Lost In Creativeness

I'm BACK!

Really, I wasn't stuck in a snowbank looking for dirt like my friend Melissa from Pink Satin Sashes wondered.

I was hiding in my fabric!

In fact, I am not looking looking out the window again until that WHITE STUFF on the ground is gone!

I was stuck in a craft room.

I was doing the cleaning thing,

well,

kind of.

I think all moms know what happens when you send your kids to their rooms to clean.

THEY PLAY!

Well, the same thing happens to us creative people when we are SUPPOSED to clean our craft room.

WE GET CREATIVE!

I planned some posts to show you last week what I was up to, but then circumstances that you can not control sometimes happen; sick children, computer problems.

So, children get better and Mr. M. the computer man brings home a shiny new hard drive and life goes back to normal.

 Except, I was having so much fun CLEANING the craft room I almost did not want to come out.

But I did, I wanted to share with you and tell you that you can do it too with a little practice and some of Miss Mustard Seed's help.  In case you have not seen them, Marion from Miss Mustard Seed posted some video tutorials on how to make a wing back slipcover; from cutting to sewing a slipcover.
 I watched them over and over.

First I practiced by making a bench cover. 

I painted the legs white and removed the green embroidered cover and made a simple slipcover with a ruffle edge.

I think my daughters' cat has found a new spot to hide from the boys.

Next I tackled a spare chair.

 I ALWAYS have a spare.

But, don't ask, because I can not share a spare chair.

before

AFTER!

I just love how the chair turned out! 

And I thought a wing back would be hard to do, this arm detail was a bugger, but I tried and tried again and I am just tickled with how good it looks. 

Just look at that cute ruffle, it just brings out the cuteness of her legs.

And boy does baby got BACK!

I can't wait to unveil her at my daughters' birthday party next weekend.

Now besides cleaning the rest of the house for the birthday party, I just happen to have a couple of pairs of wing back chairs that I want to slipcover.
 
So don't bother sending a search party, I'm ok.

 My evil plan is that if I have enough pretty chairs in the living room, I can convince Mr. M. that the lazy boy HAS TO GO!



Hey Sara,
Now let's see if burger king can beat that.




Inside joke!  I'll let you know if my buddy Sara spit out her coffee reading it.

I am going to be joining My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures,  Faded Charm for White Wednesday and Miss Mustard Seed for Furniture Feature Friday, and My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday with my pretty white slipcovers this week.
I hope you have a great week, or two!

Sign Love

This date represents the year we built our home and the year we were married.

This sign was my anniversary gift to my husband.

I made the sign using a scrap piece of wood I had in the basement. 

 I think it was either part of a door or a shutter in its' past life.

My favorite part of the sign is that I did not have to paint it white or distress it.

I printed up the letters and numbers on the computer and traced it onto the wood using carbon paper.

Then I hand painted in the tracings.

  The line around the edge I just lightly painted freehand following the edge of the wood.  I let the paint brush run out of paint on parts of the line to make it have a more natural aged look.

Mr. M. liked it very much and I did not have to ask more than once to get him to hang the sign in the front entrance of our home. 

Did you find the little red thing at the top of the picture?  Now if only I could find a chandelier to replace the broken one I would be a happy camper.

As for what I am doing today and for........ a while, I have signed up for 40 bags in 40 days.  If you have not heard about it you will enjoy your visit to August Fields, this blog is a wonderful place to visit.  I don't know how she does it all and with 5 adorable children.

I made my list of 40 things I want to accomplish.

 This morning I started with cleaning out the mud room before the kids even left for school.

Now normally I need a big event, such as a child's birthday party or a holiday looming to get me to take on such projects, but I am willing to try this commitment instead.

I am hoping that Newton's Law "A body in motion remains in motion unless it is acted on by an external force.  If the body is at rest it remains at rest."

My external force is this computer, so basically if I do not get away now I will get nothing done.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are having a productive day!

 



Spring Mantel

Today I am Joining Jennifer Rizzo for a Spring Fever Party.

Refresh Your Home!

I have been slowly incorporating Spring into each room.

This weekend I redid my living room mantel.

I tried my hardest to think of spring even while it snowed this weekend. 

After and before.

The new spring mantel looks much lighter and simpler even though I used some of the same items.

I just love this garden angel I received for Christmas this year.

I don't think he is not going outside though.

I just love the look of silver white and green.

This is Steiner, short for Einstein.  He was laying on the couch looking so comfy I could resist taking his picture.  He is the most lovable, snugly cat you could want.



Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure to stop by Jennifer Rizzo's for some great decorating ideas.

A Step Up

The weekend is here, the good news; the snow is melting away, the bad news; it is raining cats and dogs.  I took a break from cleaning, the computer is in the office and I am not getting much cleaning done, but I am enjoying my day.

I thought I would join Saturday Nite Special with Donna from Funky Junk Interiors.

BENCHES

THEY"RE EVERYWHERE!

I have always loved benches.

Large

Small

In between

They all look great to me.

In the kitchen.

In the dinning room.

In the living room.

In the bathrooms.

  I have found that children can become more independent when given "a step up."

As decorative pieces.

And sometimes

 just because!

Take a visit to Funky Junk Interiors, there are some great benches to see.

Have a wonderful weekend!



M is for MOSS!

 

FRIDAY! 

Well almost, it is today's tomorrow or it will be yesterday's today, as my youngest would say.

Anyway, the weekend is on its' way!

I was flipping through the new Pottery Barn catalog and found these moss letters.

I love the look of the green moss with the white ribbon, but did you see the price? 

What?

Are you kidding me $79.

Sorry PB, but I can make one for less, in fact, I did last year.

Now I am here to tell you, YOU CAN TOO!

This M is a 22" one.

This is my son's M and is 12" tall.

This C is for my oldest son, still waiting to be done. 

 I made my moss letters using a very thin and light weight wood letter that I had ordered from here.  I know you can find these thin letters in various craft stores.  The moss I purchased in a large roll from Michael's using my 40% off coupon.

As far as how I "did it" I just laid the letter out and cut the large pieces and glued on with my handy dandy glue gun.  I made sure to piece some of the smaller pieces from left overs, once you put the pieces of moss closer together, you never even notice that they are pieced together. 

NOTE:  This is a messy project, so I worked in the kitchen where I could sweep up the floor when done.

I have hung my letters two different ways;

 1) tie ribbon to the letter and hang by bow at other end. 

2) glue two pieces of ribbon on and tie in the middle and hang from bow.

What do you think of my PB moss letter knockoff?

Are you going to try one?  It has that spring feel we are all longing for.

I am joining Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

 and Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

Make sure to stop by and be inspired by all the wonderful bloggers.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by.



White Wednesday and A WINNER!

 

Happy White Wednesday!

 

It feels to have the time to be able to participate in one of my favorite link parties.  

If you have a love for anything white, then this is a party for you.

 Thank you Kathleen at Faded Charm for hosting White Wednesday every week!

The other day I showed a lampshade that I made covered using some of my vintage white linens.  I had a request for a tutorial, but I feel kind of bad because I really didn't make the shade as much as I just enhanced one I already had on hand. 

I am here to show you a new one I made yesterday and to tell you that you CAN TOO!

As you can see I start with a shade that is already put together, but needs some love.

I lay the shade down on the fabric and make my pattern on the fabric, rolling from end to end. 

I leave a little extra in case I need it.

I used a small shade this time because it goes faster. 

I normally do not use bright blue markers, but I wanted you to see how I made the pattern.

I found these little clothes pins in the office section of Walmart and they work perfect for holding the material while I glue the top and bottom on.  First I pin the fabric on to make sure it fits and then I cut off any extra fabric.  I use a glue gun and glue the bottom first, pulling tight as I go.  Then I glue the top adjusting it so the fabric fits tight on the shade.

As you can see, I mostly work while sitting at my computer, how else would I get some reading done.  I am also known to work during TV commercials. 

This seam is the hardest to get tight and straight.  I must state that I am doing this for my own home and not for resale.  I have learned to be happy with doing my best and the next one is always better than the last.

I use different trims for both the top and bottom of the shades.  I have used such trims as; laces, buttons, paper roses, pom pom's and whatever else I have in the house.

The ruffle and rose trim are premade and I bought them both at Joann Fabrics.



I glued the buttons on the top of the shade and a ruffle on the bottom.

I decided a ribbon bow and some paper roses from Michael's were necessary as a final touch.  I think my new shade turned out adorable and it looks perfect in my office. 

I hope you like my enhanced shade and maybe you will try to make one too!

I am linking to Faded Charm for White Wednesday,

 Restore Interiors for Restored It Wednesday,

and

Air Your Laundry Friday at Freckled Laundry.

Have a wonderful day and thank you for reading to the end of my post to find out who won the CSN giveaway!

And the WINNER is:

THE KNAPPS! 

Congrats, I will email you with the details, happy shopping.