The Shabby Creek Cottage - interior design and home remodeling on a budget

Transformation Thursday: No. 153

2012-05-23T21:12:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Transformation Thursday! It’s the one day of the week we all get together to celebrate getting stuff done. No matter if you’ve been coming around for weeks, months, years, or this is your very first transformation rodeo – everyone is welcome to link up your projects at the bottom of this post.

This week I’ve been CrAzY busy working on a brand new issue of Splendidly Homemade. Yes, my friends, it’s on the way – and I can’t wait for you to see the amazing jam-packed issue that we have created! Keep your eyes peeled – it’ll be coming soon :)
Y’all have been crazy busy coming up with more amazing ideas, huh? I should be used to this by now though – y’all are always bringing the awesome sauce to the party! Did you catch this Kitchen Fairy Garden by Organized Clutter?

This printable from Second Chance to Dream is a beautiful graphic with a great reminder. And the waves….. ohhhh the waves!

Since we skipped last week for a giveaway, this sweet chair redo was actually from 2 weeks ago – it was shared by Embracing Change. Love that sunshiny yellow!

And…. last but certainly not least…. is this GORGEOUS stenciled table from Domestic Imperfection. Holy paisleys, bat bloggers! To. Die. For.

Now it’s your turn!

Sooooooo……. whatcha got? I wanna see – and so does everybody else! Please put your PERMALINK into the linky – and link back here so everyone can find all the great ideas. Please, please, PLEASE – pretty please DO NOT LINK TO A SHOP!!! Be sure to visit your neighbors and have fun – it is a party after all. *Please note: If you link up you are giving me permission to use your photos on my blog without contacting you (don’t worry, it’s only to show off your beautiful stuff!)*
REMEMBER: To be featured on the Facebook page or on next week’s party – you must have the link directly in your post. You can still link up with a link back on your party page or sidebar, but to get featured you must link in the post, m’kay?

Wellllll.... let'er rip, tater chip!

Weekend whirlwind

2012-05-21T11:13:00.001-05:00

What a weekend! Friday night was Lala’s graduation… somebody shoulda warned me that I’d need tissues. We all survived it, and now it’s life back to {somewhat} normal. Ahhhh…. I like boredom :) My bestie Polly came down to stay the night to hang out, so early Saturday morning we got up to hit a few thrift stores and generally just goof off.

After a few small spurts of successful shopping, we hit the motherlode – which is kinda appropriate since my mom was the one that told me about it. I’ve never seen a place packed with such amazing treasures – and amazing prices! I walked away with a HUGE haul including this bird cage that I almost broke my neck to get to.

I saw it from another aisle, tucked behind some things on a top shelf. I literally gasped. I shimmied out of my little whole that I’d dug myself into and climbed over a lawn mower to get to this gorgeous, rusted beauty.

I was prepared to pay an arm and a leg, because I was in love. Imagine my shock when the guy said…. “Five bucks?” SOLD!!!

There was so much stuff in this place that I could spend days carefully digging through it… and believe you me, I will! In the mean time, I’m working on new stuff for Peacock Lane and to fill my Etsy Shop – like those Large Scrabble Tiles above. And on that note…. I guess I gotta get back to work :)

P.S. Linked at Rhoda’s Party

Where to buy burlap

2012-05-18T10:51:00.001-05:00

Ya’ll knew that, right? My shop is full of the rustically beautiful fabric. From table runners to pillow covers to buntings – if I can put it on something, then there’s a safe bet that I’ll try it. There's just something that touches my farmhouse house lovin' soul.

But even though I have a deep, unabiding love affair with it – not all burlap is created equal. Whaaaattt??? You didn’t know that? Yeah… each vendor has a little different shade, a different texture, and even some of them have a distinct smell.

I get quite a few questions about where to buy the best burlap – and so I’m finally going to reveal my source: BurlapFabric.com. There’s tons of places to buy burlap, so I’m going to break down why I love this particular source.

The length: I order 60 inch rolls, much longer than most places stock.
The quality: It’s a smooth, even grain (well, relatively speaking – it is burlap!) The fibers are not wonky and pulled like often found.
The color: Burlap can range from a dark cocoa powder toned color to an orangey shade – and that’s just in natural burlap. Personally, I like the caramel toned best, and that’s exactly the color I get from BurlapFabric.com
The price: They have some of the absolute lowest prices I’ve ever found on burlap. You can order a 50 yard roll of 60 inch wide burlap for $99.95. Ummm… yes, please!!! That’s $2 a yard – cheaper than fabric stores even with a coupon!
The customer service: Great service, fast shipping – need I say more?

I love them so much, in fact, they BurlapFabric.com is now a sponsor of The Shabby Creek Cottage – now that’s a match made in heaven :)

And speaking of burlap…. I’m sharing a new project over at Graphics Fairy DIY today showing another cute idea to make a bunting… join me over there?

