. . . . .

 We recently moved into a new home and have been busy re-vamping, tearing down, and re-constructing this/that in our new home.  It’s been fun……but a complete learning process.  If you’d like to see other Home Improvement Projects that we’ve been figuring out (from the help of friends, family, and the ol’ internet), be sure to check them out.

***

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to learn how to re-wire something electrical.  Like, a light fixture, a fan, an outlet.  But I’ve been a little chicken because my mind always goes directly to imagining a billion watts of current, shocking my body….leaving me lifeless on the ground.  I’m not kidding.  I’ve been a little wimpy to do anything electrical because it sorta freaks me out.

Until now.  (well, until yesterday, to be exact…)

Steve’s brother, Joe, is in town.  He’s teaching Steve how to lay hardwood floors (which are looking BEE-AUTIFUL…..more on those another day! :) ) and while they were breaking for lunch yesterday, I asked Joe (who somehow knows how to do it ALL) to show me how to change an outside light fixture.  I was ready to learn.

Maybe you’ve done this before and it seems pretty simple.  But I always thought we should hire an electrician for such jobs.  Because EEEEK…….what if I got shocked by those above mentioned billion watts of current?!?! ;)

Boy, was I wrong.

After he taught me the first one…..I re-wired the other 5 light fixtures that I wanted replaced outside.  Easy as that.

I still can’t believe I re-wired those little beauties!   But even more than that……I can’t believe how simple it was.

Goodbye little brass fixtures.  You won’t be missed. :)

3 fixtures by the garage and 2 by the front door……..5 total fixture replacements in one afternoon. 

I couldn’t be more thrilled!

And to top off yesterday’s excitement……these little lovelies just bloomed from the previous owners planting them maybe last year(??).  And Steve pointed them out to me, just as I finished wiring the last fixture.  Blooming flowers always bring a smile to my face.  And now…….so does installing a new light fixture! :)

Would you like a quick lesson in replacing an old light fixture??

**Keep in mind, everyone’s fixtures will be slightly different, so read your instructions.  However, I think it’s really useful to see someone do it up close…..so hopefully this will help some of you.**

Okay, first of all…….STOP!!

And turn off your power.  You don’t want to shock your socks off. :)

Now, let’s get started.

I’m going to show you the process of replacing our back porch light……because it was smaller and easier to manipulate while taking pictures.  (And thanks again bro-in-law Joe, for helping while I took a trillion pictures!)

First of all, start unscrewing/untwisting/un-clipping your old light fixture.  Everyone’s is a little different…..so do what you need to, to remove yours from its mount.

Now, you should see some plastic caps covering your wire ends.  There should be black wires, white wires, and some copper colored ground wires.  (Again, yours may be a little different……but black and white seem to be pretty standard.  But the ground wire could be another color.)  Unscrew them right off and then untwist the wire ends.

Then, screw your mount on.  Every mount will be a little different…..so follow your instructions.  And I just mounted my mount (the copper color pieces) to the old one (grey circle piece)….but you will probably mount yours right to your wall and over an exposed hole in the wall where all the wires come out.  But, we just mounted right over this one.

There’s generally another piece on your mount that can twist around so that you can mount your light perfectly straight.  Adjust that as needed, and screw tightly into place.

Next, grab the GROUND wire from the fixture and wrap it around the GROUND bolt (mine’s green) on your mount.  Screw the bolt down tightly to hold the wire on there securely.

Next, twist the GROUND wire from your light fixture to the GROUND wire coming from your wall.  Twist them together clockwise.

Then, twist your wire cap on clockwise, securing the 2 wires together.  TO TEST IT………give the wire from the light fixture a slight tug.  It shouldn’t come loose.  If it does, the cap didn’t secure around the two wires tight enough.  So, remove the cap and re-wist the wires together and then the cap.

Next, grab the WHITE wire from the light fixture and twist it together with the WHITE wire from the wall, twisting them together clockwise.  Do the same with the BLACK wires.  Screw the caps on these sets of wires and be sure they are secure.  (If your exposed wires aren’t long enough to wrap around the other wires, trim some of the plastic casing away that’s covering the raw wires.  You need about 1/2 to 1 inch of exposed wire to work with.)

Next, bend all the wires closer together and try and fit them behind the light fixture base.

Then, secure your light fixture base to the wall, however yours was designed to be attached.  Mine had two little screw covers to tighten down.

Lastly, insert your bulb.

Now, turn your power back ON and enjoy your handiwork!!!

Now, save yourself some cash and install your own light fixtures. 

If you have always been a little nervous to try, you may really surprise yourself.  It surprised me! :)

Good luck!

-Ashley

***I am not an electrician and am not sharing exact instructions as to how everyone’s light fixtures should be installed.  This is only shared as an example of one way to install a fixture, for those who may need visual help.  Make It and Love It is not responsible for any problems or accidents you may encounter while trying to install your own electrical fixtures.***

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(look down at your socks and watch……you’ll see! ;) )

There are 2 winners for this giveaway………..which are both PERFECT for summer! :)

The Prizes up for Grabs:

#1 Endless Fun 11-in-1 Inflatable Bounce House and Water Slide Combo (Donated By Sam’s Club)

#2 A Canon T3 12.2 MP Digital SLR Double Zoom Lens Kit (Donated By PickYourPlum)

Wow!  Can you believe those prizes?  For free?!?!

