Cabana Stripe Gray & White Envelope Pillow Tutorial

July 18, 2019 By Linda 5 Comments

Cabana Stripe Gray & White Envelope Pillow Tutorial – How To Sew A Pillow Cover

I love me a Cabana Stripe.

Doesn’t it just scream summer?

And not just any old summer. The cabana stripe is so not the Seaside-Heights-Atlantic-City-of-Jersey-Shore-fame summer. It’s more like a Saint-Tropez summer. Or a Cannes summer. Or a Martha’s Vineyard summer …

in my mind’s eye, I envision lots of cabana stripes on the Kennedy compound, back in the day.

Cabana stripes can even be a Spring Lake, NJ summer.

In fact, I’m pretty sure I spotted a few of those distinctive wide stripes on an awning or two back when I was a Jersey shore beach bum.

I haven’t yet found the Midwest equivalent of the cabana stripe summer. But I’m pretty sure I could find some cabana stripes along the North Shore (just north of Chicago where our many of our local high society folks call home). I can’t confirm since I’m still awaiting my invite to a summer soiree at one of the many mansions dotting the lakefront. 😉

And Lake Geneva in Wisconsin seems ripe for a wide cabana stripe or ten.

All this talk of cabana stripes has me thinking about how different stripes can conjure different emotions.

Take pin stripes. They can either go buttoned-up corporate business suit …

or a carefree day at the ballpark cheering on your favorite team with a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other.

Candy stripes remind me of my sister’s Candy Striping days.

And zebra stripes are … well … a whole different kind of New Jersey summer. One you would definitely experience in Seaside Heights and Atlantic City! 😉

But back to cabana stripes. I typically think of them in nautical colors (like the navy and white my screen porch sported last year) or summer yellow and white. But I think my new gray and white cabana striped pillows offer a similar summery vibe …

Cabana Stripe Gray & White Envelope Pillow Tutorial

The fabric used in this tutorial is Premier Prints Indoor/Outdoor vertical stripe in gray and white, with 3″ wide stripes for a 6″ repeat. You can find the fabric at this affiliate link ….

Let’s just start this envelope pillow tutorial with a disclaimer: When it comes to making pillow covers, I just wing it. No patterns used. Just me, my tape measure, my scissors, my pins, and my sewing machine. Oh, and thread too!

I start by measuring the length and width of my pillow form. I’m using a 20 x 20 Ikea down pillow inseert (click here for Ikea pillow insert found on Amazon).

So I cut a piece of fabric 21″ wide x at least 50″ long.

Now fold the fabric around the pillow insert (with right sides of fabric touching the pillow) and pull tight(ish) for a snug fit. On the back side of the insert, overlap the fabric at least 5″ and then fold back a layer to create a clean seam. Pin in place.

Carefully remove fabric from pillow form, keeping it folded in thirds. Lie flat, right sides together.

With right sides of fabric together, adjust your folds until the center piece of the fabric measures 19 1/2″ in total length. (I like a tight fit slip cover when using a down pillow insert, so I sew the seams a 1/2″ smaller than the pillow insert dimensions).

With right sides together, iron flat.

Iron center overlap seam (where the pocket insert for the pillow form will be) flat too.

Trim off excess fabric from center seam pocket.

Now refold fabric along the center seam, so the finished ironed edge is on the inside.

This will make sure when you sew the side seams together, the clean finished edge will be on the outside of the envelope pocket.

Pin right sides together.

Sew side seams together. I used a 3/4″ seam allowance on both sides for a finished 19 1/2″ width.

Turn right sides out and press. Here’s a shot of the envelope opening.

And now my back porch feels just like Saint-Tropez.

Okay, that’s a stretch. Maybe more like Lake Geneva.

Or, better yet, one of those North Shore lakefront masons I’m still awaiting my party invite to! 😉

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Cabana Stripe Fabric - Gray and White Cabana Striped Fabric - Pillow Cover Tutorial - How To Make and Envelope Pillow Cover

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Fabric Wrapped Cork Board DIY

January 31, 2019 By Linda 14 Comments

Fabric Wrapped Cork Board DIY – How To Make Cork Board with Fabric.

In case you were wondering ….

yes, it really was that cold in Chicago yesterday.

When I woke up my Weather App told me the air temperature was a brisk -21 degrees.

-21 degrees!

Yeah, that’s normal. Not. Just like the Chicago river filled with blocks of ice is normal. Not.

I supposed I shouldn’t complain. Great Forks, North Dakota supposedly reached -38 degrees last night.

I honestly had zero expectations of actually experiencing the cold yesterday. I honestly had zero expectations that I would set foot out the front … or back … doors. I honestly had zero expectations of even getting within a few feet of said doors (especially the front door which is super drafty!).

And in preparation for honestly not experiencing the cold yesterday, on Tuesday I did a big shop. Five-filled-to-the-brim-shopping-bags-and-a-12-pack-of-diet-Coke big shop …

but then …

karma kicked us in the butt.