Transformation Thursday & a giveaway!

2012-05-16T18:07:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Transformation Thursday! It’s the one day of the week we all get together to celebrate getting stuff done. No matter if you’ve been coming around for weeks, months, years, or this is your very first transformation rodeo – everyone is welcome to link up your projects at the bottom of this post.

Back a few weeks ago I had fun hanging out in Portland learning all about Pennington Seed. We learned all about the science behind the seeds and then I brought some home to sow them myself to test them out. And I gotta say… I love the results. We prepped our area (as shown under the seed – NO grass, whatsoever.) Then we put it down and hoped that the early warm spring would be in our favor.

Then it rained. Well more like it flooded… and I was afraid all of the seeds would be all washed away… but I just kept the faith and let it do it’s thing. But at least the warm weather held out so it didn't freeze to death.

We didn’t get a full, perfect patch of grass, but it did turn out pretty amazing considering the torrential downpour and flood run off that it had to battle. Notice all the extra growth? That's because we didn't use herbicides, so I just let nature take its course. What's a few extra greenies?

I think once it has time to grow a few more weeks and fill in, it’s going to be beautiful. I do love the color and it’s a soft, but sturdy grass, already withstanding the torture of a lawnmower and lots of kiddo traffic.

To celebrate me not killing a beautiful patch of brand new grass, Pennington Seed is going to help me celebrate by giving one of my readers a $100 American Express gift card – that’s a lotta grass seed, yo! To enter, just leave a comment telling me how you’d spruce up your yard this summer.

Want more ways to enter?

Bonus 1: You can tweet about this giveaway, using hashtag #Seed4Yourself and including an @ShabbyCreek & @PenningtonSeed (Example: Check out the @PenningtonSeed $100 giveaway on @ShabbyCreek celebrating #Seed4Yourself http://bit.ly/JfwlwP )
Bonus 2: You can also follow @PenningtonSeed on Twitter
Bonus 3: Use the Like button at the top of this post for Facebook.

Please leave a comment for each qualifying entry!

The fine print: This giveaway is sponsored by Pennington Seed. Participants must be US residents, 18 or older. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run through May 20, 2012 at midnight central time. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email.

Good luck!!!

Looking for this week’s highlights? Head on over to my Facebook page, or check out the Transformation Thursday Pinterest Board! We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled features next week, k? I’ll highlight 2 weeks worth, so don’t fret :)

Now it’s your turn!

Sooooooo……. whatcha got? I wanna see – and so does everybody else! Please put your PERMALINK into the linky – and link back here so everyone can find all the great ideas. Please, please, PLEASE – pretty please DO NOT LINK TO A SHOP!!! Be sure to visit your neighbors and have fun – it is a party after all. *Please note: If you link up you are giving me permission to use your photos on my blog without contacting you (don’t worry, it’s only to show off your beautiful stuff!)* REMEMBER: To be featured on the Facebook page or on next week’s party – you must have the link directly in your post. You can still link up with a link back on your party page or sidebar, but to get featured you must link in the post, m’kay?

Cricut versus Silhouette – an honest opinion

2012-05-15T16:27:00.001-05:00

I’ve avoided this post for a long, long time, but a little voice in my head (the one that sounds like Sophia on Golden Girls) has told me that I finally need to write this post. I get a LOT of emails of folks asking me which machine I like better – and which one I recommend for them to purchase.

Let me preface this post by saying that I have once worked with Silhouette (nearly 2 years ago) – and I have never worked with Cricut. For the sake of clarity: I was given a Silhouette machine to try as a review product (along with an entire package of goods) – and my Cricut was purchased by me (as a gift from Mr. SCC for Christmas).

I will not put any links to either machine in this post – because it’s about comparison – not selling you something. Everything in this post is my HONEST opinion – neither company is endorsing me or my blog – or even knows that this post has been written.
So here goes: I like both machines for different reasons. Let’s start with the Silhouette. I used this version (shown above) in my review. I do not have the latest version – so some of the issues I had with the machine may have been addressed by now.

Silhouette PROS:

*You do not have to buy cartridges. Images can be cut with the software provided in the package.
*There are thousands of images available on their website for reasonable prices – many are even free. You can also cut any font that is available on your computer.
*Custom logos, etc. are easier to manipulate with the Silhouette software.
*The machine is lightweight.
*It will cut paper, cardstock, vinyl, etc. fairly well.
*No cartridges to take up space.

Silhouette CONS:

*The machine feels rather flimsy. The construction of it does not feel as durable as the Cricut.

*Mat sizes are rather small – my version would only cut up to a legal size sheet of paper.

