Not JUST A Housewife

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Skirt Tutorial: By Tammy

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I really love the versatility of skirts so today I will share one more fun and easy skirt with you along with some hints about professional techniques when sewing clothing. This skirt has it all—easy, gathered, lined, twirly, and (best of all) it has a cute border!) It’s the not-so-basic basic skirt!

This skirt is similar to the basic, lined skirt I shared last time so please refer to that tutorial (here) for detailed instructions regarding size information and the general instructions. This one moves a little faster, assuming you have the basic details down, and the sequence is a little different than the last one—I think it makes more sense!

Materials
skirt fabric (100% cotton)
border fabric
skirt lining fabric (cotton/poly blend—broadcloth works well)
coordinating thread
3/4 inch elastic
large safety pin

Instructions

Cut out waistband, two skirt pieces, 2 border pieces and 2 lining pieces

Length and Width of Fabric Pieces for Skirt and Lining

****************

I need to clarify length and width issues with this tutorial. Because of the way the fabric is cut to use the fabric efficiently, this is how I define “length” and “width” which is actually kind of backwards for the actual skirt. Stick with me, though!
Each of these pieces was cut in a strip (from selvedge to selvedge on the fabric) for the width of each piece and then cut smaller along the length to make the right length for each piece.

This is how my fabric looked when I cut out the waistband and skirt pieces:

Length and width of the actual skirt would be the opposite, so don’t get confused.

****************

Determining size for the waistband:

Length = 1 1/4 times actual waist measurement.

Width = approximately 1/4 of the overall length of the skirt plus 2 inches seam and casing allowances.

Determining size for the skirt pieces:

Length = 2 times the actual waist measurement

Width = total skirt length (waist to finished length) minus the waistband width (when sewn) minus desired border width (part that shows-- i.e. 2 1/2 inches for mine) plus seam allowances of 1 1/4 inches

Determining size for the lining pieces:

Length = same as skirt piece length

Width = same as skirt piece width minus 1 inch

Determining size for the border pieces:

Length = same as skirt piece length

Width = desired width of border (2 1/2 inches for me) times 2 plus 1 1/4 inches for seam allowances.

**Sew with a 5/8 inch seam allowance unless otherwise stated.**

Sew Skirt Lining

With right sides together (RST), sew lining pieces together at sides. Press flat.

Hem lining by turning up 1/4 inch and pressing flat. Turn up another 1/2 inch and press flat.

Stitch in place near edge.

Sew Skirt

With RST, sew the skirt pieces together at sides. Press seams flat.

Sew Border Section

With RST, sew the border pieces together at sides. Press seams flat.

Fold border in half lengthwise, matching raw edges and press.

Attach Border

Sew border section to right side of skirt section keeping the raw edges and seams lined up.

Press seam flat with seam allowance laying towards the top of the skirt. Topstitch close to seam.

Press along seam another time.

**PROFESSIONAL QUALITY HINT**

I have seen a growing trend in tutorials to sew borders (and ruffles) onto the skirt section first—before the side seams are sewn. I also see this a lot when making armholes for sleeveless dresses and shirts. This makes sewing your clothing much easier because you are attaching borders and ruffles (or turning in hems on curves) when everything is flat. Then, you go back and sew the side seam(s) all at once and everything lines up perfectly. This would work, except…it looks so awful. I urge you to take the time to make your clothing look great. The extra time pays off! Besides, after spending the time to make a handmade item, why would you skip steps that shave off just a few minutes and a lot of professionalism?

I made an example using a very small piece of fabric so you can clearly see the problem. I’m borderline stingy with fabric so this looks like a skirt/border for a small snake. Just use your imagination. This is how the skirt/border would look if you sewed the border first and sides seams last. Notice how your seam allowance is wagging around and possible visible. Eww!

Even worse when I serged it—one, because it was thicker the serger “pushed” it and the seam is definitely visible, and, two, there is no way to backstitch with the serger so you would have to tie off the end. Possible, but still not pretty and a waste of time since it can be avoided by doing it more professionally in the first place!

Join and Gather Skirt and Lining Sections

Place wrong sides together on skirt and lining sections.

Gather through both pieces. Go HERE for more details on gathering.

Sew Waistband

With RST, sew the short ends of the waistband together. Press seam flat.

Make a casing for the elastic. Fold over 1/4 inch and press in place.

Fold over again, 1 inch, and press in place.

Flatten the waistband piece with the side seam along one side. Fold in half again and use a pin to mark this halfway point. It will mark the center of the back of the skirt.

Sew in place close to the edge leaving a 2 inch opening around the center back.

The opening is for inserting the elastic.

Sew Waistband to Skirt Section

Insert skirt into waistband with RST.

Match side seams and pin in place, adjusting gathers so they are evenly spaced along waistband.

Sew waistband to skirt.

Turn right side out and press seam with seam allowance laying towards top of skirt.

Topstitch along seam line. Press again.

Insert Elastic

Insert 3/4 inch elastic into casing and sew casing closed. The length of the elastic should be smaller than the actual waist measurement. There are a lot of different ideas about how long it should be, but I typically use the waist measurement minus 3 or 4 inches and it seems to work pretty well. If it is too big, make sure you wash the skirt once or twice before you tighten the elastic—it definitely stretches when you are inserting it into the casing.

And…it’s done!

I won’t lie—I am totally in love with this one!

I let my daughter choose the fabrics. She picked the polka dot fabric and I told her I wanted to put a border on the bottom. She had no clue what I was talking about so I asked her to pick another fabric to go with it. She picked the floral and I was ecstatic because the fabrics actually matched! If I was choosing, I would have made the floral the skirt and the polka dot the border, but I actually love the way it turned out! Shows what I know, huh?

I also love the lining.

A lot of skirts aren’t lined, but it is so easy to add a lining and it makes a huge difference in the quality—and when it is windy! {wink!}

This skirt is perfect for playing and posing--or not posing when you are supposed to be posing!