I kinda wanna jump into that water bounce house right this second.  I’d have just as much fun as the kiddos. :)

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Fine Print: Giveaway will end at 11:59pm (MST) on May, 18 2013 . One winner will be chosen and shipped one Endless Fun 11-in-1 Inflatable Bounce House and Water Slide Combo donated from Sam’s Club . The Bounce House and Water Slide Combo has an msrp value of $499.00. The second winner will be chosen and shipped a Canon T3 combo donated from PickYourPlum.com. The camera has an msrp of $549.00 No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the U.S.A. to enter. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook or Pinterest. Facebook and Pinterest will be completely released by each entrant. One entry per person. Entry includes filling out the form above including name, email and pinning. One entry for filling in the form. You are providing the information to the PickYourPlum sites involved who will in no way sell or give your information to anyone including Facebook or Pinterest. Winner will be chosen using random.org. and will be notified via email within 48 hours of the giveaway close. Winners will be announced on the post, not on Facebook. The winner must respond within 48 hours of receiving the email or a new winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary.

In case you’ve forgotten, here are a few past projects that I’ve sewn for Bernina. 

(Monster Pillow, Pacifier Pocket, Ruffled Scarf, Autumn Hanger, Owl Pillow, Scrap-Pieced Belt)

(Fabric Mail Organizer, Embroidered Coasters)

Have I mentioned that I am a true-blue Bernina fan?  Even before having this sewing relationship with them……..I have always adored Bernina.  And their sewing machines are like work horses.

I have had the Bernina 580 Embroidery sewing machine here at my house (as a loaner) and for this project, I used it to create some sweet embroidered flowers on a twirly Circle Skirt. 

And you know those circle skirts, they are nice and twirly and full…..without gathering anything.  And they’re darling for girls of all ages.

And a plain ol’ circle skirt is fun……..but adding little embroidered dahlia’s tripled the cuteness factor.  The embroidery gives the skirt a nice punch of detail and, well, it was the easiest part.  Ha….because the Bernina did all the hard work. :)

Oh, and in the tutorial, I share a little trick to get a nice even hem around the curved edge of the circle skirt.  You’re welcome! ;)

And you guessed it…….Elli loves it.  Circle skirts are for spinning, you know.

Don’t have an embroidery machine?  No worries……this would look really cute with a bit of applique or maybe even some stenciled fabric paint.

Such a fun little skirt. 

Thanks Bernina, for letting me play around on the Bernina 580!

Full Embroidered Circle Skirt tutorial can be found here.

Now, whip up a skirt or two……for you or a little girl you know.

And enjoy your day!

-Ashley

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But this painting thing has been doing wonders for the mood in our new home.  I can’t believe how satisfying it has been to paint this place.  Yeah, painting takes a while…….but our motivation has been so different this time around.  I guess because it’s our very own home.  Eeeeeeh…..still can’t believe it! :)

Right after we moved in, we hired a painter to come in and paint the vaulted ceilings.  There’s no way Steve and I were climbing a ladder to paint really high, all bent in funny positions.  We’re both a little woozy (and wimpy) when heights are involved……so we hired out for the tall rooms to be painted on the main level.  And while our painter guy was here, we sorta eavesdropped on his technique.  While he was taping walls off and painting ceilings, and painting one wall different from the next, we were curious about how he was getting such STRAIGHT lines on our textured walls.

So we asked.

And he told us the “painter’s secret’s”.  (Nice guy……and well worth the money, just for these tips. ;) )  And now, ever since he shared, we’ve been using his little secrets…….as we’ve been painting our little hearts out, to give the entire house a fresh coat of paint.

Just check out those crisp clean lines on that textured “orange peel” wall texture.  Wow.

And there’s not only one secret we learned……but TWO!!! 

Our house has all sorts of different walls/ceilings/heights.  And crooked lines would be so obvious.  We’re so happy with how all these paint lines are turning out. 

Straight lines aren’t just for the professionals.  We can all master them.  Promise.

Want in on the Straight Line SECRET?

Like I mentioned above, there are 2 methods to these straight paint lines.  I prefer the first method…but there are times when I’m not able to use the first method, so the 2nd method works great too. 

Read on, and you’ll see what I mean.

METHOD 1 (if you’re painting both surfaces that are meeting, 2 different colors)

Example: You are painting the walls and ceiling 2 different colors.  OR, you’re painting 2 touching walls, 2 different colors, and have the paint for both.

We have been painting all of our ceilings white.  (I know, some hate this choice…….but I LOVE white ceilings. They just seem to make my rooms look bigger and brighter.) So, to use this technique, I painted the ceilings white and overlapped onto the walls just a bit.  Then, I let the ceilings dry completely.  Next, I taped off the walls, by placing tape on the ceilings right along the edges.

