Dress presto change-o

My mom gave me a dress last year....one that she had never worn much.

I fell in love with it. The colors are MY colors.....my favorite color is turquoise. : )


The only problem with it? It was a few sizes too big and it just swam on me. The top of the dress was obscene, if you know what I mean. It would have required a camisole, no question.


So, I tried to alter it to the best of my ability. Which is not much. If you will recall, I am still new at sewing. I was unsuccessful at making it fit better. I tried giving it to my friend and it was not her style. And she returned it to me.


After the dress hung on my dress form for several months, I had a revelation.....make it into a skirt!


I pinned the sides and ran a seam to reduce the fullness of the skirt.

Here she be....

Not too shabby. Well, except for the waistband.  : ) Since it was gathered with elastic in the back, I just cut off the bodice part and didn't do anything to it. I could add elastic at the top for a more finished look. Maybe I still will....but for now, since I rarely wear anything tucked in, this does the job just fine.


On me....I'll share a pic soon of what it looks like styled.

I just love those colors!!

Party Time......

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life

Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime

Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles

Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill

Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

61 and fabulous

My dad turned 61 today. Happy birthday, Dad!

I have learned many, many things from both of my parents and I know I am very fortunate and blessed to still have  both of my parents on earth.

So, while this post could not be long enough to list all of the things I have learned from my dad--or my mom, too--I will share just a few tidbits.

I think we could all write a book about words of wisdom from Dad. My dad knows a lot about a lot of things. So, if you have a question about something, he's a good person to ask. He will tell you what he knows....and what he thinks. : )  My dad works hard and I know few people who put as much into their work as my dad does. So, I feel bad that sometimes I call him just when I have a question about something. I should call him more often just to ask how he's doing and to say "I love you."

But I digress.....one of my favorite bits of wisdom from Dad would be, "It doesn't matter if you have a junky car....you can still keep it clean." I keep my car clutter-free and do the best I can to keep it washed.....which sometimes falls to the bottom of the list when you're chasing kids around.

My dad has taught me a lot of what I know about using tools and how to fix things up. I remember when I had my first condo after moving out of my parents' house after college. Just a single girl trying to fix up her place. I'm pretty good with changing out light fixtures since learning how to wire lights for high school theater shows. So, I bought a ceiling fan. I got my ladder out and started installing. I got stuck when I was trying to mount the base to the electrical box and joists. For some reason, I could not get any screws in to hold it in. My dad came over and helped me. Since then, I've installed 4 or 5 other fans in our subsequent houses. A few months ago, he brought over his mitre saw for me to borrow so I could do some projects. I can't wait to get started with it.

Thanks, Dad. I hope you have a great birthday and I love you.

Mixing color: color cards

I don't know about you....but for me, mixing colors and prints can be pretty intimidating. This is one reason I like reading fashion magazines. You can see how the clothes, colors and patterns are put together.

So...I was reading my April issue of InStyle and I was really excited to see these inserts that suggested color combos for neutrals.

For each color--ivory, khaki, olive, navy and gray--they suggested four colors to mix with it. Love it! I pulled them out and put them inside my medicine cabinet.


How brave are you when it comes to mixing colors and prints?

These ain't your mama's stencils....

Good morning and I hope all of you lovely people are enjoying your weekend. I must be honest, I am so tired of this weather trend we have been having the last several weeks here in the Ohio Valley. It goes like this....Monday-Thursday: beautiful weather! Friday: cold front moving in with rain! Saturday/Sunday: CHILLY and either cloudy/chilly or sunny/chilly.

Couldn't once be the other way around? We need some rainy weekdays for my personal sanity and also to keep the kiddies at school from losin' their minds too soon.

I know what would make me feel better...a good, old DIY project. This one was pretty high-impact! In light of my recent goal in doing projects (using stuff I have around the house), I was able to do this using materials I already had. My objective? To make patterned curtains.

I started with a brushed nickel curtain rod that used to be my sister's. The finials were blue glass, so I painted them brushed nickel to match the rod.

I made the curtains out of a white cotton muslin that my mom gave me when she was cleaning out old fabrics. I put a seam on each side and created a place for the rod to go. I've held off on hemming them for now, since I'm not sure if I want to add another fabric at the bottom or lower the rod. They ended up being a few inches too short.....my first time sewing curtains. : )

I used a stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils that I won in a giveaway that was hosted by Shelley, over at Crazy Wonderful. Thanks so much, Shelley!!! I am loving my new stencil and my new curtains, too! Her giveaway was for one stencil from Cutting Edge and also included was a little paint roller with a foam roller, perfect for this project.