Though, is it really karma when all I did was prepare to not go outside in polar vortex sub-zero temperatures? I always thought karma was some kind of cosmic payback for doing something … well … bad?

So what happened, you’re probably asking (or, perhaps pleading?) me to tell you instead of rambling on about what karma is or is not.

Well …

the furnace died.

Dead. Nada. Nothing. We flipped the switch and …

silence.

No humming motor sound of the furnace turning on. No booming metal sound as the furnace kicked in and started blowing warm air out.

So here we all are … Mike home from work; Molly home from school; Ernie the beagle home because, well, he’s a dog and he’s always home … shivering in our home.

Now, on the plus side-ish: We have two furnaces. And the one that decided to kick the bucket heats the new addition. So the bedrooms upstairs are still warm.

But the main first floor living spaces — living and dining rooms and kitchen — can’t get above 60 degrees. Not exactly cold enough to drive us out of our home to a warming station. But just cold enough to be uncomfortable.

Luckily the heating guy showed up relatively quickly. And luckily it wasn’t a full furnace replacement (phew).

But why does this always happen on the coldest day of the year? Or, at least happen to us on the coldest day of the year? The last time we had to replace the furnace (the one that heats the main living spaces and bedrooms) happened on …

you guessed it …

the coldest day of that year!

So now I’m trying to figure out what horrible things I may have done to inflict this cold karma on me and my family! 🙂

So today, in honor of sub-zero temperatures, I thought I’d share a project worthy of a polar vortex kind of day …

How To Make Fabric Wrapped Cork Board DIY

Materials

Cork Board (I used 12 x 12 cork tiles)

Fabric (I used this gray/beige/white paisley fabric, purchased from an Etsy shop)

Glue Gun

Scissors

Cut the fabric, leaving a 1-2 inch border around all sides.

Add a dot of glue at the corner.

Fold down the corner piece onto hot glue. Hold for a few seconds until dry.

Add a bead of glue along one length of the cork board.

Press fabric down and hold for a few seconds until dry.

Add an extra dot of glue at corner. Fold over and hold until dry.

Okay, now I’m suppose to show you more pictures of how I folded over the other edge of fabric to finish off the corner … but I must’ve gotten distracted or something. Because I simply cannot find any more photos.

So instead I’ll just leave you with the finished fabric wrapped cork board diy project …

Oh, and in case you were wondering, it really is that cold in Chicago again today. Woke up to be greeted with a -16 on my phone’s weather app …

brrrrrrr …

but at least the heat is working today! 🙂

I’ll just leave you with a shot of the Chicago polar vortex from @online.chicago on Instagram …

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The Painted Sink: Where Is It Now?

January 15, 2019 By Linda 4 Comments

The Painted Sink: Where Is It Now? – How To Paint a Sink.

You may recall I painted a couple of bathroom sinks in my home over the years …

here in 2013 …

and here in the powder room in early 2011.

I’m often asked how the sink has held up over the years.

And let me tell you: Here in the powder room, it’s held up pretty well. Especially since I painted this sink close to eight years ago, and I’m 99.99% sure the paint-the-sink product box stressed this should not be intended as a long term solution.

I’m 99.99% sure the shelf life should be closer to five years or so.

You know, temporary. A temporary solution to mask the ugly until you get around to a permanent solution.

But guess what? There will be no permanent solution. In our Chicago neighborhood, our home is considered a tear down. Which leaves me with 00.00% motivation to invest in anything that I can’t take with me. So my only option is to live with some nicks and knacks.

That’s okay. I can live with that. 🙂

Shall we take a closer look?

You can see some scuffing along the edges.

Here’s a closer look. You can see how the paint is being peeled back, exposing the ugly fiber glass underneath.

The drain has taken a bit of a beating too …

And finally, there are a few nicks here and there …

Oh, and the color has yellowed a bit over the years.

And with all that …

at the end of the day it’s still a whole lot better than the faux fiber glass biege/orangy builder grade sink that was all the rage in the 90’s.

Just kidding.

Faux fiber glass beige/orangy builder grade sinks were never a rage. At any time in the history of the U.S. Or the history of the world, for that matter. Just a cheap option in the world of builder grade flipping.

Which has me thinking: exactly who are these builder grade designers that thought a faux fiber glass beige/orangy sink is just what a homeowner would want?

Maybe it’s not an upgrade in builder grade materials we need. More like an upgrade in builder grade designers. 😉

Gray Painted Bathroom Vanity

May 11, 2018 By Linda 5 Comments

Gray Painted Bathroom Vanity – Sherwin Williams Repose Gray.

$gray painted bathroom vanity - sherwin williams repose gray - grey painted furniture$

You know that old saying about life handing you lemons and making lemonade?

Welcome to my lemonade.

