A Hint...

Here's a little hint at what type of trade show I'm going to....

Tomorrow is the big day, I can't wait, I've been several years ago and had a total blast. I have to wonder though with the economy being what it is how much stuff will be sampled and given away this year. I'm trying to pack this morning before work because it will be a late night for me, Mondays are always are. It's our freight day at work and I have so much stuff to price and put up. Then it's two days of fun in Charleston *my favorite city* and then back to work *sigh* Oh & I'll be testing a little something I made especially for this trip... a drawstring shoe bag! Don't ya just hate packing shoes in a protective grocery bag? Now I'll be packed in style *smiles*

More ChrisTmas Decorations

Last year I really over-did my mantel. I thought it looked fabulous but looking back on the pictures I'm asking myself what was I thinking? So this year with limited time and resources I went a simpler route. Perhaps too simple? I like it and I especially like that my mantel doesn't scream Christmas and can live as it is well into January without me cringing at the sight of Christmas decorations left up past Epiphany. Love the metal tree votive candle holder which is a Family Dollar circa 2002 find but I still haven't picked up some LED fake candles for it. Sold at Hobby Lobby, that store I'm in practically every day all day long, working my fingers to the bone, far too busy to snatch up a pack with a 40% off coupon...*sigh*

Mr Snowman was a Hellmart clearance find maybe back in 2003, I love him so much! His colors match my decor perfectly, I could decorate an entire house with his color scheme...Oh wait, I did decorate my entire house with his color scheme *smiles* And the bird is resting in the last remaining intact stemmed crystal dessert cup that Miss Fatty Catty Sissy managed to destroy.

My apothecary jars... If you're one of my three regular readers then you know that I'm a jar filler challenged person. I'm been in treatment, taking injections for it, I'm trying really hard to overcome this challenge I have... Am I there yet?

And finally a new purse for the holidays, so what if it's been lying on my sewing table buried under more sewing for weeks? Better finished a week before Christmas than a week after I say!

The Presidential Library

Perhaps this was what you were expecting?

By the way, I made the shower curtain and window treatment!

This is my hallway. A before shot. Sorry it's not a long view. This small chest was my husband's as a child. When we were expecting our son years ago, I stripped and painted it white. Haven't changed it since. But oh how I've wanted to. Now it's living in the dining room, a temporary home as it turns out because I bought the big honkin' furniture rehab to end all furniture rehabs recently. But shhhhh, that's all I'm telling about it for now... well, I will mention it involves a trip to Charleston next weekend! Hate me!

Now here's the after.

I moved a bookcase from my living room and purchased another to match. I was inspired by a small space decorating magazine to make a library corner in your home. I've been wanting to do that for some time but hadn't quite figured out where until now. My sweet Mr Darcy installed shelves in our living room closet to hold our various media. It was jam packed with books too. I hated it. I'm a little on the OCD side about organizing... So this library project affected three rooms in my home. I'm proud to say the media is alphabetized... or was until darling Mr D rearranged his side of the closet, argh!
Remember the ugly chair? I had bought it with an idea of placing it next to the bookcases but realized when I got it home it's probably way too big even though I never tried it to see for sure.

Can't really tell it from the pictures but this is my patriotic "room". I have lots of red, white and blue items displayed on the shelves, most from the Lobby. My darling Mr and I both proudly served in the 'Corps but that's a story for another day. This is where I proudly display the "Presidential" pictures of the Big Man and my darling Mr. I even have an autographed one with "Best Wishes, George Bush".

More "Presidential" pictures. I had a grouping made but split them up on either side of the door way to the dining room since I put the two bookcases in here. The small red mail box is from 'the Lobby. Wish I knew where to put it so it shows off it's beauty. The trophy my husband got for being high shooter out of basic training. The gun cabinet I put fabric in, I hate it. The cabinet not the fabric. I've since painted a few frames black and had new mats cut for certificates so it's a little different from these pictures but you get the gist of it. On the wall opposite is three big closets and the bathroom door. On the ends is living room and master bedroom. This hallway is the heart of our home so I think it's a great place to display pictures honoring our family's commitment to our great country. I'd like to stencil some stars and stripes around the top of the room as a border. I have the stencil but it's just another project on an already too long list. I hope you enjoyed seeing this close to my heart part of my home.

Birthday Weekend

Do ya'll do this... Have a decorating frenzy in your home when you know company's coming? This is what I did on my birthday last Friday after I got home from the doctor's office. A bunch of last minute arranging and trying to make things look pretty. A challenge for me! Of all the rooms in my home, my dining room takes my money and attention. I just love it. So it's probably never going to be officially finished as I'm constantly changing things around. Here's my dining table, see my black wicker plate chargers? Actually those are paper plate holders from Garden Clearance at Hobby Lobby. As well as that pointy thing in the middle. See my birds? Dollar Tree spray painted white... Don't you just love the ideas you get out here in blogland? I know I do!

Brace yourself, another challenge area for me is my mantel. I don't have a fireplace but I do have a collection of mantels. Sometime I'll show you the antique one in my Master. This one a friend gave me for helping them move, it weighs a ton! Some day when the house is paid off I want to have the chimney restored and a firebox put in. But for now I use black fabric.

Almost everything in the picture is from Hobby Lobby! On the left side I have two more floor standing wrought iron candle holders. Forgive my satellite clock I use it when I'm on the treadmill that you just see the edge of in the bottom right corner. The greenery basket has some twigs added to it by me and the black candle holders were from Walmart holiday clearance years ago. I found out I'm supposed to use the same sized candles on them, oops! I didn't know so I'll eventually get around to buying new ones. Would you believe I paid less than $9 for that black mantel clock? Hate me!

Here's a closer picture of my dear OLD friend and me, I'm on the left. We're both wearing some aprons I made since our guys were grilling, makes sense for us to wear them huh?

And we were doing the goofy thing of taking pictures of each other at the same time. You can see a little more of my dining room here. She's tied the apron on and promptly said she that's what she wanted for Christmas from me ~ an apron!

Next time I'll show ya'll pictures of the vintage loot I scored for my birthday, we went shopping earlier that day and I got to pick out some great to me treasures.

Easy Table Runners

I found a few photos of table runners I've made in the last year. Sorry they are all sideways but you definitely get the idea what they look like! lol This first one was made as a birthday gift for one of my favorite coworkers. She loved it as well as all the other ladies at work, oops! Maybe I should have thought of that before giving it to her at work in case all of them are expecting something similar for their birthdays! The striped bit is actually a flap, sort of a quirky design idea I came up with after visiting Anna's Linens and looking at curtains, lol

This next one is the first runner I ever made! Boy did I make mistakes on it

but still beautiful. The trim is some stuff I bought from a former coworker

who has a flea market booth. She's in her 70's and in the 1970's she was a designer

for some company in Chicago that made trims.

Now she's had a very interesting life!

This runner has a lovely vintage trim on it, again, purchased from Miss June.

All the fabrics with the exception of the black fruit looking material (Hob Lob clearance rack 2007) came from one of my favorite designers, Robert Allen.

Table runners are a great way to use scrappy left over bits of fabric from home decorating projects. Whatever long narrow piece I have, I just tack on something to the ends and cover up the seam with some trim! Make a lining and you're done. They make awesome gifts too.

weekend update

I didn't finish my apron in time for Friday night's dinner preparation but after working Saturday evening I burned the midnight oil and managed to finish it. It's stinkin' cute! The ties are extra long according to the pattern so I have plenty to go around me and tie in front. I still need to add two buttons as accents for both pocket and apron neck flaps but that's minor.

While at Hellmart I picked up fabric for my second apron project. I managed to cut out most all the pieces required Sunday afternoon. I can't wait, it's going to be so cute and funky!

I don't get in much of a hurry when sewing. I've learned patience gets me farther with less mistakes. Not that I'm all about having it perfect, far from it. But the less I use my seam ripper the better.

Right before vacation I decided to focus on doing more creative things. Whether it's needlework, yarn work, sewing, painting, decorating, daydreaming & sketching, paper crafting... I just felt I needed to get more accomplished, not as in production, but rather as in just spending more time crafting vs watching tv. I feel better when I'm creating, inside and out, more whole.

I'm helping my coworker reset her dept which is Needlework and Saturday evening I was in the book section. I finished it by the way but I noticed this really cute book "Modern Country Primitives" for embroidery. I don't embroider... but I so would make one of the projects in that book! They are THAT cute. Dare I take up another hobby? I have most everything already for it though as I cross stitch. So what all do I do anyways? Let me make a list. I love lists.

1. Scrapbooking
2. Rubberstamping
3. Floral crafting
4. General crafting
5. Sewing
6. Cake decorating
7. Painting/DIY
8. Crochet
9. Knitting
10. Counted cross stitch
11. Latch hook rug making
12. Reading
13. Gourmet cooking
14. SCA
15. Blogging (that counts right?)

I'm sure I've missed something and while I don't do each of these every week I do cycle thru them during the course of the year. And I have several projects in the works, such as my latch hook rug and a cross stitch picture both for Christmas decorating.

I like seeing my list too.

Two posts in one day

Update on my chair covers, I finished them and they are stinkin' cute! LOL Now I definitely need to make up a table runner for myself. And an alternative set of chair top covers as these are way too matchy matchy but I love them anyway. I'm thinking some lovely prequilted fabric in white or ecru would look fab. Plus a little monogram on them, oh yeah, tres' cute. Then I'm thinking something in a black and cream homespun or a toile would be a nice addition.

You didn't seriously think one set would be enough for me did you?

A nightmare for me

I finished the much dreaded table runner from hell. I'm sorry but I just absolutely hate sewing for profit for other people. It's torture for me. First off I never know what to charge for a thing. Secondly I hate being told what to do. And finally thirdly, something always goes wrong!

I seriously need to learn how to gracefully and graciously say NO. My coworker brought a customer over to me so I could give her some advice on fabric to match her decor. No problem. I show her several things while inquiring what said fabric was for. Next thing I know I'm designing a table runner on the spot and explaining how very simple it is to sew one. Somewhere along the way I missed the deer in headlights look from the customer and was hijacked into making this for her. UGH! I am way too helpful... I need to learn KISS as in Keep It Simple Stupid so I can avoid this type of hostage taking situation in the future.

I'm resolved though, this is it, no more, absolutely not again. I swear it! Seriously, I mean it. I admore making a gift for a friend or even making something with an eye towards selling it. But to do custom sewing is not my thing at all. I stress out, I obsess, I procrastinate, I dwell, it's awful for me. And I do not care to impart the item with all those negative feelings, bad crafting karma!

So after much trouble and a few very slight alterations to the project, the table runner is finished. I'm charging $20 for it and whether that's too much or too little, I don't care, I just want out! I'm giving it to my coworker to deliver and collect the money for it. And to be honest I could careless if I get anything out of it, if they love it or not, I'm done with the blasted thing!

All future sewing for others will be confined to gift giving or inventory to sell, no more custom! EVER! I mean it now!

Done!

I did it, I finished my dining room curtains. My darling Mister even managed to hang them promptly so I didn't lose any time admiring my handiwork. They are just as lovely as I envisioned. NEXT...

Chair covers! Just for the tops of my dining chairs though. In the same delish fabric as my panels. Also thinking about a matching table runner using the gorgeous red silk on the ends. Probably way too much matchy matchy but I don't care. So far I have one chair top cover sewn and two more cut out, hopefully I'll finish this project some time today.

Isn't vacation wonderful?

Dining room mistreatments

Since my dream of a French country inspired sewing room bit the dust with the return of my little bird to the nest I now have turned my decorating aspirations towards my dining room. The walls are Eddie Bauer Bungalow Gold on top and a combination of Brick Dust and Burning Bush glazed over the bottom portion. My dining table and chairs are painted black. The antique Hoosier cabinet is painted Toffee Crunch pulling in the kitchen cabinetry color to the dining room. I have two black wicker bookcases and a faux fireplace with antique mantel in Golden Mushroom which is also my trim color in the room.

Awhile back I purchased over 9 yards of decorator fabric on clearance for an insane $2/yard. It's a lovely smallish floral print on a muslin colored background in reds and golds. Perfect color match for my dining room and as well as very French country feeling. I have wanted to bottom border some panels for a long time as I think it looks amazing, now I have the perfect opportunity to do it. I have added 18 inches of dark red silk to the bottom of my simple panels and topped it with a wrapped tassel trim in a golden color. The result is stunning and elevates my dining room to a slightly more elegant look vs the casual look it's been grounded at. I've been busily cutting, pressing, pinning, sewing and hope to finish them today. Naturally I've followed the advice of my favorite decorating blog The Nester and will hang them 4 inches above my window trim and about 2 inches to the sides of my window as well as hemming them so they rest upon the floor.

Inexpensive Revamping

In the world of window treatments a major no no is having your panel curtains stop before touching the floor. Every decorating blog shows big box McMansions with curtain panels that brush the floor or puddle. Having spoken with a pro her advice was to avoid "puddling" because it just looks like a waste of fabric and appears unprofessional but definitely have panels "resting" on the floor.

With a critical eye and this advice, I evaluated my living room window treatments. The Martha Stewart panels have served me well over the years. They are neutral in color with a all over leaf vine design adding interest. Resting on the floor though? Sadly not. And the tab tops feel casual where I'd prefer a feeling of more elegance.

Shopping in my stash produced a nice piece of decorator fabric that I'd been saving for my dining room window treatments. But since my dream of a French country inspired sewing/guest room vaporized I've decided it's the perfect inspiration for my dining room leaving the black/red/gold plaid up for grabs. Careful measuring and planning was a must since I only had about a yard and a half for 4 panels plus a smaller curtain for the door. Not wanting to waste a single bit of this fabric I made rod pockets from muslin eliminating the need to fold over the top for forming a casing allowing all of the fabric to show.

Another dig thru my stash closet provided lush pom pom fringe in rich black with a single jewel cut clear bead above each pom. With the addition of a new chair in black/red/gold paisley brocade to replace my burgandy leather recliner my color scheme is firmly established. Now to do something with that blue faux oriental area rug...

This project was extremely low cost, I estimate that I spent less than $1 revamping my window treatments but only because I purchased the material by the pound at a decorator warehouse and the trim was another steal at 50% off clearance marked price of $1/for the bolt plus my 15% employee discount. But for others who are not as fortunate as I am with fantabulous bargains I would estimate this could easily be done for around $20 depending upon fabric and trim choice, number of windows, etc.

Bought a book

Awhile back I purchased a book from Gooseberry Patch "Sew Simple". Naturally I had a coupon + my 15% employee discount. Really I only bought it for a particular project, one I could have easily figured out on my own but chose not to, fabric covers for hangers. I've made one so far, have one half finished, and two more cut out awaiting their turn on my sewing machine. The thing is sometimes it takes having a tactile reminder of a proposed project in order to actually start working on said project. Atleast it does for me. Having gotten the book I was determined to make sure I used it thereby rationalizing it's purchase.

Another cute project in the book was a stuffed wool felt frog. The Girl (The Boy's Girl) decided she wanted to make it, so I bought her a yard of cute cheap fabric and she set about frog making.

In the book is a gift bag project from old linen tea towels. Wow, I don't have any old linen tea towels laying about and if I did I certainly wouldn't be making them up into little gift bags. But the germ of the idea was born and after months I think I've come up with a pretty good alternative. From the fabric warehouse I love to frequent, I've gotten stacks of small bits of lovely fabrics, some florals, some plaids, most are not the size I'd need to make a purse from unless I did some sort of patchwork, but I snapped them anyway because they are lovely and cheap. Now the germ of idea has sprouted. I know what I must try next.

And finally there is a cute cute cute tote bag sized sling over the shoulder hobo style bag made from two gigantic triangle pieces of fabric. Hmmmm, looks very interesting. Gotta dig around in my stash for this one.

I truly hope I manage to get a move on with these projects. So many projects! So much laziness!

Projects Started

Somehow I manage to create a list of things I'd like to do on the weekend much longer than I'm able to finish. This is what I created this weekend:

Lounge pants: I have some fitted sheets that are so soft that I'm loath to part with them even though their elastic is completely shot and they creep easily off my mattress corners. I've noticed a lot of crafting blogs have been making lounge/pajama style pants from vintage flat sheets. So I thought why not from the fitted sheet as my flat sheets have plenty of life left in them. Sunday afternoon found me laying out and pinning a pattern to one of my fitted sheets. I even managed to start sewing them up!

Lined Baskets: I have some baskets that I purchased years ago from Waccamaw Pottery, these are blond and rectangle shaped along with some collected oval baskets that have seen better days. I've been using these in my scrap room but thought they need a little zing to update them. One can of cheap spray paint in flat black and a bit of left over black and white scroll fabric later and I have a stylish set of lined baskets to hold all my tools, pens, and whatnots.

Table Skirt: Remember my post on visual clutter in scrap room? This is part two of the project, skirting the work table under the stamp hutches. I finally got it made and hung with velcro to my table. I can't tell you how much it adds to the overall decor of my room. I'm totally loving it.

Warehouse Fabric Shopping: This wasn't on my list but a sweet little friend of mine wanted to check it out so we drove over Saturday for a few hours of fabric shopping and lunch. Found a few interesting bits for myself, she found $230/yard designer fabric for $3.99/yard!!! It will make a gorgeous Renn Faire style dress for her.

That's my weekend! Next weekend my vacation starts....