Pretty Fabric Lamp

Supplies:

Lamp with wire frame - I got mine at Goodwill

Spray paint - if you want to change the color of the lamp base

Scraps of fabric - I cut strips about 1.5 inches wide and a variety of lengths (from 6 inches)

1 - If desired, spray paint the base, I used these directions as a guide (Directions to paint a lamp).

2 - Remove the fabric or paper from the lamp shade, exposing the wire frame.

3 - Starting along the bottom, tie one end of a piece of scrap on a vertical wire.  Go across to the next vertical wire and tie it.  I just used a single knot, and it seems to hold fine.  If the lamp might be moved a lot or touched a lot do a square knot.  I trimmed all the fabric when I was done. The frayed edges and some loose threads are part of it's charm.

4 - Just keep going around and around. So simple and looks great when lit up.

Pin It

Pillows and a Night Light Rug

 I made a 20 inch by 20 inch yo-yo pillow with scraps leftover from some napkins and such. It's a pretty easy pillow to make, all the circles and connecting the circles don't require a sewing machine, so it's perfect for Olympic viewing.

I also made a monogrammed 18 inch by 18 inch burlap pillow. I washed the burlap in a bucket, it frays really bad and I was worried about jamming up my washing machine.  I washed it a couple of times as well as let it sit out in the monsoon rains. I also sprayed it with some homemade fauxbreeze to help with the smell as well as soften it a bit.  I couldn't print an H big enough, so I printed it as big as I could on a 8.5 x 11, and then decided the ratio and then taped off the straight lines with painters tape and drew out the rest of the border with a Sharpie. I sponge-painted on the burlap with acrylic paint combined with fabric medium, 1 to 1 ratio.  Then I zig zagged it to a muslin backing, and made an envelope pillow with black fabric at the back. 

The combination by day.

 The rug by night.

The rug was a bit of a project, but I really liked how it turned out.
Materials:
4 rope lights
7-9 100 ft clothesline ropes ( I actually can't remember, I got them at our local dollar store)
large crochet hook (the largest you can find)

I was inspired by http://topstail.com/diy-area-rug-led-floor-lamp-bright-white-carpet-light, but I have had little to no experience with crocheting.  Well I consulted a very helpful neighbor as well as looked for specific directions here. Once on that website, you can click on google preview, scroll to page 14-15 to see how to do it specifically. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it.  You just need to add a quick chain/running stitch every now and then as you expand the circle so your rug doesn't turn into a basket. Also the hardest part is at the beginning, but after the first 3-4 circumferences it gets together. I didn't take any pictures of the progress as I wasn't very confident on how it would turn out. Pin It

Frame Modification

Zoe and I found an old wood frame at Goodwill.  I removed the glass, cleaned it up, and then painted it roughly with teal paint.  I used eye hooks to attach picture wire along the back. I also added some hooks along the bottom of the frame, for keys and lanyards.  I also got some small wood clothespins and spray painted them a rust color.

Pin It

Inexpensive and cool dorm shelving

Within a couple of months, using coupons and watching for sales, I bought six plain wood crates at Joanns (http://www.joann.com/wood-crate/xprd74816/.

I stenciled them first, inspired by this blog (http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com).  But I couldn't quite get the paint to flow, so I used a sharpie to first outline the stencil, but I did use a ball-point pen to trace around the printed stencil.  This is a perfect activity to do while watching some TV, like catching up on Breaking Bad.

After stenciling, I stained them with Minwax, color Jacobean.  I might have gone lighter and used the Dark Walnut, but I like the grey tones in the Jacobean. After staining them, I let them dry overnight, and then I waxed them with Briwax in Dark Brown. You could also use a polyurethane, but I wanted the finish of the wax, plus I had some already. Pretty cool, huh?

We don't know the space where these would go yet, but we could get some planks of wood to stretch between a couple of the crates, as well as add some casters. I will do a follow up blog once they are in the final position.

Pin It

When Javalinas Attack

A couple of weeks ago, our dog Macy started barking frantically around 2:00 am, we finally quieted her down and went to the front door and saw a pack of javelinas on our porch.

They walked away when Scott knocked on the door.  When we woke up the next morning, we saw the destruction they left behind.

Scott purchased some plants for me. And I repotted them.

Here are the replacements:

This was the large pot that they knocked off the stand and totally upended.

Pin It

Door ID & Mail Board

Zoe wanted a unique board to hang outside her room. It needed to have a pocket for mail and notes, and some hooks for keys and other stuff.  We were inspired by string art and this tutorial for a mail organizer (http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/05/mail-organizer-tutorial.html). We combined the two into this:

Materials:
12 x 24 canvas
3 cork squares
spray adhesive
fabric to cover canvas
embroidery floss
fabric for the pocket (I used an old shirt.)
small nails/linoleum nails
two picture hanging hooks
hooks

Tools:
staple gun
hammer
strong scissors
glue gun

1 - Using your glue gun, glue the three cork squares together, just run the glue around the edges.  Place something heavy on top to flatten them while drying.

2 - Trim the cork to fit inside the back on the canvas, see the next three pix. I used my kitchen scissors to cut through the cork, using a exacto knife makes a mess.

3 - Glue the cork to the canvas, again just on the edges.  Staple the cork to the edge of the frame.

4 - Cut the fabric about 2 inches wider than the edge of the canvas.  Spray the front of the canvas with the spray adhesive and stretch the fabric around the front and staple in place on the back.

5 - Add the two hanging hooks to the upper corners of the back.

6 - Print out your initial. We used the font DeLouisVille, size 1200.  You want to fill up an 8.5 x 11 paper as much as possible, also if possible, use the Outline font function (just to save ink).

7 - Use the nails and press around the edge of the initial. For the most part, you can push the nails into the canvas, but you might need to use a hammer. Then carefully tear the paper off.

8 - Just knot the floss and go back and forth between the nails.

9 - Now refer to http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/05/mail-organizer-tutorial.html  for the pattern and directions for making and adding the pocket.

10 - Add hooks to the bottom. I spray painted mine.  And you are done!

Pin It

Some Dish Towels and Napkins

Following the clear instructions here (http://gingercake.typepad.com/gingercake/2012/01/nine-minute-everyday-napkins-tutorial.html), I made a set of napkins using the fabric picked out in the color scheme.  I also used the same fabrics to spiffy up some everyday dish towels.  

Pin It