My powder room is a lemon. It’s needs an apple or an orange or a lime or whatever the fruit equivalent is for a total gut job and rebuild.

But I’m living on a canned fruit budget. 😉

So my only recourse is lemonade making.

$gray painted bathroom vanity - sherwin williams repose gray - grey painted furniture$

Now, the thing is about making lemonade is … I’ve never made it from scratch. No juicing of lemons and adding of water and sugar for the perfect balance of tart to sweet. No sprigs of mint to top it all off.

I’m all about easy lemonade making with instant powder mix and water. The closest I’ve gotten to using a fresh lemon is as a garnish.

So when it came to making lemonade out of my old powder room vanity, I took the easy instant mix way. Down and dirty without a juicer or fresh lemon in sight.

🙂

$crystal cabinet pulls - gray painted bathroom cabinet - sherwin williams repose gray - grey painted furniture$

Which means the end result isn’t perfect. There are flaws.

$gray painted bathroom vanity - sherwin williams repose gray - glass cabinet pulls D. Lawless$

But that’s okay. Because in the end, my lemon cabinet looks much better than the before. And much, much better than the before before …

Gray Painted Bathroom Vanity

Materials

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (flat finish)

Annie Sloan Clear Wax (affiliate link)

Paint Brush

Clean Rags (for waxing)

Satin Nickle Cabinet Hinge

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

I sed Sherwin Williams Repose Gray flat latex paint on the cabinets (it’s the same paint on used on the bathroom walls). I removed the doors first and painted the base in place. It took two coats of paint, with drying time between each coat. Sand as needed to smooth out any drips (I sometimes take a heavy hand with the paint which results in drips!).

Once dry, I took a rag and the Annie Sloan clear wax (my preferred top coat finish choice because it gives a more matte satin finish vs. higher gloss poly) and added wax to the doors and base cabinet. Then I came back with a clean rag and removed & buffed.

That’s it.

My instant lemonade mix makeover of my bathroom vanity cabinet.

$gray painted bathroom vanity - sherwin williams repose gray - grey painted furniture$

I finished it off with new satin nickle hinges …

and these pretty antique crystal glass pulls from D. Lawless Hardware (and this is not a sponsored post).

Oh, and I used this same instant lemonade mix fix for the molding around the bathroom mirror. Painted & waxed in place.

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Balloon Shade Tutorial

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How to Make Balloon Shade Tutorial

March 13, 2018 By Linda 5 Comments

How To Make Balloon Shade Tutorial – Balloon Shade DIY.

Soooooooooooooooooo ……

Do I really need to address the elephant in the room? Or can we just move on. Move forward.

Because, honestly, I blame it on the so. Well, more accurately, the sew.

As in sewing.

Because sewing tutorials are the worst.

They are complicated. On so (and sew) many levels 😉 …

Starting with large swaths of fabric that are nearly impossible to photograph in a single frame without moving every piece of furniture out of the room.

And as a reminder, my house is already space-challenged.

Then there’s the whole sewing terminology barrier. I’m not a professional seamstress. I’m an amateur.

Okay, maybe there was that one class I took way back in junior high school. But that was loooooong ago and these days I’m mostly winging it.

I mean, have you tried reading a sewing pattern lately? It makes toilet paper math looks like kid’s play.

In trying to write up a sewing tutorial, I realize I don’t know the correct terms. Or stitches. I don’t even own a serger … or is it a serging machine? …. I don’t even know what it is. Or what it looks like. Or even when I would need to serge something.

And with all that said, I’ve been making balloon shade curtains for 25 years. My sister taught me as we made four giant balloon shade curtains for my first apartment. And when I moved into this home, I was a balloon-shade-making maniac. And then when I was pregnant the nursery got it’s own balloon shade. And then when I redecorated the nursery for my daughter (child #2), I made yet another balloon shade curtain …

With this gray and white buffalo check balloon valance, it took me close to two months to make — and share — this balloon shade curtain tutorial. A curtain I could whip out in a day.

Sigh.

Two weeks spent procrastinating because of the dreaded sewing tutorial.

Another week spent flip flopping and agonizing over scrapping the tutorial and just making the curtain.

And all the while the bare window looked so bare. And sad.

And then I gave in. And spent 3 days making this balloon shade (2 days longer than necessary) while documenting the process. As best I can.

And then another four weeks was spent in procrastination mode. And avoidance mode. Because I was procrastinating and avoiding writing up this post.

Sigh.

Because, as I said before, sewing tutorials are the worst.

How To Make Balloon Shade Tutorial

Materials*

Fabric (I found this gray & white gingham at this Etsy seller) – I used 1 3/4″ yards of 60″ width fabric

Thread

1/2″ Plastic Rings

Cording (I used about 20 yards)

5 Metal Eye Hooks

Wide Pocket Curtain Rod (2 1/2″)

*Includes some affiliate links.

