What's behind curtain #1?

Striped drapes have been trending all over the blogiverse (or at least my little nugget of it,) and I do believe that I am quite smitten.  So what's a gal to do? Why, find somewhere, anywhere  in the house where the window treatments haven't been made from scratch, lengthened, shortened, embellished or modified in any way in the past 3 months.  Hmm.. tough one.  Don't judge me.  And then, it hit me, literally.  As I was cleaning out my "project closet" (the unused shower stall in the downstairs bathroom) the rod came crashing down on my head.  Eureka!  Make a striped drape for my project closet.  And it couldn't have been more convenient because everything I needed was staring right at me and thus, also FREE! There's no way it could be that easy, right?  YES IT COULD, YES IT COULD, YES IT COULD!  Can you tell I'm just a little excited about this project? Honestly, this is one of my all-time favorites and yes, it is the flavor of the week but no, it does not make it any less delicious.  So here's the scoop:  This is what it looked like before:

Not bad, but with very minimal time and effort (scouts honor*) this is what it looks like now:

This took roughly one hour from start to finish with most of the ticks sucked up from the measuring. 

I started off by ironing the curtain very well.  I then laid my curtain out on my dining room table to measure it.  I knew that I wanted 7 stripes so I measured the length and divided by 7 so that I would know how long I needed each stripe to be.  I then made a mark at each interval with a pencil on either side.  I knew I wasn't going to paint in on the table, I just wanted a hard surface for the math stuff so I transferred the curtain onto some plastic sheeting on the floor and laid it out flat.  I then took a piece of wood that I had and "connected the dots" with my pencil so that I had straight lines across.  This is what I used as my edge.

Then, I used Scotch Blue painters tape and taped off all of my lines.  One important thing to note: MAKE SURE THAT YOU APPLY TAPE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE LINES ON THE STRIPES THAT YOU WILL BE PAINTING !  Otherwise, you will end up with janky stripes, and no I don't care that janky isn't a real word, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about.  And since at one point in my life I actually was a natural blonde, I put a piece of tape on the spots where no paint should go in case I had one of my moments.

  

I then took my mini paint tray, my mini rollers, my flat finish black latex paint and went to town.

  It was that easy!  A couple of caveats:  make sure that your curtain is very flat and that the tape is also taut with no bubbles.  Run your fingernail down each seam that you will be painting over to make sure you don't get any bleed.  When you are done with a stripe, do not leave the tape on, peel it right off.  And finally, this does bleed through the back.  I wasn't putting this curtain over a window where I would actually be "drawing the drapes"  so I did not have to worry about what it looked like in the back.  If that had been a concern, I would have let it dry, turned it over and made the "backside" more presentable by painting those stripes.  

So there you have it; my newest, most favorite project with minimal effort and maximum impact.  Who doesn't love that?  And now you also know what is hiding behind curtain #1.  

* disclaimer: I never participated in any activity or was an actual member of any branch of the Girl Scouts, so  take it for what it's worth :)

 

Mission Impossible

You know those girls, the ones that have it all together all the time?  Hair done, mani and pedi'ed non-pajama wearing; perfect cookie bake sale cooking; clean car driving at drop off? Yeah, well I'm not one of them..not even close.  I hate them, but classically (as in high school) because I secretly want to be them.  I admit it.  I am a neat freak wanna-be.  I try really hard too.  Probably too hard (geek for sure,) but to me there are few things more calming then walking into a neat, organized space.  And the lack thereof is probably why I am pretty much always stressed out!  Even so, I won't give up.  At least at this stage in the game, I've come to terms with the fact that organization will not come natural to me. It will always feel like work, and I will always want to be doing one million other things than what I have to do to keep myself sane (or at least passable in everyday society, LOL.)  So on with the show.... one of the things that I have picked up along the way, and which I am pretty sure is like a proton or an electron in the neatness atom (and is also something your grandmother told you a time or two) is having "a place for everything and everything in it's place."  Now it sounds pretty simple, but of course if you ever really thought about it, you know the ugly truth of the complexity that lies behind that statement.  It means being real about your "everything" and I mean everything and finding it a place.  Not simple, and matter of fact, just when you think you might be getting a handle on, and a holder for your things, things change.  That being said, here are a couple of my things, and the places I have made for them (for now.)

This was made from an old magnetic dry erase board, this one in fact:

All I did was cover it with some old material, stapled it to the back, picked up several sets of those magnetic hooks ($1.97 a set at Walmart) put the spools of thread onto some dowels and placed them on the magnets.  Super simple and kinda looks like artwork? 

