I Love Burlap, Y'all!

As we've been decorating our house in a "coastal" theme, little by little I've been acquainting myself with more natural textures, colors and materials.  I have a new appreciation for wood, pottery, glass, twine, and - you guessed it - burlap!  (It also might be the south coming out in me.)

In addition to this, I was planning our family Christmas/maternity photography session.  I had been seeing all these banners people have made on pinterest, like this one, and this one, and I really liked them.  I found a couple on etsy.com, but then I decided I could just make one. :)

Here's what you'll need:

- Paper

- Letter stencils

- Burlap

- Twine

- Black acrylic paint

- Paint brush

- Black thread

- Scissors

- Needle

Directions:

1. Decide what you want your banner to say.  The number of letters (plus spaces), is how many pieces of burlap you will need.  We went with "Be Merry".  Some more cute ideas would be your last name, the year, "Merry Christmas", "Blessed", "Love Joy Peace", "Let It Snow"...

2. Choose the size/shape of pennant you want.  Cut a piece of paper to that shape.  Then, using it as a template, cut pieces out of the burlap.  Burlap is a messy fabric, little pieces of it go flying when you cut, and it's very prone to fraying.  Just be cautious when cutting. :)

3. Lay your pieces of burlap out on a solid surface, with something like a trash bag underneath.  

4. Lay the stencils on the burlap.

5. Paint the letters on the burlap.  (p.s.: don't use spray paint.  I tried - epic fail.)

6. Once they're dry, do a very easy, rudimentary stitch at each corner to the twine.  I don't have a picture of this, because the first time around, I stapled them, and with the big holes in burlap, you can imagine how well that held up.  I put the stitches in later.

7. Display, use for pictures...

This is what we used for our Christmas card this year.  

I really love how it turned out!

Although it's a little hard to see, because of the light coming through the door, but we used the banner in our Christmas decorating as well. :)

I'm really happy with how it turned out!

I also made a little wreath, based off of this wreath I found on pinterest.  There is no wrong way, or end all, be all elements, but here's what I used:

Need:

- Small-ish wreath

- Fabric to make rosettes

- Fabric flower(s)

- Burlap

- Twine

- Black Sharpie

- Hot glue gun

I have instructions on how to make rosettes and fabric flowers in this post.  I used some old pajamas, that I loved the pattern of, but they ripped, some fabric scraps, and burlap. :)

Directions:

1. Make rosettes, or fabric flowers.  You could use anything though, buttons, silk flowers, pine branches...

2. Cut the burlap into small triangles

3. Write on the burlap with Sharpie.  I wrote "Blair", since I planned to hanging it on the front door.  Also, this doesn't limit it to only the holiday season.

4. Hot glue the triangles to twine, and that to the wreath.

5. Hot glue rosettes and flowers to wreath.

And, voila!  There you have it!  Some cute, and easy ways to add burlap, and natural fabrics to your holiday decor.

Let me know what you think, and if you have any ideas that you've fallen in love with.

Spruce Up Your Dining Room Set!

Small household projects.  They're one of my favorite things.  Especially the ones that are inexpensive, quick and easy.

That was the case with this reupholstering project.  In an ideal world, I would have a giant spool dining room table.  However, I can't find one, AND even if I could, I live on the 3rd floor, so getting it up the stairs would be kind of interesting...

We have a cute, perfectly "apartment" sized dining room set, that was a hand-me-down from Dan's aunt and uncle.  The only thing is, that the seat covers were never really my favorite.  There was nothing wrong with it, it was just black and white checkered.  But we were wanting something a little more fun, and "us".
So, this is a tutorial on how to take something that looks like this:

To something that looks like this:

You only need a few things:

- Fabric - the pattern/type will depend on your liking.  The thicker the material (like a heavy duty linen) is going to last longer than a cotton one.  But that's up to you.  When it comes to pattern, I say get something that makes you happy, that you don't mind looking at every day, and isn't TOO loud.  If it's too loud, it'll limit your linen, dinnerware, and accent options later on.  Another suggestion, is to go more for color than pattern.  If there's a certain color you're really wanting to highlight in your dining room, even a solid color would work out beautifully.  We chose this pattern, because it complemented the accent pillows in our living room (which for us, is about 2 and a half steps away, and we do use them for extra seating when people come over, so it was a consideration), and it complements our dinnerware (which is graphite and green).  The amount of fabric you need will depend on the size of your seat cushions, the number of chairs you are recovering.  Remember, fabric on the roll is folded in half, so you may not need as much as you think.  We forgot this detail, so we ended up with more fabric, but we really like it, so we were actually kind of glad.  Maybe we'll make a runner, or extra pillow covers.  It's also good to have on hand enough to recover at least one, in case of spillage, or what have you (especially with a baby on the way).

- Scissors - My mom always had scissors that were just for fabric, which I didn't understand as a kid, but now I wish I had a pair.  I just used my all-purpose scissors, which worked fine, but it's always just a little easier/neater if you have super sharp scissors.
- Staple Gun - You can get light duty, or heavy duty, or a combination one!  We went ahead and bought the combination one, because then you have it for any sized project!  They're about $20.00.
- Pliers - incase you need to remove old or misplaced staples.

So, this is the fabric we chose.  I love it!  It was 7.99 a yard, and we got 3.  So, not too bad of an investment!

Start by removing the seats from your chairs.  Strike that.  Start with a husband who shares your appreciation for a home improvement project, and get him involved.  Then, get him to unscrew them.  I'm sure that there are chairs out there that are more complicated to take apart, so I would suggest making sure you can take them apart and put them back together before you just jump into this project.

Next, remove the covers that are already on there.  There was a lining on ours, thankfully, so if yours don't, you may need to buy a thin, cotton, light colored fabric to go underneath your pretty fabric.  After all that, you'll have naked seats!

Next, cut your fabric into squares that will cover your seats, with a couple inch hangover.  We were lucky, because ours came to about a square foot each.  A difficulty, however, was how the seats narrowed towards the back side.  It made it a little difficult for folding under.  But we made it work! :)

Lay your seat on the fabric, with the patterned side on the bottom, as if you were wrapping a present.  If you are working with a definite pattern, make sure your pattern is facing the same direction each time.  Fold over the sides, like so:

Make sure it's always nice and tight.

Then, start stapling.  Don't go staple-crazy, as it may pucker, but also make sure it's secure.  (Two sets of hands really helps.)

  

As I said, the corners were the hardest.  So, first staple sides facing each other, the battle the corners.

Then staple.

You may need to get a little creative with your corners.  But this is about what we ended up with most of the time.

Once all your seats are recovered, the only thing left to do, is to screw them back into the frame.  (Again, your chair may be more complicated than that.  It all depends on the construction of the chair.)

Finally, fall in love with your creations, and get a new excitement for your dining room!  So much so, that you decide to do a vase arrangement!

So, with about $40, a couple hours (with shopping), and a little bit of effort, we were able to give a redesigned look to our dining space (because who are we kidding, it's a little nook).

Here's one last look at the final product:

Let me know if you've done anything similar, if you have any suggestions, or questions!  Have a crafty weekend!

10 Minute, DIY, No-Sew Maternity Tunic!

Ahhh... maternity-wear.  Such a sticky, touchy subject.  You wanna wear it, and you kinda want people to know you're finally wearing it, but you also want to look cute, and like "you".

So you buy some, refashion some things you already have, and you can... DIY!

I found this adorable, and super simple DIY maternity tunic at abeautifulmess.com.  Their instructions are really easy to follow, but I'll give you my instructions here as well.  The more the merrier! :)

You will need:

2 yards of jersey knit fabric

Bust, or someone to stand still for a couple minutes, who is approx. your size

Scissors

Exacto knife

Belt/ribbon

So, the first thing you'll want to do, is go to a fabric store, and pick out a jersey knit you like, and buy 2 yards of it.  Jersey isn't expensive, the one I bought was 6.99 a yard.  

I chose gray, because it's an elegant color that goes with a lot, and it's very versatile.

I happen to have a bust, because my fabulous mother-in-law gave me one.  Having a sweet friend, or a helpful husband works just as well.  

The first step is, to find the middle of the fabric.  The same thing that makes jersey so scrumptious also makes it hard to deal with.  it's hard to find a definite "middle".  

Once you find it, line that up with the middle of the back of the neck of the bust, and drape it to the front, to how you want it to eventually lay.

Pull out the edges, to ensure that your material is as centered as possible.

Tie a belt, or ribbon under the bust line, so it'll be as accurate as possible.

I used an exacto knife to start the arm holes.  The original instructions say to cut a 5 inch slit, I say make it 6 inches.  We don't all have spaghetti arms, plus, I think it's more comfortable.

Basically, you're done!  All that's left is evening out the bottom.  and then...

Wear it!!!

Baby Aidan is the size of a papaya!!!

I really liked it with the black leggings, black belt, sweater, boots and chunky necklace.  I kept it simple with the monochromatic colors, but you could and SHOULD mix it up with some color!

I plan on wearing this for our Blair family pictures in a month or so, and I'm going to mix it with navy, yellow and brown, so I'll let you know how that goes! :)

Here's some extra ideas:

- You can leave the tails long, or cut them shorter, whichever suits you best!

- This is a really quick and easy way to look pulled together, even on days when you feel as big as a house.

- Try a patterned jersey!  Be adventurous!  

- This is a super easy and inexpensive gift for a friend who is pregnant!

- This doesn't only have to be a maternity look!  I'm totally wearing this after Aidan arrives!

Hope you enjoy this tutorial, that your project brightens your day, and makes you feel as beautiful, pulled together and rockin' as you are!

100th Anniversary Blue Ball Mason Jar Bathroom Accessories

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  It's the perfect time to try one of those pinterest DIY projects you've been wanting to do, but haven't had the time.

For me, it's a mason jar project.  Not just any kind, but a functional  one.  One I need.  Or at least want.  Bathroom accessories.

Ball just celebrated their 100th anniversary, and produced a commemorative version of their signature blue mason jars.

When I saw this, I knew I had to have them!  I ordered mine from kmart.com, and had it sent to a store.  sears.com and Target also carries them.  They are adorable.  I was so excited when mine arrived!