Start by measuring your window area. As you can see, I chose to hang my curtain much higher than the top of the window. The ceilings are tall in this room and the window is short. I wanted to make the window look taller.

And here’s how I set up the hardware. I put the curtain rod hardware slightly outside the width of the window measurement by about 1 inch. You also need to install 5 eye hooks where the strings you’ll thread through the back of the curtain and then through the eye hooks to make the balloon curtain balloon.

For the fabric, I cut three panels 19″ wide and 74″ length (the finished width will be just about double the width of the window and about double the length. This extra width & length fabric will help give the “balloon-ing” when the curtain is pulled up.

Pin the three panels together, right sides together. Sew along 1/2″ seam allowance.

Press open the seams.

Hem the bottom. Cut off excess fabric.

Create a top hem and a pocket for the hardware. Fold down the top fabric 10 inches. At the 4″ down from the top fold, create a sew line.

Make a the pocket 3″ to accommodate the 2 1/2″ hardware.

Sew along the lines to make the pocket.

Sew rings along the panel seams (and on outside seams). Space 6″ apart.

Thread your cording through the rings, starting at the bottom (where you’ll tie a knot. Thread up and over like so …

Insert the hardware through the pocket. Now you’re ready to hang.

Thread the cording through the eye hooks. Starting from the outer edge. The first cord will go through all four eye hooks.

The next goes through three eye hooks.

And next through two eye hooks.

The last through the last eye hook.

Pull on the cords until you like how the balloon shade balloons. Then braid them together and fit onto the 5th eye hook on the side of the window.

And we’re done. A full two months later …

sigh. 🙂

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Vanilla Sugar Scrub

February 9, 2018 By Linda 2 Comments

Vanilla Sugar Scrub Recipe – Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipe Idea

I try not to ascribe to (or is it subscribe to? or buy into?) conspiracy theories …

but ….

something has been afoot (or is it underfoot?) when it comes to this vanilla sugar scrub project.

Dare I say there has been some type of conspiracy at play?

You see, someone …

or something …

does not want me to put this vanilla sugar scrub recipe out into the universe.

I’m not sure why it’s so controversial.

None of the ingredients are contraband. Quite the opposite. They’re readily available products typically found in most households.

The methods (or is it methodology?) of combinning said non-contraband ingredients is not classified. A bowl. A mixing cup. A spoon. Mix.

And yet, it’s been an uphill battle trying to get this post up on the blog. A battle that has been raging on for weeks.

Sigh.

Let’s start with conspiracy #1: Way back in early January I made and photographed this Vanilla Sugar Scrub project. Thinking it could be a good homemade Valentine’s Day gift idea. It also falls into my “craft with what you have” mantra for 2018.

I download the photos onto my computer into my photo editing software program (Adobe Lightroom), carefully picked my favorites, and edited them. I did not take the final step – exporting them to my hard drive, figuring I’d get to that later.

Big mistake.

When I went to download those carefully-selected-and-edited pictures, I discovered my photo editing software program got a glitch. Okay, more than a glitch. It wouldn’t open. So I had to purchase new software. And download. And when I opened it up, all the previous photos were gone. Gone. GONE.

So I had to return to step one. This time, though, I exported those edited pictures.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Conspiracy theory #2: Years ago I dropped my laptop (I don’t recommend the dropping of laptops). Ever since, getting the charger wire to fit the charger wire hole has been a balancing act of precision that I perfected. Until …

last week …

when the charger would no longer charge. No matter how many times I tried to get the connection to work.

Unfortunately, I did not notice this until there was only 26 minutes of power left. Panicked, I grabbed my external hard drive and starting moving as many files as I could onto it.

Many photos made the transfer. This Vanilla Sugar Scrub project did not.

Sigh.

Fast forward to today. Here I sit with a brand new laptop. With my Adobe Lightroom photo editing software successfully downloaded. And I start he process all over again. Download photos. Carefully pic faves. Edit and export.

And, finally, get this months-in-the-making blog post up on the blog!

How To Make Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Makes enough to fill 3-to-4 1/2 pint mason jars

Ingredients*

2 cups Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup oil (I used Almond Oil, but Coconut or Olive Oil work too)

10-15 drops Vanilla Extract

1/2 pint Mason Jars (I used Ball Elite 8 oz. Pint Jars)

*includes some affiliate links.

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and oil together. Add vanilla extract a few drops at a time until you reach desired scent.

2. Spoon into mason jars.

3. Add jute tie and free printable gift tag.

4. Share with your loved ones.

I also made some free printable tags to download (luckily these did survive the emergency external hard drive transfer!). Just click here …

Now that I have a new laptop, I’m hoping the rest of 2018 will be conspiracy free. Well, at least until I drop my new laptop …

😉

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How To Make a Bow

January 16, 2018 By Linda 2 Comments

How To Make A Bow – Wreath Bow DIY Tutorial.

Today’s post and project is from the “crafting with what you have” archives.

Or is it annals?