If you have any problems or questions (or compliments!), please feel free to hop on over HERE and let me know.

Or, email me at shewearsflowers@gmail.com.

Get real!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

So awhile back I did a post about my messy office, among other things, called "The Dark Side Of Blogging". I got a huge response. Not just in comments but in emails as well. It was brought up more than once that we should have a linky party where we link up posts where we are being "real". It doesn't have to be about messy houses or your deepest darkest secret either. You decided what being real means to you. I think there are things that don't always get discussed and so we feel like maybe we are the only one (or at least the minority) that feel that way. But I would be willing to bet that most of us have the same kind of melt downs, the same iinsecurities, the same fears, the same struggle with keeping a balance in our lives. And for some reason when we share all of that with each other, it makes us feel normal. It makes us not be so hard on ourselves.

So lets do it! I will keep this linky party up for at least a week. Lets see who is brave enough to share :)

Link up a post (new OR old) about something that you feel is "being real". I can't wait to read them all!!!

Features x 2

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Thank you guys for linking up each week. It is fun to look at the stats and see how many clicks these links get. Thousands! So many people are being inspired by you!
As promised, I am featuring projects from last week and this week. And as usual, it was tough to narrow it down. But here are some of the amazing things linked up!

Rosy Red Buttons made a canopy for her bed. Isn't it beautiful??? And you won't believe how easy and cheap it was. No really. You won't ;)

Away We Go. . . made this tiered tray! Now, I know there are a lot of these types of trays out there, but I think this one is my favorite I have ever seen! I love the choices of bowl and plates.

Thrifty Like Me painted and distressed these shutters and they turned out beautiful. Guess where they hang???

Craptastic painted her old brown office chair a happy yellow! I love it with the purple. Actually, I love her whole office :)

The Polka-Dot Umbrella stenciled some place mats. She had a cute little helper too. You need to go see how she did it! They scream Spring!

First of all can we just talk about the stunning quality of this photo? All of her photos are great. Munchkin Munchiesmade a ginger carrot cake and I want to eat it. And I don't like carrot cake. But I think I would eat this one :)

If you were featured be sure to grab the featured button on my sidebar :) Thanks!!!

"It was the best day of my life"

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:15:00 +0000

So while at Creative Estates I had the honor of meeting Kim from Todays Creative Blog. Yeah, THAT Kim. The blogging super star. She kept teasing that when she features bloggers it is the best day of their life. But guess what? It kind is :) She totally featured me today and I loved reading the sweet things she wrote. So a BIG. FAT. Thank you to KIM!!!!

Creative Estates (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I forgot to mention that we stayed at the lovely San Marcus Hotel in Chandler, AZ. The grounds were beautiful, the rooms standard. But what made the room NOT so standard were the awesome roommates I had. I got my ticket late in the game so pretty much everyone had already figured out roommates and travel buddies. I posted on Facebook that I needed both and Stephanie replied that she had room in her car and her hotel. Then Amanda seconded that motion. They didn't even know me! How sweet (and brave) are they??? My other roommate was Kara and come to find out we live in neighboring towns! Crazy world.
Stephanie, Kara, me, Amanda. Okay, I will try to give you all a run down on what I learned while there. Like I said, I take terrible notes. I come home and look at them and I have a hard time translating my made up shorthand. But here we go.... Your kids and family should come before your blog (and FB and Twitter) so plan and schedule like crazy. Work at night or nap time or while the kids are at school. I loved what Becky Higgins said (because I do the same thing) about keeping your computer in one place like the office. Then when the kids are home, shut the door and be a mom. She also said to have ONE family calender. It is less confusing. Don't compare your blog to others. “There is no competition to be Me. And that is what I’m doing.” - Char (Crap I've Made) There is enough Internet for everyone. You have to be passionate about what you are doing. If you are frustrated and want to quit, sit back and think about why you started the blog to begin with. Make your posts easy to understand. Re-read them. Think about how the post would be interpreted by people of different ages, different countries. Give as much information as possible (links, products used, etc) Have good quality pictures. It is worth it to take the extra time to take pictures in good lighting and to edit them. Most of the panel of ladies speaking used picnik which is free. Watermarking your pictures is also important. Rename your photos when editing them (ie. San Marcus Hotel) so they will show up in Google Images and drive more traffic to your site. If you are making money with your blog then have a separate account with a debit card for your blog. As far as taxes, you have to claim the free product you receive as well. Your blog looks different in different browsers. Try to look at your blog in all the different browsers to see if there are things that you could change so your blog looks its best. If you have a FB page for your blog, try to have 50% personal posts (I just had a bacon avocado hamburger) and 50% blog posts and don't post too much. Over posting can turn people off. Also, post old blog posts on FB. Chances are a lot of your followers missed it or were not following when you originally posted it. Don't take mean comments to heart. People have issues. You can't please everyone. Just do your best. Be authentic. If something makes you uncomfortable, don't do it. There was so much more that would take forever to put into words. I could do a whole post about Twitter alone. And it would just be the basics. I swore I would never join Twitter but they made me see the light. If you have the chance to go next year I would do it. It is going to be in April again and this time will be in Salt Lake City, UT. Woot Woot! I was skeptical about how important a conference was. I just thought is was a way to meet other bloggers. You know, a social thing. But I didn't know just how much I didn't know! Okay, the trip home. . . I flew to AZ because it started Thursday and I would have had to leave Wednesday if I drove there. My hubby couldn't take any time off other than Friday so I had to limit the days I got babysitters. But coming home was a Sunday so it was alright if I drove since the hubs was still home for the weekend. It saved me some $$$ and ended up to be so FUN! I was in the car with Stephanie, Kara, and Tauni. I haven't done a road trip with just girls since collage. What a blast! Even the getting lost part wasn't so bad. Yep. We got lost. We somehow ended up in New Mexico. Well, the border anyway. The 11 hour drive turned into a 14 hour drive. But that is okay. It gave me more time to get to know these amazing ladies! I am sure Stephanie will come up with a hilarious post on our adventure. Tauni videoed the GPS system when it was on crack and telling us the wrong directions. I will link to both when the post...