Then, I used my CEILING PAINT and painted along the edge of the tape that meets up with my walls.  The reason why, is that your ceiling paint is then able to seep under the edges of the tape that weren’t able to seal completely because of the textured surfaces.  But, since it’s the same paint color, it’s seeping into those cracks and it’ll blend in with the ceiling.  And you’ll never even notice.  So, all you need to do is paint a narrow line right along the edge of the tape (and it can overlap onto the wall…..no biggee).  But be sure it’s enough paint to fill in those little gaps where the tape can’t quite reach.

Then, I let it dry completely.  While it was drying, I started to paint my wall color with a roller and just left a gap at the top where the tape was.

After that narrow strip of ceiling paint was dry, I then grabbed my wall paint and painted right over the top of it, filling in the gap on the wall where I hadn’t painted yet.  And just keep in mind, the tape is still there……so it’s still keeping the wall paint off the ceiling.

Now, you don’t have to let the wall paint dry before pulling off the tape.  In fact, it’s better if you don’t.  Because when it dries, the tape becomes a bit more stuck and the paint lines become more rigid.  You won’t ruin it if you wait…..but I have just had better luck if I pull off the tape while the paint is still wet.

As you pull, you will see your perfectly straight line appear.  And LOOK……no leaks!!!!

Also, if you look closely at your tape, you’ll see the paint that seeped under the cracks of the tape.  And that’s why this works…….it’s only the white ceiling paint that seeped under, blocking the wall paint from leaking.

****If you happen to have a little leak of your second color (in my case, my wall paint) leak under the tape, and you notice it after pulling the tape back…….go ahead and touch it up and paint over it.  However, this should happen very rarely.  And all it takes is a little dab of paint……..not a steady hand trying to re-create a line or something.

The time we have saved doing this has been incredible.  And our lines have been gorgeous!!

. . . . .

Onto the other technique, which I only use if I don’t have both paint colors to do the above technique…..and that’s because this next technique takes more time and a little more precision.  But our painter used this one primarily……because he was really good at it.  And fast!

METHOD 2 (if you’re only using 1 paint color and will be meeting up with another previously painted color):

Example: Your ceiling is already painted and you are just wanting to paint the walls…….and you don’t have the ceiling paint to do the above technique.

The secret here is PAINTABLE and CLEAR caulk.  Yep, that’s right…..caulk!

What you do, is tape off the wall you want to paint……just like I did above.  (And I’m just using the same ceiling that I demonstrated for the 1st technique. But the only time I do this, is if I don’t have the ceiling color or joining wall color that I’m painting next to………because I can be a little less cautious with the first method.)

Then, apply a line of caulk right next to the edge of tape.

And if it’s not a straight line of caulk……no biggee.  Because what you’re going to do is use your finger and smear it into that edge of the tape.  You’re wanting to seal up the line so that there are no more cracks for the paint to seep under.  But you don’t want it to be lumpy or messy because once you paint over it, you’ll see those lumps and mess.  So, keep it nice and smooth with your finger, as you try to guide that caulk into those cracks. 

HINT: Have a towel handy to wipe off your finger, so the caulk doesn’t dry on your finger.

Then, paint over the caulk and tape, just like you would normally.  And then pull off the tape, before the caulk dries, so that it doesn’t permanently glue the tape to the wall.

And that’s it.

Either technique works and both should NOT be kept a secret! :)

Just think………beautiful paint lines that you’ll be SO PROUD OF!!!!!

Good luck!

-Ashley

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But, if you’ve been thinking of replacing them…….STOP RIGHT THERE!

I know, I know……you may really dislike your chandelier/fixture.  I did too.  But before getting rid of it/them…….just imagine adding a little paint.

See?!?!  Look how pretty she is now, all gussied up…

And really, you can’t even tell this little baby used to be brass.

There were actually 2 of these little brass beauties in our entry. 

But now, they are both transformed……and they thanked me for not giving up on them! :)

Now just think, even if painting them doesn’t work out and you still hate them……you’re only out less than $10 (for the paint and tape).  But at least you tried!  Have you seen the price of large chandeliers for entryways??  Whew…….I just saved myself about $500 (for 2) that I was actually considering saving up for.  Whew……much better! 

Would you like to see how simple this really is??

First of all……take your chandelier/fixture apart.  I found it really helpful to take pictures with my phone as I was taking nuts/bolts/rings off……so that I knew which order to put them back on.  Trust me, you’ll forget. ;)

Then, clean ‘er up!  Chances are………the fixture has never been cleaned before, especially if it was way up high like mine was.

Be sure and clean the inside too.

Now, it’s time to tape.  I used painter’s tape, so that it will peel off nicely and not leave sticky residue.  I started on the inside and taped the outside last.

Be sure to cover every single little space that you don’t want painted.  If you leave a spot uncovered……it’ll turn black.  So, take your time, overlap your tape layers, and get those corners nice and precise.