Perhaps annals today but archives after it’s published and … you know … officially archived?

Oh, and by archives (or annals) I mean the one other crafting with what you have project I did last week. But hey, the archive (or annals) has to start somewhere, right? 🙂

Either way, today I’m crafting with what I have.

And I’m hoping this turns into a common theme/trend (for me) in 2018. Mostly because (1) I really need a good purge of the crafting supplies accumulated over the past six years of this blog; and (2) I really need to stop giving all my hard-earned cash to Michael’s and JoAnns.

I mean, I have college tuition to pay ….

for the next, consecutive five years.

Oh, and I really need to invest in a new laptop (mine is literally falling apart). Pro tip: Dropping your laptop is not a good idea.

With all that in mind, I decided to re-purpose my Christmas wreath into a winter wreath.

Using what I had.

Which included painted pine cones I made a few years back (tutorial here) and 2 1/2″ wired ribbon I picked up last year at Michael’s. I had big plans for this ribbon …

that quickly fizzled and died. So I threw the ribbon into my crafting stash. And quickly forgot about it.

Until now.

Out it came.

And I tried my hand at making a bow …

How To Make A Bow

Materials

Wired Ribbon (I used Celebrate It! Brand from Michael’s that is ” wide)

Twisty Ties

Stapler

Scissors

Start by cutting four lengths of ribbon. For my bow, I cut:

One 8″ strip

One 27″ strip

Two 25″ strips

Fold the two 25″ strips into thirds with raw edges overlapping in back. The folded length should measure 11 inches. Staple closed along back raw edges.

Now accordion fold those two 11″ strips and staple in the middle.

Like so.

Now, my original plan was to stack the two stapled accordion-folded 11″ strips, add the 27″ length folded in half and then wrap the 8″ length around them and staple shut to hold together. But this plan did not work. Everything fell apart. Sooooooo …..

I folded over that 8″ strip and gave it three staples to make the bow center.

Using some twist ties (are we the only family that saves twist ties), I twisted three together to make a longer length. And then threaded it through the bow center piece.

I placed the bow center on top of the stacked two now 11″ pieces and the 27″ length.

And I used the twist ties to secure it all together.

After a little floofing …

and trimming, a bow has been created. Using what I have.

Up next, is a little floral wire. Again which I had …

To secure the painted pine cones onto the wreath.

Voila!

And now, with this how to make a bow post, my “craft with what you have” archives (or annals) has two submissions. 🙂

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Peppermint Bath Salts

December 22, 2017 By Linda 2 Comments

Peppermint Bath Salts – Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas.

Once upon a time, I watched a lot of House Hunters on HGTV.

A. Lot. Of. House. Hunters.

Because, once upon a (long) time (ago), it seemed like House Hunters made up 90% of programming on HGTV. Well, at least during the daytime hours …

hours and hours of House Hunters reruns.

This was a time before all the House Hunters spin-offs. Before Tiny House Hunters. And Beach House Hunters. And Log Cabin House Hunters. And Lake House House Hunters. And expanded hour-long House Hunters Renovations. And International House Hunters (which, by the by, I still tune in to when they are hunting in Europe).

But regardless of location or size or beach front views (back then and now) there always seems to be similar “demands” or “must haves” or “deal breakers.”

Whether it’s hardwood floors or granite (or no granite) or stainless steel appliances or man caves, the bathroom/bathrooms is/are always a sticking point.

The number of bathrooms. The double vanity. The master en suite. And …

drum roll please …

the bathtub.

Admittedly, I’m not a huge bathtub fan. Sure, they’re important if you have little kids (have you ever tried to give a toddler a shower? Trust me, not fun). But the whole soaking in a hot tub with a book and glass of wine scenario eludes me …

Not sure why? But somehow water and books and wine stresses me out. The whole juggling the book and wine and trying not to drop either in the hot tub of bubble-filled water causes me anxiety.

The clear opposite of relaxing.

But my daughter is a bath fan.

A huge bath fan.

And in her future house hunting, I’m pretty sure a bathtub will be on her “deal breaker” list. 🙂

So today’s post and project is in celebration of my bath-loving daughter …

How To Make Peppermint Bath Salts*

Materials**

Epsom Salt (4 cups)

Baking Soda (1 cup)

Peppermint Essential Oil (15-20 drops)

Red Food Coloring (5-10 drops)

Mason Jars (I used regular mouth pint sized Ball jars)

*Makes enough to fill two full pints & one 1/2 pint mason jar – or five 1/2 pint mason jars.

**Some affiliate links included.

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together Epsom salt and Baking Soda. Add 15-20 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil. Mix well. Split mixture in half. In one half, add 5-10 drops of food coloring. Mix well. Layer mixture into mason jars.

And if you’re looking for a last minute gift idea, this is a perfect handmade homemade gift that is sure to thrill …

… the bath lover in your life! 🙂

P.S. My bath-loving daughter has given this Peppermint bath salts recipe a thumbs up!

