Can I get some more houndstooth please?

It's been a busy weekend for me working on a bunch of different projects.  Ideas just flew into my head as I was planning the things I needed to do!  

So I'd been having trouble keeping my necklaces orderly and out of an untangled monster blob in my jewelry box and I'd been keeping my eye out for tutorials on making something to keep them in line.  I contemplated a picture frame with window screen mesh, but that stuff is wicked expensive for how little I wanted.  I thought about ribbons and snaps and that just sounded way too complicated.  

Before

Ultimately I went with what I know...fabric!  I bought a picture frame with a decent design at the thrift store for $1.62.  BTW, I chose a paint color for the desk project and thought, hmm, I should paint this picture frame to match.  So I did.  I removed the glass and was left with a few pieces of cardboard.  I didn't have batting, but I do have some polar fleece that I saved from the trash (don't ask) that I stapled to the cardboard.  Then I stapled another piece of beautiful preppy green houndstooth over it.  Popped it all back in the frame and thought, now what?  Well I wanted it to be an effective but simple solution, so I used those pearly glass topped pins stuck into the fabric to hold the necklaces.  Heavy pieces like the one in the middle needed a couple pins.  I alternated white and green pins, because I have a type A personality.  So far it seems to be a good project, and it didn't come crashing down in the middle of the night like other things I've hung.  Now if I could only get Carlton to stop jumping up at it to play with the pretty chains...

After!  Sorry you can't tell the size of this, but I think it's about 10x14...

Nobody puts Carlton in the corner!

Sometimes a deal doesn't save you money...

I needed a desk for the sewing machine and I've been cruising around CL (craigslist) for one over the past several weeks.  Yesterday I thought I struck gold again with a "like new white desk, we think it's Pottery Barn, only $50" ad.  As soon as I saw it, I replied and met the man after work.  He showed me the desk which was filthy and looked like it had been setting in his garage for decades.  I offered $40, and he said no because he's had a lot of responses on it.  I really doubted it was actually a Pottery Barn desk because it was kind of flimsy.  Exasperated that I had driven so far to look at it, I yielded and paid $50.  As soon as we picked it up to load it, I could tell it wasn't that sturdy!  I was scared it would break on it's way in my door, and even worse, that my sewing machine would be too heavy for it!  Ugh...why do I do this to myself?  After I got it in my house, I washed it down only to discover the grime won't come off!  ARGGHHH now I have to paint it :(  On the bright side, I'm thinking of painting it a nice sage green or possibly robin's egg blue.  Ooo maybe I'll match the green in my favorite houndstooth fabric!  That'll tie everything together nicely  :)

On the flip side, I went to the nearby thrift store last week and scored a queen size pleated bed skirt for $1!!  It's an adorable green check that magically happens to match my comforter.  Now this is an amazing deal because I've been wanting a bed skirt for ages!  The same one isn't available right now, but the others run around $80 plus. 


I guess what I saved in the bedskirt, I paid for the desk.  I guess the moral of the story is, if you have any doubts about it, don't buy it!

I heart houndstooth!

I feel like I had a pretty productive weekend, all things considered.  Here's a quick recap.


I'm sitting at my new (to me) Pottery Barn Kids (that's right!) desk, thanks to craigslist.  A lady had 2 of them for her kids that she was getting rid of and I was one of the lucky buyers!  It's the Keaton desk from 2006 in a honey oak color.  The desk is basically a table on casters and there's a hutch with a big corkboard and shelf on top.  She sold it with a rolling filing cabinet style table and the matching chair.  I'm sure this was around $1000 or more new, and I rolled it away for the sweet price of $150.  Ka-ching!  Awesome deal :D  

I decided to recover the seat of one of my mismatched dining room chairs yesterday.  I told you that the green houndstooth would return!  It would be more cohesive as a look if I painted the wood cream to match the fire place screen, but we'll see if I get around to that.  Here's hoping Carlton doesn't use it as a new scratching post!  Looks much better, no?  Whoever put the plaid on before didn't seem to notice how crooked it was.


Before:

After:

Carlton!

Zucchini Bread sweetened with Applesauce

I baked zucchini bread today even though it's 104 degrees outside, actual temperature.  I don't want to know what the heat index is!  


