Christmas Times A Comin'

I seriously cannot believe Christmas is a few weeks away. I do have a good start on my shopping but I still feel like I have a long way to go. I mean I still have to finish decorating. Yikes! 

Here is a little tour of my living room... Since that is basically all I have finished. I hope to inspire you to take a small budget and get creative. As always, that's how I roll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course I had to make some burlap ornaments to hang on the tree! 

 

 

I love these vintage ornaments my grandmother handed down to me! I remember hanging them on her tree when I was a little girl. 

 

Like this ruffled burlap tree skirt? Then make one! All you need is a cheap tree skirt ($1 at the dollar tree), hot glue gun/hot glue, scizzors, and a couple of yards of burlap. This is a no sew project so anyone can make it!

Step 1- fold you burlap in half (to save time) and cut it into 4" strips. You don't have to be exact. 

Step 2- take one of your strips and glue the end to the outer edge of the skirt, where the slit is.

Step 3. Now skip a few inches and pinch the burlap. Add a dab of glue and glue the fold down to the burlap. Glue the burlap strip down to the skirt as you go.

 

Step 4- now skip a few inches and repeat the last step, only glue the fold down in the opposite direction. REPEAT steps 3 and 4 until you finish the strip. Glue the next strip on top of the other and start doing steps 3 and 4 again.

Each row will come up a couple of inches. Trim the ends of the rows and add some cute bows (optional so the skirt can overlap. 

You're finished!!! I knew you could do it!

Happy decorating!

XOXO

Chalkpaint Stereo DIY

This space makes me feel so relaxed. Mom and Dad bought a new house... Well an old house.... No, an old school. Yep, you heard me right. It was an old school house. 

The previous owners remodeled it and made it their home. It really is amazing! The entry, however, was painted red and just lacked appeal. So, my sister, my mom and I went out shopping last Saturday and found some great pieces to go over an old wooden stereo they have had for years. 

I used homemade chalkpaint to paint the stereo. I think it looks awesome!! 

Here is the before picture:

 

You see the potential too, don't you!?

Here is the recipe I use for chalkpaint. I have adjusted it to my liking :) 

I cup your choice of latex paint

2 1/2 tablespoons Calcium Carbonate powder

1 tablespoon water

Mix well!!

Okay, I literally just painted it with a good quality brush, making sure to get a good thick coat of paint on. Try to get your brush strokes in the same direction. I did one coat for this because Mom wanted like the look of some brush strokes showing. Yay! 

 

I let it dry well then decorated!! Woohoo!! That's the best part! 

I'm completely and utterly in LOVE! 

Happy Friday!

XOXO

DIY Chevron Floor

 

So I am sure I'm not the only one who drools over the awesome chevron wooden floors I see on Pinterest. I never dreamed I could possible afford anything close to that for my own home. Until I saw a pin about how to create a faux wood backsplash using adhesive vinyl "wood" tiles. You can find the tutorial here: http://pinterest.com/pin/230668812139222375/

My wheels began turning and I wondered if I could do that on a chevron pattern... On the Floor!? The lady who put the backsplash up, did it all by herself! With no help from the hubby! If she could do that, surely I could give it a try!

Here is my ugly painted wooden entry floor before I began. Chipping paint and all! :(

So, I started searching online for the best price for a wood finish adhesive tile. Then I found these 12x12 square tiles for only $10 per box of 10!! Seriously?!? Unfortunately, last time I checked Amazon had double the price.

So I started by ordering one box and cutting the "planks" off one by one. I didn't have any fancy method of making a chevron pattern. I just used good ole trial and error. 

As you can see, I tried using a vinyl tile cutter... When my husband brought it in for me to use, it sounded like a dream! But I decided it was more trouble than it was worth to have to go back and trim the crooked edges where I didn't line the blade up perfectly. I have a pretty steady hand so I was fine with using a pair of scizzors. The only thing is the blades get gummy with adhesive from the tiles. I suggest keeping an old rag and a can of WD40 handy to clean the scizzor blades. That worked perfectly for me!

Once you get the angle that makes a good chevron, use that piece as a template throughout the process. You will flip the template over to cut every other plank. The peices will fit together to make a lovely chevron pattern :) 

The next thing I did was decide which pattern I wanted to make with the different shades of "wood". 

 

Option 1

 

Option 2

 

Option 3

 

I decided on option 3! Looks awesome, right!?

