Dresser Makeover

All of the dressers in our house have been inherited.   I love that fact, it creates a fun history (I have my dresser from when I was a baby as well as several from when Elliott was young) but it also means making a set is difficult.

Earlier in the spring I had randomly spotted a match to one of our dressers in Elliott’s Grandma Jerry’s garage when we were having a Sunday family dinner at her house.  SCORE!  Although the dressers themselves aren’t anything fabulous, I loved that the possibility of having a set in our master bedroom was there.  I asked Grandma if I could have it and she generously agreed.

The pair is not real wood but had a dark fake wood look, some of which had water damage and was starting to bubble and discolor.  I wanted to lighten them up and I had a quart of beautiful gray Martha Stewart paint laying around (picked up free at the recycling center at the dump, oh yeah!).  I didn’t really care about the bubbling and didn’t bother sanding anything.  I did however pick up some Kilz primer at Lowes and had them tint it gray.   (Did you know they can tint primer any color you want?  Genius!)

In July, while the three older girls were at Vacation Bible School all week, I tackled the multi-day project.  I layed everything out and spent the week priming and putting on a couple coats of my free paint.  I even cleaned up the metal accents and handles by using oven cleaner overnight:

It really took off quite a bit of the grime and years of build up, giving a shinier color.

TA-DA!

I wish I had a good “before and after picture”, but I am the world’s worst “before” picture-getter.  I never remember until halfway through!  Trust me when I say I love the results.

Here they are in place in our bedroom:

 
I love that we have a matching set now. 

It just feels more put together.  I would love to put some sort of solid top along both pieces to create one unified place for spare change, clean (and dirty) clothes, and all the other little bits that collect there.  Maybe change out the hardware (though that’s not a high priority).  And spray painting the mirror is also on the list.  Now if I could just settle on a color….

Monogrammed Art

I am enjoying making baby gifts lately.  OK, so it’s not very frequent, but it’s fun nonetheless.  Last year I made something special for my friend Holly and this year I had the privilege of making something for my friend Katy, who welcomed her first little one recently, Mr. Will.

Katy was swimming in hand me downs and all things boy, so I didn’t want to add to the pile (I mean, how many onesies do you really need?).  I decided to make her a little something for the nursery instead. 

I took my inspiration from a project I had pinned on Pinterest (but of course):

 
Katy had shared some pictures with me of the nursery and the darling bedding she was using:


Put the two together and what do you get?  Why this of course!


What do you think? 

I started off by deciding to make it a bit smaller (I made it an 8x10), just so I could be sure that I would be able to package and mail it alright.   Then I found an appropriately sized blank canvas in my stash (yes, apparently I have a stash of canvases) and used spray adhesive to attach some very light off-white linen scraps to the canvas, giving it some texture.

Next, I decided what lovely font to use for the “W” (wish I could tell you which font it was, but I don’t remember), printed it out via Word, cut out the letter and positioned it on the canvas.  Then, using a purple Disappearing Ink pen, I dotted around the letter to create the outline of the “W” exactly where I wanted it.

I gave the girls the job of sorting the buttons into colors for me (they loved that job!) and once I had my greens and blues separated I just went to work spacing the buttons out.  I laid them out on the canvas before I glued them down, but once I had a look I liked I used Aileen’s Tacky Glue to adhere the buttons.

It looks like Mr. Will likes it! (Isn’t he a cutie?)

I am madly in love and now must make one for Emma’s room.  Good thing the “bag-o-buttons” I picked up for the project from the scrapbooking section (with my 40% off coupon of course) also came with a large selection of pinks too.

Ava’ New Quilt

Remember when I hinted at some new projects and showed you a sneak peek of the fabrics?  It was only March, right?  Ha ha ha!

Well, I finished up one of them.  Finally.

Ava’s baby quilt had fallen apart. 


(Look at her back in the day, she’s little!)

There are holes so big in it that she puts her arms and legs through them, so I knew it was time to take action.  I asked her if she wanted a new baby quilt and she was really enthusiastic.  Even more so when I told her she could help me pick out the fabric.

This pattern/picture was my jumping off point:


I love the chevron pattern, and the gray and yellow color combo.  When we went to the fabric store I found a gorgeous bright yellow flannel print for the back (it was soft, Ava loved it) but in the end I just couldn’t find a gray I liked.  So we went with a light blue cotton print, which was beautiful – and, oddly enough, her last baby quilt color palette.  Go figure.

