Sneak Peaks - White Butterfly Chandelier Kits and New Curtains

This week, I've been busy, busy, busy!  Sewing, crafting and painting.  It feels great and I love getting things done that I've been wanting to do for so long. 

Here's a little sneak peak of two of things that I've done this week. 

The original butterfly chandelier that I had listed in my Etsy shop is no longer available, but I get e-mails on it often.  I decided to make a white version to list in the shop. 

Annnnd, I made curtains for my daughter's room that make us happy!  Her room is my favorite in the house.  Seriously.  I find myself sitting in her cheery room quite often.  Currently deciding on what trim I would like on it.  Large pom-poms, medium poms or chenille pom-poms with pretty fauceted beads?  Lace trims and ribbons?  Pretty fringes?  So many possibilities!

Oh, and one more thing that I finally did.  I made a new header after I had forgotten that I left the blank one up there so long ago.  It's nothing special, but will due for now.

Hello Luscious Summer

 I wanted "Summer" letters for my shelf since I enjoyed my Spring letters so much.  I tried to figure it out for a class since there were so many requests for it but sometimes, things just don't work out like that.  So I simplified the process.  I bought some simple paper mache letters and got out my most favorite, vintagey flowered papers and made myself the letters exactly how I wanted them.

Vintagey.  Flowery.  Girly.

And it's just exactly what I wanted.  

Hello luscious summer.

Neon Pickle?

I'm pleased as punch to have finally finished the painting in the kitchen!  It's only been three years of procrastinating for only a few hours of work.  Mental note, next time, just get 'er done! Front room accent wall is done too, just a little more painting in the hallway and I'm done!  Pat, pat, pat...pat myself on the back. 

Feeling victorious, I decided to take on the bookcase that I've been wanting to paint since the day I brought it home from the thrift store "last night".  "Last night" as in the way my three year old explains time.  Example:  "That Valentine's party we had last night was fun."  Apparently, I need years to complete simple painting tasks.  'Nuff said. 

Smartly, I used child labor encouraged my childrens' creative side and they primed the bookshelf while I primed the kitchen walls.   And they did a good job!  My little guy there had the whole side done in no time at all.  Maybe I should employ their help more often?

I thought and I thought and I thunk some more and finally, thanks to my friends fun color choice, found a color for the bookcase.  What does one call it?  Chartreuse?  Yellow-green?  Grellow?  At first, I wasn't so sure of it since at night it was kindly referred to as neon-pickle colored. 

oooo! neon pickle!

Stay tuned to find out what I did do with this neon pickle shelf.  Dun, dun, duuuunnnn.

Hurdles jumped

Last night, a monumental feat was overtaken.  Something that has been three years in the making.  Something that I have known I needed to do daily.  Something that seemed like such a huge project that I didn't even think I could stand to look it in the face. 

I finally stripped the last of the wallpaper off my three little walls in my kitchen!  And filled the holes!  All 137 of them! 

Can you believe it?  I am so proud of myself!  I'm not exaggerating on filling the holes.  I counted them as I filled.  And it really has been three years since I painted the first half of the kitchen.  What stopped me?  The three layers of stubborn wallpaper and thought of filling all of the holes that appeared when I was stripping the paper. 

But no more people!  I'm free from the bondage of my own procrastination!  The walls are cleaned!  To be sanded and primed today!  Yeeeesss!!

A big ol' pat on the back for me.  pat, pat, pat, pat, pat

Break out the paint!

via apartment therapy

I swear I have project ADD because when I start to near the finish line, I feel like I am walking through molasses and get distracted easily because I can't stop thinking about all the other projects that I want to do.  Like when I wake up in the night and obsess over what the heck I'm going to do about the kitchen floor.  Yep, I'm the kind of person that says "heck" and lays awake thinking about stupid projects.  Is anyone else in that boat??  (phew- that was a tangent)

Annnnnywhoooo...where was I?  I've got a crazy little tug-o-war going on in my brain over weither or not to paint some furniture or not.  Paint!  Leave! Paint! Leave! Paint! What color? Leave it alone....argh.


via apartment therapy



So while perusing Apartment Therapy last night, I found this tasty tidbit about colorful painted furniture.  I'm sold and back on the PAINT! train. 

via apartment therapy

Seriously just need to do it so I can stop the crazies.  It's just scary to paint unpainted wood.  Also, one of the furniture projects needs to be painted with oil based paint.  Never done that before.  Yikes!

An apron makeover

My work is doing a little contest.  We were all given an inexpensive apron to embellish to wear at work.   Of course, I called Jackie, master of all things fabric and as usual, she helped me out.  She's great!  Our conversation went something like this. 

Me:  "Jackie dearest, I have to embellish an apron to wear for work.  I was thinking black and white houndstooth.  What do you think, oh master fabric fanicifier?"

Jackie-dearest:  "Yes, love houndstooth!  And you should get this great bright green and pink floral fabric from Hobby Lobby.  And I will serge you ruffles and cut waistbands and make you extra long ties."