Next, since I was all about my sewing crap, I took a basket and simply rolled up all of my material and tied them (mostly with yarn) and created something that if you squint your eyes, sorta maybe looks like a bouquet?

Who knows, if I keep trying, maybe someday I will be one of "them."

My (not) dirty laundry

The linen closet...one of the only places in a home that specifically names what belongs in there (aside from the medicine cabinet in which medicine really shouldn't be kept anyway) and yet for some reason, I just never grasped the concept.  Maybe I should have named mine the miscellaneous closet or the I-have-nowhere-else-to-put-it closet.  Part of the problem is that it is not a high traffic area.  I am in there once a week to change my sheets, twice at the most.  The door shuts, and I forget about the chaos that exists in there until the next time.  The door opens and my first thought is "I have to do something about this" and then the door shuts and it is all forgotten about again.  Then I saw it, the monthly challenge over at I Heart Organizing; bathroom and linen closet organization.  Perfect! A challenge!  Just the kick in the butt that I needed. So I immediately went to work.  This is what I started with, ugggh!

  

Horrible, I know but there it is for all to see...what I was hiding in my closet.  Not pretty, but it's the first step towards healing LOL.  Next, was emptying it all to see what I really had.  It's amazing what you carry around from place to place and year to year and never use.  I can't even tell you how many pink pillowcases I had, and not one set.  And since I am the only girl in the house, I can only deduct that the last time they were used, I was lying on my twin bed and talking to my boyfriend tangling myself all up in my pink CORDED phone.  Yeah, time for the donate pile.  Once I figured out what was going to stay, I had to figure out a way to organize it.  I really liked some of the divider ideas I found on the web but lucky me, I have these really useful, efficient, thoughtful (do you sense the sarcasm yet?) wire shelves the builder installed.  So, it was back to baskets (my old faithful Walmart ones.)  I still couldn't get past the shelves though and then the idea fell into my lap (literally when the "curtains" basket pile fell over because it was too tall!)  I had purchased a whole bunch of curtains at Goodwill for $2 a piece (how could I not buy a whole bunch?) and had used only a few in the boys playroom.  I loved the simple gingham pattern and knew that I would find another use for them in the house someday.  Well that day came...shelf liners! 

Amazing what excites me.  I just cut them down to shelf size, used a little stitch witchery for the hems and put a couple of yarn stitches through the wire to keep them from going anywhere.  Whipped up a few Avery brown craft labels to let me know what was inside, and ripped up a few strips of canvas (from the same old organizer I used to make the box for my wrapping center) to tie around the handles.  Had the cute little clothespins from a craft I must have done so long ago I can't even remember, and that was it.  So the only cost was the baskets (total under $20!) Oh, and a bonus for having wire shelves I discovered after.  I can slip dryer sheets in the wire to lay between the material and the shelf so they are invisible, but the closet smells really, really good when make my weekly visit.  Does it even need a door now?

Bed Skirt !!

So, ever since I put my bed on risers to gain some extra storage, the space between (love me some Dave Matthews...... ooh, sorry, snapping out of it....) has driven me totally crazy!  (She says, as if the rest of the bedroom hasn't)..... and not crazy in the Dave Matthews sort of way.  Anyway, I really needed a bedskirt to cover up what was lurking underneath.  I don't know about you, but I've never really  had good luck in the bedskirt (or dust ruffle, if you please) department.  They were always such a pain to put on and getting them to stay in place was a nightmare (figuratively and literally!)  And then, the dawn broke (yes I am cracking myself up with all of these metaphors, although not quite sure metaphor is the right word...anyone...anyone?)  I stumbled across this tutorial from Live from B5 .  Honestly, it is genius !!! Sew or no-sew simple to do!!  It took practically  no time at all and I absolutely love the faux tailored look.  Right now I'm into burlap (until linen is in the budget) but who knows a month from now?  This project is so easy that I could do one for each season........

Or maybe I should settle it down and work on the rest of the bedroom, so obviously in need.  