I know there are a lot of zucchini bread recipes out there, but I thought I'd share my concoction.  I sweetened it with applesauce to cut down on the fat/calories scariness.  


To make 2 loaves:


Mix together:
3 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder


In a separate bowl, mix together:
2 cups shredded zucchini, patted with some paper towels to cut down on the juice
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just moistened.  Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.  Divide dough between two pans.  Bake at 350 for about an hour.  Be sure to check it beforehand though!  My oven runs wicked hot so they were done in 45 min :D


Enjoy!

Carlton update

Hi friends!  Since the cable was shut off (no, I didn't forget to pay the bill!) that someone else had apparently paid for, and my internet is spotty at best, I decided to stitch up some squares tonight.  I'm working on a vintage sheet queen size quilt using 6" blocks, alternating a cute little cream/green/purple polka dotted new fabric with the vintage sheet squares.  Who decides he has to be literally in the center of all the action?  Carlton...

It was cute until I realized he'd been chewing on the foot pedal cord and then I was rather upset.  I didn't get a $$$$ sewing machine to be a cat chew toy!!  Yes, that lovely is my graduation present - a Bernina 440 Quilter's Edition complete with BSR.  Wooot woot :D  Look for more hopefully amazing projects in the future!

Vanity Mirror Turned Fireplace Screen

I'm not really sure how this idea popped in my head, but last weekend I decided to turn this vanity mirror I bought for a quarter at a garage sale into a fireplace screen.  My fireplace is a little blah so I thought this would do wonders at sprucing it up.  Plus, it's probably the cheapest project I've ever done.

The trifold mirror was 25 cents because one of the pins was broken, so I stuck a nail in it and viola! fixed (duh).  The fabric was on clearance at Joann's and since I heart houndstooth, I had to have it for $4 for almost 2 yards.  I used Elmer's spray adhesive which is about $4.


First, I made a paper pattern of the mirror pieces by tracing along the trim.  Then I cut out the fabric and messed it up by first making two of one side.  Oops!  (There are a lot of oopses when I craft).  

Next, I took it outside.  That spray glue reeks!  I chose the temporary tacky option since I may change it someday.  So you spray both surfaces and wait 5 min before you put them together.  

Rub out the bubbles and trim up any excess.  There ya have it - a shabby chic fireplace screen! 

Vintage Sheet Swap Project #1 Completed!

Hello!  I know I'm sort of sporadic about my posts.  I've moved for my new job and had training and all, so I've been busy decorating and learning etc. etc.  I have managed to finish my first project from my lovely stash of vintage sheet fat quarters.  


I stumbled upon the lovely Pink Penguin blog awhile ago after I had purchased the Spring 2010 issue of Stitch magazine.  The author, Ayumi Takahashi, had a plastic bag dispenser featured in the magazine.  She has great tutorials on her blog too.  I decided the Quilted Placemats Tutorial would be a perfect way to showcase some of my vintage sheets in my new apartment.  I say perfect because, frankly, I was scared to cut big pieces out of my fat quarters!

I finished 2 placemats and am pretty happy with how they turned out.  I did make a few mistakes that should make the next versions come out improved.  I skipped the spray on basting step and after I was finished quilting the white center, the placemats were a little more like a rhombus than a rectangle!  I think next time I'll quilt the white before sewing the patchwork strips on the edges to make sure it's straight.  I guess I had a mental block when I was sewing the bias tape on.  I used purchased double fold bias tape and machine stitched it to the back of the placement.  Duh - now the front has hand stitching showing instead of a nice straight line!  Oops...  

The patchwork edge is an assortment of vintage sheets.  The white fabric in the center is Kona linen that was 50% off at Joann.  I bought a ton to make a cathedral window quilt - to be continued later.  The bias tape is Wright double fold bias tape.  I used leftover light loft batting and the back of the placemats is a purple cotton I found in the remnant bin super cheap.  

There's more in the pipelines for my vintage sheet stash.  I actually have received my box from a second swap I participated in.  I think my new kitten, Carlton, likes them!  I should probably make something for him soon!  He's fascinated with trying to help me type :/