Over all it was such a nice departure from the norm. I missed my kids like crazy. But I didn't have to make the bed, cook, clean, do dishes, laundry, or anything else like that. I made new friends and learned a TON.
The end :)

Creative Estates (part one)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:04:00 +0000

I remember when everyone was writing posts about their amazing experience at Blissdom Blogging Conference and I was so jealous. The green eyed monster was raging! I actually had to stop reading the posts cause I was so sad I couldn't be there and I felt like I was missing out on such a neat experience. So I almost didn't want to post about my time at Creative Estates. BUT, the one good thing that came from me reading all the Blissdom posts was that it made me determined to go to a blog conference. I decided to start a savings account for it and research which one would benefit me the most (cause there are like a million!).

Even though my blog is more DIY/Decor I absolutely loved going to this "craft" conference. It was so amazing to be in the same room with so many creative women!!! I was surrounded by women that all "got" me. We all had the same questions and concerns. I loved every minute of it.

I will admit that I was intimidated that first night. I stuck to my little group and was not very brave. But I knew I had to get over it. I wanted to make the most of my time there. I am I am so glad that I did!

Here are some of the pictures from my trip:

I sat on the airplane with Michelle and Amanda. I loved hearing their life stories! It is amazing how much you can learn about someone in one and a half hours :) Our cab driver was nice and kept giving us compliments....and then he got border line creepy. But what is a trip without a weird cab driver right?

I don't have a lot of pictures from the first night. We ate at a Mexican restaurant and then had cupcakes and mingled. I was just trying to get out of my shell so I wasn't focused on taking pictures.

Friday was the first actual day of the conference. Here are some of my blogging buddies :)

Me, Jamielyn, Becca, Amy, Michelle, Stephanie, Amy

There were 170+ people in attendance. Here is the AWESOME Tauni speaking. I could have listened to her all day. I was just soaking up her knowledge on social media and traditional media and how that helps our blogs grow. She is a PR genius.

I looked around and realized there were quite a few of us in white cardigans. Five us us were at one table! So we just had to get a picture :)

Leanne, Jen, Amy, Amanda, Kim, Kendra, Me, Stephanie

Here are some more buddies. Stephanie (who you will hear more about I PROMISE), me, Heidi, Amy, Ashlee.

We were honored to be graced with Becky Higgins presence. She spoke to us and MAN she is organized!!! There is a lot to learn from her.

Me, Amanda, Becky Higgins, Amy.

I realized I had a lot of pictures of me with only one or 2 people so instead of making you scroll through a ton photos I made a handy dandy collage.

1. Me and Becca from Blue Cricket Design
2. Me and Amy from The Idea Room
3.Me, Beverly from Flamingo Toes, and Holly from 504 Main & The DIY Club
4. Me and Amy from Positively Splendid
5. Me and Emily & Heather from Whipperberry
6. Me and Char from Crap I've Made

There is more to come. I learned so much and I will try to post about the things that I got out of it. I stink at taking notes but I will do my best. Stay tuned. . . .

Show Me What Ya Got #19

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:02:00 +0000

I am desperately trying to get things back to normal after being gone for 4 days but it is challenging to say the least. It is spring break for the kids and I kind of just wanted to play with them. I have no idea when I will be whipping out a new project but that is okay because I can live vicariously through YOU! I can't wait to see what you have been up to :)

*Do not link up giveaways or etsy shops. Just projects you have done please.

* Please link up a max of 2 projects

* Please don't link up something you have already linked up here in the past.

*Link to the specific post and not to the main page of your blog.

*Also, please visit at least 2 other links and leave a comment. We all love comments!

I am not going to require that you become a follower in order to participate, but it is easier. I participate in so many linky parties that it helps to have a reminder. I just scroll through my blog roll and click right on to which ever sites have a party that day. Just something to think about :)
If you don't know how to link up I created a post with pictures and instructions. There is a link on my side bar.

Please spread the word about this linky party. The more links, the more we all are inspired. Add this button to the bottom of your post, side bar, or add this party to your list. I am not picky. Just put it somewhere! Thanks.

Everyday Lettering WINNER!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:27:00 +0000

I just got home late last night. I was gone for 4 days at Creative Estates blogging conference!!! I learned a TON of stuff and I was finally convinced to join Twitter. I will work on getting a button made for that but until then if you want to follow me my Twitter handle is @HousewifeStacy. I will fill you in on my trip that later but first I have to let you know who won the Everyday Lettering giveaway!

roweaglejacket !!!!! Contact me soon so I can get you in touch with Heather at Everyday Lettering :)

My Mailbox Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I apologize in advance for not having a "before" picture. I did this when all the Better Homes and Gardens stuff was happening and I didn't think about it until after. But imagine in your creative mind that the POST was black. And that a lot of the black coating was peeling off revealing the galvanized metal underneath it. Imagine a once black (now faded gray) plastic mail box that is missing the door. Not too welcoming. Not a great first impression either. I took down the plastic mailbox. Then I sanded down the post to get rid of the flaking paint. Then I wiped it down with a damp cloth.
I used Rustoluem's Hammered Metal Spray Paint to paint the post. It was an exact match to the new brown metal mailbox! I lucked out with that one. I love that spray paint. I used it on my railing years ago and it has held up great!
I used my Silhouette to cut out our last name and put it on the mailbox. Our old mailbox had our last name in vinyl on it as well. I had ordered it from someone. It was nice to be able to just cut out my own. The vinyl will last for a few years ( or more depending on the quality of the vinyl) outdoors. I am hoping it works on metal as well as it did on the old plastic one. If it starts to peel off in a few years I can just cut out a new one.

