Embroidered curtain tie-backs

Here is what I've gotten done so far. As I've said I have only very basic embroidery skills - but I'm happy enough so far. This is a good practice piece! What do you think of adding some beading? Maybe in the yellow area? The little red thingy you see in the photo is a needle threader. If you don't have one - get one! One tip I read is that you aren't supposed to lick your thread to thread your needle because the dye can then bleed onto the fabric. I just use the needle threader because it is soooooooo much easier! My tip is to have several needles threaded so you don't have to start and stop all the time. Well, now it is back to cleaning the house - I just can't wait for evening though - that's when I do the busy handwork. Have fun crafting!!

Lots goin on!

Woo Hoo! I'm excited! One of my ideas got featured on One Pretty Thing!! Now I got to add the "Featured on One Pretty Thing" button to my blog. Scroll down and check it out! It's on the left. This is just so flattering!

What have I been doing today? Well, I ripped open a couple of old chair pad cushions and stuffed the stuffing into an old pillow case, sewed the end shut, put it into a shallow keeper that was missing it's lit, sewed an old blanket into a pillow case, covered the keeper and pillow stuffed with chair cushion fluff with the blanket pillow case, and walla a dog bed! Maybe the shedding beast will now stay off the things I don't want covered with dog hair? I know, I know life just doesn't work that way - but we have to keep trying - right? I will try to tailor the blanket at a later date - and I'm thinking of some dog print applique - but this works for now. I just don't have time because. . . drum roll. . . I found the most awesome embroidery site!!!! Came across it via Craft Gossip who found it at Pin Tangle. Anyways - the pattens are amazing!!! FYI - you'll want to have a pretty fast computer for this because you download PDF's and they are anywhere from a few pages to over a hundred pages long. I want to get started right away - spent yesterday evening organizing my floss. I am only a very basic embroiderer but I think these patterns can be adapted to however simple or complex you want to make them! Here is the link to the patterns - The Antique Pattern Library. Carve out a chunk of time and go look!

Here is a very small small sample of what is there - fun fun fun!

Remember the new curtains I sewed for the kitchen window? Well, they are still working out just great! My only complaint was that I always had to fuss with them when I wanted them open or closed. Like, I'd swag them open and they would separate in the center and then when I wanted them closed I'd have to pull the top shut every time. Just a little thing but it bothered me. The less fuss the better, ya know? So - since I have a wonderful collection of pins that never get worn (cause who wears fancy pins while wearing their painting clothes?) but are still much loved . . . anyways, when I pinned one to the very top of the curtains they didn't move around. Phew - lotta words for such a simple thing! Have a good rest-of-the-weekend!!

I've been having problems with spacing on my blog - be patient while the bugs get worked out!

papercut

I got busy cutting paper last night and this morning. Have another couple "brands" to add. Still haven't picked my favorite one.

Sketched a rough sketch and papercut it - I kinda like it - after the picture was taken I added some glitter -

Cut myself for the first time ever with my craft knife last night while cutting this out. I've been cutting paper for somewhere around 10 - 11 years and it was quite a surprise! I survived - a bandage was all it took to stop the bleeding. Guess I'll be keeping this cutting for quite a while to remind myself to be careful!

Branding

I FOUND my hair kit!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSS!! It was in my craft room on my red shelf spinny thingy. Phew.

What else have I been up to? Well, I've decided to "brand" my family. I wanted to come up with a logo or whatchamacallit that is easily recognizable to my kids. Why? Well, I don't know how many coolers and chairs have been lost over the summers because we didn't have our names on them. And, my husband and I are both from large families. There are a lot of people out there with our same last name. I thought if I came up with something I liked I could make a stencil and stencil this on everything. These are a few of the designs so far. It is kinda fun and addictive!!! I find myself wanting to make the brand bigger and fancier or bolder and simpler. Here is another reason this will also be handy for my kids - picture them digging though someone elses cooler at the fireman's picnic - our cooler (if I remember to bring one) will be easily recognizable now. Um - the "logo" is G5 because our last name begins with a G and there are 5 of us. Easy peasy.

