As a parent of two elementary school students, I always ask my kids' teachers if they need anything for their room. Usually the answer is markers, wipes, or snacks. But, my kindergartner's teacher knows about my secret identity after having taught my older son for a year. So, she … [Read more...]
Sewing a Bench Cushion with Piping
I've made some progress this weekend on the desk for our kitchen. This was the keystone in the decision making process for the color of our cabinets. I wanted to see what the color would look like in the kitchen, on a real piece of furniture before spending big bucks on cabinets. … [Read more...]
Round Up of DIY Gift Ideas
It's the homestretch before Christmas. With less than a week away, those procrastinators amongst us (ahem, me) need to get crackin'.These were a few of my favorites from the DIY Gift Idea link party.DIY Instagram Necklace by Mod Podge RocksDIY Photo Ornaments by … [Read more...]
Tea Towel Calendar
2013 is right around the corner! Do you have your new calendar? I bet several people on your gift list don't either. That's why I think these tea towel calendars from Spoonflower would make a great gift.Have you heard of Spoonflower? It is a custom fabric printing company … [Read more...]
Drawstring Gift Bag Tutorial
Welcome back to another 15 Minute DIY Gift Ideas! We're on Day 3 and the gifts just keep comin'!Sometimes the perfect present isn't actually the gift itself. It's how the gift is packaged. These quick and easy drawstring bags can be made to any size you want and can be filled … [Read more...]
Sewing a Dog Safety Reflective Bandana
I realized recently that I haven't given any updates on our adoption of Pretty Handy Dog (aka Buddy.) I'm happy to say that Buddy has been with us for a year and a half now, and he has adjusted to living with us (crazy boys and all) just fine. After the first year, he began to … [Read more...]
Dressing Up a Patio Table – A Lowe’s Creative Idea
Do you dream of sitting outside at a Parisian café sipping your caffé mocha and reading the paper? The sound of the birds twittering in the background and the screaming and whining sounds of your offspring are non-existent. And that's when you come back to reality and realize … [Read more...]
No Sew Patio Tablecloth with Umbrella Hole
This is one of the easiest tutorials I've every written. As a bonus, it is a no sew table cloth perfect for updating your outdoor table that has an umbrella.While shopping at Target I stumbled across beautiful green link patterned table cloths. But, the sizes wouldn't fit our … [Read more...]
Making a Faux Roman Shade – DIY Talent SAS Interiors
Good morning and welcome! Today is the start of our DIY Talent Parade. The sun is shining and the clouds are gone, it's a great day for a parade! The crowds are anxious, so let's get this show on the road!Our first DIY Talent heading up the pack is Jenna from SAS … [Read more...]
Dollar Tree Placemat Turned into a Snowman Flag with Tulip Shimmer
Brrrr! Anyone else experiencing the dipping temperatures? I really don't like the cold unless it is going to snow. If it snows, I'll put up with the sub-zero artic blast because I know we couldn't have snow without the cold. But, if it isn't going to snow, you can take your cold … [Read more...]
Sewing Snowflake Box Bottom Gift Pouches
Gift pouches are super easy to make. You can use fabric, cloth napkins, or even a pair of pajama pants or boxers* (see bottom of this post)!I made pouches using fabric that I stenciled with Martha Stewart stencils and the roller top paint roller. As promised, here is how to … [Read more...]
The 10 Minute Tooth Fairy Pouch
Things happen fast in my family. So fast that I can barely keep up. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you probably saw that I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in the hospital with my youngest son. I looked away for an instant and he managed to climb 6 feet up the outside of the … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Back Pillow
Okay, no over 40 jokes! Yes, I use a back pillow, and without it my neck hurts. Sadly I lost my way too expensive memory foam back pillow on the airplane trip to Ca. I couldn't bring myself to buy another one, so I decided to see if I could make one.This is definitely an easy … [Read more...]
How to Make Your Own Piping
Back when I showed you my screen porch tour, I told you it really wasn't 100% finished. Why? Well, I really wanted to sew a cushion for the garden bench.As I was looking for piping for my cushion, I was getting VERY disappointed! Why? Two reasons:I couldn't find a … [Read more...]
Dollar Store Flower Pot Makeover
Another project I completed before the birthday party was a quick makeover for a pair of ho-hum dollar store flower pots. My friend Heather helped me add some jute rope and fake flowers then set them out with utensils in them. Perfect for a summertime birthday … [Read more...]
Re-Sizing and Dressing Up a Goodwill Sweater
I owe a huge hug of gratitude to Kathleen at Grosgrain Fabulous. She posted 30 days of sweater embellishments on her blog. In those tutorials she took the most ho-hum sweaters from Goodwill and turned them into Cinderella-worthy tops.Because of her inspiring transformations, … [Read more...]