I am not a huge fan of the design of the post, but it is what I got and so I rolled with it :) I have to say though, I LOVE it a whole lot more now!

I {heart} 3 Little Birds Boutique!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Have you ever come across a shop and your heart goes pitter patter because everything in it is so great? I have fallen for a darling shop called 3 little birds boutique!!!! I want to share a little sample of what you can find there.

Kristen is the one behind all these beautiful creations. Not only do I LOVE her designs, but she uses sterling silver, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and other top of the line materials. Each piece is lovingly created from scratch in her studio. Her jewelry has even walked down the red carpet! Well, not by itself of course! You can read about that HERE.

The charms they have are absolutely wonderful! They have things like cupcakes, crowns, sea horses, lady bugs, owls, tea pots, starfish, etc. I am loving this bee!!! ( must be the tom boy in me)

They have earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more!

There is something so classic about pearls!

She offers custom jewelry as well. If you want to see all that she has you can go HERE. It is worth it I promise :) And you know what? Right now I am Creative Estates blogging conference and a little bird told me Kristen will be there too! I might just get to meet this jewelry genius!

"Our" song..... in vinyl

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

My husband and I are coming up on 11 years of wedded bliss. We have had "our song" on our wall in vinyl for a few years now and I love the constant reminder. It makes me think of when we were dating. The only thing that bothered me was the scale of it. It seemed too big for the space. I ordered it since I didn't have a Silhouette back then and I didn't realize how big it was going to be be. I just cut out some new vinyl in a different font. I like that it is smaller :)

NEW:

OLD:

This picture doesn't do it justice. It was REALLY big. It was the first thing I noticed when I walked in the room. I didn't want it to be the focal point of the space. Just a side note...

And here it is from a distance.

Guest Bloggers: Sisters Of The Wild West

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I am on my way to Creative Estates! But I don't think you are even going to miss me because I have a fun blog to introduce you to. You are going to love this!!!

We are so excited to be guest blogging here at Not Just a Housewife.

Thank you so much for letting us be guest bloggers.

HI!! We are Amy and Emily.

The "Sisters" of the Wild West.

We are newbies to the blog world, and we are LOVING every minute of it. A few facts about us:

*we drink diet dr pepper like water

*we take turns blogging (kind of...its a long story)

*we are highly competitive from playing sports our entire lives

*we compare notes on who's posts get more attention

*we have 11 kids between us (Amy 4 girls & 2 boys) (Em 5 BOYS)

* We love to craft any chance we get...Especially when we are together!

Today we are sharing one of our many

Before and After projects.

The inspiration for my nightstand was this cute little pot that my mom bought at Gordman's. I loved the look of the shiny underneath the tan. I started by covering my entire nightstand in regular tin foil. I used this instead of just painting silver to give it the texture. I wrinkled the foil up and then glued pieces in place with modge podge. I smoothed them out as I went. I did some shiny side down, and some shiny side up. I then went over the whole thing with 2 layers of modge podge. Below is a picture of the top covered before I glazed it.

I then glazed over the foil with Ralph Lauren Glaze tinted with black paint. I rubbed it on with a rag. I let it sit for a few minutes and then wiped it off until I achieved the darkness that I wanted.

I then dry brushed on the tan, and let the paint dry. I then glazed back over the it again lightly to add more depth. I repainted the old hardware with some silver acylic that I already had.

It turned out AWESOME. I am very pleased with the end result. It looks just like the pot.

Thank you some much for allowing Sisters of the Wild West to share our project with you today.

Please visit our blog to see more before and afters, and

many other sewing and crafting projects.

We love new friends.

Fixing My Window Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

We got new windows awhile back (YEAH!) but there was a lot of damage done to the window frames (BOO!) when the old window were taken out. Not only that, but in the basement they installed one long window instead of two small windows side by side so there were chunks of wood missing.

I love really ugly "before" pictures because there is no where to go but up :)

The old windows hung by hinges so there were places that needed to be fixed from that as well.

I bought some lattice molding and some thin flat molding at Home Depot. I cut it with my miter saw and then nailed it to the window frame with my brad nailer to hide all the mess. I didn't worry about making pretty mitered cuts since I knew I would be puttying anyway. You can see the place where the hinge use to be. That got puttied as well.

Here it is all puttied. I used a big 'ole tub of Spackle. When I was a newly wed I used to let the Spackle dry and then sand it smooth. I have since learned that you can let it dry and then wipe it smooth with a damp rag. It is faster and then you don't have the mess of all the dust.

And Viola!!!!! Isn't that so much better??? I would have loved to add some chunky molding around the hole thing like a picture frame but the walls are solid cement plus the window frame itself is rounded and molding wouldn't lay flat against it. But the sheers cover it up any way. This kind of a project is one that goes unnoticed. But if you don't do it.... it DOES get noticed.

I hate waiting. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:35:00 +0000

So I just found out that my "I Did It!" article in BHG will not come out until August. And that is still tentative. I hope that if it changes, it get moved up and not later. Cause there is one thing I don't have very much of and that my friends, is patience! But I am excited!!! I plan on staking out the nearest store and buying every copy :)

Show Me What Ya Got #18

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:01:00 +0000

It is Tuesday! I feel like making up a song for Tuesday since it is so cool. "Today is Tuesday, Tuesday, it comes after Monday, Monday .... Just kidding :)
I will be going out of town this week so I won't be here to do features. I think I will plan on doing what I did last time and doing a "Features x2" post the next week. I am going to a blogging conference. I am hoping they will teach this newbie a thing or two. I am excited because some of my favorite bloggers are going!

Just a recap:

*Do not link up giveaways or etsy shops. Just projects you have done please.