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Drop Cloth Ruffle Christmas Tree Skirt

December 14, 2017 By Linda 4 Comments

Drop Cloth Ruffle Christmas Tree Skirt – How To Make a Ruffle Tree Skirt.

O Christmas tree (skirt), o Christmas tree(skirt)
How lovely are thy ruffles
O Christmas tree (skirt), o Christmas tree (skirt)
How lovely are thy ruffles

Your canvas so natural in summertime
Stay bravely natural in wintertime
O tannenbaum, o Christmas tree (skirt)

How lovely are thy ruffles

Drop Cloth Ruffle Christmas Tree Skirt - How To Mae

Last year I made a drop cloth ruffle Christmas tree skirt. I didn’t follow a pattern. I didn’t follow a tutorial (per say). I just picked up a few tips here and there from other Christmas tree skirts.

I knew I wanted to use drop cloth. Because drop cloth is frugal.

I mean, where else can you find 4′ x 15′ piece of fabric for a less than $1 a yard?

I also knew I wanted a ruffle. A single ruffle. Not ruffles, plural.

And when I Google’d it (like I Google so many other things) all I found were Christmas tree skirt ideas with ruffles. Plural.

That’s when I knew for my single ruffle Christmas tree skirt, I was on my own(ish). So I winged it.

Or is it wung it?

Or wunged it?

Either way, I was flying solo(ish)

All I knew is I wanted it to be simple. And inexpensive. And (relatively) easy to make.

And, if you ignore all the cumbersome ironing, it did turn out to be (relatively) easy.

I had no idea how it would turn out as I unfolded and unfolded and unfolded a 4′ x 15′ drop cloth …

How To Make A Drop Cloth Ruffle Christmas Tree Skirt

Materials*

4′ x 15′ Drop Cloth

5/8″ Jute Ribbon

Pins & Thread

Pencil & String

*affiliate links included.

I had no idea of how it would turn out as I folded that unfolded 4′ x 15′ drop cloth in half. And then folded it again … folding the top over 20 inches.

I had no idea how it would turn out as I tied a length of string to a pencil and then measured out 18″ along the drop cloth. I had no idea as I drew a semi circle by holding the length of string at the corner of the fabric and moved the pencil from 18″ to draw that perfect semi circle.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I cut out that semi circle shape.

I had no idea how it would turn out as I used that length of string and pencil to draw and cut out a small semi circle at the top (2″ length).

I had no idea how it would turn out as I cut that semi circle from end to center. And then ironed it.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I folded down and pinned and sewed a seam along that inner circle.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I cut two 11″ strips from the remaining 13′ of drop cloth canvas fabric. And then ironed and ironed and ironed those two 11″ x 13′ strips of drop cloth canvas.

And I had no idea how it would turn out when I baste stitched 1/2″ along the two lengths of those 13′ strips.

I had not idea how it would turn out when I pulled on those baste stitch strings to create ruffles along those two 13′ strips of fabric.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I took those two lengths of 13′ now ruffled strips and spaced them out (and adjusted the ruffles) to fit on the outside edges of the circle base.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I pinned and stitched those two 13′ now-ruffled strips together to make one.

I had no idea how it would turn out when I pinned (right sides together) the ruffle to the circle base …

… and then cut off the excess before stitching the ruffle to the base circle.

I had now idea how it would turn out when I folded and pinned the seams where the skirt would come together. And cut lengths of 5/8″ jute ribbon which I pinned along the seam and sewed on to serve as ties …

like so …

and so …

I had no idea how it would turn out as I gave it one final pressing ….

before laying it out under the tree.

And you know what?

I don’t like how it turned out.

I love it!

So much so, that I made a third drop cloth ruffle Christmas tree skirt for my third tree in the dining room. 🙂

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Grain Sack Striped Tray & Chalk Painted Pillars

September 21, 2016 By Linda 7 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of CORT for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

As I sit here in a hoodie and blanket bundled up against the cold — and no, not the cold outside; the cold inside as the air conditioner continues to blast well into September — I can’t help but realize that winter will be bearing down on Chicago very soon …

It could be a week.

It could be a month.

Regardless, it will happen.

Oh, and the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a brutal one.

Shiver.

And all this thought of winter bearing down has me waxing poetic about summer …

and all that I’ll miss as I’m shoveling sidewalks and chipping ice off my windshield.

Here are the top five things I’m going to miss about summer …

#1 – Sand between my toes. Enough said.

#2 – Sun-kissed skin. Yes, I realize tanning is not good for me. But I can’t help it. I look so much better with a little color on my cheeks. And legs. Plus, you can never really take the Jersey out of a Jersey girl. 🙂

#3 – And speaking of legs: I’ll truly miss my Old Navy white denim boyfriend shorts. With its stretch denim, it’s like wearing pajamas.