She's Crafty

Yes, I LOVE the Beastie Boys and as we speak, I am donning a T-shirt with the words "She's Crafty"  on it given to me by my best friend (the second biggest Beastie fan.)  Although, I am fairly certain that the boys did not mean that "she" was good with a glue gun, and my name is not Lucy, the song will forever be a part of the soundtrack of my life.
Being crafty sometimes means being messy (at least for me) but I am determined to change all of  that.  This year, I vowed to get my paints ducks all in a row and create a place for every little thing in my craft room/office space.  It is a huge work in progress and hopefully some time this year, I will be able to do a big happy dance reveal. But for now, in the still lingering spirit of my spring cleaning/organization kick, I will share some of my "mini" projects.
I have been seeing a lot of gift wrapping "centers" around the blogosphere.  I had always had extra paper, cards, ribbon and tissue laying around, but never really in one spot and organized.  I decided that I would put everything in an over the door organizer on the back of my office door.  Well, that was easier said than done.   Numerous trips to my local home store (which shall remain nameless since usually they are pretty good at having something that could be jerry-rigged) resulted in a major wiff out.  I had all but given up and then I spotted this at Walmart:

an ADJUSTABLE over the door organizer !!!! Genius and just $17, it doesn't get much better (at least in my sad world.)  The only problem is that since it was wire, I would have to find boxes that fit into the spaces for my gift bags and tissue paper, etc. so that it wouldn't fall through the cracks...hmmmm.... and then I had an idea!  I had just read about DIY boxes in one of my favorite blogs I Heart Organizing and decided I would try it.  I actually used the box that the organizer came in because I knew it would fit perfect depth wise: 

Unfortunately, it was a little to wide so I had to cut a little off, and I duck taped the entire open side to create a full box.  The next step was to cover it inside and out with scrap material that I already had.  It wasn't really the prettiest sight at this point. 

But then I added some ribbon:

and finally, you know those canvas closet organizers? The kind that work really great for about 5 years, and then they start to sag? Well, mine started to sag (story of my life)  and since I can't bear to throw anything away, and suspected that I might be able to repurpose the material, I had one laying around.  The piece that I used was actually the top of it that the two hangers went through to attach to the pole.  I just put a ribbon through the holes.  

Not too shabby!  And luckily I found a wicker basket at Goodwill for $1.99 that fit absolutely perfect.  I just embellished the top and the botton with some ribbon.

And the finished project: 

For details, I added Martha Stewart labels from Staples and some ribbon run through the wire.

Oh! and No! I decided not to put my rolls of wrapping paper in this organizer for many reasons, but the most important being that they would not fit.  So I bought a wastebasket at Walmart for around $4, embellished with some matching ribbon, tied up the rolls with yarn and stuck the basket close by. 

And there you have it! She's crafty.. and she's just my type........

  

Spring is here!

Yes, I am in TOTAL denial, and it's where I'm living for the next few weeks.  Valentine brought me home the most beautiful Hyacinth which took her throne on my kitchen windowsill.

Don't tell either one of us (me or Queen Hyacinth) that it's still Winter.  I am blissfully unaware of anything that goes on beyond the window pane when I look at Her.  Stunning.
So it's full blown Spring Fever up inside here with symptoms of cleaning and organizing.

First up, I showed some love to the inside of my kitchen cabinets.  I thought I would spare you the before pictures of all my redundant and expired foods and since I am new at this, I am still a little shy about revealing my dirty little secrets.  No! Not really.  I just didn't get any before pics but trust me, it wasn't pretty.

But THIS is !

Although, that candy basket looks a little disheveled. Hmmmmm.

Anyway, these baskets are from Walmart. The three on the left are medium sized and the four on the right are small sized.  They come three in a package for the small,  two in a package for the mediums and they also have one large one for $3.97!  I think a SUPER deal.  The "jars" at the bottom are twist off tops and are actually plastic. Bonus for anyone with little ones who will climb any mountain (or cabinet) for Goldfish.  They are also from Walmart, come in different sizes and are cheap, somewhere in the $2 neighborhood.  The labels are Martha Stewart Chalkboard Labels that I got at Staples and attached to some scrap cardstock and then tied on with some twine.  I did use the chalk that comes with the chalkboard labels at first, but it wipes off way too easy and I just ended up with a mess and still noone could find anything.  Do yourself a favor and buy a chalkboard marker, they will not only write on chalkboard but vinyl, lightboards, glass and probably much more!  Well worth it.  I also attached some ribbon to the shelf fronts with Velcro because, well, why not?  I really love this ribbon, it was exactly the same size and I first saw the idea on one of my fave blogs A Thoughtful Place.  I do plan on "finishing" this cabinet with some colorful graphic contact paper in the back but I really want to get the cabinets painted first.  Different project, different day.  It's been so far, so good with this setup and even the typically-resistant-to-change husband poured the box of Goldfish into the container after shopping day.  Hey Mikey, he likes it! (remember that one?) 

So...that's the start of my Spring.  Has denial been productive for anyone else?

What would you do?