TA-DA!


Isn’t it pretty?  I doubled up on the batting to make it extra fluffy, used a walking foot to machine quilt along the chevron design, and bound it using extra backing fabric.  Ava’s one request was that it would be bigger than her – and she loves it!


Can you tell she loves it?

{Pinterest} Projects

PRAYER PAIL

I had read about this project on Passionate Homemaking and decided to use a little pail Ava had received (for something, I don’t remember what) to create it.  I had some old scrapbooking sticker letters laying around and some large popsicle sticks.  And that’s it!  I wrote things like Teachers, Grandpa, Grandma, and Church Leaders. The girls love choosing a stick at bedtime and praying for whatever is on that stick.

(When I saw how well they liked drawing a stick, I applied this method to “chore sticks” for when they need a job to do or I need something cleaned.  It is working great!)

TODDLER BED SHEET

Piper has a toddler bed in her room, which is currently not being used except as a sometime reading spot for the girls.  Eventually Emma will move up into it, but until then it’s just kind of in storage in Piper’s room.  I wanted to make it look like it belonged a bit more, so I used a tutorial on Made by Dana on how to make your own crib sheets (which is the size of a toddler bed).  Using her template, I cut up the flat sheet to the bedding set on Piper’s twin bed (we don’t use the flat sheet on her bed anyway) to create a custom fitted sheet for the toddler bed.  And now it looks awesome.  It was so easy.  I think this could be addicting….

(don’t judge the sparse décor, I am still getting around to it!)

POOL NOODLE BEDRAIL

Piper used to have a bedrail on her bed, which we got from Momma Kay (since I had sold mine before moving to Utah) and which tucked under her mattress.  However I had grown to dislike it because it made making the bed difficult.  It was hard to have the cover hanging down because the railing fits snug against the mattress, making it nearly impossible to have a smooth top on the bed. 


So I read a tip on Pinterest to slip a pool noodle underneath the fitted sheet and it is just enough of a bump that kids won’t roll over it.  I tried it and it works.  I am not sure Piper really ever had any trouble with rolling out of bed (she might have done it once) but I have noticed that when she gets up against the noodle in the night it causes her to turn over the other way, away from the noodle.  And now the bed is so much easier to make; I can simply straighten the cover out over little bump on the side that is the pool noodle and it just hangs nicely without getting caught up in a railing.

Lookin’ Like the Fourth of July

We’re having a little family get together this afternoon and I wanted to add a little flair (who wouldn’t?)  Check it out:

I jazzed up the outside with my red & white bunting and some flowers.

I had scored these large blue pots at a garage sale last year and they have since been hanging out in the garage.  I had intended all season to plant some red and white flowers in them in anticipation of the Fourth of July, but when it came right down to it I discovered I am too cheap to spend the kind of money that the nurseries wanted on annual flowers. 

However, last Sunday I ran over to the fabric store  next to Shopko, which happened to have a big clearance sign outside their gardening section.  I decided it was worth a shot and I am glad I did – I snagged 8 large pots of trailing petunias for $.99 each.  I threw in some little $.25 flags from the party supply store and we were ready to roll.

Next up was the top of the piano.  I was rather clueless, so I turned to Pinterest for some inspiration.  I found a couple of printables that I framed and made some pinwheels from $.20 scrapbook paper.  The large white vase I added some blue painter’s tape to for added color.  To top it off I threw all of my star cookie cutters in an apothecary jar for display.

Last but not least on the decoration to-do list was this little ditty.  I had had a random piece of MDF board laying around the garage since the day we moved in (the previous owners had left it behind and it has been too large to fit in the garbage can).  So when I saw 320 Sycamore’s painted flag I said “ah-HA!” (seriously I did) and ran to get the board.  I used white and red paint I already had laying around (free from the dump, thank you).  I bought some star stickers and blue acrylic paint to finish it off, then placed it in the back window so we’ll be able to see it tonight while we’re in the backyard.  Total cost – under $2.

Now I’m off to finish the food.


HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!

Girls’ Night Out at Church

Awhile back I signed up to help with ladies events at my church, South Mountain Community Church.  On May 18 they held a Girls’ Night Out event, with live band, mocktails, catered dinner, speakers – the whole nine yards.  And I got involved. 