As for paint, I guess you could go cheap……but I really wanted good coverage.  And I wanted it to stick well to my metal and shiny brass.  So, I bought some Rustoleum, which worked really well.  It adhered right away to that slippery brass…….and only took 2 coats.  (And it’s great for those outdoor fixtures because it prevents rust.)

I didn’t sand it down at all (like the guy at Home Depot told me to do) because I forgot about it until after I taped…..and I didn’t want the dust to get into the tape and paint.  So, I just went for it and was hoping for the best.  And really, it turned out awesome.  I don’t think it would have helped anything to sand first.  However, I would definitely sand the rough surfaces of outdoor fixtures that have been a little damaged due to weather.  But these fixtures turned out great without sanding first.

To paint, I hung my fixture from a bent hanger that I slipped through the top of the fixture…..and then secured that to some rope, which hung from the center or our ladder.

I sprayed the inside first and tried my best to get all cracks and crevices.  Then, I worked my way to the outside and was just as careful.

Then, I sprayed all of my extra parts and pieces.  Just be sure to cover anything that you don’t want painted, with tape.

Then, I let everything dry for a couple hours, then applied another coat.

After waiting 24 hours to let the paint completely harden, I peeled back the tape.  I should have taken a picture of that…….but it’s the most fun and I kinda forgot.  To get the tape started, I used the tip of a pointy knife and dug under the very edge.  Then I peeled, peeled, peeled.  And one more TIP: if there are any leaks of paint on the glass, use the edge of a razor blade (or knife) and carefully scrape the paint off the glass.  It comes off pretty easily.

Now, if your chandelier has candle sockets……chances are, they are dirty and melted like mine.  Just take them right off.

And replace them with new ones.  (I found these at Lowe’s.)

However, the standard size was too short for my chandelier.  So I lined them up and cut the extra length off the old one (I used a serrated knife at first but then my husband stepped in and used his jig-zaw for the rest)……and then slid that over the light socket first and then put the newer clean one on top of that.  The old piece pushes down inside of the socket and is hidden…….and keeps the newer one up high and visible.  Sorry……I meant to get a picture of that too, but forgot.  Ack! :)

And that’s it.

Your new (but old) light fixtures!!!

 Good luck!

-Ashley

But I’ve also been unpacking bit by bit.  And as I was unpacking my sewing stuff the other day, I pulled out a wad of thrift store Tshirts that I bought for some random project (who knows how long ago or what I originally was planning)…….and immediately had this idea to make a fun little skirt for Elli.  I know, I know…..this blog should sometimes be called Make a Skirt & Love It.  Ha.  (Because yes, there are tons of skirts here on the blog.)  But skirts are so fun.  Are pretty quick to make.  And are so rewarding.  Plus, you can either make them for little girls, or for yourself (well, if you’re a female reading this).

Anyway, I chopped up those old Tshirts that I pulled from a box the other day, and turned them into this:

See?  You never would’ve known, huh?  I love that trick. :)

***And REMEMBER……..the good news with knit, is that you don’t have to do any hemming.  All of those little strips have raw edges but won’t fray.  And if the strips get pulled on, the worse thing that will happen is that the edges will curl just a bit.  And if it stretches out the strip a bit, just snip off the end so that it’s the same length as the other strips in its row. And it shouldn’t continue to pull after that.  Easy as that.  (And I think I’m going to hang dry this skirt……..just to avoid too much fringe pulling.)

When it’s hanging straight, it just looks like lots of fringe layers.

But don’t worry, there’s a skirt under there to keep things covered up.

Because once the skirt starts moving……those little fringes start bouncing all around.  And you can see the graduated ombre color effect.

Elli was thrilled.  She shook and shook and SHOOK those little hips.

Let’s just say……..she loves it!

And when I was making some adjustments on my camera……I caught her testing it out with some full-out twirls.  And good news……it passed her test! :)

I could just eat this little lady right up!  She is so easy to please when a skirt finally finishes up.

And to think…….this fabric used to be a few abandoned (and less beautiful) old Tshirts from the Thrift Store. 

Ahhhhh…..much better!

Would you like to make a Fringe Skirt too?

To get started, grab some old knit Tshirts.  I purchased mine at the thrift store and found some graduated colors that I thought would work nicely together.  But give that closet of yours a look before buying anything extra.  You may have just what you need in your own “give away” pile.

Now, decide on the size you’d like to make.  For Elli, her waist is 21 inches and I wanted the skirt to be 12 inches long.  I decided that the under skirt would be 1 inch shorter and would let the fringe hang over solo for one inch.  If you’d like something similar, I wrote up some calculations that should help you. 

There are 6 pieces of fabric that you’ll need: (If you can’t read the words, click on the image and it should expand.)

***Remember, this is what worked well for Elli and she’s a girl’s size 6.  These calculations should also work for adult sizes……but the spacing of the rows of fringe may need to be adjusted for smaller sizes.

So, since Elli’s waist is 21 inches, I multiplied that by 1.25, which is 26.25……but I just rounded to 26.  So, the width I needed was 26 inches. 