 Next, I needed some pumps.  I wanted metal, but was willing to get one of those plastic ones they paint to look like metal.  They're actually more expensive than you would think.  If you're looking for one, search "replacement pump", amazon has them, and Lowes and Home Depot carries them too.

Or...

you could do what I did.  I went to Beals Outlet (you could go to TJ MAXX or Marshal's too), and found their bathroom accessory section.  On top of that, they had a clearance section, which was even better.  

So, I found these awful beach ball soap dispensers.

First of all, who would spend $15 on these?  Secondly, yay, they were $2.98!  

You could obviously save money, and use one from a used hand sanitizer or soap.  I just wanted it to look as "finished" as possible.

Next, nab yourself a helpful, and always supportive (oh, and handsome) husband, to help drill a hole in the top of the mason jar lid.

He was very meticulous, measuring out the center of the lid.

And then, he drilled a hole on the top.

Once the hole was done, we put the pump in it.  To make it water resistant, we put caulking around it.

Spread it around, to make sure it's in all the nooks and crannies. 

Wait for it to dry, place on lid, and ta-da!  I made two, one for soap, one for lotion.

Bella had to check it out for herself.

The beach balls were shorter than the mason jars, so I had to go buy some tubing.  They had some at Lowes, and it was SUPER cheap!  Check it out:

14 cents a foot!  Score!

For the toothbrush holder, I just left the metal ring on the jar (taking out the "lid"), for the Q- tip and cotton ball container, I found a votive that fit the top at World Market, took off the whole lid, and done.

I am going to wrap some raffia around the mouth, and hang a little tag that says "lotion" or "soap".  I'm trying to figure out though, if I can laminate chip board.  Anyone know?

Well, hope this helps, and that it inspires you to make something of your own!

Quick review, here's what you'll need:

Mason jars (from a garage sale, or around the house of course would be cheaper, but if you want it to be uniform, buying them would be easiest)

Drill

Replacement hand pump

Caulking

Votive

Possibly extra tubing

Industrial Crate Coffee Table Instructions

So, I've wanted a coffee table for a long while now, but I wanted something that made a statement, that said something about us.  Of course, we could only find something like that at World Market or Pier 1 Imports.  But I don't have a budget that fits those stores.  Therefore, I turned to pinterest, and found this blog, diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com, where she used wine crates to make a coffee table.  Bingo!

For this fantastic piece of art you'll be creating, you'll need:

4 wine crates

4 round ball feet (whatever size, depending on how high you want it)

1 quart stain

2-3 foam brushes

Drop cloth

Sand paper

Short screws

Drill

So, I have been collecting Michael's 40% off coupons, and then my sweet mother-in-law came to town, and bought me my crates.

Originally they were $12.99, but with the coupons, they were $8 each.

Then, I needed to find a stain that I liked.  I don't really like red-based browns, like cherry, and some shades of mahogany, so I wanted to make sure I had a nice, dark brown.  You won't believe it, but this was the hardest part of the process!  The stain I liked was a new color they'd just added, so they didn't have a sample, and I'm a little indecisive, so it took a little longer than needed.

But finally, I settled on 1 quart of Honey, from Minway Polyshades (polyurethane and stain in one), and I love it!

The worst part of the process was the sanding.  The inside of the crates were still rough (one of them wasn't, and if I were doing this again, I would try to make sure they all were clean and sanded down, would've made it easier).  I've never worked with wood before, so I finally learned what "not going against the grain" means.  In this case, it was going side-to-side, rather than up and down.

Next came the staining.  I put down half the drop cloth (all my little patio needed), and started staining the inside first.  

The stain I got was really runny, and a crate being the shape and size it is (slats), it was very difficult to paint it, without dripping.  So, I simply started with the inside, going out, and then set it down on the edges (upside down).

I let them dry, and then stained them again.

I had bought some wood ball feet at Michael's for $1.34 each, and stained those too.

We bought some screws, Dan borrowed the screw driver from church (birthday present idea right there!), and he screwed it all together.  The crates weren't perfect, naturally, so he screwed them together in such away that the top was straight.  So,  the bottom wasn't as straight, which was fine, because on a carpeted floor, it shouldn't matter too much.

He put at least 5 screws on each connecting side.  One more if he felt it needed it.

Finally, he screwed on the feet, and was done.  We kept the middle free, and put a vase in it, for branches, or something like that in the future.
That night, we went to Michael's again, and found a couple things I couldn't live without, and lucky me, they were 50% off!

We liked that it was still "beachy", but with a modern twist.
Also, figured Bella wouldn't be as tempted to chew on it.

Love the color, it's bamboo, it was on sale...
what more do you need?

So, are you ready to see it?

Bella really likes it too!  Just have to learn to jump around it!

I just love how it turned out!

So!  There is my biggest project yet!  I love, love, love it, and it makes me happy every time I walk through the door!

Please leave your comments, and let me know if you have any thoughts, ideas or improvements.  If you're unable to comment, and have any ideas on how to fix THAT (which is a huge pain in my butt) please email me at abigailgracza@gmail.com.

Have a crafty day!