So for this Friday's project, I'll share with you my first attempts at subway art and modpodging (spelling??).  I've seen both all over the internet and other blogs.  It seemed pretty simple, so I thought I'd try it for a little spring decor.  First, I got on picnik to create my subway art.  If you've never tried picnik before it's pretty cool.  You should check it out for sure (great for invitations, post cards, any kind of prints).  So I created my subway art design on there and printed it out on regular printer paper.  Then I had a 1x12 piece of pine board left in the garage from this project that I knew I could use so I laid the print down on the board and measured it to make equal distances from the paper to the edge of the board all the way around to make like a frame (follow?). 

Then, I cut my board and mixed these two paints for my wood.  I put on two coats.  Below is just after the first coat.

Next came the mod podge.  I used a foam brush to spread one layer of mod podge over the entire surface of the board (my mod podge has a satin finish so I wanted the entire board to have that shine, not just the printed art).  Then, I centered and laid my subway art onto the board while still wet.  And finally, I added another layer of mod podge over the print.  It goes on white but dries clear.  Here's the subway art.

Okay, but it didn't blow my mind or anything.  I roughed it up a bit by trying to smooth out some bubbles.  Rookie mistake, I guess.  Since I'm clearly a novice at this, I'll advise you to go to this website
 to answer any modpodge questions.  And since this little project took me only minutes to make (not counting drying times), I decided to use a different print and try again.  Using the same steps from above, I tried a more simple look with this springtime graphic.

Only to realize after it printed that I was running low on colored ink.  Ugggghhhh!  Well, I wasn't going for a third time, so I have to decide this or the other side of subway art.  Whattaya think?  Of course, I could hammer in a sawtooth hook on the back to hang this up if I want.  But right now, while I'm undecided as to which print I like better, I think I'll leave it laying up against the wall next to those sweet tulips:)

And, by the way, I've been having a thing lately for having fresh flowers in the house.  You know... just picking up a bundle of $5 flowers at the grocery every once in awhile.  This is the first time I've bought tulips and I LOVE them.  So simple and pretty.  And these white ones put in this yellow ceramic pot (from JoAnne's on sale for $6), it's shouting SPRING to me.  I love it!

Well, I was planning to post a couple little shirts I made for Westen this week, but I'm not quite finished with them. Sooooo... these are some pillow covers I made this winter.  Here's another look.

We had these blue and brown striped pillows that we bought when we moved in here.  They were... okay, but not great.  Plus, they couldn't be washed really.  Who knows what we'd spilled on them, how many times they'd been dropped on the floor, stepped on, etc.  I decided instead of buying new pillows entirely, I'd just make new covers for the ones I had.  This was obviously going to be less expensive AND I can take the covers off and throw them in the wash!  DOUBLE SWEET!

I first measured my pillows.  I'm not sure how much fabric I needed for just the pillows because I had this fabric left over from my stockings.  It's Osnaburg - like a grain sack.  After getting the actual pillow measurement, I added 2 inches to the length and 2 inches to the width.  Osnaburg doesn't stretch very well so I wanted to make sure I had a little to work with.  I figured I'd probably make mistakes along the way because I've never done this before.  Next, I added the lines (or whatever graphics you want) on the fabric.  I just wanted stripes for most of them.  So, I just used Frog Tape to mark off my straight lines and used Tulip fabric paint to fill it in.  I mixed a little black and white fabric paint to get a charcoal or dark gray color.

You'll notice one pillow isn't just stripes, but has a FL oranges grain sack look to it.  I freezer paper stenciled this on.  Check out this post to get directions on how to do that.  It definitely takes more time than the stripes, but it's Austin's favorite so it was worth it.

Anyway, after painting the stripes on and heat setting the paint, I put right sides together and sewed a straight stitch all the around but for one side (the bottom).  On the short horizontal pillows, I added a zipper.  I didn't know what I was doing and they didn't turn out perfect, but they're on the bottom where no one can see.  I'm not going to share my method for this because I know it's wrong.  Google it if you want to try it.

For the bigger pillows, I sewed a straight stitch around 3 sides too, but this time left a side open (as opposed to the bottom).  I then cut long strips of fabric out.  For one of my big pillows, I wanted 4 ties, so I had to cut 8 strips out (2 for each tie).  Mine were about 4 inches wide and I think 15 inches long.  I did the same with these by putting right sides together and sewing a straight stitch around leaving the bottom open.  Then I turned them right side out.  For the unfinished edge I had on the side of that big pillow, I folded it towards the inside (and ironed it to help keep it there).  Then I pinned my strips accordingly onto that folded edge and sewed a straight line around the entire pillow.  So the folded part was now the edge and I had 2 strips that matched up evenly 4 times around the pillow.  Here's a closer look at those ties.