The height calculation may seem funny but I wanted to explain HOW I came up with the calculation.  You need to subtract 1 inch because I wanted the Main Skirt to be 1 inch shorter than the fringe…..so that the fringe would hang a little longer.  And you add 1.5 inches for the waistband casing.  (Also, I used the hem of the shirt as the hem of the Main Skirt but if you aren’t using a shirt and want a hem, you’ll need to add that dimension as well.  Or just leave it raw and un-hemmed.  Either way.)  So, since I wanted Elli’s skirt to be 12 inches long in the end, after making the calculations, I knew I needed the height of this Main Skirt section to be 12.5 inches.

So, her main section fabric piece needed to be 12.5 x 26 inches.

***QUICK HINT: If you cut the shirt pieces from left to right, you will have less issues with your strips stretching and pulling.  Generally, knit shirts stretch more from left to right (vs. up and down).  So, if you cut these sections from left to right, once the fringes are cut and if they happened to get pulled, they are less likely to stretch out.  (However, some shirts stretch equally left to right vs. up and down.  But they can still be used.  Just be aware of pulling.  But a pulled fringe look would still be really cute if you just trim them if they get pulled on.)

For Strips 1-5, I cut each strip from left to right on the shirt but didn’t have enough shirt to make one continuous strip that was long enough for the dimensions that I needed.  So I just cut enough pieces that would create one large piece that was big enough for the measurements I needed…….but didn’t bother piecing them together.  You’ll understand better a few steps down below, but just know, each strip doesn’t have to be one continuous strip…..since they’re going to be cut into fringe anyway.

Here’s all of my fabric pieces, ready to go:  (Don’t let the dimensions fool you…..they folded over so that I could fit them in the picture.)

So first, grab the Main Skirt section and fold it in half lengthwise (with right sides together) and match up the two shorter ends and sew them together.  Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance and either use a double needle (which I love using on knits…….and here’s more info on the double needle) or sew a zig-zag stitch.  Either of those stitches will allow for more stretch.  Then, fold over the top edge 1/5 inches and sew all the way around, about an inch from the top folded edge (so that your 1 inch elastic can fit inside).  But be sure to leave a 2 inch opening somewhere along the casing (mine’s on the back, you can’t see it), so that you can thread your elastic inside later on.

Now, because I’m not completely unpacked from our move……I don’t know where my chalk or fabric pens are.  But, to make things easier, turn your skirt right side out and make some chalk lines along the fabric so you can see where to sew down the strips to the Main Skirt section.

From the top edge, measure down 1.5 inches and make your first chalk line, all the way around.  This is where you’ll line up the top edge of your “Strip 1″.  Then measure down 1.5 inches from the top line and make another chalk line all the way around.  Repeat and measure down 1.5 inches between each line……until you have all 5 lines marked.  (You may have to make some adjustments to these measurements if you’re making a different sized skirt……but this is what worked really well for the skirt I made.)

Now, begin with the very bottom of the skirt and line “Strip 5″ up with the bottom chalk line.  Then, pin in place.  (And there are my imaginary chalk lines that I wish I would have had……but I just used a ruler to measure every few inches while I was sewing, which took more time.)

If your strips are in different pieces, just overlap your next piece a bit, and continue sewing.  Also, I used the double needle because I like the clean look of it (and it stretches) but the zig-zag stitch would work nicely too.  Either one works but you’ll need to choose one over the straight stitch.  Because you need something that stretches a bit.  (Again, here’s more about the double needle.)

Continue with each Strip, until all are sewn in place.

If you lift up, you can see the other attached Strips under there.

If you look on the inside…..you can see all the rows of stitching.

Now, find the opening to your casing……

…….and then thread in a piece of elastic that is the same measurement as your subject’s waist.  Then, remove the pin, overlap the two ends by an inch, and sew the elastic ends together.  The fold the casing opening in place and sew it closed, trying to not sew through the elastic.

Now, it’s time to cut. 

Start with the very bottom row and fold the other rows up and out of the way as you’re cutting.  I cut each strip about 1/2 inch wide……but that varied as I went around.

Continue on, one row at a time, until all your fringe is cut.

Beautiful. 

And all ready to wear.  :)

Hope that was as fun for you as it was for me.  Now, go and make a few more. :)

-Ashley

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So, I decided to share some of the Home Improvement tricks we’ve been using…….because we’ve been learning a lot along the way.  Some from family/friends, some from professionals, and some from just figuring it out on our own.  And yes, good tips and tricks have to be shared…….so get ready for them.

And, just to show you that we really have been working (and not off on a Carribbean Cruise…ha!), let’s get started with the first thing.

Something that may give you a little anxiety……

Have you ever been to the paint store and you thought you were picking an amazing color?!?!  And then when you painted it on the walls……….yuck. 

Yeah, I’ve done that too.  MANY times.  And it’s so frustrating because white comes is 79,000 shades.  And so does every other color of the rainbow.  So here’s what I do.  I search and search for a certain color that I like.  I look of examples of it online, I find it with similar trim color, doors, and other features that I have in my own home.  Then I pick several shades of that color that I think that I may like.  Then I head to the paint store (I’ve been using Sherwin Williams because there are many around here) and I have them whip up some quart samples for me.  (Because, believe me……..the price of a few samples is much cheaper than buying a couple gallons of paint, painting an entire room, hating it, and then buying several more gallons to cover it up.)

Then I label each paint color container (and its lid), with a number.

And then I grab a sponge brush for each color…..and label those as well.

Then I paint each of the colors on the wall, in order.  I also add a strip of the trim color that I’m using, right below the color samples……otherwise, it’s too hard to tell how the colors will look with all that old paint color screaming at me in the face.

But I don’t stop there……I add those same colors to different locations on the walls.  Because shadows vs. direct sun will make your color look so different.

**Ignore the mess.  We’re working on painting here……not unpacking and cleaning up clutter.  haha!

After the samples are up………wait.  And watch those colors all day long.  Because you may love sample #3 at 10 a.m. but may HATE it at 5 p.m.  So, it’s good to find that out before covering every wall with it.  Make sense?

The pictures above are from our Master Bedroom and I wanted a soft and calm grey/blue color.  The first color that I picked and was SURE I wanted…….ended up being the color I liked the least.  Crazy.

Anyway, our bedroom isn’t quite finished.  Otherwise, I’d give you a good ol’ “before/after” shot.  (Ooooh, I love those!!!)  But, you’ll have to wait.

. . . . .

I have a little sewing project that I’m finishing up for tomorrow or the next day and then another home improvement project (that turned out so rockin’ cool!!) at the end of the week. 

Can’t wait!

-Ashley

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I am frequently asked for ideas for certain occasions.  Weddings, mother’s day, baby gifts, neighbor gifts, etc.  I know it’s easier to see everything categorized into one list……and so I’m trying to create master lists of different project topics that are a little more helpful to glean ideas from.  So, feel free to browse and remember old posts, more recent posts, or posts you never knew existed on here.

Because I gathered about 20 of my favorite projects that would be great to give as a Baby Shower Present, a Baby Birthday Gift, or to just make FOR FUN.

Afterall, it IS spring.  And little baby chicks are hatching right now.  Do you know someone who just had (or is having) a baby this spring??

Hopefully this will be helpful.

I’m sure some of these projects may even seem new……because even I have forgotten about many of them.  And I put the tutorials together……ha!  So it’s fun for me to think about who has a birthday coming up or who’s having a baby. 

Something completely fun, vibrant and chewable for baby, would be one (or more) of these Stuffed Fabric Turtles.  I still love seeing these little guys kick around our house.

And a no-fail gift that I love giving, is a little pair of these Baby Boy Booties.

Have you ever carried a car seat in the nook of your arm?  Well, the rubber and plastic pinch your poor arm.  So, adding a Car Seat Handle Cover fixes that problem.  And is cute to boot. :)

Or how about cutting up an old purse/pouch and using the material to make some adorable Baby Girl Flower Sandals.  These still make me smile.

If you know a baby who loves his/her binky……..making a Pacifier Pocket would be the perfect gift for the mom who wants a clean place to store the extra binky.

Gosh, I made these little Felt Hair Clips so long ago (that’s my  6 year old Elli in that picture) but I still love the simplicity of them.  I would use wool felt if I were to make these again but back when I posted these, I didn’t know about wool felt.  (Wool felt just holds up a little better and doesn’t ball up like polyester felt does.)

How about grabbing some of those long sleeved dresses that are clearance right now, cutting off the sleeves, and using the sleeves to make ruffles for the diaper cover.  Yes, it’s only half-homemade…….but no one else will have one like it. Long Sleeve Dress to Short Sleeves. 

I still remember how much fun I had making this Felt Toy Truck.  And it matched one of Connor’s favorite book characters, so it was well loved.  Consider personalizing it for your little recipient. :)

We all know how frustrating the “the the sippy cup” game gets.  So, create a Sippy Cup Leash and any mom will smother you with Thank You’s!!!

Okay, I need to make more of these Baby Shoes from Thrifted Purses.  They cost next to nothing and turn out so darn cute.

These little Stuffed Elephant and Giraffe are a simple construction and so darling to make for any occasion. 

Who wouldn’t enjoy a Wearable Blanket for Baby as a gift?  Chloe’s 2 years old now and she still wears one at night.

No more mistaking baby girl for a baby boy.  Make some super soft Wool Felt Hair Accessories to add to those little bald baby girl heads.

These Fabric Toy Blocks and Fabric Baby Rings are something I made so long ago but nothing says LOVE like making some soft and chewable baby toys.  Such a great gift! :)

Diaper Covers are nice but how about making some Ruffled Diaper Covers (from pre-ruffled fabric) instead?  So much fun.

Sweet baby boys and girls both can treasure a Fabric Doll from early on.  And how cute is it to make it look like the little one you’re giving it to.

I don’t know why this is…….but seeing Connor in this Little Guy Tie pattern always makes me melt.  And it’s one of my most favorite items to gift to little boys.