If you've never been to their website, it is just amazing. I love that these stencils look like patterned wallpaper, but it's totally low-commitment, since it's just paint and so easy to paint over. : )

I have also bought a stencil from CES and they send you a little stencil, too. I used my little stencil to practice a bit before getting started. If you were doing a wall, you would probably want to practice a bit on a piece of cardboard. It tells you this in the instructions....which are very thorough!

I cut off a tiny piece of the muslin. The paint I used was leftover from painting the room where the curtains are going.

Since I was painting fabric, I wanted to get an idea of how much paint needed to be on the brush and how many times I needed to go over each stencil. I didn't want to use too much paint and have it bleed out beyond the stencil.

Although it was a fairly pleasant day, we worked in the garage with the door shut so the breezes wouldn't disrupt our stenciling. Plus, I didn't want to get paint on my floor inside.

I picked started in a corner and held tightly onto the stencil as I rolled.

I worked my way across, left to right. Here you can see at the end, I used the stencil to finish the remaining part to take it over to the edge of the fabric.

Here is curtain #2. And my six year-old helper, who was doing his own stenciling on paper.

Here they are, hanging up. They did not take long to dry!

They turned out pretty well! If you look closely, there is a bit of variation in the paint saturation in a few spots, but not unless you examine closely. I think with practice, I would get better at that. There is also a paint drip or two that came (while I ducked inside for a minute) courtesy of said six year-old. Who did not 'fess up right away.

Here you can see how my finial turned out. Not too bad, using brushed nickel spray paint.

Here they are, pictured with the chair I redid and recovered.

All in all, it was a success. I was surprised at how easy it was. 

If you have experience painting with a roller, I think this would be especially easy for you. I was able to finish the painting while my three year-old was up for a nap. : ) My kind of timeline. 

Now I have beautifully patterned curtains.

Party Time......

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life

Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime

Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles

Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill

Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

Ombre toes

I've been noticing ombre clothes lately in the magazines. I really love the look! Although I don't have any ombre clothes (note: try to dye it myself??? new idea percolating...), I've also noticed some ombre manicures in some of my mags.


I decided to give it a try. Can't try the trend in clothes--or not brave enough? Go low commitment with your nails.


I started with one of my fave blue polishes and a white.

I painted my big toe the original blue color, straight from the bottle. To achieve one shade lighter, I added a few drops of white. I used the blue nail polish brush to mix, since I didn't want to get blue into the white.

For each subsequent toenail, I added a few more drops and mixed. Here, you can see the orignal shade, then the next lighter, then the third shade being mixed in the middle.

Once I was done painting, I made sure I cleaned my original blue brush of the lighter shades so the blue wouldn't lighten in the bottle.

Voila....ombre toenails.

I think it could be interesting to try this with a black polish and go darker with each shade. Maybe for next winter. This blue is quite nice for spring, I think.


Mom, this next shot is for you. xox

Here's to livin' on the edge.

Party Time......

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life

Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime

Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles

Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill

Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

New obsession

Okay, I must be completely honest here. I am unabashedly obsessed with a new show.

Yes, that would be the Shahs of Sunset. I got hooked on it this weekend, watching it with my mom. Just in time to record a bunch of episodes before the season finale aired on Sunday.


I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I can't stop watching this show. In some ways, I think it shows my less cerebral, shall we say, side. I have more respectable tastes....I like The Good Wife. I've even been known to watch 60 Minutes with my husband. But....like Jersey Shore, this show is much like a bad train wreck that you can't stop watching. 


It's so over the top....I can hardly believe there are people who are so out of touch with reality.


Still, it's pretty funny. And I can't stop watching. : )


What are your TV guilty pleasures?

Creepy hand turned jewelry deco

Since I've started doing some DIY jewelry, I've needed to expand my jewelry storage options. I can't even remember how I used to store jewelry. Admittedly, I didn't used to be that into jewelry. I'd wear the same small amount of jewelry day after day.

I was taken my this papier mache hand that I saw at the craft store. I thought it would make a great jewelry display. Jewelry and accessories look great out on display....not just hidden in a box.

So, I bought this hand and a small wooden base. Both totaled about $6 at the craft store.

I hot glued the hand to the base.....

Hit it with some brushed nickel spray paint....and there ya go.

Now it's creepy metallic hand in our bathroom. Or so would think my husband, who is creeped out by the hand mightily....

Party Time......