I just started in front of the door in the center of the floor so I could make sure my pattern was where I wanted it to be. Once I got the first few rows placed, I went back and peeled off the paper backing and started sticking it down to the floor. 

 

Instead of cutting little pieces to go to the wall, I decided to create a border. It was much quicker and pretty simple. 

 

🎶Just keep sticking... Just keep sticking... 🎶

 

See how pretty?? Ahh... I'm in love! 

 

I see a chalkpaint post in my near future, so come back soon!

xoxo

Ashley

Tackling a slipcover- Part 1

 

So I am excited and nervous about my recent project. Remember this beauty I posted not long ago?

I couldn't wait any longer to get started on a slipcover! There was just one teensy weensy problem... I had never made a slipcover before. I spent hours... Shamefully, searching Pinterest and reading blog posts about making a slipcover from a canvas drop cloth. I knew that's what I wanted to do, so I went for it! The sofa is pretty long, so I bought the largest drop cloth Lowe's had available. 

The dropcoths are very stiff and a natural color rather than the white I would prefer, so I bleached that puppy! (I didn't really bleach a puppy... It's only a figure of speach)

After trial and error, (the error being a blotchy slipcover... Ick!) I literally spread out the slipcover, and rolled it up. I figured it would help the bleach soak in to the entire drop cloth better. Then I placed it into my top load washer. I allowed it to fill with warm water until the entire drop cloth was completely submersed. 

Then I added a bottle of bleach... Yep. A BOTTLE. Why?? Because the measly 2 cup method was a flop (did that several times... Turned out blotchy) so I decided with my drop cloth being huge, I should add a lot more bleach. I was right for once! 

I added the bleach into the water and turned off the machine, and shut the lid so it could sit in the bleach-water for 4 hours! It actually wasn't hard to wait that long because I could cook supper, clean and work on other projects while it soaked. 

Then I turned the washer back on and let the cycle finish. Once it was done, I opened the top and washed it with laundry detergent and warm water. After that, I dried it in the dryer for 70 minutes, which is the longest setting. Dry it on high heat so it will preshrink. It probably will have to go in the drier again to finish drying. I had to dry mine for 40 more minutes. Just keep and eye on it and take it out when it has completely dried. 

Now give it a once-over just to make sure it looks the way you want it to. Mine looked great so I was finally ready to start making my slip cover. 

The first issue I came across was the fact that the back cushions were sewn to the sofa. So, I ripped them off! Using Scizzors to carefully snip the threads as you go, helps a lot! 

 

Now lay the entire slipcover over the sofa. Use the finished edge in the back so you will have one less seam to sew. 

 

 

At this point, I got nervous. I was so afraid I would cut it wrong and would have to start all over. I just had to suck it up and go for it. 

The best way to know where to cut is to use the original seams on the sofa. I made sure to leave a couple of inches for error as I cut. 

Pull the pieces together and start pinning close to the sofa so you will have a good fit. Once you get it pinned, you can trim it down a little so it isn't such a mess. It honestly is much easier to go ahead and cut seperate peices for the sides, arms, etc. then pin them together. The best tip I gathered from my research on other blogs was to do one piece at a time, pin, sew and then turn it right side out and make sure it fits. 

Two reasons: 

1. You can see your progress and it will keep you motivated.

2. You won't have to fool with all the extra fabric while you are sewing each piece. 

So here is my first piece I pinned.

 

Here it is after I sewed it and fit it on the couch! I was so relieved that it fit so well!!

Just remember that it will go on the opposite arm of the couch when it is turned right side out. I learned the "hard" way. Well, not really hard... More like, it made me feel confused when I tried to fit it on the wrong arm and it didn't fit...

 

Now, I turned it back inside out and fit it back on the arm and started pinning the rest of the pieces on for that side. Then I just took it back off and sewed along the pins. 

Turn it right side out and fit it back on the couch to make sure all is well! Now, repeat the steps to sew the opposite end of the sofa cover. 

So I got both sides sewn and was going to start cutting the skirt, until I turned around and saw my 3 year old with my Scizzors, cutting my slipcover, straight up the front!!!!! Aghhhhh!! I honestly sobbed like a baby! Not my proudest moment!

I decided to suck it up and move on to finding a solution. And I did. I decided to trim it at the bottom and create a panel between the cover and the skirt. 

 

See the cut up the front?! 

Anyway, the next post will show you the skirt and cushions. I can't wait to finish!!!

Until then... XOXO

Ashley