Here's another final look.  And I got this idea from seeing pillows like this in a Pottery Barn catalog which you can see here and also on Miss Mustard Seed's blog.

Have a great weekend!

So, I know I said I'd be sharing some of the Christmas presents I made, but because we're already almost half way through January, I wanted to share this how-to calendar first.  I got this idea from another website, www.younghouselove.com, I think.  They used photoshop, though, which I do not have, so here's my version.  Using Word, I downloaded a calendar template from online (just googled it and found one I liked).  I took off a couple inches each on my left and right margins.  That's what gives this the long skinny look, but it is, in fact, printed on regular 8.5 x 11 inch card stock.  And I left a little room for my text at the top.

As you can see, I used the number for the month (one = January, two = February, etc.) and thought of some way that that number relates to me and/or my family.  I made the number a bigger font than the rest and colored the number and month name the same.  That's it.  Need some ideas... here's the rest of ours'.

I didn't take a picture of this, but I also added in our birthdays.  After I printed them out, I just trimmed up the sides and punched a hole at the top in the middle to hang it by.  TaDa!

This one is hung by our fridge, where we always keep a calendar.  We have another one we always keep on our desk.  If you aren't making one and you're a mom, my mom got me one of those Mom Calendars that's awesome too!  It comes with stickers for activities, Doctors appointments, birthdays, and more.  That's the one for our desk. Super Cute!  Anyway, hope you like it.  

So the past 2 Christmases I've been eyeballing stockings, only to find that the ones I always found and wanted were more than I wanted to pay.  Yeah, $15 doesn't sound like much but multiply that by 4 and, well...no thanks.  Plus, I always hated the possibility of getting them, then adding to our family down the road, and that child having a mismatched stocking.  Sooooo, I decided to make us some this year just the way I wanted them!  I got the idea of using Osnaburg fabric from Marion at www.missmustardseed.blogspot.com.  Awesome website for home decor ideas.  It's similar to a linen fabric, but cheaper.  Then I picked out 4 different fabrics for each of us.  The boys all have some sort of blue, and I opted for a green I liked.  Can you tell which belongs to whom??

This red stocking was my dollar store one from last year. Don't get me wrong, I love the dollar store, but wanted something not so.....would generic be the right word??  Anyway, I outlined last year's stocking about 1/2 inch out and a couple inches taller just because that's my preference for the new ones.

The other fabrics I bought were from JoAnns for about $1.29 each.  I don't know what they're called but they're just rolled up pieces of fabric probably about 18in. x 24in. or something like that.  Anyway, I just laid them over the cut out osnaburg fabric and drew where I wanted my cuff, heel, and toe to be on the blue fabric.

Then I cut them out as well as a long rectangle for the little loop for hanging the stocking.  So, for front and back, I needed 2 of each piece (stocking, cuff, heel, toe, and loop).

I didn't do a great job of taking pictures while I sewed.  Two little boys keep me from taking my time, sometimes.  Anyway, I just pinned the heel and toe of each the front and back piece to the front and back pieces.  I did this before I actually sewed the stocking together.  And I just let the seam show - nothing fancy. (This picture is after the stocking is sewn).

Once the heels and toes were on, I put right sides together of the stocking and sewed all the way around except for the top.  I left that open.  And I used a straight seam for everything.  Then I flipped it back to right side out.  For the cuff (mine was 1 long rectangle that I folded but you could use 2 smaller recatangles and sew right sides together on the sides but leave top and bottom open), I sewed the open side together to make it one continuous piece.  Top and bottom open.  Then I folded it down wrong sides together to make an actual cuff. Do the same thing with a smaller rectangle to make the loop that the stocking will hang from.  I then stuck the cuff, right sides out, down in the stocking as shown.  On the heel side of the stocking, I inserted the loop right sides out down in between the cuff and stocking right on the aligning seams.  You can't see that part in the picture, but here's the cuff down in the stocking.

Last, I used freezer paper to stencil on our first name initials.  Freezer paper stenciling isn't perfect, but it is perfect for projects that don't have to be perfect!  So I just found the size and font I wanted using Word on our computer, printed it out on regular printer paper, put freezer paper over them (shiny side down), and used an exacto knife to cut out the stencils.  Iron those onto the fabric shiny side down.