* Please link up a max of 2 projects

* Please don't link up something you have already linked up here in the past.

*Link to the specific post and not to the main page of your blog.

*Also, please visit at least 2 other links and leave a comment. We all love comments!

I am not going to require that you become a follower in order to participate, but it is easier. I participate in so many linky parties that it helps to have a reminder. I just scroll through my blog roll and click right on to which ever sites have a party that day. Just something to think about :)
If you don't know how to link up I created a post with pictures and instructions. There is a link on my side bar.

Please spread the word about this linky party. The more links, the more we all are inspired. Add this button to the bottom of your post, side bar, or add this party to your list. I am not picky. Just put it somewhere! Thanks.

***Remember that if you made something that was inspired by something you saw here on Not JUST A Housewife please link it up to "Share your project" too. The link is at the top of my blog. I would love to see it! It might get featured randomly....

My Front Door: Before and After

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:47:00 +0000

My front door is my favorite thing about my house. I LOVE that it is the original door to my 1938 home and I LOVE that it is rounded. I love that it is solid wood. Thick and strong. But I did NOT love the orange color of the wood. I held off on doing anything at first because I didn't want to take it down and have to sand it clear down to the bare wood. And then after awhile I just got so use to looking at it that I forgot it was orange. Well, Better Homes and Gardens coming to my house changed things! I suddenly saw my house with new eyes and I realized the orange had to go.

Somewhere along the time when we bought our house and now, I found out about Gel Stain. You don't have to sand it completely down to the bare wood. In fact, you don't have to sand at all! I am planning on writing a whole post devoted to staining but until then you can see my clip from Good Things Utah HERE.

And here you go!!! No more orange :) I love the dark rich walnut. They have 10 different colors in Gel stain. You certainly don't have to use a color this dark. I sealed the inside using polyurethane and the outside of the door using Helmsman.

Do you know what else I LOVE about my front door??? I have the original key! And it works!!! I framed it and put it on my side table in my front room.

Everyday Lettering Giveaway!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

GIVING AWAY

One word/name valued at up to $30 plus free shipping.

ABOUT EVERYDAY LETTERING

Heather is a stay-at-home mom to one fantastic little two-year old boy and she's a photographer based in Brigham City, Utah. She has been doing photography for over three years and has loved every second of it.

About two years ago she saw some photo letters in a store and fell in love. But at over $150 for her little last name (Jones), she couldn’t afford it and knew there must be others who couldn’t either. So she searched for a way to make it more affordable. She spent over a year collecting pictures of everyday objects and editing them to make them beautiful.

I had such a fun time looking through all the letters on her site! She was so creative when photographing things that look like the alphabet. You even have the choice of black and white or sepia!

*To enter:

1.Go to her site and check out the 3 options of lettering (block, board, single) and then come back here and leave a comment telling me which you like the best.

*Extra Entries:

2. Follow Everyday Lettering on Facebook and then come back and leave a separate comment saying you do.

3. Spread the word about this giveaway. One entry for tweeting it. One entry for sharing on Facebook, and one more for sharing it on your blog. Leave a separate comment for each one please.

Good luck! The giveaway end on April10th and the winner will be announced on April 11th. Thanks!

Basic Lined Skirt: By Tammy

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

After talking about gathering techniques to get everyone ready for spring skirts, there is no way I could skip making a spring skirt for this series! Unfortunately, around here we don’t have spring weather yet, but there is no reason we can’t pretend a little! Besides, it goes perfectly with Stacy’s current “Point of View” series!

This is one of my favorite skirts—lined, twirly, and best of all, no bulk at the waist.

There are so many variations on this skirt out there, but I think it is a good idea to start with the basic, lined skirt and then you can change it up any way you would like. I love to make this skirt in tiered ruffles and use a different fabric for each tier.This design is so simple to change and embellish once you have the basic skirt design down pat so we will start with that for today.

This skirt can be made in just about any size and many different fabrics. I used red text to show the “math,” when figuring out the measurements, but you can substitute your own numbers in those places. I prefer 100% cotton for this style and it is easy to sew with. If you are new to sewing, I suggest sticking with 100% cotton to make the first one and then you can branch out from there. As far as sizing goes, I will share the way to measure your fabric and use my daughter’s measurements as an example.

Materials
skirt fabric (100% cotton)
skirt lining fabric (cotton/poly blend—broadcloth works well)
coordinating thread
3/4 inch elastic
large safety pin

Instructions

Cut out waistband, two skirt piece, 2 lining pieces

I like to line skirts—a built-in slip, but this isn’t necessary. The lining fabric is inexpensive and it is easy to line this skirt. I think it improves the overall quality of the skirt, so I just do it every time. If you aren’t lining, just skip those steps.

A TIP: The standard seam allowance for clothes for the home sewer is a 5/8 inch allowance. While this may seem unnecessary, it is actually very wise if you have to make a garment a little larger. It is the standard seam allowance for commercial patterns and is clearly marked on most sewing machines. Obviously, you can sew with any seam allowance you like, but I find it is easiest to stick with this measurement for sewing clothes because it is “standard” and is not likely to change.

Length and Width of Fabric Pieces for Skirt and Lining

To determine the size of each piece, you will need a little math. This section is long, but I think it makes sense and it enables you to make skirts of any size instead of needing a new pattern for each size. After you do it once, it makes more sense and is really easy to do again and again.

Determining size for the waistband:

The length of the waistband fabric equals 1 1/4 times actual waist measurement.

(Waist = 21 inches so waistband length = 26 1/4 inches)

The width of the waistband fabric equals approximately 1/4 of the overall length of the skirt plus the seam allowance and an allowance for the casing for the the elastic (total of 2 inches seam and casing allowances).

