pinterest playroom

With the pending arrival of our second baby I'm feeling the need to give our little girl a sweet play space.  First things first, the room needs a fresh coat of paint! So far the first step is my stumbling block since I have leftover paint that I'll be using but, somehow, not one single paint brush or roller cover.  Here are some of the projects I'll be working on:

 Reading Nook via pinterest

 Book Shelves via pinterest

Mobile via pinterest

Sensory Boards via pinterest

Cross Stitch Wall Art Pattern via scribd

Sounds like a lot to get done in the maybe four to five weeks before the baby arrives.  I better go get those brushes and roller covers! Fear not, I have started some of these projects.

color me monday-part 2

color me monday

I'm in love with these colors.  My husband jokes that all the rooms in our house when we are finished will either be blue or green.  Not so, I've added a little bit of yellow to the house, for now anyway.

I took this picture of one of my favorite hostas in my garden and, again using pixlr, created this color palette.

Using Olioboard I created this collage of products in my hosta color palette.  What do you think?  

burlap containers

I haven't had much time for crafting lately but managed to squeak in a few minutes to whip up these containers for our fathers day picnic.

I had saved a few tin cans thinking that someday I would get around to making something with them.  Well, I finally used them.  I had originally intended to make crochet sleeves for them and plant some herbs in them but that didn't happen.  The newsprint was free, the burlap was leftover from the curtains, and the yarn was from the dollar store.  I trimmed the burlap to the correct height and then pulled a few strands out to give it a fringe effect.  I'm quite happy with them but if you try this on your own pay attention to the news.  I accidentally used an advertisement for a divorce lawyer, not what I had in mind for fathers day picnic arrangements.  I don't think my husband even noticed, thankfully.

burlap projects - part I

Happy Saturday! We are patiently awaiting the arrival of our little one that is due any day now.  Soon, hopefully, I'll be busy learning how to be a good mommy, changing diapers and most importantly holding and loving our new baby.  With that I felt I should share with you one of the projects I recently completed.

Now that our living room is nearing completion it's time for some window treatments.  I whipped up these burlap curtains using a $10.00 roll of burlap from the hardware store.  They needed a good wash and air out but the smell has gone away now.  I still want to do some valances for the windows and for the office nook but I'll get there.

These were super simple to make, just panels with a rod pocket.  I didn't even bother with a hem because I wanted a worn look.  Of course I used crochet flowers to tie them in the center because I have sort of an addiction to crochet flowers.  I'll eventually have them in some form in every room.  The flowers are actually pinned to the curtain in the center with a loop of yarn wrapped around the flower and the curtain.

I have some other burlap projects in mind since I only used a portion of the roll but I'll get to them later, I hope. 

flower cushions and baby blankets

I have to apologize for being absent lately.  We are in the middle of renovations in two rooms so that has kept us pretty busy.

I finally finished my flower cushion so I thought I should share it with you.  I'm so happy with how it turned out that I think I might make a smaller version for the baby's room.

I also finished a little baby blanket for one of the many arrivals due this spring.  Again, I'll most likely make another for the baby's room with a little bit of yellow added.

I have lots of projects to work on for the new living room and 'parlor' so stay tuned for progress.  I hope to be painting walls next week so hopefully it won't be long before you see some of the other projects like making my couch look pretty with some thrift store fabric, some more pillows, closet home office organization and whatever else I think the rooms need.

changing table

Whew! I can finally cross this project off the list.  This changing table was in need of some freshening so to pieces it went for a coat or 3 of paint.  Mint green, of course, to match the dresser that has been sent to the closet for the time being.  Some new hardware, shelf lining and presto.  Now I'll need to work on some baskets for the shelves to hold all those things you need handy when there's a naked, crying baby laying there.

Also had to share my big score for the day.  On a whim, and because I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket, I stopped at the local thrift store.  Of course I always head right to the back corner where all the linens are because I can always use curtains, sheets and tablecloths.  I was quite happy to find these bedding pieces.  The duvet and pillow shams will be perfect for sprucing up my tired couch when we finish the living room.  Soft blues and yellows, what more could I ask for at $10.80 to support the local SPCA.

almost finished projects

I had hoped to share with you a few completed projects.  Well, one is complete anyway.  The others aren't too far off.

I made a version of this for myself last year (minus the flower) and had planned to make one for my niece.  Well, I started it, got a few rounds in and then forgot about it.  Now I think a soft yellow hat just doesn't fit her personality so I finished it smaller than originally planned for the new arrival.  All that's left now is to weave in the ends and attach the flower.  Hopefully there are no surprises ahead.

I started this scarf on vacation and finished it all except for attaching the buttons so that was an easy one to cross off the list.  It really didn't take very long to crochet considering it's nothing more than a few rows of double crochet. 

My most recent project made it to the top of the list after finding this pattern on Ravelry.  I couldn't decide if I wanted the whole front in petals or just the center so I did both.  Clearly I'm not quite finished, all those ends to weave in, but hopefully soon I can show you the finished product.  Now to decide, do I make it reversible or do I stitch up two simple backs and have two pretty cushions?

crochet pillow & love bug

Well, I'm finally starting to cross some of those projects off my list.  For  years now I've been thinking that my house needs pillows, lots and lots of pillows, so here's one for the nursery (I promise I'll get to the rest of the house someday).



I have to admit that I'm sort of a wimp when it comes to crochet, I always stick with the easy patterns.  One day I'll have to take the next step but until then I'll just wing it like I did with this pillow.  I'm a big fan of rows and alternating them with the back loop only.  This one is just that in a half double crochet.  What can I say, I like simple.  All along I thought I would do a shell stitch around the edge but when it came time to do it I wimped out.  The answer?  The picot stitch in, surprise, aqua.  Nice and simple.  Of course now I'll say that the shell stitch would have been too heavy but maybe that's just me making excuses. 

I also couldn't resist trying this little bug in that same aqua color.  This is the first little creature I've tried and I think I might be addicted.  I attached it to a simple little "blankie" of cotton and flannel but I think I'd like to add a little crochet trim to it (perhaps more picot stitch) but at the moment I'm not sure how.  I'll have to do a little research on how to add crochet to fabric like this.  So for now I guess it's on to the next project, which one will it be?

a painted little nursery

It's been a very long time since I've communicated with the outside world so I thought I should show a couple of the projects I've been working on and share with you why I've been missing. 

We discovered a few months ago, much to our surprise, that we'll be welcoming our first bundle of joy this April, so preparations are in full swing around here.  In addition to other projects around the house, renovating two rooms, we are preparing a nursery.  Luckily the majority of the work is done. 

I've been wanting to paint this dresser for a long time and probably would have painted it white but since it's now for a child's room I figured I could get away with something more colorful.

I've always loved the color of this room.  This was the first room we tackled after buying the house and I knew long before we started renovations what color I wanted.  I went with a minty green for the dresser because, well, I had some left over from another project and I loved it with the pale sea glass walls.

I painted the nightstand to match which also coordinates with one of my favorite books I picked up several years ago at the local used books store.

I still have lots of work to do to get ready like finish painting the changing table, touch up trim here and there and crochet lots of cute little things for our new baby.  I'll try to be better about sharing with you all the excitement to come.