simple sage designs

Pinterest Inspiration

2011-08-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Pinterest.

I recently stumbled upon this lovely image

and thought it was just wonderful.

Well lucky for me last weekend at

Scott's Antique Market I stumbled upon

a similar old rake which now resides

in my bathroom and holds some of

of my lovelies.

I was so happy when the vendor

told me it was only $5 because my

goal was to find one for less than $10

Thank you Pinterest for the inspiration.

New Pillows In My Etsy Shop

2011-08-08T12:22:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to fill up my Etsy shop with

new pillows, but they have been selling

within 1-2 days, I'm not complaining, but it

sure is keeping me busy!

I decided to let you readers know first when I have

a new pair in the shop.

Also, just for checking out my blog you can get 10% off

your purchase by using the code:

simplesage

This code will not expire, so whether you want to

use it tomorrow, or in a few months, you can!

Mini Makeover

2011-07-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

I've been in desperate need

of some new pillow covers for my

living room, it's amazing what a two

year old can do to your furnishings.

I went with something green

and summery that goes well with the fern

prints I have hanging above my sofa.

I also made a matching valance for the kitchen.

Our kitchen and living area are one TINY

open space so I wanted to keep it cohesive.

This window has been

naked for the past year, and I finally

whipped up this valance. 1 hour and $6

dollars later, I can't believe it took me

so long to get around to!

I also made this "EAT" sign, I've seen

so many of them and decided that this

little wall was the perfect spot for it!

All in all I spent only $30 for four pillows,

the valance, and EAT sign, and it made this rental

finally feel so much more like a home!

Check This Out-Reupholster How To

2011-07-07T20:03:00.001-07:00

Jenny over at Little Green Notebook

aka Pearl Street Interiors

just turned a set of these chairs...

into these beauties!!

Check out her BLOG for an amazing

step by step tutorial.

Now I need to find an inexpensive chair

and inexpensive fabric and see if I can

manage to turn it into something half

as stunning!

Wouldn't it be nice...

2011-07-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

to do laundry in a room that was as

pretty as this:

via design inc

It's not too over-the-top for a laundry room

but it's SOOO much prettier than mine.

And that mirror is an old door, genius!

...One day I guess...

Welcome Summer

2011-06-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

I just hosted a baby shower for my best friend,

her little girls name is going to be Summer

so we went with a "welcome Summer" theme.

yum.

It was a brunch, so donut holes, fruit, quiche,

and a yogurt bar were all in attendance.

yum again.

I also tried my hand at the ruffled

cake featured on Martha Stewart

donut holes, in monogrammed,

easy to grab containers.

love IZZE.

And the guests were treated to

cupcakes in a jar as a thank you.

All packaged up and oh so yummy!

Me and the mommy to be!

I'm so excited for her and can't wait to

meet this little girl of hers!

Nursery Progress

2011-06-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

Remember when I posted this inspiration board?

Well I was in San Francisco to throw my friends

baby shower, and we worked on the nursery while

I was there. I was only there for 4 days and 2 of

those days we were focussed on the shower, but

we did find time to do some nursery shopping,

paint furniture, and organize the nursery.

We painted this vintage dresser she got

for $40 (which I covet) pink,

a $10 mirror from Ross we painted yellow

We also lined the drawers, which is a must

with second hand dressers, with this cute

shabby chic shelf liner from Michael's ($3/roll)

The doll was a shower gift, and the lamp

we picked up at Ikea ($20)

I also hand painted her this monogrammed

wall sign for over the crib.

And we made cork-backed shadow boxes for

her collection of vintage Barbie dresses, she has

6 of them, and they are just precious!

Needless to say we were very busy,

but we had lots of fun doing it.

Check back soon for pictures from the shower!

Beachy Inspiration

2011-06-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

My parents just bought a new home

on the North Carolina coast so

beachy design is on my mind.

Here are some inspiration images

from Coastal Living I am loving!

Love the colors, but they aren't

too bright and over the top.

Love the brown and white

All of the bathrooms need to be

redone, I'm loving this master bath.

I love the idea of bunk rooms for

the grandkids but I'm not sure we are

going that route.

I think we are going to do a sleeping porch

with hanging beds for the grandkids,

and I love the sconces!

If only I could spend the whole

summer there, and design during

nap time... that's actually not a

bad idea!

Anyone else have some great beach

inspiration? Pass it along!

Curtain Making

2011-05-27T09:41:00.001-07:00

I just finished making this pair of

navy curtains for a friend/client

of mine.

(shown in my little girls room)

They are for her little boys room,

he has the Star Wars bedding from

Pottery Barn

And his room is painted light blue,

so the navy ties right in!

Now that they are complete

I can enjoy my long weekend,

and I hope you do too!

Lonny+ West Elm

2011-05-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

Lonny Magazine and West Elm are

pairing up and giving away a $10,000

room makeover.

Go HERE to submit photos of your space!

Speaking of Lonny, check out this

"kids office" they featured.

I love it, especially the bookshelves.

I have dreams about having bookshelves

like that some day.

Book Review- Home Rules

2011-05-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband just bought

their first home and we were discussing paint

colors the other day.

People who have been renters for a few years

seem to go a little paint crazy once they have

the freedom to choose their wall color.

Nate Berkus has a few good tips in his book

Home Rules that I thought applied well.

1. Don't be afraid to experiment with colors.

Sometimes it's the only way to find out what

colors you really love and can live with.

2. Try out my rule of four: One color, top to

bottom, can be a bore, two might work, three

can be interesting, four adds up to a rich,

sophisticated scheme

3. Your clothes closet often knows best.

If you feel comfortable wearing a particular

color, you'll probably feel comfortable living

with a shade of the same color.

4. Paint is cheap and changeable, and it

creates a rich result.

5. Try out your paint coors in the rooms where

they'll be used before you make an all-out

commitment.

6. Remember three things if your going to paint

it yourself: prep, prep, prep

7. To play it safe, keep walls and major pieces

neutral, then add color in the details. A patterned

pillow is a lot less risky than a set of boldly

upholstered dining chairs.

8. Unify your fabric and paint story.

Collect all the pieces of the puzzle on a story

board to see if you like the mix before you play

the decorating game.

9. When in doubt, men's suiting colors such as

camel, navy, gray, and crisp white are

reliable choices.

10. Use lighing to create mood and

influence the colors in your space.