My sister is trying to update her foyer and the first thing that she would like to tackle is the armoire. It will have the biggest impact since it is the first thing that you see when you walk through her front door. She is leaning towards painting it a neutral color but I am desperately trying to convince her to really make a statement with a bold choice. The problem is that her husband will not even entertain the idea of changing the stair runner any time in the near future...bummer.

I have my ideas on how to pretty 'er up, what do you think?  

Feel free to leave a comment below. you could be the inspiration for this transformation! Stay tuned for the "after" reveal.

Nana

Way before Martha Stewart, Pinterest and Etsy, there was my grandmother.  Crafting even before the term crafting was coined,  she could do ANYTHING.  Famous for her Christmas Tree skirts and knitted afghans, she made one of each for all of her children (3) and grandchildren (9.)  Then there were the countless items of clothing she "spruced up" with paint, or studs, sparkles and leather of which both she and my grandfather proudly adorned.  She didn't need no stinkin' Bedazzler!  Handmade gifts in handmade boxes that held cereal and crackers in a past life.  Christmas ornaments made out of cards and photos (of which still hold a place of honor on my tree year after year),  doll clothes, people clothes, photo albums meticulously labelled and prettied up with decorative frames she would cut out of cardboard or paper, keeping her hands always busy.  She would take coffee cans, vitamin jars and old film containers, cover them with contact paper and VOILA! a pencil holder, paperclip storage, and jewelry safe keepers.  She was magic.
And the cakes...truly saving the best for last, not only were they delicious, exactly whatever was your favorite at the time, but decorated so beautifully and sometimes so complicated, that you almost couldn't bear to cut into them.  But Grampa, having been there throughout the entire cake making process and who loved Nana's cakes more than all of us combined, could always be counted on to wield the knife and become the executioner.  And to make sure that there was not a morsel of guilt hanging around the table, he would say "she can make another one tomorrow" as if she just twinkled her nose and POOF, there appeared perfection.  I guess in a way that's how we all looked at it.  This was our norm.  Nana was Nana, she could whip up whatever, whenever, didn't all grandmothers do that?
When I was young, I often thought it very strange that I had none of her characteristics.  She had these amazing green eyes that were so clear, sparkly and true.  True green eyes that hid nothing.  As a girl and young lady, she had this to-die-for luscious auburn hair and dimples that didn't need a smile to shine.  She was also built perfectly for hugs.  When she put her arms around me, I could feel myself let go; of sadness, fear, anger, uncertainty and know in an instant that possibly everything would be alright.  I believe that there was and never will be a safer place on earth.

We said "see ya later" to her in August of last year. It is my biggest heartbreak.

I now realize though, brown eyed and all, I am undeniably my grandmother's, granddaughter.  She handed down her gift of passion and love for creativity. She is there in every one of my projects.  I may not have gotten the dimples, but I got the BEST part of her

Happy Birthday Nana

Templates and Gadgets and Widgets, Oh My!

Wow, so starting a blog was not as easy as it looked! Although in full disclosure, I am a Capricorn (perfectionist) which means that I spend WAY too much time agonizing over minute details that more than likely only I will notice. (At least that's what I like to tell myself at late o'clock when I am tired, cranky and DONE.) But I did want to give a shout out to some websites that were helpful to me in my early tweaking.

The Real Blogger Status
betshopboy.net
StramaXon
Beautiful Dawn Designs

These people are SUPER smarty pants but don't be intimidated, their tutorials are easy to follow and translated into non-"techy" terms so that even the most technically challenged (me) are able to understand and apply them to their blogs.
I obviously have a lot more learning to do but just as in life, the time comes when you must take the leap and figure the rest out as you go.  So here goes...on three......one...two...THREEEEEEEEE !

Sunburst Mirror

Yes, I realize that I am Jenny-come-lately to the sunburst mirror but haven't they been around since the 17th century? Would that not make it the epitome of a classic? And since I am all about the retro and classic, I just HAD to make one for myself.

Honestly though, I didn't think it all the way through when I decided to use these ultra thin tropical reeds (purchased from Hobby Lobby)... MAN OH MAN !!!!

So 200+ of these babies glue-gunned to the back of one of these mirrors (this picture is of a set from Walmart but I actually got mine at Christmas Tree Shop)

ended up looking like this:

I liked it, and may have even given up left it in its "natural" state but the 8 dowels that I had attached prior to adding the bamboo sticks really stuck out and my original vision had been a gold sunburst mirror after all... So I grabbed my spray paint and here she is:

Totally worth it! Even if I am four centuries behind the trend :)