Cleaning Yuck

NOTE: Because the before picture was so disgusting my mom made me take it off the blog. It will however be available by request. Yup, 37 years old and my mom can still tell me what to do. Moms have power - must use it wisely!

I really can't believe that I'm going to show you these pictures - but if it can save anyone from making the same mistake I did - well. . . let me just say that if you have a weak stomach you should leave this page now. I. Am. Not. Kidding. !

Where to start. . . from time to time when I call my friend Julie and ask what she's doing she'll say she's cleaning her dishwasher. I kinda knew what she meant but never really went into details. Then my sister was over and saw the inside of my dishwasher and she said that she takes hers apart and cleans it. Hmmm. . . THEN I was reading Good Housekeeping I think it was and Heloise said she does a yearly clean on her dishwasher. Do ya think I should have gotten the message a long time ago! Nope. Then I was reading a blog and the author said she cleans the gunk from her dishwasher once a year or so. How long have I had my dishwasher? Well let's see, we've lived here NINE AND A HALF YEARS!! And I've NEVER taken it apart to clean it!!! It came with the house so who knows how long it's gone on like this! Sometimes my ignorance astounds me. I had noticed that it wasn't doing as good of a job as it used to. . . well, I decided to tackle the problem. Oh boy - remember when your kids would puke and you'd have to shut off your brain to clean up the mess. Well, yes, it was that bad. I just had to turn off my brain and go into auto-pilot. The only reason I'm showing you a before picture is because there is an equally amazing after picture. Only they are amazing for different reasons - ha ha! See that layer of black cruddy scum that is about 2 inches thick? That isn't supposed to be there! It was actually almost covering the grate where the water drains out of the dishwasher - I think. I almost thought the black crud was some sort of filter at first. In the after picture you will see the sparkly white thingy - well the disgusting black, cruddy, slimy and revolting thing was underneath it. shudder. You can bet your booty that I'll be putting this on the yearly cleaning list. It would be more often than that but to get everything apart I had to take out about 6 screws that were positioned in awkward places. Kinda like working under the sink.

The disgusting BEFORE picture -

And the amazing AFTER picture!

I almost hate to say that this is just one area of the dishwasher - when you do clean yours (and how can you not after seeing this?) unscrew everything you can and scrub - scrub - scrub! Just make sure you take pictures so you know how it all goes back together again!

Whoa White Curtains

The sun is so strong in the afternoons as it shines through my kitchen window I only have two options: wear sunglasses or pull the shade. Well, I'm not going to wear sunglasses in the house and I don't like to always pull the shade because then it is so dim I have to turn on a light. So I sewed some curtains in a lightweight fabric. I really like how they look! The light is diffused and it is still bright in the kitchen. I pull them open during the morning and for most of the day - I think I'll be making some tie-backs this weekend. Also, there is always so much going on in the house - stuff - it is restful to look at something clean and white. I've always read that white is easy to take care of because you can bleach it. . . I'll let you know. We should know soon because my kids wash their hands in that sink and have been known to toss their dirty dishes in there every so often. Oh-well - the fabric cost $6.00 from my nearest big box store - it wasn't a huge investment. By the way - the kitchen sink area is usually never this clean. You should see the piles I had to shove to the sides to take this picture! ha ha ha!

Look at my friend Julie's idea that showed up on the Dollar Store Crafts Blog! Isn't she clever - and she will have some of them for sale at her Etsy shop. Otherwise I've been very busy - still painting shelves - one at a time. Sewed up a new curtain for the kitchen window and if I can get the rest of that area clean I'll take a picture. Also painted a wall - really went crazy and mixed a bunch of paint together and ended up with pistachio! Um, it's growing on me. We'll see.

St. Patrick's Day

I made this cutting for my handsome hubbie because it was his birthday on St. Patrick's day and I just knew he'd always been riddled with envy because I always make cuttings for everyone else and not many for him. ha ha! The cuttings are tricky to photograph because they keep moving! He was sutibly impressed. ha ha! Then after a family dinner and cake, we put on our crazy green wigs (yes, both of us) and went out and had a green beer. It was a lot of fun - after 20 years we still have a lot of fun!!

