Floating shelf ledge

This is one of the walls in our living room.  The only wall, in fact, that we are able to have any pictures on, so I need to take advantage of it.  I rarely change these pictures out, but do move them around a lot to accommodate seasonal items.  It's really nice to be able to do that without poking a bunch of holes in the walls.  

These are actually 6 shelves.  2 sets of 3, put side by side.  The pictures are layered and I've only had one fall in over 3 years of being up there...and that could have been due to my monkey's children climbing around on the stairwell rail (which is on the other side of that wall.)

My Duvet Cover

This is how the whole thing went down...


Shop for a duvet cover for your bed because you have sorely neglect the master bedroom when decorating the house.  Find one at Pottery Barn (of course) that you love.  

Look at the price.  Close browser knowing you are not going to spend $250 on a big envelope and 2 smaller ones. 

 Look at it again a few weeks later.  Price is still the same.  *Sigh* then begin searching elsewhere, unsuccessfully.

Happen to walk by the sheet section at Wal-Mart (that’s what we have here) and see the wonderful new Better Homes and Garden’s collections they are carrying.  Find this:

Purchase 2 king sets of sheets and pillowcases for $75 (I think) because I know I can make a simple duvet cover and shams (and a whole lot more) with all that fabric.

Find out your pregnant with baby #4 and get really sick for a few months.  Put project on back burner.  Look at sheets every time you walk into your office and think, “I should make that.”  Procrastinate a little longer and put flat sheet over end of bed so you can see what its going to look like when its done.  Live like that for rest of pregnancy.

Make bed skirt, because its easier you’re tired of being able to see under the bed.

Baby is now 7 months old.  Older 2 kids are in school.  Its about time to get going on duvet cover...

I made my cover reversible.  

The underside matches the bed skirt.  I bought 2 king size sets of sheets, but also got a lot of fabric; enough to make a bed skirt, valences, reversible duvet, and still have leftovers to make some throw pillows.  Not bad for $75! 


I wanted to add a little fun to the duvet, and a more width because our comforter doesn’t hang down as much as I think it should.  I decided to add a ruffle on both sides, which I *love* now that it’s done.  

I also added a hidden zipper to the bottom.  

This was tricky as I have never done one of these before, but it turned out great.  I ordered a 36” zipper from a seller on eBay since neither Wal-Mart nor Hobby Lobby had that long of a zipper, much less a hidden one. 




Now that this is done, I can move onto the shams....and the valence...and the...

Fabric Pumpkins

I am making these.

Luckily she has given a wonderful tutorial here.  In fact, 3 out of 4 kids are in school tomorrow so I am hitting Hobby Lobby for the supplies.  Will let you know how it turns out.

Hand or Footprint Art

These would be so much fun to do with the kiddos.  In addition to art, its a keepsake of their hand and footprints.  

The Dollar Tree has these ugly canvas prints that are about 6"x6" and I bought some for another project (to  post soon).  I'm thinking I might go back and get more.  Either spray paint them or cover with fabric, then paint stamp the kids hands.  Hmm...I see a project for the weekend.

Button Flowers Tutorial

For the last couple of years, I was the Creative Activities Coordinator for our local MOPS group (now I'm the Coordinator).  My budget is $2 per mom per meeting.   After I bought all the buttons from here, I threw them all into a bucket and just enjoyed sifting my fingers through them as I was picking them out.  These were actually pretty easy to put together.

Supplies:

You will need: buttons, floral wire, a vase,  and ribbon (but that's optional). 

Putting them together:

The first thing to do is choose your buttons.  Layer them up.  Mix and match the colors.  Take 2 floral stems and criss-cross them in the middle and gently bend in half. Insert them into the top of the button, making an “X” with buttons having 4 holes, and an "I" with buttons having 2 holes. Slide the button to the end of the wire. Add remaining buttons. Twist the wires at the bottom of button and continuing down to the end of the wires. Insert into vase.  If you want, tie a matching ribbon around neck of vase.

Easy peasy and the best part...you don't have to worry about watering them and they will never wilt! =)

Baby Shower Invitation

My sister is having her first baby (YAY!)  I'm bummed that I can't be there for her shower, but we live about 7 or 8 states away and I have 4 small kids.  A few months ago we went on a trip and I decided I wasn't getting back on an airplane anytime soon...and its still too soon.  Anyway....I'm helping out with the shower as much as I can from afar.  Which means invitations and anyone who knows me know I *love* paper!  And cutting it up.  And putting it back together.

This is what I came up with.  A simple booklet style with an insert with the information.  The binding scored and tied with a ribbon.  My favorite part...

The "water" spray that I punched.  Love. It. The first was great.  The eleventh, I still thought they were kinda cute.  After 35...um...not so cute anymore.  But they are done and mailed and I'll soon be posting the favors that I'm making.

Painted "Wallpaper"

I love the designs you can get with wallpaper but I'm not about to put any up.  Every time we move into a house, I never want to tackle the project of taking down someone's wallpaper choice.  Painting is easy.  Wallpaper...no thanks.  Anyway....check this out.  And then spend a few hours reading the rest of her blog! 

I must do this...or something like it in our master bedroom.  I'm just trying to figure out what pattern I want.

Picture blocks

I love it when I find a great blog that I can use ideas from for our MOPS crafts. My goal as Creative Activities Coordinator is to expose the moms to an assortment of crafts that are easy to do and something that I would want to take home myself. This is definitely one of those!  It was an quick and easy project......that is everything except finding pine 4x4 posts!!!  

I opted to modge podge paper to the top of mine because I'm too impatient to wait for baby #4's picture.  I did, however, spend many hours spray and hand painting these blocks (60 of them) in the middle of winter during a cold snap.  You could easily leave them the wood color, or paint just the edges.  Then again, what are the chances you're making 60 at once?

Ballard Designs look-alike art

Ok, so who doesn't *love* Ballard Designs?  Every time I get one of their catalogs in the mail I can't wait to curl up and devour it.  Instead of marking the pages of items I want to buy, I mark the pages of decor I'd love to copy and things I want to make! :)

These beauties....I'm thinking I can recreate using squares of scrapbook paper, a piece of MDF, and some modge pode.  Sure will be a whole lot cheaper then their $279.  (Sorry B.D.)  Add it to the "to make" pile...

Make Your Own Ironing Board {tutorial}

Finished Board

My office (read: craft room) is upstairs.  The ironing board is downstairs.  This is a problem.  I don't want to lug the board up every time I need it, nor do I want to drag my project downstairs.  My husband irons his clothes for work every day (yes, you read that right....I do not iron his clothes.  Craft projects: yes.  Hubby's work clothes: no.  Don't judge. :)  He doesn't like the way I iron so chooses to do it the right his way.)  Back to my point....the ironing board should stay downstairs as its used every day there.  So...my solution???  Make my own ironing board.  

Supplies:
Plywood cut to size
Staple gun (with staples)
Cotton batting (NOT polyester)
Cotton fabric for cover

It was really easy and I had everything on hand, so it was FREE!  (Love that!)  Here's what ya do.  Cut your batting about 2 inches bigger (all around) than your plywood.  So if your plywood is 24 x 36, cut your batting 28 x 40.  Lay it down on the counter and center your plywood on top.  Pull up the corners and side and staple them in.  Pull rather tightly, but don't tear it.

Back of batting covered board

Front of batting covered board

Cut your cotton fabric about 3 inches bigger (all around) than your board.  Using above dims you'll cut it 30 x 42.  Use your almost done ironing board to, well, iron your fabric! 

Then place the fabric right side down on your work surface, center your batting covered plywood on top and start stapling your fabric to the backside.  You want to pull pretty tight with this.  I started with the 4 corners, then did the sides, working around in a circle.  I tucked my fabric ends under before stapling, but its the bottom so no one is going to see it so you could save some time skip this step.

Finished Back

Closeup of bottom

I used a fabric that I had on hand (the bottoms of some curtains I hemmed for G's room) but would have loved to see a bright print on this.  White was probably not the best choice, but I figured it would do for now, and I can easily change it in the future....but we all know that won't happen!

Anyway...there ya go.  The hardest part was getting my hubby to cut the board to size.  (Lowe's or Home Depot would probably do it much quicker, and for free.)

Finished Board

Yes, that is a plywood desktop you see under the ironing board.  Painting it is another project for another day....

Embroidery Hoop Art {tutorial}

I've seen these around and figured it would be a nice (read:cheap) way to add some finishing touches to the girls room.  (Well, saying finishing touches would apply that I'm almost done with the room....but I'm not!)  

These were super easy to make and most of the supplies I had on hand.  I just picked up a few more embroidery hoops at antique stores and HL (on sale), the rest was in my "office." 

 Supplies needed: embroidery hoops, fabric approx 2" wider than hoops, scissors and glue (I used Aleene's becasue it's what I had, but I'm sure any type would work.)  Oh...and a little time...very little time...which are the type of projects I like!!!

So, how do you make these???  You simply put the fabric inside the hoops, stretch so its flat, and tighten the hoop.  Flip it over, trim the fabric (I used pinking shears, but any type of scissors will work) to about 1/2 -1 inch away from hoop.  Run a line of glue around the back side of the inner hoop edge (not the inside of hoop, but the part that will be against the wall) and press you fabric to the back.  Let dry.  Hang.  Easy.  Peasy.  Done!

Pottery Barn Faux-Shearling Throw

I have always loved this blanket.  Every time I look through Pottery Barn, I think "I can make that."  It's $99 for a 50" x 60" but I've seen the fabric at Hobby Lobby.  I will be making this for winter.  Will post back when it's done.

Here we go...

I'm starting the process of transferring all of my fun projects, tutorials, magazine pages that have been torn out for future use, ideas I've found on the internet, etc.  I'm tired of searching for that piece of paper when I actually find the time to create.  Here we go! :0)