your budget in check is to plan ahead and creatively use what you already have.
5. OOPS- we used it again. Leftover paint doesn't have to stay the color you found it. Mix paints to create the color you need. Keep a gallon of black and white paint on hand to make quick tone adjustments to any paint and you got yourself a new color.
6. Reuse it or lose it. From big things like using both sides of foam boards, banners and canvas sheets to small things such as screws and bolts. Every little thing counts and in the end makes a huge impact to your budget. If it totally, impossibly can not be reused then you trash it and reduce the need for more storage space.
7. Organize and store properly. We all need more storage room. The answer to that comes from above. Create more room by going up. Use ceiling suspended shelving, holders, and hooks to create more storage. Label everything and use clear storage bins for small items for easier identification. The better you store your material the better shape they will be in for future use. As a bonus you go from being the church packrat to being Mr(s). Resourceful.
Hope helps you stretch your budget. Go Green by reusing, reducing and recycling. Now, go create that WOW.
P. Ray
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Paintbrushes: Buy Good Ones & Take Care of Them
In your Must Have Materials and Tool List: both disposable and good quality paint brushes. A great money saver is to care for and maintain them to help stretch that budget. Here are some tips on cleaning your paint brushes to keep them looking like new:
1. When painting with water-based (acrylic) paint, clean your brush every 2 hours and after each painting session ends. Never leave a brush sitting in paint.
2. Remove extra paint using a brush cleaning tool with teeth to scrape the paint off.
3. Wash the brush with a solution of one gallon warm water and a 1/2 cup of fabric softener. (The softener is a wetting agent. When it is dissolved in water it reduces the surface tension of the water, thus helping the paint dissolve quickly.) Dip the brush or pad into the solution and move it around while counting to 10. The paint will dislodge form the brush and settle at the bottom of the bucket.
After cleaning the brush in the warm water and fabric softener solution there is no need to rinse it in water. Repeatedly washing the brush in this solution allows the fabric softener to coat the bushing and the bristles, which allows the paint to flow smoothly from the brush.
4. Dry the brush in a paintbrush spinner to remove water form the brush. To make your own spinner, take a a 5-gallon bucket with a lid and make and an 8-inch hole in the middle of the lid. Place a plastic trash bag inside the bucket and replace the lid. Now "spin" the brush through the hole in the lid by rolling the handle between your palms. With the brush inside the bucket, the excess paint splatters inside the bucket on the trash bag. (This is especially helpful in an already decorated environment.) Dispose of the plastic bag.
5. Do not use dish soap to clean brushes. It will cause the bushing and the bristles to stick together.
Now you have some clean quality tools ready for the next project in making your areas WOW.
1. When painting with water-based (acrylic) paint, clean your brush every 2 hours and after each painting session ends. Never leave a brush sitting in paint.
2. Remove extra paint using a brush cleaning tool with teeth to scrape the paint off.
3. Wash the brush with a solution of one gallon warm water and a 1/2 cup of fabric softener. (The softener is a wetting agent. When it is dissolved in water it reduces the surface tension of the water, thus helping the paint dissolve quickly.) Dip the brush or pad into the solution and move it around while counting to 10. The paint will dislodge form the brush and settle at the bottom of the bucket.
After cleaning the brush in the warm water and fabric softener solution there is no need to rinse it in water. Repeatedly washing the brush in this solution allows the fabric softener to coat the bushing and the bristles, which allows the paint to flow smoothly from the brush.
4. Dry the brush in a paintbrush spinner to remove water form the brush. To make your own spinner, take a a 5-gallon bucket with a lid and make and an 8-inch hole in the middle of the lid. Place a plastic trash bag inside the bucket and replace the lid. Now "spin" the brush through the hole in the lid by rolling the handle between your palms. With the brush inside the bucket, the excess paint splatters inside the bucket on the trash bag. (This is especially helpful in an already decorated environment.) Dispose of the plastic bag.
5. Do not use dish soap to clean brushes. It will cause the bushing and the bristles to stick together.
Now you have some clean quality tools ready for the next project in making your areas WOW.
Friday, April 11, 2008
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