DIY Minky Bed Rail Cover

 

When we moved to our new home a month ago, we took the opportunity of transitioning Livy's mattress/box spring into her "big girl" bed frame which is quite high off the ground, resulting in our purchase of a bed rail...

 

 ...which we found at our favorite resale shop for a great bargain, but it's so ugly!

 

 Hence, a DIY minky cover!  Livy saw this pink minky in the remnant section at Hobby Lobby & insisted that she needed it & I agreed:)

I simply measured the length of the bed rail & sewed the short ends together (RST), cut curves at the top corners, sewed those up and that was it!  No elastic needed and the bottom didn't even need a hem.

For less than $4 and my first project using a stretch needle, I was pretty chuffed to have this whipped up in 15 mins and Livy loves her new "blanket":)

Next, I'm working on a coverlet and matching set of curtains to update Ms. O's room....

Happy Sunday,

Tiffany

DIY Owls are a Hoot!

It's been almost a year since I started this sewing journey and I'm loving it more after each endeavored project:)  Confession: I do find that making clothes for Livy is a wee bit more gratifying than boys clothes...

...however, I decided to try something a bit more involved for Jonah vs the basic applique Ts I had made for him during the 'winter' here & here...

...and so after way too much time dithering about a design, I decided on this yellow chevron fabric and a felt owl...

...this was my first attempt at machine sewing applique and my stitching was a bit wonky but Jonah didn't mind:)

And here is my big boy wearing his completed T with sister sporting her owl skirt:)

Jonah was just up from a nap and not terribly enthused about posing...

...despite Livy's attempts at getting him to cheer up!

I cut the felt letters using the Sizzix Big Shot & Serif Alphabet dies...

...and cut the circles for the owl's eyes with the Big Shot too:)

Sorry for the poor 'night time' lighting but here's a close up of Livy's skirt- simple faux double style:)

This fabric was originally part of a pile of remnants I picked up to make dolly diapers but Livy loved the owls so much, she begged for something to wear:)

And as an update on our DIY kitchen remodel, here's the remainder of the nasty tile counters being demolished today, thanks to Granddaddy...

...and yes, here's a dress that is almost complete for Livy:)

Thanks for stopping by,
Tiffany

DIY Liquid Soap Nut Laundry Detergent

I purchased some Ecos liquid detergent a year ago and I'm just now finishing it!  With our HE machine, I only need 1 tbsp liquid detergent per load and even less for diapers!  However I've been dying to switch to Soap Nuts and just biding my time...

I came across this fabulous post concerning soap nuts which gave me the ammo to try making a liquid version- as I do all my wash in cold water, the liquid is less fussy.

Why soap nuts?

These little gems are:

• organic & non toxic
• fragrance free & hypoallergenic
• sustainable & biodegradable
• HE & standard machine compatible
• renewable alternative to expensive "green" soaps

"Eco Nuts contain saponin, a natural cleaner that works as a surfactant.  When agitated in the washer, the saponin breaks the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away.

Eco Nuts are gentle on both clothes and skin, making them ideal for those with sensitive skin, eczema, allergies and psoriasis.  Because they are so mild and leave little residue, they are perfect for baby clothes and cloth diapers.  The quick biodegradability of Eco Nuts also make then great for septic and grey water systems.  But don't expect these shells to foam up like commercial soaps, which have artificial foaming agents.  Foam simply does not represent cleaning power.  Eco Nuts work in all washing machine with any temperature water.  Eco Nuts have been sterilized for consumer protection."

EcoNutsSoap.com

Ready to make your own liquid soap nut laundry detergent?

Here's what you need:

2 cups water

5-6 soap nuts

1st Batch
Place 2 cups water in saucepan and bring to a boil.  Drop in 5-6 soap nuts and simmer for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool and then strain through cheesecloth or muslin.  Top off the soap nut mixture with water to equal 2 cups and store in desired containers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Optional 2nd Batch
If endeavoring to be very frugal, a second batch can be made with the same soap nuts.  Repeat the process above, this time simmering for 20 minutes.  Soap nut liquid can be transferred to an ice cube tray and frozen- simply add a couple ice cubes to your load of wash!

I can't wait to use my freshly made soap nut liquid & I just discovered that soap nuts can be used to make an all purpose cleaner, appropriate for cars, tires, dishes, people, pets etc...!

And as a bonus, I didn't need to add any soap to my pot for washing up- check out those suds!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Butterfly Applique

 Ms. O seems to go through more play clothes than Jonah so I'm always on the lookout for good deals- I picked up a plain purple tank at GAP on clearance and then found a pair of polka dot knit bottoms at Kid to Kid that matched perfectly, and they were brand new!