*The software that is used to “lay out” the graphics is rather complex to use – and I have been a graphic designer for over a decade using very complicated software. It took me several hours to figure out how to make the machine do what I needed/wanted.

Now let’s talk about the Cricut machine. I have this exact same machine. In addition to the machine, I also purchased a deep set blade kit (about $10). I have 5 cartridge kits (including the free one I got when I purchased it in a special Black Friday package). They were all given to me as gifts from friends, my mom, etc.

Cricut PROS:

*The machine is very sturdy. It is well made and will withstand a lot of use.

*The cutting mat is much larger – you can buy a 12x12 mat or a 12x24 mat – however you can cut the images as small as you’d like.

*New Cricut Craft Room software makes it possible to buy image files from Cricut – so pricey cartridges aren’t always a mandatory investment.

*Will cut paper, cardstock, vinyl, or fabric – the thicker mediums do need a deep set blade, though.

*You can pick an image and the machine will fill a page for you at the push of a button – a great feature if you need a ton of, say, tags.

Cricut CONS:

*The cartridges are expensive – some of them nearly $100.

*The cartridges take up shelf space. (This is important if your home is small like mine!)

*You cannot cut custom logos, etc. – that I know of.

*Craft store coupons almost always exclude Cricut products.

*You will need additional software to choose where the images will be cut on the mat.

Alright – now that all of that is out of the way – here’s my honest opinion: I like the Cricut. Yes, I know you have more control for logos, etc. with the Silhouette – and if you need that type of items cut then it’s a good choice – but personally I like the system of the Cricut better. You don’t have to hook it up to your computer – just put in a cartridge, pick your image, pick your size and BAM! It does all the hard work. It’s much faster (to me) – because I can have the image already cut before I can even get it onto the screen correctly with the Silhouette.

I know… I know… there’s legions of Silhouette fans out there – so don’t hate me. But if you’re asking me which machine to purchase – or which one I love the best – or even which one that I still have on my shelf – I’ve gotta be honest and tell you that it’s my Cricut.

And – while I’m being honest, I do have to remind you that with either machine you’re going to need to replace mats & blades and have general maintenance. Neither machine is any harder to take care of than the other, though!

So that’s it – I vote Cricut…. let the hate mail begin :)

***EDITED TO ADD: Please make sure to read all the comments in this post - they are a WEALTH of information!***

dreaming in color

2012-05-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

If you’ve been hanging around here more than 5 minutes, you already know that I tend to stick to a very limited color family in my home…. like all aqua. Me and aqua – we’re like peanut butter & jelly – or peas and carrots – or like Forrest and Jenny – we just go together. But I’m getting brave – and embracing a whole new rainbow of options.

I thought I’d share a little sneak peek of what’s new and things coming soon to my shop. All of these little dahlia flower pins are already listed – how ‘bout them colors, huh? I shared them over on Instagram (@ShabbyCreek), and some of you had some great ideas for names - then my girls helped me pick the rest of them. It was a LOT of fun :)

So that’s what I’ve been up to…

how about you?

the post with no real point

2012-05-13T09:29:00.004-05:00

{kinda like this post – the photo has no point either,

but my brain will not let me write a post without an image}

I’ve had a weird week. Seriously weird. And although not a lick of it had anything to do with decorating or DIY, I thought I’d share it just the same. I completely understand if you don’t make it past the first paragraph today… it’s all good, I still love ya!

So let’s begin at the beginning… My dad had surgery this week. Many of you already know that he’s been in bad health for quite some time, and we weren’t even sure that he would make it through the surgery, but thanks to the Big Man Upstairs, it went very well. Recovery… wellllll that’s a different story. He had major issues coming off the anesthetics and the doctors discovered that he had fluid built up around his lungs. After spending several days in ICU, he’s finally home and recovering. Could you hear my big sigh of relief?

As if the daddy drama wasn’t enough for me to digest in one week – it’s quickly approaching Lala’s graduation date. Yep, my first born is walking in 5 days. She didn’t go to prom, no big party to celebrate – just doin’ the commencement services and walking across the stage to collect her diploma. Kinda anti-dramatic. Keeps all things in balance, ya know? But, as a mamma, I’m not looking forward to my little baby bird getting ready to fall out of the nest.

So I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster this week. And I don’t do roller coasters, they make me queasy. Maybe life will get back to normal soon…. whatever that is.

Happy Mother's Day!

Transformation Thursday No. 151

2012-05-09T20:59:00.003-05:00

Now it’s your turn!

the practical side of beautiful living

2012-05-09T07:37:00.001-05:00

I adore seeing homes in magazines that are beautifully put together, ones where you could just fall right in and cozy up with a good book. I've been working forever to make our home one of those spaces - but magazine style living isn't really what we're all about. We live in every inch of our home - and it shows :)

Having a simple and beautiful space doesn't always compute when it comes to raising a family in that space. Things get broken, dinged and generally beat up, so I thought I'd share some tips on how to have a beautiful space that's also practical for every day living.