Number 8 is probably my favorite tip. I love the

look of layered spaces that you can add to over

time, but in general you should have an overall

color scheme in mind BEFORE you start

painting and picking out furniture.

Once you have your large pieces taken care of,

then you can add more life and color to the

space with accessories.

This book was a fun read and had some

great tips and ideas for designing spaces

as well as some great inspiration photos.

Oh and the multiple photos of Nate

throughout the book were nice too!

Anthro's DIY Hardware Tool

2011-05-19T04:48:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Anthropologie's new

DIY Hardware Tool?

you can play around with hardware on

cabinets, desks, and dressers.

I designed this little dresser and I think

it would be PERFECT in my living room

under a flat screen TV mounted to the wall,

and wall mounted lamps on either side.

Go on and check it out, and leave the link to

your creations as a comment, I'd love to

see what you came up with!

Before and After- Kitchen

2011-05-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a kitchen design I did while I was

working full time at a design firm.

It was one of the first projects of mine that

I designed and then saw come to life.

There's nothing quite like the feel of

seeing a design completed after working

so hard on it.

Here's the before plans that I drew up

in AutoCAD.

(unfortunately I misplaced the pics)

It was a large space, but it just

didn't have a good layout.

There was a lot of wasted space.

So after working with the client,

we came up with this plan

And here is the completed kitchen.

Oh how I miss designing kitchens!

Book Review- Shoestring Chic

2011-05-17T04:15:00.000-07:00

I recently checked out this book at

my local library thinking it looked

cute, and might have some fun ideas.

Well... don't judge a book by the cover.

I was very unimpressed by the book

and even though I like the look of country

and shabby chic decor,

this just didn't do it for me.

I wouldn't recommend going out of your

way to check this one out.

But don't worry, I just checked out a few

more books and I'm much happier

with the ideas and inspiration I found,

so stay tuned next week for another

book review.

Check This Out-Bathroom Renovation

2011-05-16T04:20:00.000-07:00

One of my friends from design school recently

finished a bathroom remodel in her home.

She lives in this charming 1940's home

which came with one not-so-charming

bathroom.

Here's the before:

outdated, and boring

Here's the during:

more during:

and after!!

new toilet, new paint, new trim, new

lighting, new window coverings,

new accessories,

new subway tiles in shower

and new travertine floors.

And it's beautiful!

I know this transformation took a

lot of hard work, but with a reasonable

budget, they made a HUGE improvement!

Don't you love it?

Nautical Nursery Design

2011-05-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

This is the nursery I was working on last

weekend in Salt Lake City.

And thanks to Danielle's tips we

were able to find lots of great ideas!

Here's the inspiration board I put

together for the nursery:

1. PBK Darcy Changing Table from

DownEast Home

2. We found these GREAT oars at

Home Goods similar to these

3. Cute blue lanterns found at

Emilie Jayne

4. Blue Sailboat also at

Emilie Jayne

5. Land of Nod Rocker in Navy

from DownEast Home

6. Navy upholstery on rocker

7. DIY rope lamp

8. Sofia navy and white stripe

fabric from Ikea used to

upholster ottoman and cribskirt

9. PBK Harper Crib that

client already owns

This little boy is due in just one month,

so let's hope this nursery gets finished in time!

I can't wait to see what she decides to use.

Book Review- domino

2011-05-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

I recently checked out this book from

my library and enjoyed every bit of it!

It was page after page of inspiration

and some great tips.

Here are their 9 tips on getting

started on a design

1. find inspiration

2. determine your style

3. consider how you'll use the room

4. assess your stuff

5. draw up a floor plan

6. set a budget

7. research, research, research

8. create a design scheme

9. make a decorating schedule

I graduated from design school 3 years ago,

but I still enjoy reading design books

and finding inspiration for new projects.

If you need help with designing a

space email me for pricing information.

This Aint Your Mommas Wallpaper

2011-05-10T04:06:00.000-07:00

I heart wallpaper.

I'm not talking about the 1970's kind,

I'm talking about the new and improved!

Like this:

which is currently on sale at Land of Nod for

$14.95 a roll!

It would be perfect in an entryway,

or a small powder room.

Or how about this one:

It's a little more fun and modern.

Cute for an accent wall in a nursery, playroom

or even the back of a bookcase!

What do you think?

Thumbs up or thumbs down when it

comes to wallpaper?

A Wedding Cake

2011-05-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well the wedding was beautiful, and

I survived making the wedding cake.

Here's how it turned out:

and another view:

And me with the cake.

I'm sure glad that's over!

I will be back with our regular scheduled

design posts tomorrow!

Shopping in Salt Lake

2011-05-04T11:42:00.001-07:00

We've been having LOTS of fun shopping for this little

guys nursery in Salt Lake, and since I'm not from here

I used Danielle's recommendations that she blogged

about HERE as a guide.

We also made a few other stops at Ikea and

DownEast Home, which if your not from Utah

you don't know what your missing out on!

DownEast Home is an outlet store that carries

Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, West Elm,

and Z Gallerie products.

In the words of Rachel Zoe, I DIE!

It's amazing, and I can't say that I left empty handed!

I will be back soon with some pics of the goodies we

saw, and some that we purchased, but for now I'm

going to be slaving away in the kitchen, making a

wedding cake for the next 3 days!

Who has two thumbs and is making their brothers

wedding cake? "this girl!"

Celeb Style

2011-05-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Check out Sarah Jessica Parker's New York

living room.

image Elle Decor

I love everything in this space, especially

the fern prints and the two Lack side tables

from Ikea used as a coffee table.

It's great to know that even celebrities shop

at Ikea. Those side tables are so versatile and

are a whopping $7.99 a piece.

Slipcovered Chair

2011-04-29T04:26:00.000-07:00

I completed my first slipcovered project,

and although it was tough, it was totally doable!

All you need to do is cut your fabric, *cut larger than

you need, you can always trim later.

I learned that one the hard way!*

pin fabric together, and sew away!

It's not perfect, but it turned my boring desk chair

into something a little bit prettier.

I also added fabric covered buttons to the back

for a little added detail.

The best part was, I had everything I needed

so it didn't cost me a thing!

So go ahead and tackle that slipcover project you've

been wanting to do! If I can do it, you can too!

Happy Weekend!