At the first planning meeting I volunteered to be in charge of mocktails and the little take-away treat that each guest received.  I wanted to help with things that I could do at home, since I am not able to help with set-up or break-down of the event.

Planning the mocktails was fun.  First thing I did was jump on Pinterest (wouldn’t you?) and find several ideas to try out.  I knew I wanted three distinct drinks that would be 1) different flavors and 2) would look different visually, allowing you to choose quickly without identification tags.  A couple of ladies from the planning committee volunteered to help with mocktails, so I invited them over one morning for a tasting.  (My three girls had a great time partaking of our cast-offs, that’s for sure!)  We settled on three distinct drinks and perfected the recipes. 

We settled on a Pink Kiss (sparkling apple cider, sparkling cherry water, cranberry juice and grenadine) in a champagne flute (plastic of course) with a frozen raspberry float; a Sunset Cooler (equal parts orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and Sprite) in a low tumbler with an umbrella and pineapple chunk; and a Mojito (made with mint from my garden, club soda and lime juice) in a highball glass and sprig of mint.

For the gifts, after much back and forth with the organizing committee, we settled on small cellophane bags filled with Hershey’s Kisses and topped with a brightly colored topper, with the label “Believe, Beloved, Belong” (our motto for the event).  I was determined that I wanted to sew the bags shut rather than use glue or staples as I thought it would give them a more professional and special feel (although the ladies were concerned about the amount of work that was for me).   We planned on having the whole group of volunteers help me assemble the bags the morning of the event, while my girls went to play at a friends house.  But life laughs when you make plans.

The night before the event the three older girls were up all night with the stomach flu.  That was sooo not fun!  When Friday dawned Ava still hadn’t kept anything down and all the sheets were dirty.  So I called my friend and cancelled the play date, asked another friend to bring me the Hershey’s Kisses and hunkered down.  To put together 200 gift bags on my own.

In all honesty, it went smoothly.  I had already had the toppers prepped, so I spent the morning alternating between filling the bags and sewing them shut.  The girls were so exhausted from their ordeal the night before that regardless of the situation, we wouldn’t have been doing much besides watching TV all day anyway.  So that’s what they did while I stuffed and sewed.  In the end it all came together beautifully.

I finished the bags just in time to shower and get ready before Elliott came home from work and I headed out to the church to start prepping the drinks. 

The night went smoothly and I had so many cheerful helpers in the kitchen, putting together mocktails for 200 ladies.  My calculations were spot on for most of the drinks and leftovers were at a minimum.  Everyone raved about the drinks and many asked for the recipes.  They were a hit.

The goody bags were equally well received and I felt great about all the hard work. 

But best of all was the event itself, where I was able to connect with many ladies from my church on a deeper level and make some new connections with homeschool moms and other moms of littles.  It was amazing to leave with so many connections and to feel like I belonged!

{Pinterest} Projects

PIANO BENCH COVER

I guess I’ll fool you and start with a project NOT inspired by Pinterest, ha ha ha!  My piano bench cover has long plagued me and I have been wanting to sew a new one for quite some time.

The cover previously on it was a dark rust orange, which worked perfectly with our living room paint in Las Vegas, but I have since grown tired of it and wanted to lighten it up.


This is what the bench looks like underneath the cover.  The needlepoint it beautiful, but just not my style.  I really wanted to lighten it up and for whatever reason got it in my head that I wanted to do a pleated ruffle all the way around.  I just had to find some time to do it (isn’t that always the problem?)


TA-DA!  Isn’t she pretty?


It definitely changes the feel of the room doesn’t it?


I used some old drop cloth / linen-like curtains that I had previously cut up for another project, so I saved myself a lot of time by using the already finished curtain edges on the bottom of the ruffle and eliminating the need for hemming. I used the existing cover as a pattern for the top; for the bottom, I just measured out the pleats how big I wanted them and then just made a really long ruffle.

CANNING JAR LABELS

I was inspired for this project by a pin originating from Etsy.  I am an Etsy frequenter (and you should be too) but in this case I took the idea and ran with it.

On our trip to Missouri I was planning on taking out some of my home canned goodies for my family and had set aside the jars.  But I wanted to go the extra step and pretty them up a bit.  And I have a small weakness for sewing on paper. 

I started by cutting apart an old brown bag from the grocery store, using a canning ring as my guide.  With black thread, I used a heftier needle on my sewing machine and sewed two straight lines to create an area to label with marker.  Then I made a heart stamp using an old wine cork (I knew I saved that for some reason!) and a red ink pad I picked up for a Valentine’s Day project (and never used).


I do love them, yes I do!

GROWTH RULER

Well, this project has been a long time coming, that’s for sure.  I bought the board forever ago and had even stained it (with free stain from the recycling shed at the dump no less) and bought a paint pen to complete the numbers.   And then it sat.  And sat.  And sat some more in the garage.  I finally got tired of looking at, right around the time my sister-in-law Sarianna was finishing up hers.  Nothing like  a little competition to light a fire under my butt (though I am pretty sure Sarianna didn’t view it was any sort of competition, ha ha ha!)

One afternoon I got out the board and decided today was the day.  I settled on a font I liked (although I don’ remember what it is now so I can't tell you) and measured out my lines as suggested on the website.  To get the numbers on there I used the technique where I shaded the back of the paper heavily with pencil lead, then traced the outline of the number onto the board.  The leading helps leave a slight pencil outline on the board, giving me a clear template to fill in with paint pen.


I love how it turned out.  I plan on keeping it in Emma’s bedroom and I hung it up on the wall with a sawtooth hanger, 6 inches above the ground as suggested (and measured on my board).  Now I just need to get some little girls measurements up there…

{Pinterest} Parenting Edition

I don’t have any sort of “Parenting” board or anything on Pinterest, but I usually “like” a pin to bookmark it, and then I will go back and read it when I have time.  Here are a few things I have been reading, in case you are interested:

Chapter Books For Younger Children 
  

This is a wonderful list, full of great chapter books that are appropriate for me to read to my girls.  As I perused the list I felt very humbled.  I think I have read one (that’s right, ONE) series – The Little House on the Prairie.  Man, I have some catching up to do!

Favorite Books for Girls

Yet another list of wonderful books that I am woefully behind on introducing my girls to.  (We did read a couple from the 3-year old list, so maybe I’m not as behind as I thought.)

Chore Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Not only did this blogger’s post have a great write-up, I got so many other wonderful ideas from reading other mommy comments (as well as solicited advice via my friend on Facebook).
I am actually going to use the bulk of ideas not for everyday use, but for special “extra work”/punishment-type activities.  I wrote out the chores on large popsicle sticks and if one of the girls needs a punishment, I have them draw a stick.

A Better Bedtime

This author’s idea – to let the children decide their own bedtime – was a shocking idea to me at first glance, but as I read the article I realized that it is in essence what I already do with the two older girls, with a few tweaks.  It has some good ideas and I might try and start doing them with Piper (because she comes out of her room all of the time after we put her to bed.  We’ll see…

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray For Your Children

I came across this pin via my Bible Study friend Stephanie.  I love it!   I have been wanting to keep some sort of framed printable on Emma’s nightstand, so that at night, as I am nursing and rocking Emma to sleep I can focus my quiet time with the Lord.  I think this will be a big help (along with several of Stormie O’Martin’s references.)

Dyeing Easter Eggs

I’ve been putting it off, I admit it.  Dyeing eggs with a 5, 4 and 2 year old?   I thought it might be better to do something, anything else.  But since I bought this….


… last year, I was out of excuses.  Lily and Ava also dyed one at preschool, so I thought they had had a dry run already.  What can it hurt to try?


I tried the tip I had pinned about putting eggs in a whisk to dip then in the dye.


I made separate glasses for each of the colors and allotted the girls four eggs each.  They could choose the colors and the décor.


It actually worked pretty well, except apparently I have larger whisks (who knew?) and most of the time the egg stuck out of the top of the glass, which doesn’t do us any good.


In the end, it worked better for me to drop them gently into the glass then fish them out with tongs.


Didn’t they do well?  Such pretty colors!   After dyeing them they also applied egg wraps and stickers, but I forgot to take pictures of that.  I do love the bright colors though.


I didn’t lay down newspaper (as recommended) but did hover with a washcloth for any drips. However, everything went very smoothly and I think I can safely say we are all looking forward to doing it again next year.