(1/4 the length of skirt 13.5 inches = about 3.5 inches plus 2 inches for seam and casing allowances = 5.5 inches)

The width of the waistband piece can be a little confusing, but remember that it doesn’t have to be precise since you can adjust the length of the skirt a little when you are hemming it. For babies, you might want a slightly smaller width—their skirts are so short anyhow. I use 3.5 inches (plus seam allowances) for the width for sizes 12M up to about 6 and then add an inch or so after that. For teen and adult sizes, you would probably make it a little wider, but it isn’t critical.

The most important factor is to get the bulk out of the waist!

Determining size for the skirt and lining pieces:

The length of the skirt pieces should equal 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times the actual waist measurement. I tend to just double it because it is simple to figure out. Each skirt section should be as long as the waist measurement.

Length = 21 inches long)

NOTE: For this size, this could have been cut out of one continuous section from selvage to selvage on my fabric, but I prefer to have 2 sides seams instead of one seam in the back or one side seam, so I just cut 2 sections.)

The width of the skirt pieces equals the total skirt length (13.5 inches) minus the waistband width when sewn (3.5 inches) plus seam allowances of 1 3/8 inches for all sizes)

Width = length of 13.5 inches – finished waistband width 3.5 inches = 10 inches + 1 3/8 inches = 11 3/8 inches wide

Determining size for the lining pieces:

Length = same as skirt piece length (21 inches)

Width = same as skirt piece width minus 1 inch (10 3/8 inches)

Sewing the Skirt

With right sides together, sew the skirt pieces together at side seams with a 5/8 inch seam allowance.

Press seams flat.

Don’t skip this step—it is the difference between “homemade” clothing and “handmade” clothing!

Sew the lining sections together the same way as the skirt sections.

Press seams flat.

Put lining section inside skirt section with wrong sides together and top edges even. Sew two rows of gathering along the top at 5/8 of an inch and 1/2 or 3/8 of an inch. You will sew through the lining and the skirt sections. Set aside.

Go HERE for more details on gathering.

Sewing the Waistband

With right sides together, sew the short ends of the waistband together with a 5/8 inch seam allowance.

Mark the lengthwise center of this piece.

Make the casing for the elastic.

Fold one long edge (length) over 1/4 inch and press in place. Fold over another 1 inch and press again. Stitch very close to the edge. Leave a 2 inch opening in the center of the length (marked in the last step). This will be the center back of the skirt. Your short edge seam (last step) will be one side seam and the other side will not have a seam. It is helpful to mark the side that does not have a seam with a light pencil mark to make joining the waistband to the skirt a little easier.

NOTE: It is actually easier to put in the elastic after you have joined the waistband to the skirt because everything lays flat. I am not sure why I did it this way, but since you will see it this way in all of the pictures, I kept it in the same order. Sorry about that!

Pin safety pin to end of elastic and feed through the casing you just made. Push and pull the pin along the casing to thread the elastic through. Be sure you don’t pull the elastic all of the way into the casing. You will need to leave a tail sticking out at either end.

Pull the ends of the elastic out a little making certain they do not get twisted. Sew ends together securely.

Insert a label, tag, or ribbon to mark the back of the skirt. Finish sewing the casing closed along the edge, catching the ribbon or label as you sew. Be sure you do not sew the elastic down as you sew the casing.

Joining the Waistband and the Skirt Sections

Place the skirt inside the waistband with right sides together. The top of the skirt sections should be lined up with the bottom of the waistband piece. Pull the gathering stitches to line up side seams and side seam with marking. Adjust the gathers so they are evenly places along the skirt. Pin in place in several places.

Sew the waistband to the skirt sections. You can sew (using a regular stitch length) right along the 5/8 inch gathering stitch.

Finish the raw edges with the serger or a zig zag stitch.

Turn right side out and press along the seam with the seam allowance (inside) facing towards the top of the skirt. If you have any stray gathering stitches showing (like I do), carefully remove them with a seam ripper.

Topstitch along the seam line on the waistband side of the skirt.

This will hold your seam in place and keep it all a little more smooth.

Hemming the Skirt

Measure the overall length of the skirt. I usually put in a hem that has a 3/4 inch hem allowance (fold 1/4 inch and then another 1/2 inch). Adjust these measurements as necessary.

Fold over 1/4 inch and then another 1/2 inch pressing each fold in place.

Sew in place along the edge—measure from the right (bottom of the skirt) so your stitching line is even from the front.

Press hem flat.

Hemming the Lining
Hem the lining in the same manner as the skirt.
When complete, the wrong side of the hems (lining and skirt) will face each other just as the wrong sides of the lining and skirt are together.
If necessary, make the same adjustments to the length that you made to the skirt.
(Remember, the lining is already 1 inch shorter to prevent if from showing.)

You are done—whew!

A lot of directions and a lot of pictures, but it is truly a simple skirt to make. If you are new to this, the many directions will be helpful and if you are familiar, you should be able to whiz through it quickly, right?

I hope you enjoy making lots of skirts for spring!
(Or summer, fall or winter!)

Guest Blogger: Rural Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I am so excited to be guest posting here at Not Just a Housewife! What an honor! My name is Clisty, and I blog at Rural Grace

I am ecstatic to be featured for my first time!! I haven't been blogging for very long, but love it! I love trying new recipes and sharing old favorites. Giving new life to old furniture. I do a little quilting, crafting and love doing fun things with my girls. I am the mom of 3 beautiful girls ages 1, 3, & 6. I also have an amazing husband who helps me with my projects (just another way to spend time together). We live in rural Idaho, our little valley is beautiful and peaceful (and an hour away from any 'real' stores). I can't imagine living anywhere else!

I decided to do a tutorial on this cute shadowbox. My husband and I have made several of these, I gave mine to a friend for her Birthday, so I got a new one. Then I gave that one to a church auction and I haven't gotten another one since. So to get mine done I decided to do a tutorial on it then I'd have a deadline for mine. My front porch is empty and missing the shadowboxes that once hung there, so here we go!