Little baby heads need a bit of covering all year long.  So how about making a few Knit Baby Hats for that new baby you know.

And while we’re talking knit fabric……make a snuggly little Knit Receiving Blanket.  Chloe still cuddles with this one, 2 years later.

Girls need hairbows.  Even those with very little hair.  So whip up some Simple Bow Hair Clips with a No-Slip Grip.  They’ll surely be a hit! :)

If you know of a mom who nurses her baby, it’s always nice to receive a Nursing Cover to keep things a little more private.  It’s also nice to keep distractions away from baby’s eyes.

Little boys and girls both can always use many, many pairs of leggings.  So keep those little legs warm and make a few Super Simple Leggings to give as a gift.

There are several more ideas in my Tutorial Project Category List……but this was just a list of most of my favorites.

I hope that’s helpful.

-Enjoy

Ashley

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Hey, how’s everyone’s immune system doing lately?  Ours are pukey.  I think we’re allergic to our new house.  Ha……just kidding.  The pukes all started right before we moved in.  Like, the night before.  And cycled through each of my kiddos all last week.  And our brand new clothes washer is a lemon (and we’re still waiting on our replacement to be delivered)…..so we have a lot of trash bags filled with, well, smelly laundry.  Darn.  But hey……we’re making some really great memories around here. ;)

But, let’s talk about something a lot more fun.  Like a simple little project that’s easier than easy.  And maybe you’ve already done this same thing 17 different times……but I still get excited when I turn something ungly into something much more pleasant to look at.

Hooray for ugly flip-flops!!  Because then I can appreciate the make-over that much more.  (And yeah, those bows are some sort of sport-jersey type of fabric. Weird.)

Go on, admit that you have an old pair of un-loved flip-flops in your closet. 

Don’t ignore them any longer……add some simple beauty to them.

Oh, I better explain something.  I have a problem.

Have I told you that I wear a size 12 shoe? (The only thing worse than that……is wearing a size 13. Ha!  Sorry if that’s one of you……but really, it’s not that much worse.  We’re in the same big-foot boat. ;) )  Anyway, size 12 shoes are pretty hard to find (especially on sale), so the “problem” surfaces any time I see a pair of size 12′s.  I run through a checklist of reasons why I may need this pair of shoes sometime during the next century of my life…..and then I usually buy them.  Yeah, it’s bad. (Ask Steve!!)  So, when I saw these boring black flip-flops at TJ Maxx, I decided I needed them.  They’re not just your regular foam flip-flops (which I can buy in the men’s section any time. ha!)……but they were women’s.  So a little less boxy, and a little more curvy.  Oh, and they’re about a 1/2 step up from the foam ones, on the fancy scale.  So, I decided I needed them.  And would fancy them up.

A little better, right?

If you’ve done this before, you can skip this mini tutorial…..but if you want to compare notes, see below:

1. First, grab your flip-flops that need some love.
2. Tear/clip/pull off the offending embellishment.
3. Purchase (or make) some sort of embellishment to add onto your flip-flops.  I bought these little beaded swirls at Hobby Lobby for 50% off.  So, $6 for both.  However, if you want to make your own, try the Shirred Fabric Flower, the Full and Textured Fabric Flower, the Crushed Fabric Flower, the Layered Knit Flower, the Knit Rosette, and more.
4. I cut the excess frayed fabric off my little embellishments.  But you could leave it on if you prefer.
5. Now, grab some epoxy glue.  My favorite type for this sort of project is Amazing Goop, the Craft variety.  It holds really well on most surfaces.
6. Then, add some to your flip flop and then place your embellishments right on top.  Press firmly.

Pinch tight with clothes pins until the epoxy glue dries completely.

And that’s it!

And in case you need a little more flip-flop inspiration……here are a few ways that I completely made over some flip-flops two summers ago.  All are fun, all are cheap, and all are pretty simple.

Interchangeable Flip-Flops, Braided Strap Flip-Flops, Beaded Flip-Flops, Ruffled T strap Flip-Flops, and Stretchy Knit with Flowers Flip-Flops.

That’s all for today.  I’m off to check on the delivery time for that replacement washer.  I have some piles of clothes to wash. :)

-Ashley

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I thought I’d be up and running yesterday (after our move over the weekend) but our internet was really wonky.  We had to get that all figured out……but whew, it’s now fixed.  And all of our stuff is moved in.  And the old house is cleared out.  Thank you, thank you……for all the well wishes and virtual high-fives you sent my way for our move over the weekend.  We are so happy to be all moved in.  Can’t wait to get crackin’ on some home projects.

Now, back to normal.  (Wait, what’s normal again?!!)

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Anyway, I have a little project that I was pretty much finished with before we moved.  I just needed a moment to finish the instructions. And a little photo editing here and there.  