#4 – Green. Green. And more green. I’m dreading the dreaded months filled with days of gray.

#5 – And, last but not least, dining al fresco. Especially on our screened-in porch …

… a screen porch we have been enjoying all summer but I have yet to share a full reveal of its new look.

Mostly because I’ve been waiting to finish up the details. A pillow cover here. A pillar candle there. And a much-needed serving tray to help us bring our dishes and napkins and condiments out to the table …

and back inside.

So when CORT Clearance Center asked me if I’d like to visit their downtown Chicago location (easy to find just off Lake Shore Drive) to find a discount furniture item or two to upcycle, I jumped at the chance. And as I headed down Lake Shore Drive on a beautiful, sunny summery Chicago day I had dreams of serving trays and chunky pillars dancing in my head …

And CORT did not disappoint. Seriously. And while I had my eye (and dreams) on serving trays and candle holders, I was easily distracted by all the amazing tables and chairs and sofas and lamps and artwork filling the beautifully appointed showroom.

I almost scrapped my serving tray and pillar plan for the most gorgeous hounds-tooth chair!

The best part: everything was affordable, but not cheap. The quality was top notch. So much so that everything is CORT Certified. CORT guarantees if any product is found to be defective within 90 days of purchase they will repair or replace it.

And then … then … things in the CORT showroom got even more amazing!

As I was checking out, my sales associate Angie kept giving me even more off on my already affordable pieces as she bundled items together and gave me “home to go” discounts.

Score!

And as I drove back home along Lake Shore Drive on a beautiful, summery sunny Chicago day with my CORT Clearance Center merchandise safely packed away in the trunk, I had upcycling dreams of a grain sack striped tray & chalk painted pillars dancing in my head … 🙂

How To Make Grain Sack Striped Tray & Chalk Painted Pillars

Let’s start with a before of the serving tray and pillars I found at the CORT. I know. A mismatched color combination. And while the coral is pretty, it’s also very taste and decor specific. But the quality is amazing. Sturdy. Solid. Well made. And those pillars have some serious heft to them.

I thought a couple coats of chalk paint (two coats, to be exact, using Annie Sloan in Pure White) on the pillars and the serving tray would make them a bit more versatile. Well, for my current white and navy decor that is. 🙂

I gave all the pieces a good cleaning first, but that’s all the prep you need with chalk paint. Which is why it’s my go-to for a paint makeover.

Once dry (and chalk paint dries fast so you can do this all in a single day), I taped off a grain sack pattern on the serving tray with painter’s tape.

I used a credit card to seal the edges of the tape. I wanted nice, clean, and seepage-free lines when I removed the tape.

I used a navy chalk paint (ArtMinds brand in Indigo blue that I found at the craft store) to paint the stripes. After I removed the tape, I did have a few touch up spots on the handles.

I opted to not go with a distressed finish, but did give the serving tray a light sanding with 200 grit sandpaper along the navy blue stripes to achieve more of a grain sack look.

I finished off the serving tray and pillars with a coat of clear wax. I simply applied the wax — generously — with a clean cloth. Using a second clean, dry cloth I wiped off the excess and gave the pieces a buff. These steps happened simultaneously. Once all the pieces got a coat of clear wax, I immediately went back to the first piece and started wiping-off-excess-and-buffing process.

And now … finally … as winter will soon be bearing down on Chicago, my screen porch transformation is complete. Thanks to my new, upcycled grain sack striped tray & chalk painted pillars from CORT, the porch is ready for its big reveal …

that I promise will happen before the first frost! 🙂

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CORT showrooms are located nationwide. Click on the link to find your local clearance center.

DIY Bath Caddy

May 16, 2016 By Linda 2 Comments

DIY Bath Caddy Tutorial – Easy, Affordable Wood Tray with Handles.

I’m not a bath person.

And yes, I’m fully aware of the irony – or is it disconnect? – between my first sentence and this post’s title/subject matter.

But I’ve never found the act of lying in a tub of warm water with bubbles relaxing. It always felt forced. “Am I having fun yet? Am I relaxed yet?

I even tried adding the obligatory candles, glass of wine, and book. And yet, still no comfort.

In fact, it was the opposite of comfort. It was sheer discomfort. I’d be anxious about dropping the book in the tub. And warping the pages as I held the book – and turned the pages – with wet hands and fingers.

And don’t even get me started on the whole pruning of the fingers thing.

Then there’s the wine. Where do I rest it after taking a sip? I can’t hold it and the book at the same time. Do I put it on one of the slippery corner ledges? Or on top of the toilet seat? Which, by the way, ew.

And as the water temperature cools and bubbles disperse my anxiety about the whole experience only heightens.

So why, you may be asking at this point in my bath rant, have I created a diy bath caddy?