*Go vintage! Furniture that's been around for 50+ years already has lived long enough to get some life scars. I personally embrace chippy paint, dents and dings - so if they get one more it just adds to the rustic charm.

*Embrace open storage. From book shelves to baskets under a side table, find beautiful ways to put things away quick and easy.

*Less is more. The more I declutter and donate from my home, the less I have to manage. From fewer clothes, even down to paring down my items in my shop so that my supplies storage is smaller, each thing you eliminate adds time back into your day.

*Pick low maintenance products. Even simple solutions like stain proof carpet, like Resista. Picking easy to care for items that are family friendly helps keep your home beautiful (without a heart attack every time someone spills something!)

I'm curious to know, in your home, how do you balance your practical needs with your style wants?

You live your life on carpet. Make sure you have carpet that lets you live your life! For more information on Resista Carpet visit www.carpetone.com

Join the Conversation to be entered to win a 5' x 7' Resista area rug!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of CarpetOne. The opinions and text are all mine.

Treating my friends

2012-05-07T10:01:00.004-05:00

Every day is the same scenario – rush the kids off to school, kiss the hubby as he leaves for work, fly into making 101 things to fill orders & fill up my booth at Peacock Lane, then after school tackle clubs, etc. and try your best to fit in dinner, family time, community events and every day life. Rush. Rush. Rush. There’s a few things that tend to always get knocked to the bottom of my ever-growing to-do list – and the first to fall is always anything to do with taking care of myself. I bet you do the same thing, huh?

“Why moms are always the first to give and last to get” is one of those unanswered age-old questions. But deep down we all know that it’s just a way that we show love to the ones around us. Every once in a while it’s nice to treat yourself to something special – but it’s even more fun to treat other moms you know.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of treating 8 moms (plus myself) to dinner at Red Lobster thanks to Treat.com. We had swag, we had fun, we had good food. Oh! And we laughed…. we laughed a lot! Our group included Annie from Tennessee Sugar, Michele from The Scrap Shoppe, Lisa from Franny Bolsa, Becky from Becky’s Graphic Design, Dina from My Unentitled Life, Polly from Make Mine Beautiful, Jessica from Sunny Tuesday and Angie at The Country Chic Cottage (of course!) {Ummm….. anyone notice all the cameras and cell phones? Yep, you can tell we’re a buncha bloggers!}

I got to share lots of Treat.com goodies with them, share a little bit about their website, and eat good food. Lots & lots of food! We were all so excited to see each other, it was like 2 hours on fast forward. As fun as it was for me, I was just so happy that I got to treat these amazing women (& moms!) to an afternoon of pampering & giggling. It was such a Treat :)

*This post & the event was sponsored by Treat.com*

dream shopping

2012-05-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

Shopping is like therapy to me. I don’t have to really buy anything to have fun, it’s more like an inspirational journey to see what I’m in love with at the moment. My crushes run the gambit of a 15 year old girl, so I love to get out and see new things. Problem is, I don’t really like leaving my house. There’s the whole “put on make-up, fix your hair, find clothes” dilemma – so I get my fix virtual shopping. Wanna come along with me? I found a buncha stuff I’m loving this week at Joss & Main. Some things are a steal, while others are way outta my price range (but I drool anyways) like this gorgeous Napoleon Wing Back chair. A little pricey at $899.95, it’s still dreamy, huh?

Want something a little more affordable? This metal stool might do the trick! The industrial lines just tugs at my farmhouse lovin’ heartstrings. Now if I only had some place to put them… hmmmm….
I even found a bike to love – look at that aqua beauty… can’t you just see me riding through the countryside on this one? {What? I can ride a bike!} Just throw a basket on the front and I’d be in heaven. Oh and maybe one of those little bells…
With all the flutterbys roaming around everywhere lately, I’m drawn to this sweet butterfly pillow. The black and white graphics just make me happy :)
And last, but most certainly not least are these turquoise Fiesta place settings. I’ve been collecting bits & pieces of Fiesta for a long time, and these are a great buy at $30 a setting – about half the retail price. A little more than I normally pay for dishes, but these are such a great quality at a steal!

So what's on your dream list this week? Crushin' on something new? I wanna see :) Just leave a link in the comments (even if it's your own shop!)

*This post contains affiliate links*

Treat mom (the easy way!)

2012-05-04T12:01:00.002-05:00

Mother’s Day is almost here – can you believe it? It sneaks up on me every year like clockwork, though. Just like the birthdays I forget, graduations I scramble to find gifts for, and other last minute holidays that I put off until the last second – they always mean another trip into “town.”

