Gardening Container Tip

Since we’ve moved and downsized I have less areas to plant, although the condo we moved into had some good bushes and perennials already in.  We did, however, have an empty spot near the garage door that called out for something.  Keeping in mind that my husband hates any bees, wasps, yellow jacks, anything with a stinger flying around near doors into our home, I decided to go with colorful foliage plants.

I got the urn from Lowe’s as well as the plants you see filling it here.  The only one I’m not sure of the name of is the trailing purple one.  If anyone knows, I’ll edit with the proper name.  The other plants are licorice plant {trailing silver looking plant}, variety of coleus plants {one of my all time favorites}, and dusty miller. 

Not one flower in this pot!  I got the color I wanted and hubby got the “no bees” look.  Just goes to show you can still get color in your pots or beds without flowers.  Plus, as a bonus, it covers the hose spigot.

Linking up with

Tutorial, Tips and Tidbits at Stone Gable

Organizational Pretties For The Craft Room

In case you haven’t heard, Karen at My Desert Cottage is having her 4th annual Where Bloggers Create linky party on July 14, 2012.  That’s less than a month away! I’ve still got some straightening up to do before I invite everyone into my craft/sewing room, so I thought this project would help me out a little.

I found this sewing drawer on Etsy ~ about $10.00.  Good price, good condition.  I had thought I might paint it Heirloom White, but once I got it, I kind of liked it the way it was.  I also custom ordered these chipboard pieces.

Using some invoice images shared by Maggie from Little Miss Maggie {thank you, Maggie!}, I printed them out onto white cardstock, traced the chipboard pieces onto the invoices and then glued them to the chipboard with craft glue.  Edited: As requested, here is a link to a specific post with an invoice from Maggie.  There are a few more before and after this one.

Once dried I took some of my rogue trims and wrapped them around the boards, which fit perfectly inside the sewing drawer.

In place and doing its job!

My French ladies are still doing their job holding my seam binding.

A little more cleaning up and then I need to get some pictures {because it won’t last long}!

Linking up with

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Shabbilicious Friday at Shabby Art Boutique

Easy Pillow Covers

I’ve had these pillows for a few years now.  I got them at Home Goods and they actually went very well in the master bedroom in our old house with the wall color and the bedding set I had.  I decided that while I still can use them as they are, I’d like to be able to cover them for a new look.

Without sewing them into a closed cover, I decided to try a more open approach.  Like this one by Anna from Ask Anna.   Without duplicating her post, I’m just going to skip ahead and show you the end result.  Anna left two sides open, but I just left one side open on mine.  It is basically a pillow case.

I had some fabric left over from the bed crown panel toile and, using that and some Osnaberg fabric, I only had to get some more teal ribbon.  I measured out the fabric using the pillows themselves as my guide and followed Anna’s tutorial for sewing them and adding the ribbons.

I cut my ribbon 18 inches in length ~ four for each pillow cover.

Popped in the pillows and they are good to go!

Here they are with the lumbar pillow I made a couple of weeks ago.

You could use a prettier fabric on the reverse, or stencil or applique to get a double sided pillow, but I just left these since it matches the lining of the bed crown panels and my bed skirt.

And, did you notice I got my drapery panel holdbacks up? 

Love ‘em! 

Linking up with

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Swing Into Spring at DIY by Design

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Technorati Tags: Recovering pillows,new pillow covers,DIY custom pillow covers

My 2012 ‘To Do’ List Progress

At the end of last year, like many other bloggers, I did posts on my projects for 2011 and what I hoped to accomplish for 2012.  Now that we are just about at the half way mark, I thought I’d take a look and see where I am at on that list.  I mentioned that I wanted to paint the French dresser I found on Craig’s List for our master bedroom.

I can check that one off!  Edited to add: the paint on this dresser is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg.

I also mentioned the guest bedroom side tables, which I just finished recently.  Add another tick.

The bathroom wall got its stencil.  That’s three down!

The sunroom has been painted and went from green to SW Interactive Cream.

I did get an upholstered chair in our master bedroom, by default really, because we bought a new small sectional for the sunroom and one of the chairs we originally bought for in there went in the master.  Nothing special, but at some point down the road I may get a slipcover made for it.

Edited: Maggie reminded me that my laundry room was on that list, too.  Thank you, Maggie! don’t know how I forgot that since it was the most recent.

I still need to frame out the mirror in the bathroom and keep a lookout for a nice chair for the guest bedroom.  I’ve decided to hold off on doing anything in the entry area.  I had been thinking stencil, but now I’m not sure I want to do that.  So, I really only have two things left on my goal list!  How are you doing?

Little Table and Chair Makeover

Just a simple makeover for this little child size table and chair that I picked up at Salvation Army for $4.98.  It was really in good shape to begin with.

I cleaned it and gave it a light sanding.  Removed some stickers from the top of the chair and taped off the tabletop and the seat of the chair.

I then just used the Antique Walnut gel stain that I used on my guest bedroom side tables.  Two coats was good and two coats of spray poly.

Now I have a cute little table for my granddaughter to sit at when she’s over!  I put it in our home office next to Pop Pop’s desk.  But it is easily movable should we want to bring it into another room. 

I found some scrap fabric to maybe make a little seat cushion for the chair.

Technorati Tags: childrens table and chair makeover