To get started you need a 1x8x8 piece of pine or MDF (if you'll be painting it), you will use the whole piece if you make it a 2 foot shadowbox. You will also need 10-12 feet of molding (that should give you room for a few little mistakes). Any molding will work, just find a cut/design that you like. For this tutorial I will be using some antique molding, so if you're buying new stuff and are planning to paint it the MDF is the easiest to work with. We have made them with all real wood and with MDF, and with Pine sides, but MDF molding. It all works fine.

This is the molding we're using, it was in my MIL's house. A few years ago she got new carpet and my husband decided she needed new molding to go with the carpet, so we took out the old stuff and he saved it. The molding was put in when his Grandfather remodeled their house in the 1930's. I love old things, especially things with family history. This is the 2nd shadowbox that has been made out of this really cool old molding. Lloyd made one for his sister a while back, and now I get one for my house too! The pine1x8x8 is here too ;) See the old carpet stuck to staples in the wood? A wonderful orange and brown shag lol. It was also super dirty from sitting in our shed for so long. I wiped it off and pulled all the staples out. It was very holey after that.

We used this spray on paint/varnish remover. It's safe to use indoors, no harsh smell, it smells like oranges, and works really well too! But no matter what always remember to use gloves! Safety first! lol

We sprayed the wood with some stripper to get some of the paint off. The stripper is orange color, which is nice so you can see where it has been sprayed. We let that sit for 1 hour.

Scraping off the old paint with a putty knife, I didn't want all of it gone though. I think it adds character to it when there's a little bit of old paint oil seeping through the new paint.

I like the size of a 2 foot square shadowbox, but you could make it whatever size, it could be a rectangle if you choose to do so. If you have a specific spot in mind for the shadowbox, you cold always use painters tape and tape off the spot in the size you desire to see if it works. It might need to be smaller or bigger, these plans are easy to change, not much math goes into it.

We chose a table saw to cut the 1x8 pine, you could use a chop saw/miter saw, a hand saw (not recommended) or a circular saw (just whatever you're comfortable with or have) lots of options.

All the 1x8 pieces are identical, I just love the smell of freshly cut pine!! It's beautiful too!!

We used a brad-nailer with 1" brads to attach the 1x8 pieces to form a square. You could also use finishing nails if you don't have access to a nailer.

Here is the finished box, the molding is up next! We don't use backs on our shadowboxes I like to see the color of paint through the box. You could definitely add one using some wainscoting/bead-board, that would be really cute! Also if you can see one side of the box is longer than the other from butting the pieces together, so it's not actually a perfect square, but pretty close.

Measure inside corner to inside corner to get the measurement for the molding.

The chop saw/miter saw gets turned to a 45* angle to cut an end of the molding, then flipped the opposite way 45* for the other end so the pieces can butt together, do the same for all 4.

Before nailing the molding on we always run a thin bead of glue along the edge.

Sophie did NOT like the sound of the brad-nailer. My other two girls don't mind the sound of tools, but Soph must have sensitive ears, because she covers them or runs away.

Before nailing you might want to set all the pieces of molding on the box to see how they fit together. Sometimes you have to switch pieces to get them to fit right. And don't worry if you have some small gaps. It won't be perfect, and we'll putty them later, I'll show you how to make it look almost perfect!

The box has two sides nailed on, if you look close you can see the small gap in the corner, easily hidden.

After I puttied all the holes and gaps in this old molding I let them dry. If you use some new molding from the hardware store, you should just have to putty the brad-nail holes and the gaps. Once dry I sanded the molding making sure it was smooth, then wiped it all down with a damp cloth to get all the dust off.

Here is the final product!! I love it! I'm trying to decide if I'm going to scuff the edges or put a stain on it to antique it a little bit and make the details stand out more. I think I'll look at it for a while on my wall before I make that final decision, plus I want to see how the old paint oils seep through the new paint. (I know my candles have seen better days, I think I'll replace them soon.) Here are a few other projects I have done.

Check out my wall plaques tutorial here

Here's a Shoe Cubby Redo

Yummy Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes Recipe

Thank you, Stacy, for letting me share my project with your readers! I hope you all will come see me sometime and check out my other fun stuff!

Features x 2

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

As promised, I am featuring projects from last weeks party as well as this weeks party. There were some amazing things linked up. This was the hardest week for me to pick things.

A Very Dandoislion Life linked up this drawer turned tray! How unbelievably clever! Now I just need to find an old drawer....

Check this out from The Seven Year Cottage!!! They look like a carrot :) Now I just need to plan a fun Easter lunch!!!

Extreme Personal Measures made stuffed red peppers in her slow cooker! Okay, all together now, "YUMMM!"

With My Spare Time made these Mickey Mouse shirts for her little girls with extra buttons she had. She even made matching hair barrettes!!!

Look at these blinged out eggs! Aren't they gorgeous!?! Landee See, Landee Do has a great tutorial for them.

Do you want to pull a cute April Fool's day prank on your kids? These eggs and bacon would be perfect! Go to Making Memories to see what they really are. SO FUN!

Big Lives decorated her porch with the amazing old chair. Sometime it is best to just leave things as they are. And I love the wreath she made for it.

At Vintage Skye She used clay to update an old wood sign. CLAY, people! You need to go see her fabulous tutorial.

Mandy from Sugar Bee Crafts made a plywood rug! This sure beats the clear plastic stuff most people use under their office chairs :) AWESOME!

Thank you! If I featured you then be sure to grab my button. It is on the sidebar. Thanks!!!

Point Of View FEATURES

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever monthly themed linky party. (Wow, that was a mouthful!) For the month of April the theme will be SPRING!!! Yeah! Something broad enough that I can do something in my comfort zone this time :) The linky party for this month's theme will be on Friday April 22nd.

I want to feature a couple of skirts that stood out to me. If you missed the Skirt link up you can see all of them HERE.

Two sides of the Rainbow linked up this fun skirt. I love the fabric!

37 Tunita Vuorkokaudessa gave an old skirt a makeover. I LOVE how it turned out :)

If you were featured grab my button. The code is on my sidebar with all my other buttons. Thanks!!!! I can't wait until our next one!

Good Things Utah Clip

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:12:00 +0000

I think I did better this time around. I am pretty sure I only said "yep" 3 times instead of the 49 times like last time. I didn't get all the info in there but it went pretty smoothly. They are all so nice over there! Everyone from the producer, to the interns, to the hosts :) LOVE them!!! I am planning on posting a staining guide and also a painting guide that will be on my sidebar all the time. But not today. I got all the garbage bags full of laundry out of the garage last night so today is a laundry party.

My Better Homes And Gardens Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Part 2 of my story.......

(You can read Part 1 HERE)

*Thank you all for the support! I loved reading all the sweet comments yesterday. They made my day. I don't know why I was nervous to tell you all :)

The next day the photographer and stylist came back to the house around 9 am for the shoot. When they came I was using my juicer to make homemade lemonade for lunch later. My 4 year old was sitting on the counter helping me peel the lemons. I had my hair curled but not fixed. I was in my PJs and no make up. Hey, they had seen me at my worst already so this was an improvement :) Plus the lemons covered up the old fridge funk. Laura, the stylist, ironed the wardrobe she brought for me as I worked on the lemons. Don't worry. I educated her on Downey Wrinkle Release. We chatted too while we waited for the photographer to set up all the cameras and other equipment. Then my husband took the two youngest and headed out to my mom's for the day. I got changed into one of the many cute outfits Laura had brought and finished getting ready. Then we got started.

Laura Hull ( the stylist) and Edmund Barr (the photographer). Two of the coolest people EVER! I can't begin to tell you how much fun we had. I was so nervous before they came that they were going to be stuffy and business like. Snobby, uppity, etc. But they were unbelievably AWESOME. Edmund has got to be the cutest dad. He lit up every time he talked about his kids. He is ridiculously talented and managed to make me look pretty good in the shots. And Laura and I could be twins separated at birth. I stopped counting all the times one of us would say "Me too!". We have a lot in common. You know how when you meet someone and you gel right away? That was how it was for my husband and I with these guys.

Okay, back to the shoot:

I forgot to mention that along with the 49 million things I was trying to do to get ready for all of this that I also had to find a wood ladder and paint it white. The art director at BHG thought a white ladder would be good for me to stand on so I was closer to the ceiling that they wanted to make the star of the room. Oh that ladder. That is a post for another day.
It has been a long time since I have had so much fun!!! As a stay at home mom my life is faaaaaaaar from glamorous. I mean, it couldn't get farther from it. And so it had been a long time since I felt cute. A loooooong time since I had a whole day to focus on me. There were no kids. I had adults to talk to. It was nice. And I didn't cry once. Up until that point whenever I thought about it I would tear up or full on sob. I was so excited and happy. I did a pretty good job of separating the shoot from the magazine, if that makes sense. I did pretty good until Edmund would say things like "Smile pretty cause 22 million people will read this." I had to tell him to stop because then it became real and that is when it was overwhelming.
We laughed a lot. I learned that if I tilt my head to the right it looks like "Come hither.." and if I tilt my head to the left it is sweet and innocent. Thanks Edmund! Now I now how to flirt with my husband :)
After we were done with one pose we would gather around the computer to look at them. They had professional things to say like talking about "hard lines and soft lines". My contributions were things like "I like that one cause it has less crotch." (I was sitting cross legged on the bed) I am sure they thought I was a goof.
It was not at all how I had imagined it would be. I know this was their everyday. They have done this for a long time. But it is probably the only time for me. It was amazing and memorable.

After the shoot I had prepared a (late) lunch for them. I figured it was the least I could do after they were at my house most of the day. I was surprised to learn that this was the FIRST time someone had fed them. Isn't that nuts? I had called my husband when we were wrapping things up and had him come back home. We all sat around the table to eat and visited for over an hour. I think it is sad when you meet fun new people that you know you will probably never see again.

I don't want to be famous. I don't care if people like my bedroom. I care that something I decided I wanted at age ten was able to come true. It gave me the courage to try for other dreams I have. And I hope that you do too. Just go for it! Just ask. You never know. It may just happen. The worst thing that can happen is that someone tells you "no". Then you keep trying until you get a "yes".
Thank you for reading my 2 part novel. Thank you for letting me share something special. I took shots of the shoot but I am saving them for another day :)

Show Me What Ya Got #17

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Risenmay) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:01:00 +0000

I am glad that I have my linky party every Tuesday and Wednesday. It gives me a little pick me up in the middle of the week! I really love seeing what you have been up to :) I have the best time going through all of them. I love that we have new people every week. I feel like I am meeting new friends and having a peek inside their world. You guys are so incredibly talented! You always come up with the best projects.

*This morning I will be going on Good Things Utah again. Wish me luck! I will try to post a clip later on.

Just a recap:

*Do not link up giveaways or etsy shops. Just projects you have done please.

* Please link up a max of 2 projects

* Please don't link up something you have already linked up here in the past.

*Link to the specific post and not to the main page of your blog.

*Also, please visit at least 2 other links and leave a comment. We all love comments!

I am not going to require that you become a follower in order to participate, but it is easier. I participate in so many linky parties that it helps to have a reminder. I just scroll through my blog roll and click right on to which ever sites have a party that day. Just something to think about :)
If you don't know how to link up I created a post with pictures and instructions. There is a link on my side bar.

Please spread the word about this linky party. The more links, the more we all are inspired. Add this button to the bottom of your post, side bar, or add this party to your list. I am not picky. Just put it somewhere! Thanks.