Mind you, I love living in the country – I really, really do! I rarely ever leave home, and when I do it’s for a specific something or another, and I tend to forget things like buying cards for birthdays, etc. The one time that I was “together” enough to stockpile a few, I forgot where I put them and wasn’t in any better shape than when I started.

This, my friends, is why I was so excited to learn about Treat.com. Wouldn't you love it if you could find the perfect card and mail it, without ever getting out of your PJs? Wanna throw a gift card in with it? No problem! Now we're talking, huh? You can add pictures and create your own words - it's the perfect way to show mom how much you love her this Mother's Day!

As a treat to y'all, Treat.com is giving away one VIP membership to their site to one of my readers for FREE! You can send up to 100 cards (with free postage - yay!). {$350 value}

To win, you can:

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite Mother's Day treat

2. Tweet about this giveaway using the hashtag #TreatMom

3. Follow Treat on Facebook

4. Follow Treat on Twitter

Be sure to leave a comment

for each qualifying entry!

Good luck!

Giveaway ends 5/6/2012 at midnight - winner will be contacted via email - so make sure to leave yours if you do not have it set up in your profile. Void where prohibited - winner chosen via random.org.

This post is sponsored by Treat.com

Transformation Thursday no. 150

2012-05-02T19:13:00.001-05:00

150th edition – whhhhaaattt????

I can’t believe it’s been that long! Thank you for showing up each week, even though every Thursday I’m so afraid no one will come. Y’all always amaze me with your genius ideas, marvelous makeovers & scrumptious recipes. It’s truly an honor to be here with you each and every week!

Now that I’ve dried my eyes, I can share some stuff, m’kay? This week I’ve been sharing bits of my living room with my curtains & DIY ottoman. I’m loving how the room is coming together. Notice my well, lived-on couch? Yeah, that’s reality for ya :)

Last week showed off some crazy good ideas, like Live, Love, DIY’s chalkboard cabinets. Ummm… yes, please!

Speaking of chalkboard, did you see the chargers at Cottage in the Oaks? I’ve been obsessed with chalkboard paint a long time now, and these two ideas are fresh ones (to me.) Love, love these ideas!

Now it’s your turn!

Sooooooo……. whatcha got? I wanna see – and so does everybody else! Please put your PERMALINK into the linky – and link back here so everyone can find all the great ideas. Please, please, PLEASE – pretty please DO NOT LINK TO A SHOP!!! Be sure to visit your neighbors and have fun – it is a party after all. *Please note: If you link up you are giving me permission to use your photos on my blog without contacting you (don’t worry, it’s only to show off your beautiful stuff!)*

REMEMBER: To be featured on the Facebook page or on next week’s party – you must have the link directly in your post. You can still link up with a link back on your party page or sidebar, but to get featured you must link in the post, m’kay?

DIY ottoman from a coffee table

2012-05-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

We’re ever so slowly making progress in the living room – yay! Since I’m doing it on a shoe-string budget (as always), each piece is using up my over-flowing fabric stash or burning up brain power trying to figure out a cheaper ways to get what I want in an affordable way.

A major piece of our furniture needs was a bigger ottoman. More specifically, a longer ottoman. We loved the one we had, but with four folks propping up their feet at the end of a long day, it just wasn’t big enough – and I didn’t have $200 to build a custom one. So what did I do? Cheat my way into a $40 version.

I thought long and hard about building my own base, until I found this coffee table at Goodwill for $10 – which was cheaper than building one, score! I knew it had to be 50 inches long, and this one was 54 – it’s easy to take away length, but not to add, so I threw it in the back of the truck and took her home.

The 70’s toned wood was killing me – so I gussied it up with my favorite spray paint. One can of Krylon Dual did the trick. I LOVE how this stuff works – and also love that I can buy it at Walmart.

If I were smarter, I would have run it though my table saw to shave 2 inches off each end before painting – but sometimes my brain gets ahead of itself, so I had to wait until mine was dry, silly Gina! It’s all good, though, because after covering it, you won’t see a thing!

This is my big secret – the foam mattress pad. Typically to buy a huge old chunk of foam from the fabric store, it would have been about $100, plus you still need the batting & spray. I bought all of them at Walmart, too. The mattress pad is only $10 – that’s a big savings! I actually had the spray adhesive on hand, but you only need a little – and the quilt batting was about $12.

I sprayed a layer of adhesive to get the foam to stay down, just like normal.

The mattress pad was large enough for 3 layers, so the first one went with the wavy side down. Then I sprayed adhesive and put the second layer wavy side up, sprayed again and put wavy side down, so it was smooth on top. Somehow I didn’t have photos of the other two layers – oops! Just remember that you want the top smooth. I trimmed each layer all the way around to make it all neat.