 

The trousers were a bit long though so I opted to make them capri length and use the extra fabric to make some butterflies...

...I added some fusible adhesive to the back of the knit and then cut out the butterflies on the handy dandy Sizzix Big Shot- easy!

I also added 2 butterflies to the back of Livy's shirt:)  And as you can see, it's a favorite outfit!

I have dress & a skirt completed, ready to share- just waiting for a little girl to model them, nicely!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Jewelry Organizer

Another Pinterest project completed, finally!

photo courtesy of Pinterest

I have wanted to make one of these jewelry organizers for awhile...

 

...and it's finally complete & hung in its rightful place, serving its purpose beautifully:)

I started with a piece of reclaimed wood from friend, Syl and Granddaddy helped to drill the holes while I kept our little Ms away from the power tools!

 Next I picked out knobs at Hobby Lobby while they were 1/2 price...

...screwed in place and sawed the excess screw off the back...

...attached hanging strips and hung in place, complete with necklaces galore:)

I'm LOVING this piece and its rustic charm and I think of my dear friend, Syl and her fence each time I pass by:)

Cost:

Wood- free

Knobs- <$10

Hardware- free

Total: <$10!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Photo Canvas

 

I pinned this project awhile ago and planned to surprise "Ricky" with some of our wedding pics for Valentines Day...but we were in the midst of listing our home for sale so then I thought to get them ready for "Ricky's" birthday in April...but we were then buying a new home & throwing Livy's farm birthday bash...

so, they just got made...in June!  Oh well:)

I actually had to acquire all of the supplies for this project but it still was WAY more economical than buying these professionally and it made for a fun craft:)

I ordered my prints through Costco, picked up a value pack of canvases at Michaels (ages ago!) and the Mod Podge, foam brushes & paint at Hobby Lobby.

If you're a newbie like me, start by trimming your photo to fit your canvas, swipe Mod Podge over the canvas & afix your photo- allow to dry completely.

Then apply Mod Podge over the photo & allow to dry completely- be sure to keep your brush strokes uniform.  The Mod Podge will dry clear, glossy or matte, depending on your preference.

Next daub paint around the edges- I used a combination of black & bronze & an old cotton cloth.

Allow the paint to dry & then daub some more to your liking:)

Apply some picture hanging strips to the back of the canvas & hang:)

And next I need to tackle our white walls but at least I'm one project closer to completion!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

Bathroom Renovation...

And home renovation continues with the kid's bathroom, the only other room (besides the kitchen) adulterated with wall paper:(

Yesterday evening I put my little Ms to sleep and after a long & productive day, they fell asleep quickly, allowing me to tackle another project before bed...

...I walked by their bathroom and glared at the offending rose colored wall paper, again, and decided to have a go at peeling some away...

...well, it came off easily so I just kept peeling!  And 45 minutes later, I had all the paper down, save a few trouble spots that my growing bump wouldn't allow me to reach safely!

"Ricky" walked in from work as I was finishing and gallantly cleaned up the mess- yeah, he's a keeper:)

And so now, I'm deciding what to do on these now blank walls...texture & paint?  Re- wallpaper?  Decisions, decisions....

I would like to add some bead board and create a subtle beachy theme, focusing on lots of neutrals and some aqua accents, thereby keeping it relaxing & guest friendly- I'm not a fan of Dr. Seuss bathrooms shared by guests...but that's just me!

With the umpteen other projects going, this room might be put on the back burner but at least there is no more rose colored paper on the walls!  Another successful DIY attempt:)

Stay tuned tomorrow to check out some DIY photo canvases that I just completed:)

Tiffany

DIY Kitchen Renovation-Counter Top Removal

So, I shared the beginnings of our DIY kitchen renovation with the removal of the wall paper- now we're tackling the counter tops:)

Granddaddy came over one afternoon (while Ricky was at work) and expertly hammered, wedged and pried apart our hideous navy tile counters and hauled off huge slabs of 'vintage' tile counters to the bin...all in an hour!  He said it was one of the easiest DIY projects he had ever tackled- good thing since there's much still to be done!

Yeah...nasty.  The counters came off in one piece though which kept the mess to a minimum with a few throw sheets placed in strategic places. And now, with the back splash removed, we're ready to finish sanding the walls...in order to apply primer:)

It's slow work but I'm (er, we!) are excited about seeing our new kitchen unfold;)

We've contracted to have the new counters professionally installed (know your limits!) but figured that we saved almost $500 by removing the old counters ourselves (er, thanks to Granddaddy!).  Yeah!

Can't wait to reveal more, but in the mean time, I'm working on a dozen different sewing/craft projects...

 ...and trying to get just one totally complete to share!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany