Burlap Pet Placemat

***Edited to add: Join the party at A Soft Place to Land's DIY Day***

Oh how I've been itching to do this project ~ I had everything so once again a ZERO CASH project *smiles* Here's what I used:

• craft paint
• burlap scrap
• foam stamps
• iron on vinyl

I bought the whole bolt of iron on vinyl off the clearance rack for a great price & saved it ever since ~ why?

Just cut your piece to fit your item, peel the paper off, place it sticky side down on top of the right side and hand smooth.

Then take the piece you pulled off & lay it over the top & press

That's it! Easy Peasy!

Indy-bug loves his new placemat...



Shhhhh, we won't tell him he's gotta share with Miz Sissy!







Two seconds later & look who shows up at the food dish?

Miz Sissy!

How to Make A Roman Shade from Mini Blind

**Edited to add: Join the party at A Soft Place to Land DIY Day, A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words 2nd Time Around, Southern Hospitality's Today's Thrifty Treasures , Twice Remembered's Make Your Monday , and Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday***

Are you like me and love the look of roman shades but are too intimidated to attempt making them? When I found this project on Little Green Notebook I knew it would be my salvation to the despised decorating peril of plastic mini blinds.

Mini blinds sacrificed for the greater decorating good instead of evil?

YES!

Supplies needed for this makeover:

• plastic mini blinds
• tape measure
• fabric glue
• scissors
• fabric

***Edited to add ~ This was a ZERO CA$H project as I had all supplies on hand. The fabric was end of a clearance priced bolt, purchased several months ago for about $5 without a project in mind ~ just for my stash! Mini blind was older than dirt but recently destroyed by one very rambucious Indy-bug kitty. A very thrifty repurposed project ~ the best kind!***

Carefully cut off all the ladder sections of string being careful not to cut the lift cords.

Remove the plugs from the bottom, set aside, and remove all the extra slats.

As my blind was already shortened to my desired length, I just took that measurement and divided by 9 (the desired length of folds) to arrival at my optimal remaining slat number of 5.

Retie lift cords evenly, trim excess, and push back into hole.

Replace plug covers.

I'm showing this next step without fabric because it's just easier to see.

Lay your fabric face down, fold fabric over an inch or two for a nice finish across the top of your shade then place your blind face down making sure to keep fabric folded edge flush with top of blind.

Measure down 9 inches or desired fold length and place a slat, continue measuring and placing slats until you reach the bottom of the blind.

Using fabric glue attach your folded fabric edge to top of blind. Then apply glue to each slat and press to fabric to adhere.

***DO NOT glue the lift cord, stop and start your bead of glue on the slat about an inch or so from the lift cords so they can work freely. This is a vital key to success***

When you reach the bottom trim your fabric leaving enough to cover the bottom slat and wrap over slightly. Glue in place carefully avoiding the lift cords.

Trim your fabric down both sides leaving enough to fold over making a nice hemmed edge. I left about 2 or 3 inches on mine.

Make a neat fold at the top carefully leaving the sides of the blind mounting bar free of fabric because it must be able to slide back into your mounting bracket.

Glue in place.

Continue gluing side hem all the way to the bottom of the blind.

Make a nice neat fold at the bottom, repeating what you did at the top.

You can add trim to the bottom if desired.

Wait for glue to dry then hang in place!

I loved how it turned it. I'm planning to do my living room blinds as well. I think I'll do those in burlap and attempt to line them as well.

Front Door Makeover

Back in the 90's I had this whole country Victorian thing going on! This door was long overdue for an update. Once again I challenged myself to use stuff I had on hand, so this was a ZERO CASH project ~ my absolute favorite kind!

So the paint I'm going to use is a bit on the creamy color side, like a golden cream instead of white because that's what I had and it's interior paint but I'm not going to worry about it. This last paint job lasted entirely too long!

Printing out the numbers should have been a lot easier but I ended up with this overlapping cut & taped mess, it worked. No transfer paper so I read in blogland how one lady made her own by scribbling across the back with a pencil, it WORKED!

I recycled my used painters tape *smiles*

This was really easy to do, I could have used a pencil to trace around but mistakenly thought I needed something more like a stylus to use and since I couldn't find mine I used the end of a round paint brush instead. A pencil would totally work.


Ok this is where it stopped being an easy project and suddenly became a pain in my you know what project. I am not Miz Susie Harris, I just can't do that kind of painting, paint a house? you bet. paint a room? sure. trim work without taping off? yeah no problem, but these numbers gave me a fit!

So no "I'm ready for my close up" shots, this is as close as I'm willing to show afterall this is supposed to be an improvement *smiles* It's not THAT bad but it's a tad wonky & I'm going to try to touch it up a bit more but I was anxious to show off.
Linked up to Kimba's DIY Day!

Chalkboard Tray

I've had this cheapy Dollar Store tray for years. It's looking worse for the wear! Since I've been seriously wanting to copy all the cute chalkboard trays I've seen all over blogland, this tray is a perfect candidate for a makeover.I had all necessary supplies so it was a ZERO cash project

LOVE THAT!

I seriously love the spray paint trigger! And here it is all done displayed on my island!Naturally I had to bake some cookies to properly show it off!

And the little green saucer is stamped Fireking on the back

and it cost me 10 cents in a yardsale!

Burlap Framed Pear

*edited to add link to Make Your Monday @ Twice Remembered* & *Miz Rhoda Today's Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality*&*Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch*&*Second Time Around @ A Picture is worth 1,000 Words*

I spotted this at a church rummage sale and thought what a fancy frame. I immediately thought of a project I've seen all over blogland recently. Did you see the price tag of 10 cents?


Trusty black spray paint to the rescue, left over burlap, hot glue gun and sacrifical faux pear ~ ah much better!

I just love the results!

Porch Makeover

Just over three years ago this is what our home looked like after we moved back in after having rented it out for five years.

And this is what it looks like now after our 4th of July mini porch makeover. All over blogland ladies are turning their porches into beautiful outdoor rooms. Just cause I was faced with a less than perfect "before" doesn't mean my "after" can't be beautiful


We spent just over $100 cash & purchased rug, black side table, animal print pillows, candles, drop clothes, ring clips, some hardware bits, fabric, foam, potting soil, hanging baskets and flowers. I shopped the house for picture hanging wire, table top water fountain, black spray paint, ficus tree, little metal & glass round table, birdhouse and chains for hanging baskets. The red wicker barstool came from dumpster diving in North Charleston last year. My husband bought that oak rocker from an junk~tique shop in Lake Lure about 19 years ago with a broken runner and made a new one to repair it. The swing came with the house so it's atleast 19 years old.

A weekend's worth of work & $100...

Blocking the ugly view across the road

&

spending quality chillin' time with my sweetie

Priceless

A few words

I've been lurking... not really commenting much but trying to keep up with everyone's blogs. My lack of posting is because my heart hasn't been in it lately. There is stuff weighing on my heart that I've wanted to share but didn't have the words to express. And there's been something life changing going on as well that I've not been free to speak of. But first I'd like to tell you about a very dear friend and co-worker who passed away last month after a brief illness. She was only 47 years old. We worked together, every day, she's been a part of my life these last 3 years and I miss her terribly. I have some powerful emotions mixed up in her passing, feelings that I'm trying to work thru, come to terms with. Vernessa had a smile that would light up the entire store, she had a quiet humor, and a kindness that touched many.

And her passing has made me realize that it's time for me to move on as well. A major project that's been brewing in the background for months is starting to take shape and will be finalized very soon. Until then I'm not free to speak of it but soon, very soon I'll be able to share all about this amazing ride I've been on.

Don't delete me yet. A few more weeks and I'll be back.