I got the pattern here - I just love her work and will be buying her book as soon as it is published!!! I just can't wait!!!!!

Weekend

I decided to revamp the pantry shelves again. This time I removed everything from one shelf and I'm painting it. WOW does a little paint make a HUGE difference! The paint is Martha Stewart ironstone white and it is high gloss. This is some awesome paint - nice and thick. I got two of the aluminum canisters this weekend at my favorite thrift store. Because my shelves are so exposed I like to try (try) to keep them neat. Everything can go to heck in a handbasket in a matter of minutes though.

I made some labels in Microsoft Word and stuck them on with packing tape. Works great! I wasn't as neat as I should have been - but that tape is so sticky! I'm painting one shelf at a time. The kitchen can't handle all the stuff that has to be pulled off the shelves to paint them. Already got two coats of primer on this morning. It's slow going - but it will be soooo nice and clean when it is done. A great way to start the summer.

This sounds yummy! It would really be nice to wake up to a hot breakfast on Easter morning!! You know, get some protein into the kids before they OD on sugar. (I'm the kind of mom who lets them eat their candy until it is gone - why save it - the wrapper mess just continues that much longer if you don't. Oh - and the Easter bunny usually doesn't bring much candy anymore - he'll tuck a little gift into the basket instead)

Update

Check this out! What a great idea! Basically it is a free art project - yippeeeeee! I can't wait to see what else they will come with. There is a print about books that I will be sure to print and frame. The generosity on the web and in the blogosphere continues to amaze me!

OK - I just don't know how to an example over here so make sure you click the link!

And - here is a recipe I know my Mother-In-Law might like - maybe?

Update and Puppy Screen

Update: Still haven't found my hair coloring kit. I drive myself nuts sometimes!!!

Update: I have a brown thumb. sigh. My spinach isn't doing so well. Honestly, it isn't doing anything. I will try again. I think maybe I should have watered it more. I drive myself nuts sometimes!!

Update: I'm still cleaning drawers. Did you know I'm addicted to lip balm? So far I've counted about 12 tubes! Geez.

OK - about the puppy screen. Puppies and craft rooms don't mix. Whenever the door is left open Edith thinks she's hit the jackpot! I'll catch her running around the house with a bit of Velcro or fabric or whatever she can find and she's chewing away madly. After she chewed an entire sheet of pop dot stickers, it was either block her out or be much neater. So, I found this screen in the shed - painted it - replaced the screen and voila! It only has to be leaned against the door - but if your puppy is more persistant than mine you could use hooks and eyes to hang it from the door frame. The screen is low enough that I can just hop over it. I only bang my knee every other time or so. ha ha! Did I say I drive myself nuts sometimes??? The picture of Edith is from when she was just born - ooh she is so cute!! (Thank you Angie for the picture!)

Polyester Paradise II

Over the weekend I put together another polyester quilt. The colors are based on the colors that I had. I didn't go out and buy these colors. ha ha. Overall I really like how this turned out. I cut out all the pieces on Saturday evening - at the kitchen table - big projects need more room. Then I moved my sewing machine to the kitchen and sewed it together on Sunday. I got my pattern from http://www.andoverfabrics.com/ and I just love the patch-work feel of this quilt. I'd really like to pick out and actually buy fabric and remake this!

This week hasn't been such a crafty week. I decided to hang some scrapbook frames I recently got and once I took down other pictures on the wall I noticed that the wall was in bad shape. So, I get out my paint and spackle and get busy. Well. . . next thing you know I realize the ceiling looks like heck. . . then the kitchen looks just plain dingy. . . a little caulking could help. . . a trip to the hardware store. . . paint some more. . . I really HATE caulking. The caulk sucked up into the gaps and I had to re caulk today. Gonna let it dry overnight and paint tomorrow? Who knows. At this rate it could be next week!!! All because I wanted to hang some pictures. sigh.

