Paint in My Hair

You'll Never Win Against a Power Ranger/Masked Man/Super Hero!

This morning I decided to skip one battle with Luke.  "Go ahead, wear the Power Ranger costume to school.  The cape and mask too?  Well, sure.  Just please get in the car before we are late."

Thanksgiving Table Plans

I just ordered these plates from Heather's shop for Thanksgiving.  I like setting the table with nice glasses, cloth napkins, my antique linens and paper plates.  Plates take up so much room in the dishwasher and there are so many fun choices.  This year I'll use these.  Trader Joe's is carrying these small branches with red berries that would be lovely for a center piece.  If I get really ambitious I'll make these:

She shared a tutorial last year.

Last year I shared some of my favorite Thanksgiving tables I've done in years past (paper plates and all).  Happy decorating.  

Lily's Room Part Four-- The Bed

So here are the final pics of Ms. Lily's room.  I found this four poster bed on Craigslist and knew it was perfect for her.  

I love old furniture because I can do whatever I want to it without worrying about ruining it.  I painted the bed a neutral champagne (with a little metallic) with turquoise underneath.  I wore down the champagne in places so the turquoise would come through and I added the leaf motif on the foot board. (PS I ruined a lot of shirts working on this projects.  When will I learn??)

I also added rods between the posts so Lily could have curtains around it.  She's quite the romantic, so I knew she would love that.  For the curtains I used mesh curtains from Ikea and one panel of my Bamboo Thicket in Citron--lined, of course.  

I did a simple box pleat on the bedskirt--so easy--and trimmed it in Turquoise Painters Canvas.  If you are a beginning sewer a bedskirt is a really easy project with big impact.  

I do love piping!!  I wouldn't call it a beginning sewing project, but it's not that hard.  And it's definitely worth learning to do.

This beautiful quilt was designed and made by Cindy Luby from Del Ray Fabrics.  I love the zig-zag pattern with the houndstooth. The pattern will be available soon.  I'll keep you posted.

If you want to do some of the DIY projects I made for Lily's room here are some tutorials you may find useful: 

Sew Piping: http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/2011/07/how-to-make-your-own-piping.html

Curtains: http://annasnest.com/article/how-to-make-lined-curtains

Sew a Bed Skirt: www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/Blog/Bed_Skirt.pdf

Add a Box Pleat: http://sew4home.com/projects/bed-linens/907-citron-a-gray-nursery-4

Cover a Lamp Shade:http://www.designsponge.com/2011/03/diy-project-lias-custom-lampshades.html

Pillowcase Update

A big thanks to Mary Ann Scanlon, Karen Greb and Katheleen Bridges who whipped up some pillowcases for Piece for Paul.  A package is leaving for Uganda in seven days (that's the 14th).  Anyone feeling ambitious??  They are still a few pillowcases short.  It's very expensive to ship things to Uganda so they wanted to do something personal and light weight for Christmas this year.  The children share a room with many other children and have few personal possessions.  So I think this is the perfect gift.

If you think you can have one to Portland in seven days (Yikes!) email me for the address.

There are other ways you can help out too.  Just check out the Peace for Paul website.  As I mentioned before, my brilliant niece Ellie helped to create the foundation, so it is close to my heart.

Thanks again to all those who have helped out (including some sweet ladies in my congregation in St Louis!!).

I'd better get sewing!

PS--funny thing the kids have said--

I was talking to Grant about potty training and he said, "I wanna ride the potty train."  If only such a train existed.

I did a foolish and desperate thing.  I took the boys to Marshalls.  I thought I could do a little clothing shopping.  Right.  After a half an hour we were all pretty much in tears so I broke down and bought an overpriced box of candy (to bribe them in stages).  Luke was ecstatic about getting a piece of candy every time he'd been good for five minutes.  I knew he had really learned a lesson when he said, "I hab a good idea.  When all duh candy is gone, den we can be rude."   Oops.  Wrong lesson.

Garden Windows, by Katie Blakesley

My new friend Katie Blakesley from DCMQG is the designer and creator of this charming quilt, Garden Windows.  I love how she framed my prints with the "Painter's Canvas."  

You can download the project sheet on Katie's blog.  And she will sharing a tutorial on her blog on November 15th.  

Lily's Room Part Three--The Dresser

So you may remember when I painted my grandmothers dresser the first time for my studio. 

Between being in my studio and the move it had gotten a bit beat up, so instead of starting over I just added some colors (green and gold) and a varnish. I like it even more now.

I love those Folk Art metallic craft paints.  I use them for all sorts of things.  And I used Polyurethane to Varnish it, which made is super glossy.  But I like that for this piece.  

Another hot glued lamp shade.  Easy peasy.  Pam (Del Ray Fabrics) made the curtains.  Thank you Pam!!!!  She used an existing curtain from Ikea to line them with, keeping the tabs and everything. Isn't that clever?? (I'm totally bragging cause it was my idea.)  Pam returned them beautifully sewn, ironed and hanging on a hanger for me.  It is so nice to have friends who sew better than I do.  I know Pam will be carrying a lot Garden Wall.  But it doesn't ship until January so I guess all this is just a teaser.

Super Leopard

I know I just posted this morning, but I have something else to say.  Plus, I'm trying to think of any activity to justify sitting. Ahhhh sitting.  Plus, both my boys are miraculously asleep at the same time!  So, I thought this was funny...

Luke loves to dress up, so when I saw these paper masks at David Butler's booth I thought, "Oh good, something I can bring home to Luke." (BTW David's new line is so cool.)  Luke loved the mask so much it led to a complete change in costume plans.  Before he wanted to be a leaopard. Now he wanted to be a SUPER Leopard.  Alrighty then.  

Who am I to argue with that.  Only slightly less ridiculous, we also had a banana and an old school Power Ranger.  I didn't buy the boys any costumes this year because I didn't see anything I liked. Costco did not come through with their usual awesome selection.   Luckily we have a very robust dress up bin, since we love dress up so much.  

The cape that Luke is wearing was made for Dave by his mom when he was a little boy.  Isn't that cool?  There certainly is something to be said for handmade costumes. 

Lily's Room-Part Two, The Chandelier

I just got back from Market yesterday.  What a blast.  I'm so glad to have an excuse to rendezvous with friends and family.  Heather was home with baby (I really missed her). But my mom came (we did some hand quilting together).  And I shared a room with my girl Shannon from Fabric Nosherie.  Also hung out with (though not enough) my new friends from Del Ray Fabrics and DCMQG.  Then there's the lovely Michael Miller folks (such a nice company to work with) and so many talented designers.  What a treat.

At the moment I am CRASHING.  Took a nap, watched a show, raided some trick-or-treat-bags. Just revving up for the cleaning, laundry, emails, cooking, grocery shopping, etc ahead.  Gotta love reentry. 

 

I found the chandelier on craigslist--See the before picture below.  I spray painted it "nickel" and then dry brushed it with a mixture of gold and brown craft paint.  I used beading wire to string the beads and I covered the shades in my Porcelain Tile print(no sewing, just good old fashioned hot glu).

 I really enjoyed this project and when I get back to my St Louis home I think I'll do a lot more with the lighting.  A funky chandelier makes such a big impact in a room.