Then cover the whole thing with 2 or 3 layers of batting. I attached it from the bottom side with an air gun stapler.

Although there are a million and one tutorials on how to make an ottoman from a coffee table, each of them that I saw was tufted or not tailored. I wanted it to have piping, so I make a “slip-cover” for the top, but then stapled it on the lip of the table from underneath so it was smooth and even.

I used fabric that had been laying around begging to be used, gotta love that! I’m a little smitten with the sea green & blue stripes… I think Sarah Richardson would approve, don’t you?

Here’s the breakdown:

Coffee Table - $10

Spray Paint - $5

Foam Mattress Pad - $10

Quilt Batting - $12

Fabric – on hand

Spray Adhesive – on hand

Total out of pocket: $37

See ya later for Transformation Thursday!

finding perfection

2012-04-30T09:26:00.002-05:00

Perfection is daunting. I strive for it, but always, always fall short. I know this, but time after time I look for the “perfect” piece of furniture, or the “perfect” fabric for curtains. Since perfection is more of an idea than a reality, I never find it.

I searched for months and months to find fabric for curtains for my living room. I’ve blogged about it before, but even when I found the “perfect” one, the price was anything but. Dropping $200 for drapes just isn’t my style. Kinda makes me a little sick to my stomach to even think about it. Yeah, I know… I’m a cheapskate.

After a billion attempts to find the perfect premade curtains or even the fabric to make them, I gave up. I used plain, cheap substitutes for a long time, just to cover the windows while I was waiting on Mr. Right Drapes. And then I finally found some chairs. Ahhhh!!! Now I was on a mission – and began my search all over again. Just as frustrated as my first round of “Find the Fabric,” my second didn’t go much better.
Then a few weeks ago, we were culling out fabric that was spilling out of my over-stuffed bins. What did I find? The perfect fabric! I purchased this aqua & cream stripe several months ago, but didn’t really know what to do with my clearance rack find, so I stuck it in a bin. (Am I the only one that buys fabric with absolutely no purpose in mind for it?)

There wasn’t quite enough to run the stripes vertical, so I turned it the other way and pieced it together to run them horizontal – ah ha! It worked. I can’t express how perfect these are for my quickly coming together space. The color is just right, the bold stripes makes such a pretty statement and it gave me the push that I needed to get more done to complete on of the last two rooms that needed a huge overhaul.

The moral of the story? Next time you think you can’t find the “perfect” thing, dig a little deeper, because the perfect fabric for my curtains was right in my house the entire time. I’d say that’s perfectly fitting, don’t you think?

SNAP recap

2012-04-27T07:32:00.000-05:00

I think I’m probably the last of 300 bloggers to finally get my post on about SNAP – but I’ve never been quick on the draw :) First and foremost, I gotta give a standing ovation to the gang that put it together. SNAP was one of the best experiences that I’ve had in the 3 years I’ve been blogging. I’ve been to a handful of conferences now, and these girls really knew how to work it out.

Let me admit: I never go to enough classes. You’d think since I paid my own way to go that I’d be in every class scribbling down copious notes on every word. I’m a slacker, though. I did go to one class on how to work with publishers, since I’d really like to start thinking about writing a book soon. Like a real book. It’s a pipe dream, but a girl’s gotta have dreams, right? So instead of scurrying to grab a seat for every session, I took the time to get to know other bloggers. That’s my favorite part.

Back row, left to right: me, Lisa P., Karen, Lisa L. Front row, left to right: Heather, Ana & Amanda

Along with my favorite people, Lisa P, Lisa L, Karen, I also spent the majority of my time with our new friend, Amanda.

Here’s where I gotta stop and say THANK YOU to Amanda for taking a new headshot of me. I’ve never, ever had a decent one – I’m simply not photogenic. She spent for-ev-ah working with me to get a shot that doesn’t make me cringe. Mr. SCC is in love with it, so that works for me :)

Like always, I never get enough photos. I did get tons of the gorgeous tulips that were everywhere, though! So many that the scent was divine… heaven must smell like tulips in bloom…

So what did I do? I talked. And talked. And talked. I met Ruthie from What’s Cooking with Ruthie, and heard her heartwarming story of how her grandmother inspired her to start her blog.

I also met Ana from We Love Citrus. We spoke right after my session on taking your creative business to the next level, and I instantly fell in love with her. She’s funny & smart and just plain amazing.

Finally, after a long time of being blogging buddies, I finally got to meet Wendy from The Shabby Nest. She’s a girl after my own heart, and I’m so happy that we finally got to be real friends (and not just “imaginary” ones!)