Next, I mixed black and white fabric paint to get kind of a dark gray color and used a sponge brush to paint the stencil.  I put an extra piece of freezer paper inside the stocking to make sure the paint didn't leak through to the back side.  Two coats, let it dry, then heat set it by putting cloth down over top of it before ironing it.

Here they are again on the shelf beneath our nativity scene.

The best part is, if we decide to expand our family again, then I can just make another one.  And, instead of paying $60+ for sockings, I paid maybe $20 total for all four!  Holla!!

Yeah, I can't believe I'm sharing our disorganization with you either...but this was a project.  And although the outcome isn't a miracle - it's certainly better, so worth sharing in my opinion.  I have to admit, this isn't the true BEFORE picture.  I forgot to take a true before one. This is actually after I had already trashed some expired items. So figure about a half a trashbag full of more junk.  Nonetheless, here's my pantry.  Maybe not terrible, but let's take a closer look.

A little worse than you thought??  Yeah, I thought so.  My plan of attack was to first use any containers I could find in my home that weren't being put to good use.  And wouldn't you know it but I found a set of white ceramic canisters we had gotten for our wedding stored in our laundry room cabinets serving only one purpose which was to take up space.  Next, I decided how many and of what size containers I'd need to get rid of some bagged products (sugar, flour, snacks, etc.) and make it easier for even Austin to find (the worst finder in the world - or is it just a man thing?).  Next, I set out to Walmart to purchase those containers along with some FROG tape, spray primer, and chalkboard paint.

This is my first experience with FROG tape which is supposed to block paint leakage better than the regular blue paint tape.  Anyway, without measuring but just eyeballing it, I taped off a rectangle on the front of each container.  For the glass and plastic containers, I put newspaper around the rectangle along with the tape to keep from getting the spray primer on the glass.  I didn't do that on the canisters because they were white too and you can't see it.  So I primed the rectangles with the spray primer - (have you figured out what I'm doing yet?), let that dry, then painted the rectangles with chalkboard paint.

I let that dry then did another coat.  I used a sponge brush to paint this on but you could use anything.  By the next morning, I was ready to label my new chalkboard labeled containers and start reorganizing. We'll see if this works any better, but here's what I decided to do:  The top shelf holds all of our paper products and as you can see I have some extra space to work with.  The second shelf holds pretty much all of our baking and cooking products.

The next 2 shelves that are more conveniently located for me (and let's face it, I'm the one getting in and out of the pantry 90% of the time) are full of items we use the most - breakfast, snacks, dinner, etc.

The bottom shelf and floor holds our stock of drinks, cookbooks, and some appliances placed in an ice bin that I use just sometimes.  And because I somehow have more space, I put a little basket of what I'll call Westenware on the bottom shelf for Westen to be able to reach and "help" get his things out for a snack or dinner or whatever. 

So again, the before and after...

Sorry the after picture is first.  Like I said, I wouldn't say I'm working miracles here or anything, but I'm hoping this'll make my life a little easier.  Isn't it more enjoyable to work in a space that's organized??  And this did take me the better part of a week to complete.  I have to do things a little at a time with 2 itty bitty kids here.  Anticipate more of these type projects after the holidays.  I intend to slowly take different areas of the house and one by one, shape them up.  I do think that even Austin could find things in our new, labeled, reorganized pantry;)

So, after having Baron, I had to skip a couple Fridays of posting projects while we've been adjusting to our new addition.  And to be honest, I may just be posting projects every other Friday for a little while.  We'll see.  Anyway, onto a Fall wreath.

This was a super easy project that I'm sure you've already seen somewhere.  This was just my first hand at it.  I cut strips of fabric about 1 inch wide and 4 to 6 inches long.  I bought a wreath at the dollar store - any kind will do.  Then I just tied the strips of fabric around the wreath until it was full.  I used 3 different fabrics that I already had at home.  I would definitely choose different colors for a little more dramatic look for fall if I had actually bought the fabric, but hey - this wreath was about $2 so I can't complain (and greens and that brownish/orangish colors are fall-like aren't they?).  Anyway, if you buy fabric, I think you'd only need about a half a yard.  So just wrap your strips around the wreath and double-knot it.  Done.  Although, I do feel like this wreat is missing a little something.  Do you?  Maybe it's just the blah colors.  Here's another look.

And the back side.

Hope you like it.  By the way - my goal was to have Westen's and Baron's Halloween costumes ready to post today, but I'm not finished with Baron's.  Oh well.  Check back for that project next Friday.  Have a lovely weekend!