The fabric was fantastic, because she is so very clever.  And she very generously serged ruffles and made ties with no effort at all. 

I have no before pictures of the apron of course.  Just imagine a very cheaply made, oddly narrow on top and too long full apron made of polyester goodness.  We cut the apron in half, sewed a waistband with extra long ties that can tie in front or back, added the houndstooth and pink ruffle.  Today I made a pocket and sewed it together.  I think it's cute!    

I had a mini photoshoot with my favorite 10 year old photographer because that's what us dorkey bloggers do.  He kept telling me "Work it! Work it! Yess! That's great! Show off that apron!  Woo-ooo!!" (He says, YOUR WELCOME MOM!)   Here I show off the back tie option and how to akwardly use a pocket.

And the front tie version.  (Maybe I should of changed out my favorite baggy lounge pants?  Nah, too comfy!)

Yes, that pocket really needs something.  A blingy button?  Ruffles?  Flowers?  Any ideas? 

All in all,  this little cheap apron is 100% better!!  Thank you Jackie!  Do you think it could win?  I hope so!

Sneak Peak

I've been on a bit of a sewing kick lately.   Here's a sneaky peaky:

Project one and two are done.   Adorable!
Project three and four finished (hopefully) soon. 

Ahhh! Freak Out! Le Freak, C'est Chic

How to scare your husband in three easy steps.

1. Cover a perfectly good window with foam board and duck tape.  Be sure to run out of duck tape before it's actually done.

2. Decide that yes, the window sill really is in the way and you can't stand it anymore.  Break out the old tiles in the window sill.

3. Begin to starch fabric to wall but be sure to leave it out and half done because you started this project just two hours before you were supposed to go to work.

Works like a charm!  Here's to me crossing my fingers that I can get this project to work!  Eek!

Hedgehogs, Burp Cloths and Ruffle Bumsies

With a rush of babies being born,  I needed to come up with a few baby gifts, especially for this baby girl.  With the help of Ms. Mama Monster mad serging skillz and fabric combining, we made several different embellished onsies.

First, this little hedgehog could of not been any easier.  Especially since Jackie already had it cut out and then ironed it on for me.  Two quick french knots and he was done.   Look how cute they are on a wrap shirt.  Don't worry, she promises that she will do the tutorial.

Then for the baby girls (three of them mind you!), a little ruffled bumsie from this tutorial.  BTW, I think calling it a ruffle bumsie is much cuter than ruffle butt onsie.  You can call me crazy, but try saying "bumsie".   Fun, isn't it?

Since the front was looking a little plain, a simple flower corsage was done ala Mama Monster style.

While making these onsies, I may have been known to spontaniously shout out how darling they were.   One last look.  Yep, still darling!

Burp cloths were up next on the list.  Simple, yet useful, I love the way they turned out.  Thanks to the Mama Monsters mad fabric hording skillz, I scored the use of some super cute flannel.   Owls for the boy and the apples for the girls.  Hmm....I could of ironed them.

So there you have it.  Sweet little baby gifts that just require a little time and a little fabric and you'll have a one of a kind gift for that special little baby. 

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*Be sure to enter my giveaway for the wood Spring letters!   Contest ends March 21st.

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I've linked up with the fabulous linky parties:

 

Creative Jewish Mom Craft Schooling Sunday

If I could only have both.

I picked up a sample of this fabric today for my bedroom wall.  I like the greeny-gold of the background and the large floral blooms.  I think it will look lovely with crisp white, charcoal and yellows. 

Heather Bailey - Nicey Jane Hello Roses in Gold

Just working to commit to the fabric because it isn't cheap considering that I'm going to need 10 yards of it.  I was going to do the Dolce Marilyn in Grey but they don't have enough of it in stock online for the price that I want to pay. 

What's it going to be?  It's always a surprise with me!

Just five easy steps...

This "hallway" has been a thorn in my side.  It's tiny.  It's dark.  It's got an outdated electrical panel and a entry to the tub's plumbing next to it.  And the beloved dark blue carpet.  (Why oh why would one put carpet in the kitchen?)  How does one correct these issues with little or no money and minimal time?    Here's how in just five simple steps.

Step 1: Have Jodi make you a custom size magnet board to cover the mess of the wall and provide a place for artwork and homework reading charts.   In your excitement, forget to pay her.  Call her and beg for forgiveness and tell her what an awesome, wood workin' goddess she is! 

Time Spent/Money Spent:  TBD.  Gotta pay the girl.

Step 2: Get over the floor.  Eventually, I will get the flooring of my dreams installed.  You know, the one that cleans itself and always looks brand spankin' new.  I haven't found it yet, that's why I don't have it yet.  Haha! 

Time/Money Spent: Zero!

Step 2:  Clear off the door of artwork.  Clean the walls and door of the kidlets finger prints.  Much, much better already.  Pry off the old molding around the water entry thingy. 