From the day I arrived, I was really excited to see Heather from The Sewing Loft. We’d met briefly at The Creative Connection last year, but not long enough to really get to know each other. Karen (aka The Graphics Fairy) connected us again and I am so glad that she did. We had a great breakfast & got to spend a bit of time together, and I can’t wait to work with her soon.
Soooo… to recap: I didn’t get my school girl on, but I did make a batch of new friends.

Oh! and to finish off SNAP I got my groove on dancing with all my homegirls like Traci, Rhoda, Becki, Shelley, Brittany, Jen & so many others.

Here’s to next year… I know it’s gonna be ah-maz-in’!

P.S. – I’m soooo ready to get back into my normal posting groove. I’ve made some changes to my living room and I hope you’re gonna love it as much as I do!

Transformation Thursday no. 149

2012-04-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

Now it’s your turn!

Sooooooo……. whatcha got? I wanna see – and so does everybody else! Please put your PERMALINK into the linky – and link back here so everyone can find all the great ideas. Please, please, PLEASE – pretty please DO NOT LINK TO A SHOP!!! Be sure to visit your neighbors and have fun – it is a party after all. *Please note: If you link up you are giving me permission to use your photos on my blog without contacting you (don’t worry, it’s only to show off your beautiful stuff!)*

REMEMBER: To be featured on the Facebook page or on next week’s party – you must have the link directly in your post. You can still link up with a link back on your party page or sidebar, but to get featured you must link in the post, m’kay?

Welllllllll…………. Let’er rip, tater chip!

Guest Post: Kerry from House Talkn

2012-04-23T07:35:00.001-05:00

While I'm still recuperating from my too awesome to comprehend time at SNAP, I'm going to share one of my favorite new people with you - Kerry from House Talk'n. Kerry is funny & sweet & way too cool... when we finally got to sit down and talk, I claimed her as a new BFF right away and I couldn't wait to share her hilariousness with you - as well as her hotness. Without further ado, here's Kerry to share her favorite beach house

Thank you so much to Gina for inviting me to guest post at her fantastic blog, The Shabby Creek Cottage! This is the time of year that I start dreaming of a summer home on the beach! Since a real beach house isn't going to happen ~~unless I rob a bank~~ anytime soon for me, I thought I would share ways to bring the beach to Anytown, USA! Unless you really do live in a beach house, you are probably making the big switch-a-roo from winter house to summer house while maintaining the same address! No one brings the beach to the prairie like my gal pal, Tracy! She finally ~~answered her door~~ invited me for a midwestern house tour...beach style!

FROM WOOL TO COTTON:

If we are going to stand at the sink for 2,872 hours each summer, shouldn't we have purdy shells to remind us of the beach that we will someday live on?

From the dining room to the patio:

From winter coats to towels and goggles:

From the stovetop to the grill:

Use purdy containers next to your entryway for your summer necessities!

Jazz up your old photo frames by unleashing your children with a hot glue gun and shells from a trip to the ~~craft store~~ beach.

This is the perfect time to walk through your house with left over paint and touch up those ~~snot~~ scuff marks on the walls!

From fancy wine glasses to ~~out of the bottle~~ plastic cups:

If you have worked as hard as I have this winter, you will also be bikini ready!

From flab to fab:

Just look at me, now!

I hope this tour inspires you to transform wherever you call home into a vacation home! Take a lookiloo at my ~~freakout~~ reaction to The Shabby Creek Cottage's invitation to guest blog- click here.

Printed Canvas Giveaway

2012-04-20T12:19:00.001-05:00

I’m having such a blast hanging with all my friends at SNAP! Spending time with Karen, Lisa P., Lisa L and so many others reminds me exactly why I love being a blogger. While I’m away, I thought I’d give you guys something fun, too – a giveaway!

Ya’ll know I hate big box art, right? I don’t think there is a single piece of off the shelf artwork in my entire home. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I find odd pieces, but my favorite kind is when I capture the memories of our lives through photography.
Although framing a photograph is a great way to keep those memories, adding a new dimension is always fun. My go to? Printed canvases. I love photograph canvas because it gives a little twist to the same idea.

Want to win your own printed canvas? UPrinting.com is giving away one free canvas, a one piece 16'x20' rolled canvas print with a 2 inch border or no border to one of my readers! To enter, leave a comment telling me your memory that you’d capture with a photo canvas. Want more chances to enter? You can…

Like UPrinting on Facebook
Follow UPrinting on Twitter
Add UPrinting on you Google+ Circles

Here’s the fine print: Free shipping only available in the US, open to readers 18 and older, void where prohibited. This post is sponsored by Uprinting.com - however my ideas and opinions are all my own.

Good Luck!

Transformation Thursday no. 148

2012-04-18T23:14:00.000-05:00

Don’t forget! The coupon code for my 3 year bloggy birthday ends tonight – use coupon code BIRTHDAY30 in either my online shop or my etsy shop :)

Now it’s your turn!

Welllllllll…………. Let’er rip, tater chip!

Snapin’ it up!

2012-04-17T08:34:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is finally the day when I’ll jump on the plane to head to SNAP. I’m so excited to be able to see my friends Lisa & Karen. There’s always so much to learn at conferences, but I always feel that the connections I make with other bloggers is what makes gatherings so special.

While I’m there I’ll also be speaking on a panel with my buddy Gussy – super happy about that :) I’ve been friends with Maggie for quite a while now – but this is the first time we’ve really got to work together on something, so it’ll be neat.

Are you headed to SNAP? If so, I’d LOVE to meet you! I’ll be there tomorrow night through Sunday morning – so just drop me an email or tweet so we can connect. Beware, though, ‘cause I’m a hugger :)

Now if I can just figure out what to pack, I’ll be good to go….

I’m three years old… well my blog is!

2012-04-14T08:24:00.000-05:00

image source

This week my blog turns 3 years old –

can you believe it?

To say thanks, I’m offering 30% off in either

my online shop or my Etsy shop – woo to the hoo!

To save just use coupon code

BIRTHDAY30 at checkout – in either shop!

Don’t forget to shop for mom – it’s almost here!

Thanks for sticking around for

THREE YEARS! WOW!

Hugs & kisses & lots ‘o love…

Sale ends Wednesday, April 18 at midnight

tips on installing pom pom fringe

2012-04-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

I’m a sucker for pom-pom fringe! The cute, quirkiness of it just tugs at my heart strings :) It’s not the easiest trim to work with, but with a few tips anyone can do it!

I always start pom-pom fringe in the corner of a pillow. Using my zipper foot, I stitch right along the top of the trim.
When I get to the corner, I make sure my needle is down, then turn the corner to go around to the next side. Since this fringe is fairly flexible, it’s easy to get into the corners. I go all the way around the edge of the pillow, making sure the balls of the fringe are facing the right side of your pillow front. When you get back to the first corner, just wrap around one last time and stitch it down. If you have too many balls, just snip them off to get it even.

Now it’s time to put on the back. Sandwich the trim between the front and back, then stitch inside the first seam you made to attach the trim. It’s easiest to see if you flip over and use the backside of the first stitches as a guide. I inset my stitches about 1/4 of an inch or so inside the original stitch line.

When you stitch all the way around, turn it out and you should only see the cords that attach to the poms and none of the trim that holds it together. It takes a little patience to get it just right – remember practice makes perfect!

When you’re done you’ll have a little extra oomph to your pillows! Told ya it was easy :)

Want to learn how put the graphic on?

Scoot on over to Graphics Fairy DIY for the tutorial!

Transformation Thursday no. 147

2012-04-11T17:36:00.000-05:00

Last week’s TT was chock full of creativity! We shared a few of them on Facebook – and you guys really liked Linda’s beautiful post about curtains where she remembered her sister. Jump over to It All Started With Paint – but grab a tissue first!

Maple and Magnolia shared this gorgeous potting bench! All that yummy chippiness is to die for. Flowers might even be a little prettier when potted here!

Now it’s your turn!

Sooooooo……. whatcha got? I wanna see – and so does everybody else! Please put your PERMALINK into the linky – and link back here so everyone can find all the great ideas. Please, please, PLEASE – pretty please DO NOT LINK TO A SHOP!!! Be sure to visit your neighbors and have fun – it is a party after all. *Please note: If you link up you are giving me permission to use your photos on my blog without contacting you (don’t worry, it’s only to show off your beautiful stuff!)*

REMEMBER: To be featured on Facebook or on next week’s party – you must have the link directly in your post. You can still link up with a link back on your party page or sidebar, but to get featured you must link in the post, m’kay?

Welllllllll…………. Let’er rip, tater chip!

let's talk length

2012-04-11T07:25:00.001-05:00

Curtains 101 says that you should hang your drapes as high as you can to get the most impact on your space. Easy, right? Well even though experts tell us to hang ‘em high, no one ever really talks about how far down you should go. I think it’s all a matter of preference, but making my own curtains this week made me re-evaluate the floor issue… are you a puddler or a grazer?

Anthropologie does a great job of grazing, well until you realize that the “room” was drawn around the drapes. You still get the idea, though. Grazers are just that – curtains that barely touch the floor. More streamlined and tailored, these work especially well if there is furniture placed in front of the windows that are being dressed.

Puddling drapes is a great way to add coziness and softness to a room. Extra fabric puddles on the floor, so that it’s more graceful. Pottery Barn does a beautiful job of this with their classic cotton drapes – the soft breezy fabric lends itself well to the look.

Are you a puddler or a grazer?

There is no right or wrong way to go

– it’s all a matter of preference.