But the idea for today’s project came from a little Tshirt sizing frustration with my girls.  Do any of you have the same problem I do??  You buy a kid sized shirt and the correct size (or even the size above) is waaaaay too short and waaaaaay too wide.  Weird.  (Maybe my kids are just too tall!!)  It’s only certain brands but…..grrrrrrr.  (Circo from Target and Garanimals from Walmart are two brands that make me crazy.  Anyone else have the same problem?)

Well, I bought this cute little teal polka dot shirt from Target the other day for Chloe and well, it was Circo brand……but I was hoping for the best, because it was just too cute. However, once I washed it, forget it………her sweet little bubble belly poked out the bottom.  Grrrrrr.

So, I decided to turn it into a dress.  And not just any ol’ dress……..a CIRCLE DRESS.  (Oh, and I made one for Elli too. :) )

And believe me, this may be the quickest and simplest dress you’ll ever make.  Especially if you’re using a knit Tshirt and find some knit fabric (which doesn’t fray) to cut up. 

I actually bought a knit twin bed sheet set from Target for $20 to use for these dresses.  I made both girls dresses from the top sheet and still had plenty left over for other projects.  I also have the full fitted sheet to use for something else.  Perfect.  (However, you could also buy knit by the yard for this project.  I just happened to like this color knit bed sheet….so it worked.)

But once these little Circle Dresses go on, it’s like an automatic thing……Elli starts spinning.  And then Chloe watches, learns, and then enjoys right along with her. :)

If you look closely, you can see that there’s no gathering involved.  It’s a circle piece of fabric that creates all of that twirly fun.  (And really, this would be adorable in adult sizes too.  Just imagine a thin little belt cinched right in at the waist.  Cute.)

These girls are killing me lately.  Chloe’s starting to love the same sorts of things that Elli does.  And Elli eats it right up.  I’m sure glad she’s teaching Chloe the ropes of being a girly girl. ;)

And since these dresses are all knit fabric…….they are comfy, cozy, and ready to be played in.  I caught Elli eating some cereal the other morning and just noticed how comfy she looked in her dress.  I kinda wanted one for myself.

Another fun variation?  Turn the Double Layer Square Circle Skirt into a dress.  Same circle concept……different look to the dress bottom.

Yay!!  New dresses for the girls……..made in  minutes.  My kind of project. :)

Would you like to whip one up?

First of all, grab a knit Tshirt.  Any type will work but if you have one that’s stained, too short, or has holes……..rescue it from the recycle pile.  Now, decide where you want the waist line of the dress to sit.  Then measure across the shirt, right at the point where you’re going to be cutting it off.  Then double that number and that’s the size of the circle circumference that you’ll need to use to cut the opening for the skirt portion of the dress.  Now, cut a circle that size out of paper, to use for your pattern.  For example: Elli’s shirt was 11 inches across, right where I wanted to cut it off.  I doubled that number to 22 and that’s the circumference of the circle that I cut out.  (And if you can see, my paper circle isn’t perfect.  That’s okay.  Knit is pretty forgiving and you’ll never be able tell that the circle wasn’t exact.)

Now, cut off the shirt, a 1/2 inch below the line where you want it to sit on your subject.

Now, decide how long you want the skirt portion of the dress to be.  The easiest way to do this is to put the shirt on and then measure a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the shirt you just cut off and then down to where you want it to hit on the leg.  Add a 1/2 inch to this measurement (for the seam allowance) and that will be the skirt length.  For Elli, I decided to make the skirt portion 20 inches long……so I knew that I needed 20.5 inches of length.  So, I placed my measuring tape 20.5 inches out from the paper circle, all the way around, to be sure there was enough fabric all the way around.

After I could see that the paper circle was placed correctly on the fabric, I traced around it with a marker.

Next, I measured out from the circle 20.5 inches, all the way around the circle…….and made little dots to mark my measurements.  See them circled in red??

Then, I began connecting the dot in a curved line, creating a large circle all the way around the smaller circle.

Once you’ve drawn your two circles, cut them both out.

Now, place the bottom edge of your Tshirt together with the small circle opening and pin them together with right sides together.  (It’s sometimes easier to divide your shirt edge into 4 even sections and place a pin to mark it and then do the same with the circle opening.  Then, match up the pins first and then add more pins to secure the two layers together.)

Now, use a zig-zag stitch (so that the fabric will still stretch when the dress is put on) to sew the two layers together.  Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  It’s okay to have a little bit of pulling of the fabric while sewing…..but if there’s too much and it’s really ruffling the fabric, try increasing the stitch length just a bit, so that it will skip over more of the fabric and not pull so much.  (But you don’t want to increase it too much or the stitching will be spaced too much and there will be gaping holes when you turn it right side out.)  But if there’s a little bit of pulling, that can be eliminated by using a steam iron and pressing straight down to shrink it back in a bit.  Don’t pull the iron across the fabric, or it will stretch it as you go.  If you need to, you can sew another row of zig-zag stitching over the first, to add more stitching and make it more secure.

Now, turn it right side out and press the seam flat with steam.  Again, don’t pull……just press straight down.

And then make several more.  Because these little dresses are comfy, twirly, and fun!

Enjoy!

-Ashley

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