I'm heading out of town to visit some of my favorite

people and to do some nursery designing with a friend, so

check back to see what we find!

Before and After- Master Bath

2011-04-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

A while back, when I was working for a design firm in

Atlanta I had the chance to work on a great master

bath remodel. Budget: $70,000

Yes, it was a dream job, I pretty much could spec

whatever I wanted, and move windows

and plumbing with no hesitation.

Here are some before and after pictures

of the space.

The vanity:

with custom made cabinetry I designed.

The view when you entered from the bedroom.

we moved the shower to where the tub was

and doubled the size of it.

And also installed a window over the new tub.

The laundry area is part of the master suite.

So we tied in the cabinets and made it

look less utilitarian.

Another view of the vanity

with new his and her sinks.

Can you believe it only had 1 sink

on that LONG countertop before?!

And we removed the TINY linen closet

(it was less than 12" deep)

to make room for a sitting area for

putting on shoes or lotion.

Although these clients had a large

budget to work with, I accept clients with any

budget! Sometimes all you need

is some new paint, accessories and lighting

to transform your space!

Email me for pricing information.

How To: Sew a Zipper

2011-04-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have made MANY pillow covers over the

past few years. For myself, friends, design clients,

and for my shop on Etsy.

I just recently decided I wanted to learn how to

sew zippers into my pillow covers rather than

doing an "envelope closure."

All it took was a trip over to YouTube

to find out how.

I watched this VIDEO

and found the zipper foot that came with my

sewing machine, and that's it!

A few practice zippers later, I now know how

to sew in a zipper.

And guess what... It's easy!

Here is one of my finished pillow covers:

and the zipper closure:

If there is anything out there you have been

wanting to learn more about check out YouTube

or other blogs or tutorials. It's so much easier

than teaching yourself!

And check out my Etsy shop if you're in the

market for new pillow covers!

And use coupon code "springsale" to get 20%

your order!

Inspiration Board: Nursery

2011-04-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

My best friend is due with her first baby in August.

And she just found out she's having a girl.

She lives in this great little apartment outside

San Francisco and the baby's room has these floor

to ceiling windows which are amazing!

Unfortunately it's a rental so paint

isn't really an option, so I decided to design

with some bold colors for the furniture and accessories

so it livens up the space.

Here is the inspiration board I designed for her:

Bright, fun, playful, and a little bit whimsy

with the owl details and the banner.

Inspiration boards are a great way to put ideas

together before buying items for a space. If they don't

look good next to each other on the computer screen

then they won't work together in a room.

If interested in my online design services email me

at simplesagedesigns@gmail.com

or if you live in the Las Vegas area, email me

to schedule an in home consultation.

Sideboard Transformation

2011-04-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

I just received this little sideboard for free,

it was the perfect size for the nook in my entryway.

Only problem... it looked like this:

rustic, pine, cabin-ish sideboard... not my style!

So with some painting..

and some new knobs, it now looks like this!

I already had the paint on hand,

and I bought these knobs on sale at Anthropologie

for $2.95 a piece

(I'm a sucker for their hardware)

so for $18 I have a beachy, pretty, much more me

sideboard! I love it, and I love the extra storage!

It's amazing what a little update can do for

a piece of furniture!

Check This Out-Baby Girl Nursery

2011-04-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

My best friend Amber is an amazing Interior Designer.

She blogs some of her projects at Decor Chicks

You can check out their Facebook page here.

She designed a beautiful nursery for her

beautiful baby girl last year.

Pink. Gray. Girly.

She made the pom pom flowers,

the AMAZING ruffled crib skirt,

and added cute ties to a white crib bumper.

Painted picture frames, and a DIY pillow

add splashes of color to the room.

Amber and her husband also refinished those

GORGEOUS hardwood floors themselves.

It's clean, simple, but fun and girly at the

same time. I love her eye for design.

Don't you agree?

Kiddie Picnic Table

2011-04-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Have you guys seen Ana White's website?

Well... it's awesome, and she has free plans

for TONS of furniture!

My husband and I tried our hand at the

preschool sized picnic table.

We started it MONTHS ago, but ended up

not finishing it, well the weather has been nice

and the hubby had some extra time for once,

SO...

he finished building and I got to painting!

It's the perfect size for a little one

And so cute!!

It was also less than $30 for the wood, screws,

and wood glue.

And I know it will get LOTS of use!

She already wants to color and eat on it everyday!

Ana's plans were easy to understand,

and it was a pretty good beginner level

project to tackle.

Trust me... if we did it, anyone can!

New Pillows In My Etsy Shop

2011-03-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

I have some new pillows in my Etsy shop

and will be adding many more in the next week.

Check out my shop HERE

DIY Embellished Flip Flops

2011-02-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

I know it's not quite flip flop season yet, but they are now in

stores, so I guess the warm weather will be here soon!

I love the embellished flip flops that I've seen at Gap and

JCrew, but I don't like the price! They are usually about $20.

I decided to make some of my own.

I started off with $2.50 flip flops from Old Navy and

added my own embellishments.

For my little girl I made tulle flowers with a rhinestone

center, which I had on hand, so total cost $2.50

And for mine I bought some giant $3.50 earrings from

Forever 21 and glued them on! Total cost $6

The possibilities with these are endless, and I

definitely plan on making more!

ABC Blocks

2010-11-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

The age of plain old ABC blocks has come and gone.

You remember them right,

they look something like this:

Here is a new set of DIY ABC blocks!

So fun to customize in any color scheme!

All you need is:

-2"x 2"x8' pieces of wood (purchased at Home Depot)

-a saw to cut the wood into square blocks

- a sander to sand the corners

-paint color of choice

-scrap book paper of choice

- ABC scrapbook letters

-Mod Podge

-paintbrushes

I love this Martha Stewart bandana paper,

it's just so fun and bright!

And a cute bucket to store them in!

It's the perfect gift for a 1st or 2nd Birthday

or Christmas!

In case you're not up for a DIY project at this time

they are for sale in my ETSY SHOP

Halloween Banner

2010-10-27T13:22:00.001-07:00

My home is lacking in the Halloween decor

so this week I decided to make a Halloween garland.

Here is a little tutorial.

-First I made a template from card stock for my pennants.

-I then cut out the fabric and sewed two together,

with the right sides facing in, leaving the top open

and they looked something like this:

-I then turned them right side out, ironed them

and stitched around the outside to give it a

more finished look, once again leaving the top open

-I then used bias tape (1") to conceal the open edge,

and string the pennants together

-I then hung it, and admired my new Halloween decor!

It was an easy and inexpensive project to get us

in the Halloween mood!

This and That Creative

2010-09-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

I am a contributor on a new blog

called This and That Creative

I post every Thursday about home design and decor.

Today was our first day, but stay tuned

for some really awesome posts about

blogging, sewing, cooking, crafting, jewelry

making, and home design!

There are links to our bios and the

schedule of our posts.

Check it out HERE.

12 dollar makeover

2010-08-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

We moved into our new rental house about 2 months ago.

I had no idea what to do in my one year olds room.

It was tan and boring and looked like this:

I'm tired of putting money into rentals, so this time

I decided to go with an inexpensive fix.

I bought 1 gallon of white paint, which was on sale

for $5, and a $7 dollar roll of painters tape.

Here is the end result.

It only took one hour and it turned this boring

room into a sweet and fun nursery.

And when we move out, all I have to do is

paint over that one wall!

4th of July Dress/Shirt

2010-07-07T08:21:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July weekend.

I know we did! We spent it in the cool weather of

Park City, Utah, which was a nice break from

the Vegas heat!

Here is our little one trying to figure out what

to do with that flag, while looking very patriotic!

Her shirt, which originally was made to be a dress,

but it was too cold and too short was completely free!

The blue polka dot fabric was left over from this

dress, and the red polka dot fabric was fabric

that I stole from my Mom's stash

(it had been in there for over 10 years).

I shirred the straps and the top using elastic thread.

Best invention ever by the way! If you haven't

used it yet you're missing out!

Spool No.72 Knock Off

2010-05-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

I saw this little dress from Spool No.72

a few months ago and fell in love.

It was more than I wanted to spend ($52) on a

summer dress. And I wanted one that had sleeves.

So what did I do?

Made my own!

I already owned this top (from the Gap Outlet, $6)

so all I had to do was buy 1 yard of "Jelly Bean" green

linen, some thread and some elastic (all for less than $10)

and voila!

I even added the belted sash.

super easy, super inexpensive, and

I love it!

*So next time you see something you love

that's over your price range, don't be afraid to

try and make one yourself*

Easter dress- pillowcase style

2010-04-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

The first sewing project I ever took on was a pillowcase dress

(that was about a year ago)

And after a hundred other projects, I still go

back to the pillowcase dress, it's just one of my faves!

Unfortunately, when your model is 14 months

old it's hard to get a good pic!

The fabric was actually a pillow sham from

Pottery Barn Teen, and I loved it! I picked it

up at the outlet, so it was a great deal.

I took the sham apart, and pieced together

the fabric to make the dress.

I love the bold geometric shapes, and

the band at the bottom!

This is the tutorial I used, it's easy and

straightforward and results in a

cute dress, don't you think?!

check out my previous pillowcase dresses here

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

A much needed break

2010-03-31T11:12:00.001-07:00

So I have been a little MIA for the past month

but do not fear, I am back!

I've been busy with design clients,

a busy little 14 month old,

and getting kicked out of our house

for showings (we are moving, so our

landlord is selling).

Anyway, I'm back, and now it's time to catch up

on some projects.

Here's an easy Easter project you still have time to do.

I actually made these eggs last year, they are fun,

easy, but time consuming. The hardest part is

emptying the eggs. Other than that you just cut

strips of tissue paper and smack 'em on with

some Mod Podge!

I displayed them in my apothecary jars.

up close.

Super easy! And super cute!

Stay tuned for an easy Easter dress,

A travel high chair,

and a 4th of July dress (yes it's already made,

what can I say, I had some cute fabric and was

really excited about it!)

shirt into dress

2010-02-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

I haven't worn this shirt in a year,

so I decided to give it a makeover.

It was one of those projects that you start,

then you decide you don't like,

then when you finally finish it,

and you love it,

you wonder why you ever doubted yourself.

(you know what I'm talking about right?)

Here is Miss A modeling it for us.

And the back.

It was really easy, and fits her so perfectly!

I'm glad I finally finished it!

make your own headbands

2010-02-12T14:39:00.001-08:00

headbands are all the rage these days

and instead of spending $10-$12 on one,

why not make your own for just a few dollars.

Here are a few examples of cute and inexpensive options:

1. a cute flower (from the dollar store) embellished with

coordinating tulle and pearls, attached to an alligator clip

for easy removal, and can also be used just as a clip!

note: I take apart the flowers from the dollar store,

and just use 2-3 of the layers of petals

2. linen flower used from scraps of fabric, torn in a long strip

and twirled into a flower shape, also on an alligator clip so you

can interchange different embellishments on the same headband,

also cute with 2 or three of them

note: once you twirl and roll the fabric into a flower shape,

take a few straight pins and stab them in to hold

the flower in place. Then, cut a circle the size of your flower

and attach it on the back using tacky glue.

Remove pins and let dry!

3. simple bow that coordinates with the headband color

(which is gray)

and three varying sizes of loops made from ribbon

(approx a 4 inch loop, a 3 inch loop, and a 3/4 in loop for the center)

It's that easy!

each headband took less than 30 minutes

and cost less than $4

Vintage Kitchen

2010-02-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

I picked up this sweet little kitchen

today at a local thrift store.

This picture was taken from the 1964

Sears Christmas Catalog.

It's in the Coppertone color and includes

the sink, range and fridge

a $27.99 value back in the day,

but I paid $15 for it today.

It needs a lot of cleaning up, but

I am so excited to see how it turns out!

Birthday Bash

2010-02-01T18:50:00.001-08:00

Here it is.

The big first birthday bash was a hit!

DIY flower poms

homemade dipped pretzels

homemade cupcakes

homemade cake balls

DIY drink labels

kids table complete with butcher paper

coloring surface

and a DIY hat, skirt, and homemade smash cake

this is what pure joy looks like

pure happiness

it was lots of work, but the pictures will last forever,

and she's worth it!

linking up to DIY day

show and tell

and strut your stuff

tshirt revamp

2010-01-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

I stopped by Old Navy today and

found Miss A a pair of ugg-ish boots for $3,

and a plain brownish gray long sleeved tee for me for $2.50.

I knew I could come up with something for it!

I've had this shirt/dress thing I wore while I was

pregnant that I've been wanting to do something with

and I'm hoping I'm not going to need it for a few more years

and by then it will probably be out of style,

so I decided to steal the flowers from it.

tshirt + flowers = perfection!

I couldn't be happier with the result!

And the best part is,

I only used 3 of the 13 flowers from the dress!

Linking up to:

ASPTL

Blue Cricket Design

Somewhat Simple

ps- somebody is turning 1 on Saturday,

so check back next week for the party pics!

crepe paper wreath

2010-01-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

I started out with a $1 wreath form,

and wrapped it with crepe paper.

Then I cut the crepe paper into strips,

lots and lots of strips.

Take two strips and criss cross them like so...

Pinch the center and gather like so...

And hot glue them to your form.

keep going

when you're almost done,

hot glue a ribbon to the form

finish and hang!

perfect for Valentine's day!

birthday banner

2010-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

Every birthday party needs a birthday banner

right?!

Well here's the one I made!

I got the idea from Holly over here.

But I did do some tweaking.

-I printed my letters out on cardstock (100 pt font)

-cut the circles out

-used Elmer's glue and a small paint brush to apply

glue around the circle, and sprinkled the glitter on top

- I then hot glued the crepe paper to the back,

bunching or overlapping as I went

(there's no science to it, just make it look good!)

- And finished it by hot glueing it to a ribbon

That's it!

here it is a little bit closer

and even closer

It's not perfect up close, but from a foot away you can't see a flaw!

Total Cost: $4

$3 for the glitter

$1 for the crepe paper

and I have leftovers of both!

(I already had the ribbon, and cardstock)

This is the perfect banner for a birthday party

a holiday, a wedding shower,

a baby shower, or a backyard wedding!

invitations

2010-01-13T13:10:00.001-08:00

The invitations are done and are slowly

being dispersed!

My inspiration for the party is a garden theme,

but considering the fact that it's January,

and there is snow on the ground here,

it will be have to be an indoor garden party.

I designed the invites on Illustrator,

added a fun floral-ish motif,

printed them on pink card stock,

and finished them off with some pink rhinestones

and voila!

Custom invites for under $10!

A Winner!

2010-01-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

Lucky # 52

Congratulations Cheryl

from the Luck Lady Bug,

you are the the winner of the

CSN Pillow!

Thanks to all who participated!

birthday skirt

2010-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

I made this skirt for Miss A's upcoming

smash cake photo shoot.

It was inspired by MADE's turkey skirt

I think it will accent her cake smothered face quite well.

And it will be paired with her new pink Converse's

that will be waiting for her on her big day.

(just what every new walker needs!)

It only took me one afternoon to make, it was

fun, easy, and came out super cute!

I love the light to dark pink transition.

Linking up to DIY day over at ASPTL

and Somewhat Simple

CSN giveaway

2010-01-08T15:28:00.000-08:00

The generous folks over at CSN.com

is hosting a giveaway to one of my lucky readers!

They contacted me a few weeks ago and told me

to choose something for the giveaway, but there was

SO much great stuff I had a hard time deciding.

I had so much fun checking out all of their living room furniture,

and their fun, modern accessories.

So please, go on over and check them out!

I finally decided on this amazing throw pillow.

It's a whopping 18"square and has such a fabulous

bright and bold design.

This bad boy normally retails for $108,

but on their site it's $32,

and for one of you it is free!

while checking out all of their stuff

I fell in love with this sectional.

It's just beautiful!

Check it out here.

oh, and doesn't that pillow just make it look so

bright and beachy in there!

Ok, so I am really just brushing up on my photoshop, but still,

I love it!

So here's how to enter:

(please make a comment for each task you complete,

and don't forget to leave me a way to contact you!)

1-become a follower, if you already are, just let me know!

2- make a post linking to the giveaway on your blog!

3- link to the giveaway from your facebook page!

and that's it!

the winner will be chosen the evening of Tuesday, January 12th

by random.org!

good luck, and thanks again to CSN!

TIME IS UP!

THE GIVEAWAY IS OVER!

pom pom flowers

2010-01-07T15:11:00.001-08:00

I got this for Christmas, which was perfect timing.

I was needing some inspiration for Miss A's

first birthday party!

My budget for the invitations, decorations and favors is $30

so doing DIY projects is the only way to go!

loving these flower pom poms!

So I made some!

I used all of the pink tissue paper I saved from

my baby showers, so they were free!

Some will be in vases, and some will be hanging

from the chandelier. I can't wait to see how it will all look!

For step by step directions, check here.

Stay tuned for more DIY party decor, invitations and gifts!

Check out my current giveaway here.

And more great ideas over at Somewhat Simple

fun felted pillow cover

2010-01-01T15:47:00.000-08:00

Loving these fun felted pillow covers from PB Teen..

so what did I do?

made my own!

Here they are, I think they might be my favorite pillow

creation yet (am I allowed to call it a creation if I copied it?)

They are fun, girly, sweet,

and did you notice on the floral one that there are little leaves?

They are so subtle, but really add the perfect touch!

They are for sale in my shop.

But if you would like a custom size or color, just let me know!

Linking up to DIY day over at ASPTL

and Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple.

2009 in review

2009-12-29T12:07:00.001-08:00

2009 was a wonderful year for me and my family.

I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl.

Spent time with family. Started blogging.

Moved into a house. Kept busy crafting, sewing, and baking.

And enjoyed every minute.

Here are a few of my favorite projects from this year.

1-cake and cupcakes for wedding. 2-cork board. 3-pillow shams. 4-ruffle shirt.

5-pillowcase dress. 6-rocking horse. 7-nut wreath. 8-chalk board. 9-ruffle dress.

10-ruffle sham. 11-ruffle tote. 12-anthro apron. 13-diy upholstered headboard.

I'm excited for the start of 2010

and plan to craft, sew and blog more.

I hope you will join me along the way!

I was featured

2009-12-24T08:14:00.001-08:00

go on over and check it out!

here

just ordered these

2009-12-23T10:30:00.001-08:00

Just ordered a set of these

return address labels from expressionery.com

on sale from $14 down to $3!!

just enter the code "madness" when checking out

for an additional 70%off.

Also, shipping is free on these bad boys!

Check these and other great deals out here.

These would be great gifts for first time home buyers

or any friend or family member!

Coal for Christmas

2009-12-23T09:12:00.001-08:00

I wouldn't mind getting coal for Christmas

if this was the kind I got.

chocolatey. cakey. yumminess.

cake balls

cute bags

= perfect gift for friends and neighbors!

Ruffle Duffle

2009-12-21T10:05:00.001-08:00

ok, so it's not a duffle, just a tote,

but I couldn't resist the rhyming.

I've been trying to use up the fabric in my stash

so I don't feel guilty buying more.

It's a tan muslin like on the outside and lined

with a white cotton (pocket and all!)

with taffeta ruffles.

So cute! and so easy to make!

Check out more great ideas over at Somewhat Simple

and ASPTL!

anthro inspired apron

2009-12-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

I got this apron as a bridal shower gift,

it's from anthro and I love it!

If only I could wear it out!

I love the ruffle detail, fun fabrics,

and cute pocket!

I decided to make one inspired by this

with some extra fabric I had in my stash.

Here it is!

I am really happy with the result.

I opted out of doing the belt, maybe next time.

But I did add some cute coordinating

buttons to the pocket.

What do you think?

If you love it so much, you can purchase it in my shop!

Check out more great ideas day over at Somewhat Simple

and ASPTL!

my one true love...

2009-12-15T19:56:00.000-08:00

anthropologie... kids!

I absolutely adore this dress.

Too bad I don't have an extra $88 to spend on Miss A.

if I did though...

you better believe I would!

Oh Christmas Tree...

2009-12-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree,

I'm so glad I'm done with thee!

So I love this advent calendar from

PB Kids, but I didn't love the $80 price tag,

and the fact that they discontinued it!

So, 4 dollars, and 2 weeks later, here's my version!

Yes, it took me 2 weeks because I got burnt out from it quite a few times.

And yes, It still needs numbers.

And yes, the pockets aren't perfectly straight

(I swear they were when I was sewing them on?!)

But it really only cost me 4 dollars!

I had tons of scrap felt from previous projects.

The beads, sequins and ribbons were already in my stash.

So all I bought was 1 yard of green felt!

But even if you did had to buy the felt, ribbons, sequins, and beads,

it still would only cost you about 12 dollars!

And, although it's not perfect,

I made it, which makes it special!

What do you think?

Successful or unsuccessful knock-off?

snowed in

2009-12-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing for the last 24 hours,

and it's still going strong!

Here's a view from the front of our house...

from the back of the house...

and the killer icicles on our roof!

So, it seemed like the perfect day for a project!

I saw these napkin rings a while back on PB

and fell in love!

they are no longer available, so I didn't catch the price,

but I figured I could make a cheaper version myself!

I picked up these at the dollar store a few weeks ago.

I cut off the cheapo fabric,

and was left with a gray plastic napkin ring.

I then bought some mini jingle bells from Michael's,

which were on sale last week.

And, hot glued them right on!

Here's how it turned out!

I love the chunkiness of mine,

and the fact that they were most likely cheaper than the PB price!

What do you think?

Need a set of your own?

Send me an email or convo me on Etsy,

and I will make you your very own!

I'll be linking up to Strut Your Stuff Thursday

over at Somewhat Simple!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2009-12-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

christmas!

I have definitely been slacking on the blogging lately.

We were busy with friends and family for Thanksgiving,

and after they left it was time to set up Christmas!

Well, now that most of it is set up, I decided to share a project

I have been working on.

Here is one my stockings, it's from Crate and Barrel, a few years ago.

I like it, don't love it, but I haven't found anything I like better,

so it will do for now.

Problem is we have 2 stockings (the hubbies is red, with the top band cream)

and now there are 3 of us! (yay! for Miss A's first Christmas!)

so, I have been checking Ebay for month now trying to find

a few more of these bad boys, but no luck!

So...

I decided to try to make it.

You know I am a big fan of the knock-offs,

but this one seemed tough, even for me!

Well...

I don't want to leave you waiting any longer,

here's my version.

what do you think?

pretty good?

or far from good?

I am somewhat happy with how it turned out,

I do think it's pretty close, but after working on it for

far to long, I really just want to get rid of all of them

and start from scratch.

So, we'll see...

Here's a side-by-side

hope you had a happy thanksgiving

2009-11-29T09:57:00.001-08:00

I know we did!

We had a fun-filled, friends visiting, stuff our faces, fantastic day!

yum!

this is what pure joy looks like!

after a full serving of sweet potatoes

and mashed potatoes!

the guest bathroom is

2009-11-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

ready for guests!

This next week we will be having our first guests

come to visit us in our new (rental) house.

The guest bathroom has been lacking in

personality, so for $20 I gave it a little makeover!

Here's the before pic.

When we moved in we did paint the yellow walls

an ivory to clean it up.

But ivory walls, and a white shower curtain= bland!

and note that there are no window coverings,

and here in Nevada they put houses approximately 2 feet apart.

and after.

A roman shade (see below for diy tutorial)

some accessories, and a huge frame help a ton!

before

after

Sure I would have loved to paint the cabinets,

or find a buffet on craigslist and convert it,

switch out the mirror,

remove the medicine cabinet (not a fan!)

but we are renters.

So I didn't want to spend the money on

something that wasn't mine.

And trust me, as a former kitchen and bath designer,

I know the kitchen and bathrooms in this house need makeovers.

But this will do for now!

So have you seen this great idea floating around blog world?

My BF designer from college just made one,

said it was cake, so I tried it out for myself!

You can't tell but the fabric is a brown on brown design,

It was a curtain panel I was no longer using, so it was free!

Check out the tutorial we both used here.

Note: We sewed all four sides to give it a nicer, cleaner,

more custom look!

Also, she says not to use hot glue, but I did,

and it seemed to work just fine!

nut wreath

2009-11-16T17:25:00.001-08:00

I have recently discovered my love for wreaths

and love the nut wreath featured in the November

issue of Martha Stewart Living.

So here is mine.

I made mine with a 12" wood wreath form

(leftover from my pumpkin wreath)

1 bag of walnuts

1/2 bag of pecans

1/2 bag of hazelnuts

lots of hot glue

ribbon

it was super easy and very fall-ish!

another easy fall decorating tip

fill vases or apothecary jars with pine cones

easy and festive!

hurry and get these done,

only 10 more days till Thanksgiving!

check out more great DIY ideas here

the winner...

2009-11-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

chosen by random.org

was #8

Ashley!

Congrats Ashley,

I will be getting your info from you and sending that off!

And thanks to everyone for telling me what you like in a blog!

happy weekend... a giveaway

2009-11-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

so I know it's not the weekend yet,

but i'm hoping whoever wins this giveaway

will have a happy weekend!

want to know what's up for grabs?

this stella and dot knock- off!

it looks cute with jeans and a tee

or with a holiday dress

faux pearls on a velvet ribbon

so here's how to enter:

first, become a follower of my blog

second, write a comment on this post

telling me what you like most in a blog

is it crafts?

sewing?

furniture makeovers?

food?

knock-offs?

or a combination?

and that's it!

the giveaway ends Saturday night,

winner will be chosen on Sunday.

good luck!

anthro knock-off

2009-11-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

A while back I spotted this little beauty at anthro.

I also spotted it's price tag... 158 dollars!

So what did I do?

Made my own!

I got the teacups from the Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma outlets,

the plates from HomeGoods,

and used Elmer's china and glass cement to put them together.

Grand total: less than 20 dollars!

It looks a little lonely sitting there by itself,

doesn't it?

there!

much better

the perfect size for mini cupcakes!

I have a feeling that Miss A and I will be getting

a lot of use out of this in a few years when tea parties

become a daily occurrence.

what do you think?

good knock off?

check out DIY day over at ASPTL for more great ideas!

30 minute pillow sham

2009-11-03T09:52:00.001-08:00

Once you realize how easy it is to make a pillow sham,

you are never going to want to buy one again!

For this tutorial I am going to use a 14"x14" pillow insert.

You are going to need to cut three pieces of fabric,

one for the front and two for the back (which gives you an envelope enclosure)

Piece 1, the front, should be 1/2" bigger than your actual pillow.

So mine is 14 1/2" x 14 1/2"

The other two pieces will be rectangles.

They will be 14 1/2" high, but only 11 inches wide.

To get this you should half your pillow size, which is 7

then add a 4" for an overlap.

making sense?

Once all three pieces are cut out, get your two rectangles and an iron.

Iron about a half an inch down the long side of your rectangle.

It will now measure 14 1/2" by 10 1/2".

Now sew down the edge.

Once that is complete, pin all 3 pieces together, right sides together.

Then sew all the way around, 1/2" on each side.

This will make your sham turn out to be 13 1/2" x 13 1/2",

which fits nice and snug on your pillow insert!

Now turn right side out,

and this is what it will look like (back view)

Slip in your insert, and there you have it!

I'm using this one as a tushie cushie for Miss A's new highchair!

So easy right?!

And it's easy to remove, wash, or switch out!

Let me know if you have any questions!

I have pillows for sale in my etsy shop, check them out!

I also do custom orders!

Check out ASPTL for more great diy projects!

in love

2009-10-28T07:59:00.001-07:00

look at that beauty!

I'm talking about the chair, not the baby.

I have been searching for the perfect highchair for

months now, and I am now the owner of this

beauty!

It was more than I wanted to spend,

didn't need much fixing up,

except for a fresh coat of white paint,

but it is exactly what I wanted,

so I went for it!

Miss A looks so tiny in it,

I think I will make a cushion for her

tooshie, and it will help lift her up a bit.

Do you love it as much as me?

classy chalkboard

2009-10-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

I know everyone has done a chalkboard makeover,

except for me!

I've been keeping an eye out for something I thought could work,

and last week I found this at Salvation Army for $7

My husband literally laughed when he saw it.

"Oh ye of little faith," I told him.

There...

much better!

one can of chalkboard spray paint

one can of white spray paint

and some leftover trim to add a place for the chalk!

Can't get much easier than that!

check out ASPTL on Tuesdays for more great ideas!

glittered tabletop chandelier

2009-10-19T16:50:00.001-07:00

have you seen these beauties in the Halloween Martha Mag?

they are amazing, right?

also, very expensive.

like $100-$200 expensive

I decided to try to make a mini knock- off.

this one is about 10" high

not quite as elaborate,

but cost me about $4

( I had everything but the glitter)

Make a few to set on a buffet or use as a centerpiece

and you can make the same spooky statement

I just used white cardstock and cut it out

I then used a sponge brush and brushed on Elmer's glue

and sprinkled Martha's onyx glitter on top.

I cut each piece, one from top to middle

the other from bottom to middle,

and put them together.

I did have to add hot glue in the cuts to hold it together.

does this make any sense?

hopefully.

tips to make your own:

use something thicker, maybe cardboard or foam core board

(mine is a little wobbly)

paint your paper/cardboard black before glittering

(I didn't, so it took about 3 coats of glitter to cover that white paper!)

I'm going to attempt a chandelier sometime in the future,

maybe for miss A's first bday party,

I'm thinking hot pink!

If you would like the template I made

leave me a comment with your email and I will send you the PDF

Here is more Halloween decor for you to enjoy!

all you need is a wood wreath form (got mine at Michael's)

I then spray painted it black,

hot glued on some mini pumpkins,

and added a black bow to my wreath hanger.

super easy!

head on over to ASPTL for more great ideas!

baby gap knock-offs

2009-10-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

I just adore Baby Gap, and it is definitely my weakness.

But, a few weeks ago I eyed these cuties...

the polka dot number was $29.50 and the black knit, $24.50.

as much as I love spoiling miss A,

I just couldn't spend that kind of money for something

she would grow out of in a few months!

I did however get a sewing machine 2 months ago,

so with these cute skirts as inspiration I headed to JoAnn's!

I couldn't find a good polka dot, but I did find a cute houndstooth.

And less than 5 dollars later...

I know they're not quite as cute,

but for a tenth of the price I think they will be just fine!

What do you think?

are they good knock-offs?

free dresser makeover

2009-10-10T11:09:00.001-07:00

about a month ago I found this little lady at a garage sale for, get this...

free!

she looked sad sitting there with her free sign on her,

so I decided to snatch her up and take her home with me.

she was in pretty bad shape,

the back was warped and cracked,

there were a few too many coats of paint on her,

she had some ugly contact paper lining her drawers,

she had ugly little knobs,

and her drawers were a little wobbly.

but with lots of love, she started to look better!

here she is, in my dining room, looking beautiful!

for about $30 I turned my ugly little dresser into a charming piece!

don't you think?

check out other great projects over at furniture feature friday

pillow publicity

2009-09-29T13:15:00.001-07:00

my latest pillow sham creation was featured on this site.

head on over and check out Alison's other great inspiration.

free uggs!