Two reasons. First, my daughter is a bath enthusiast. She’ll disappear for hours on end. I even make her lavender bath salts (here). Now she can rest them on the bath caddy in case she wants to add more mid-bath. Oh, and I thought we could avoid any future i-phone submerged in the bath mishaps with a tray to rest her phone upon … 😉

The second reason is because of a little mini bathroom upgrade I gave the space, thanks to Angie’s List. I thought a diy bath caddy would help make the reveal look a little more interesting …

and spa-ish.

I’ll share the full reveal soon, but in the meanwhile here’s a quick tutorial on how to make your own diy bath caddy. It’s super easy and super affordable!

How To Make A DIY Bath Caddy

I started with a piece of 1 x 12 pine that I had the nice folks at The Home Depot cut down to size to fit the span of my tub. I then used some 80 grit sandpaper to smooth down the rough edges and remove any potential splinters (because, let’s face it, getting a splinter while taking a tub would not be relaxing at all).

I then stained the board using “Puritan Pine” (who came up with that name?!?). Using a cheap paint brush (you could use a foam brush too) I applied a generous coat …

Which I then immediately wiped off with a clean rag. You could also apply the stain using a rag, following up with a clean rag to wipe away any excess.

I let it dry overnight before adding hardware. I found these handles at Ace Hardware and they’re called “Utility Handles.” I liked that I could screw them in from the top of the board. I simply used a pencil to mark where holes needed to be drilled.

Quick drilling tip: I used a piece of tape to mark off the depth of the screw to prevent me from drilling a hole all the way through the board. Like that ever happened before. 😉

All that was left was screwing in the screws with a screwdriver.

Oh, and I added handles on both ends of the board. With is self-explanatory, but thought I’d explain anyway! 🙂

And now just a few more shots for good measure …

In fact, I like my new bath caddy so much I’m tempted to try the whole taking a bath thing again …

🙂

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You can find even more of my before & after projects by clicking here …

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| Between Naps on the Porch |

Vintage Look Grocery Sign

February 26, 2016 By Linda Leave a Comment

How to make a vintage look grocery sign tutorial.

There are bits and pieces of Christmas still lingering about the house.

An ornament here. A Santa mug there. Candy canes hither. A Christmas village thither …

What?!?!

That’s not exactly a bit. Or a piece. It’s a whole lotta bits and pieces!

At first, I justified it as a winter scene. Winter decor that transcends Christmas. That’s what kept it up through January. But when February rolled around, those excuses fell flat. And, quite honestly, it’s become overlooked. I’ve turned a blind eye to those row houses and ceramic people and the Hi De Ho Nightclub that needs a new bulb …

until …

until I was editing pictures for this vintage look grocery sign project.

There, front and center, was the elephant in the room: the Department 56 Christmas in the City village. A full two months-and-a-day past its 2015 holiday season expiration date.

Sigh.

Maybe I’ll get it down this weekend. Surely the forecasted 50+ degree temperatures will melt all that faux snow. 😉

In the meanwhile, here’s a detailed tutorial on how I made that vintage look grocery sign.

Vintage Look Grocery Sign DIY Tutorial

Materials

Stencil (I purchased mine here)

Lumber (I used a 1″ x 10″ pine board and had Home Depot cut it down to 34″ for me)

Primer (I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3)

White Latex Paint – Flat Finish

Black Latex Paint – Flat Finish

Painter’s Tape

Sanding Block (fine grit) and/or Sand Paper (120 grit)

Tack Cloth

Spray Adhesive (I used Loctite brand) – Optional

Light & Dark Waxes (I used Amy Howard Light Antique and Dark Antique waxes, purchased at Ace Hardware)

Paint Brushes, Rollers

Stencil Brush

Cloth Rags

I started by priming my board (one coat) followed by one coat of latex paint. My board is 2-sided so I painted one side white and the other black.

1.Tape

I taped off a one-inch board around the board. I used a credit card to seal the edges.

2. Affix Stencil

I tried my best to center the stencil on the board and then carefully lifted it from each end (while in place) to spray with adhesive. I used my finger to press down along the edges to prevent paint bleeding.

3. Paint & Stencil

Using a brush, I painted black along the boarder.

For the stencil, load up your stencil brush with paint, and then offload on a piece of cardboard. Use an up and down motion to stamp the paint over the stencil. Don’t swirl or go back and forth with the brush.

Remove stencil and tape once finished painting & stenciling.

4. Sand

I just lightly sanded over the whole piece, and then added a bit more along the edges and letters. I went for a light distressed look. Use a tack cloth to clean off sanding dust.

5. Wax

I started with the Amy Howard Dark Antique wax first. Load up your brush and then unload most on a piece of cardboard. I focused along the edges and the letters, followed by a clean cloth rag to remove excess.

I followed with the Amy Howard Light Antique Wax. I loaded up my brush and then unloaded most on a piece of cardboard. I applied in a circular motion on the entire piece to tone down the bright white. After letting dry for 10 minutes or so, I used a clean rag to buff.

6. Rinse & Repeat