Fabric Basket

I used to have a really nice jar that I kept my Qtips in. Guess what happened. Yup, it fell out of the medicine cabinet onto the sink and shattered. That is why I thought this was such a great idea! It can't shatter. I liked how this turned out so much I've made a bunch of them. I'd much rather look at the cute little fabric basket than the clutter they hold!

I'll try to find the tutorial and post it next time. Also - it you have time go check out my friends cool new Etsy store! It's called JoolsJewels and it is AWESOME!!!

Hipster Bag II

This is another hip pocket thingy. It is different because it is longer, has a flap, and some inside pockets. Still VERY handy! Also the casing on the back - second photo - goes all the way from edge to edge. On the first pocket I made the casing stopped short about a half an inch from each edge. The difference is that this one is pulled tight at the top and the other one gapes open. The other one is easier to reach into and this one keeps things more secure. Hmmmmm, I think the other one is best for around the house and this one is best for when out walking. Anyways - they are very easy to make - happy crafting!

Organizing

I wondered if you wanted more examples of what I was talking about yesterday? Looking around the house for organizational tools? Well, here is an example:

I used packing tape to tape the edges down - cut the ovalish shape in the middle - and stuffed around 50 grocery bags in this box. I like that the boxes can be stacked.

Here is another example. Here is the before picture of my junk drawer.

Here is the after picture.

Each prescription bottle is holding something small like: tiny screws, cup hooks, leash clips, eyelets, etc. . . I labeled them with little round stickers. I've asked my dear family and friends to start saving their prescription bottles for me - and now they know why. And, I'm holding you to your promises to keep sending them my way - you can do this yourself in a couple months! ha ha! I just couldn't stand throwing them away. I even brought one back to the pharmacy and asked them if they recycled them. The pharmacy people looked at me like I was crazy! So, I've been keeping them for quite a while now and wondering if they could be used for another purpose. If everyone used stuff like this around their homes. . instead of throwing it away. . . just think of how many of these little brown bottles are in the landfills. . . drives me nuts. I could organize my entire house! Also, yup - I'm a little bit of a "tree hugger" but the biggest part of me is practical. Why purchase something special to organize with when you already have what you need? Is it pretty? Well, no. Does it work? YES!! If you want it to be pretty start wrapping the bottles with paper and fancy labels.

Black hole

So, today I wanted to color my hair. I've always colored my own hair - do you know how much money they want to do it at a hair salon?! Anyways - I picked up my hair coloring kit a couple of weeks ago and put it in a safe place. Apparently my safe place is otherwise known as a BLACK HOLE. So many, many things get sucked into that black hole. . . sigh. I looked in the pantry - and realized I'd be lucky to find a can of soup in there. Spent a couple hours cleaning and reorganizing the pantry. Maybe I put it under the kitchen sink? Jeez - what a mess - spent at least a couple hours cleaning under there. Maybe it is under the bathroom sink? I mean, that would make sense right? Holy cow!! No wonder we can never find any soap! Spent a good hour and a half cleaning under there. Checked the baskets on the highest shelves in the bathroom - YUCK - how can something so high up get so grungy? Spent forty five minutes going through all that junk. Where is my hair coloring??? I checked the locked medicine cabinet in the back room - and I just shut and relocked the door. It has been a long day. I never did find my hair coloring kit. . . . The good news is that my house is much, much cleaner in places that nobody ever looks. Right?!

Note: you might be wondering why it took me so long to clean all that stuff. Well, you see, it is never a matter of simply cleaning. For some reason I always have to really reorganize at the same time. We don't just go out and buy organizers around here. So I'm busy constructing things. Like - cutting down a sturdy little box to become a place to store whatever. At one point I found an almost empty shampoo bottle that is rectangular and started daydreaming wall pocket, wall pocket, wall pocket. Yep -that will be a project soon. Or finding the perfect jar so all the old toothbrushes that I use for cleaning will stand up and not create an uneven surface so all the other junk will stand up too. Emptying and rinsing various bottles so I can recycle them. Figuring out other uses for things. I really like the pump bottles that Bath and Body Works soap comes in. I cleaned one of those out and filled it with my hand dish detergent. All that little stuff adds up in terms of time. (But I really think it is kind of fun!)