2009-09-28T11:45:00.001-07:00

want to win a free pair of uggs?

i do!

I have a pair that I wear every day in the winter,

they are getting a little worn down so I could use a new, free pair!

go here to check it out for yourself!

sassy sweaters for fall

2009-09-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

last week while strolling the outlets with my trusty sidekick miss A, I happened upon a sale at the lovely banana republic. everything that was on sale was an additional 40% off, that's my kind of sale! so I found this little ivory sweater, cute but pretty boring, but for $5.99 I could see the potential! It had a little snag in the front so I got an additional 10% off... woo hoo! $5.49

so I happened to have the perfect color ribbon to match this little ivory sweater.

so I did some cutting, pinning, and sewing and

voila!

it covers up the snag and turned out pretty cute, now this simple little sweater has a little special sassy-ness to it!

if you liked that one, just wait till you see what i've come up with for this one!

which was also $5.99... can't beat that price!

upholstered headboard

2009-09-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

this upholstered headboard is similar to something you can find at pottery barn. the pottery barn price tag is $500,

this diy version was $60!

what you need:

-1 piece of wood-not too heavy or thick, cut to size

(my piece was 36"x60" for a queen size bed)

- a piece of foam (I used a twin size mattress pad, cut to size)

- 1 piece of batting (large enough to wrap around wood and foam)

- fabric of your choice (I used a tan linen)

- buttons to cover (I used 11 that were 1 1/8")

- two 2x4's to use as stilts

(length depends on how high off the ground you want your headboard)

-spray adhesive- to adhere foam to wood

-staple gun- to secure batting and fabric

-drill- to drill holes in wood as a template for the buttons

- screws or nails- to secure stilts to headboard

I found a coordinating bed skirt at the pb outlet for $20

(and it obviously needs an ironing).

let me know what you think and if you would like me to do a headboard tutorial.

head on over to a soft place to land to check out more diy projects!

side table before and after

2009-09-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

this side table was a wedding gift a few years ago

now that miss A has her own room with a reading corner

(which is more for me than for her right now)

we needed somewhere to put a lamp and some of our favorite books

the table was the perfect size, just the wrong color

all it needed was a little sanding and some paint

and now it is perfect!

don't you think?

pillows for sale!

2009-09-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago, I was at a local antique shop and I stumbled upon stacks and stacks... and more stacks of doily's. at the time I didn't know what I could do with them, so I just passed by them. Then last week I made a table runner for my dining room and had leftover tan linen. lightbulb! I could use the extra linen for more throw pillows in A's nursery and use the doily as an applique. I made two for her room and they came out so cute I decided to make more.

each doily is vintage and hand selected by me.

and the shams are easy to take off to clean.

so head on over to my etsy shop and check them out.

I'm doing a sale during september, so if you're interested act quick. If you have any questions or would like a custom size convo me!

meet clover!

2009-09-02T11:15:00.001-07:00

so this is clover, I eyed him as we were passing by a garage sale this summer in georgia and I had to have him. I, unfortunately, was not prepared for garage sales that day. I had $3 in my pocket and the hubby had $2, he told me if I could get him for $5 he was mine!

welcome to the family clover!

I did however have to give clover a major make-over before he could reside in miss A's nursery.

by major, I mean it took me hours and hours

that mane and tail, nasty

the wood, not quite what I was going for

here is clover, stripped down and ready to be made over!

after sanding and sanding

and 5 coats of white paint (yes I DID use primer as well)

and a trip across the country,

and finding the perfect yarn for a new mane and tail

here is the new and improved clover

what do you think?

what to wear?

2009-09-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

my brother-in-law recently got married and I was having the hardest time trying to find a dress for little A to wear. I came upon this blog, and thought "that's it!" it was simple, yet cute, and although my mom helped me a lot with the sewing, I am pretty proud of myself. I did tweak the inspiration dress a tad, but I like the way mine turned out! let me know what you think!

here is our family at the wedding

and this is the cake and cupcakes I made for the reception.

framed cork board

2009-07-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

I saw THIS project on one of my fav blogs a little while back and have been dying to find the perfect frame to make my own. well, after a trip to a few garage sales and goodwill i was still empty handed and then it occurred to me... my mom had a really ugly painting of a random dog that my grammie had given her a few years back (something she had found at a garage sale) and we kept it around thinking we could use the fame one day. it was a little smaller than i had hoped for, but would work perfectly! and it was free!

and here it is!

all it needed was a can of white spray paint and an old cork board i had left over from high school

the detail in the frame is so fun! i love how it turned out and especially because it was free!

head on over to a soft place to land for more great project ideas!

headbands on etsy

2009-07-07T10:34:00.001-07:00

I have finally listed my headbands on Etsy.

Check them out at www.simplesage.etsy.com

pillowcase dress

2009-06-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

the last time i sewed a piece of clothing was in high school, it was a skirt. it was simple, long and straight, a slit up the back, and an elastic waist. i have NEVER been much of a sewer, except for the few pillow shams i have made, but lately i have had the desire to sew. why now? probably because i am now a stay at home mom and i like having projects that keep me busy. and although i don't have a sewing machine (YET), my birthday is next month and i am hoping i have mentioned it enough for my hubby to get the idea, i am luckily at my parents house for now so i can use my mom's machine.

a few months ago i came across some "pillowcase dresses" on etsy (some actually aren't made of pillowcases, but still are just as cute), i loved them so i checked out some tutorials on them and discovered they were fairly easy to make. i found a few CUTE pillowcases from pottery barn for CHEAP so i decided to go for it! so last week i made miss A two dresses!(one for this summer, one for next summer). i think they came out great, but check them out for yourself!

love it!

2009-06-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

You know the cute bowls from anthro that come in almost EVERY color you could imagine?! well they have a mini version and they are even CUTER! some people use them for spices, salt and pepper, or whatever else, but my new use for them is baby food! miss A is now big enough to start enjoying the yumminess of food (not that rice cereal and oatmeal is yummy!) but these bowls are the PERFECT size and so fun, especially because she can match mommy and daddy when we eat! how fun... love it!