Time/Money: 15 minutes, zero dollars.

Step 3:  Go through all of your paints to find the paint from the family room, front door and a mistint that only cost $1.50.   Gather painting supplies and paint halls, paint door, paint magnet board frame.  It's hard to tell, but the walls went from dingy, poorly painted white to a very nice Nantucket Gray which is just a nice way of saying they are tan.  Door, Withye Blue by Benjamin Moore.

Time/Money = 2 hours,  Less than $15 since

I ran out of the wall color.

Step 4:  Paint frame bright red.  Love the red.  Be happy all over again for painting the front door bright red.  Praise Behr for their Paint + Primer goodness. 

Time/Money:  15 minutes for both coats, FREE!

Step 5:  After waiting the appropriate drying time, hang magnet board and decorate.    Afters to come tomorrow.  I'm still playing with the arrangement. 

Total Time and Money Spent:  Three hours and less than $15 for paint plus needing to pay for the magnet board.

Bargain!  This is my kind of afternoon project!

Project Landing.

Project Landing.

Make this eyesore go away

To be continued...

Halloween Projects

I like Halloween. It's all the fun of decorating like Christmas without the pressure on the present front. And even better, decorating on the dime. So when I found these projects on Wise Craft this morning, I was super duper excited!Who knew that good ol' Value Village had all these goodies on their website. Who knew they had a website? Wise Craft created all the projects found there with finds that you could find there anytime. Check out the projects here at Value Village or as my sister calls it, "The V.V. Boutique". I have already printed out the little girl in the witches hat and am diggin' to make these softy pillows.

Don't forget to enter my give-away at Our Cozy Nest. She also has another give-away going for a fabric charm pack from the always popular Moda. Don't be shy, go and enter to win both!

*Photo courtesy of Wise Craft

Bath

My favorite part of newly re-decorated bath.

I'm planning on hanging big hooks underneath the bath sign to hang fluffy towels. Or in my case, towels that will be fluffy until the first child walks into the bathroom and wipes their chocolate covered hands on them then leaving it on the floor. But until then, it's going to look fab!

School's In - Project List Just Got Longer

Today was the first day of school for my two oldest kids. I apparently think that I have all the time in the world now because I went shopping and bought myself supplies for five new projects. I bought:

• Thrifted frames to make a chalkboard (or two)
• Fabric for a twirly skirt for Mia
• Fabric for a Halloween pendant banner
• Makings for a Halloween decoration
• A bouquet of sweet little silk flowers to use for hair adorning. I couldn't resist for only 50 cents.

These are new projects on top of the "old" new projects. You know, some big, some little, some unrealistic. Some of these include:

• Halloween tasseling. I've got the itch to work on them bad!
• Finish painting my kitchen walls. It's only been nearly two years since I started. Obviously, I am not in any big hurry.
• Add fabric to shower curtain to lengthen.
• Add length to front room curtains now that they are not covered up by furniture. I do not like floating curtains.
• Scrapbooking. I been itching to work on this too, but never enough time.
• Finally get a kitchen floor. Husband gave me the okay but I can't decide commit.
• Clean, clean, clean and clean some more and then one more time on top of that just so I can start over and do it again tomorrow.
• Paint front room dresser.
• Be a mommy.
• Conquer the universe.

Am I the only one that is all over the place?? At least I have one of my many projects nearly completed already. Yeah me! What about you? Any projects to share?

SWOON!

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Now the hard part, waiting two more days until we can put furniture back in the house. Let's just say, nothing is classier than your sofa on your front porch.

Vacation - Stay-cation

For Ryan's vacation this year, we opted for a nice "stay-cation". We had a great time celebrating the 24th of July by finishing up the bathroom. (It's looking good in there! Just a few more details like finding a light fixture that will work with the mirror or a new mirror to work with the light fixture we have. Decisions, decisions.) We went swimming, we went to the park, we celebrated Ry's 34th birthday, we went to the baseball game, we ate out, we shopped. It was great!

With only two more glorious days before he had to return to work, he suggested that we pull out the carpet in the front room. He didn't even have to say it twice before I was practically throwing the furniture out the front door. Yippee! This has been my kind of vacation! Home improvement projects galore.

At first, the floors looked promising. In great condition and just needed a bit of cleaning and a new coat of poly. But alas, they were just like all the rest of the house. The previous owners used the hardwood as their drop cloth for their painting projects.

My son and his friends really helped. They pulled out staples, pushed out the old carpet and demolished the old tile. They were great help!

At one point during the full on destruction of the tiles, Ryan said the boys "Thanks for destroying my house." You should of seen their faces until they realized it was okay.




Now that Ryan is back to work, I am filling in holes, washing walls and cleaning the floors, trying to decide on a stain color. Oh boy. Decisions, decisions. I can't wait to see them done! Now if I could just get that sectional sofa that I have been wanting....