I did it again

Yep - sewing has once again been monopolizing my time. In between, of course, going to school, washing bottles and trying to keep the house in some sort or order. I've been playing with a couple of different projects...

My best friend in the whole wide world recently got her very own studio space and I am lucky enough to turn it into fun land. Seriously - go check her out - she's awesome. Hadley Scott Photography. Also, check out her blog - there is a ridiculously cute baby on it...just saying. We're not going too crazy - leaving the walls white - better for the whole picture taking thing - we don't need a haze of green or turquoise all over the babies. I've been busy turning readymade Target curtains into semi-custom fun ones. It is remarkably easy to do this and much more cost effective, especially when you need "luxury" length panels. I'll probably go into more detail later - so here's just a quick sneak peak.

Ah..my kitchen. We have been in need of proper treatments for these windows forever (and they're still not quite done, but y'know) but I've had a bit of difficulty wrapping my head around fabric selections and what to do about the shutters which threw off the proportions.

these were the first idea - stage coach valances; loved the print, picked up on the blues and greens in the other rooms, but the measurements got a little off and I wasn't thrilled and at this point, Sam was insisting we had to keep the shutters - so it always felt off. And obviously I never truly committed because I never hemmed the ties... Though, for one of the first sewing projects I tackled, it was a good learning experience.

Then, over the weekend we had the prettiest weather - sun out, just warm enough, birds chirping - it was perfect. But our kitchen was SO dark. And we just decided to take down the panels on the french doors because we were missing out on the light and so I decided to take down the shutters and it was lovely. All the light!!

Second idea, really did this as a "test run" for a friend, but then we decided that the inverted pleat valance was more appropriate for her room. I was never really happy with how this turned out anyway. But, you can see how I am already thinking "these shutters have to go!"

And I'll be honest, I put off handwashing the baby bottles a little less now and when it is officially spring & summer I will get to stare at my neighbor's blooming roses and other pretty flowers.

So I ripped the seams of the "faux roman shade" and sewed a large rectangle with lining. The lining is really more the view from the outside but I could go on and on about that - another day. I'm still trying to decide whether I want ribbon ties or accent fabric ties so they are tied up temporarily with scraps from the ribbon drawer... I am super pleased with the result though. And I LOVE having a view now instead of staring at shutters that constantly need to be dusted! ha!

On a whim today, and because I saw that the flannel was on sale, I got the idea to make William a new blanket. Something a little lighter weight than his plushy ones but still large enough to wrap him in the carseat/stroller. Plus, we have lots of friends expecting babies, and I was dying to practice making a flannel blanket. Fun for me - it only took about an hour and that included keeping the baby out of the trashcan. Cut out the size you want with fabric stacked, line up, pin bias tape, sew the tape, fold over and sew the other side of the tape shut and done. Easy cheesey. It's so cute and I think he likes it too...

It's yellow gingham, green pinstripes, and blue binding. It's just shy of 36"x36" I think. I had four yards of bias tape, so I needed to keep the dimensions under this because I wasn't interested in attaching more pieces midway... I think it's adorable. Almost as cute as my sweet little button.

Target Is Psychic

Our Master Bedroom has been a 'struggle' for me. We picked the paint color because we had liked it so much in the guest bedroom at the dream house, but the bedding was for a full bed & we had to leave the roman shades with the house, so we knew that we would have to get new bedding, draperies, etc. Then I found the most gorgeous peacock white/chocolate toile fabric and fell in love so I made curtain panels to go behind our bed. And then I got stuck. We have always like the "hotel" bedding, simple and easy borders, and could get it for under $100 in white and chocolate and thought that would fix the problem. But something was always nagging at me. I felt like the wall color was random and just plopped on the wall with no real plan. I waffled between painting the walls a more neutral color and going very monochromatic with the color scheme, to trying to find a new fabric for the windows because the corallyorange was feeling like such a random paint color choice.

But we still loved the color and truthfully, I didn't want to have to move all the furniture and paint the room when we JUST finished painting the last room in the house. And then, we had to go to Target to get prescriptions refilled, and while wandering around, it happened. Target knew exactly what I needed and saved me all the trouble of either searching endlessly or painting.

I couldn't believe it. The color was perfect, the pattern was just 'eclectic' enough to make all the random wall art fit it, and it was lovely. Sam and I both stopped in our tracks. He continued on looking at other stuff and keeping the cart moving so William would stay happy - and I just stayed there holding the bedspread and thinking, trying to vision the "new" plan.

random picture from google - don't remember where I found it -but aren't the panels lovely?!

Unfortunately, now the peacock window treatments have to go. Way too busy and formal to go with the new bedspread - we're going to try them in the dining room - but I don't think they are going to do anything for that room - but we'll see. And to replace them in the bedroom - I'm thinking burlap curtains. It's cheap, chic, and will be a perfect neutral warm tone addition to the room. I'm feeling optimistic now and completely unstuck about our bedroom.

picture found at Freckles Chick, but I think it's originally from The Lettered Cottage

Remind me to never "design" a room without a full and complete plan again. Way too difficult to just add to it as I go without a full vision of what I want. And it's hard (and sort of embarrassing) to admit that because it was my job to help other people get unstuck and always have the answer. But all is well that ends well.