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life

Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime

Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles

Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill

Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing

Fashion No. 2...the tail of a fish

Since I've been taking a little break from work clothes in the last week (read: sweats), I thought I'd post a pic of an outfit I wore to school last week.

Shirtdress: Old Navy
Jean Jacket: Old Navy, bought online
Leggings: Old Navy
Shoes: Target
Belt (can't see in this pic): Kohl's
Bracelets: DIYed and bebe
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

I honestly can't remember quite how this outfit came together...except that I put on something else and it didn't look quite right....so I threw on this shirtdress and added leggings, since it was in the 60s that day. Although I'm not hugely into wearing all black, I did wear all black and put the grey jean jacket on over it to break up the blackness. I like to break up the one color with a pop of a bright color, but I had nothin'. One of my students commented, "Why are you blacking out today?"

They are my best critics sometimes.

Speaking of ten year-old fashion critics, I've noticed from teaching seven grade levels over the years, trends seem to start with the high school kids, then trickle down to the middle school and pre-teens. For example, the boating shoe (or I'm not sure what they're called) trend. High school kids started wearing these a year or two ago and now the kids at my school (I teach grades 5/6) are catching on. So, when the kids at my school are enthusiastic about an outfit, I sort of wonder how fashionable it really is. : )

One thing they really liked about my look was my braid.....

I tried out a side fishtail braid. It was pretty easy to do! I used a tutorial from YouTube that I can't find right now. It looked a bit rough by the end of the day (when I took the pics), so I think with practice, it would get tighter and would hold up better. I get in hairdo ruts sometimes, so it is nice to have something new to do with my locks.

I DIYed a new accessory today that I'm looking forward to sporting next week. Stay tuned...

Lyre chair makeover

Good morning...Hope you all are enjoying a lovely week!


I think I may have set a personal record on how long it took to complete this particular project. I'm up to the better part of a year....nine months, to be exact. So, here goes....


I acquired these chairs last summer, via Craigslist. A lady a few towns over was cleaning out an old barn and she wanted to unload these chairs.

I was quite pleased, since they were in fairly good shape. I met her at the local Wal-Mart and I expected to pay about $25 for one. She gave me both of them for $30 since she didn't want to cart the other one home. Score!


I removed the cushions....after who knows how many years in the barn, they were desperately in need of removal. This is one of the first times buying something on CL that I've been completely skeeved out by the ratty looking fabric and padding. Although I hope it doesn't take you as long for this project should you take it on, I have a few words of advice....save your hardware!! It will make your life easier later on.

Paint job up next.

I tightened them up as best as I could. The painting and tightening took place last fall, by the way.

Here is the first one, ready for reupholstery.

This is where I hit a wall. For months. I was looking for the perfect patterned fabric...and I had a really hard time finding something I liked in the right color. For the right price, of course.


Also...lately, I've acquired stuff for projects.....and then had a hard time following through. I think any crafter/sew-er is guilty of this to an extent. I just happen to be one of the bad ones. So, one of my unofficial challenges for the year is to do projects using materials I have on hand....before going out to get stuff for new projects. : )


Since I couldn't find any fabric I liked--and I had my challenge upon me--I decided to use some off-white cotton duck fabric my mom gave me. I used a level/ruler to attach paint tape and spray painted diagonal stripes. Which turned out to be super easy to do. I don't think I'd recommend this method for a chair that you would use daily, but this is a chair that won't get a ton of use each day. There she be.

I already had the foam and my mom gave me some batting she had on hand. I laid out the fabric, batting, foam and wood board, then trimmed around the edges.

If you're new to upholstery, this is one of the simplest projects for starting out. I do a staple on each side in the center, pulling tightly on each side.

Then...I work my way out to the corners, pulling tightly.

To do the corners, you can fold it a bit like wrapping a gift. I keep track of what I've done, so I do all of the corners the same and they all look alike. Pull tightly!

Once finished, I do a once-over to see if I need to pull out any staples and re-staple more tightly. I also trim the inside edges.

As I was attaching the padded seat to the chair, I noticed that some of the unpainted chair was showing. So, I had to take it off and touch up with some white paint.

After a little touch-up, I reattached the cushion and there ya go.

Not too bad of an upholstery job using stuff I had already. Costing nada! No more than $15 for the chair. : ) My piano room is looking up.


Next project up soon...!

Party Time......

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Share Day at Just a Girl

Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life

Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating

Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming

Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime

Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles

Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection

Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill

Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers  at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Sunday Roundup at A Rosie Sweet Home
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing