Lulu & Georgia Inspired Rugs

The other day I was over at Lulu & Georgia, drooling...as usual. Is this my life? To be spent admiring items beyond my means? Drat my ridiculously good taste! *lopsided grin*
This gorgeous Paint Dot Rug and Arrowhead Rug are positively calling my name, but since they cost more than I spent to makeover my entire bathroom, I guess I'll have to settle for a DIY version. 

Materials & Cost
I was thrilled to find these washable cotton kitchen rugs at Target. They absorb the paint well, have plain white backsides, plus I was able to get 10% off because they all had speckles on top! Yep, in my world every cent counts! *wink*
Because I am using the backside of these rugs, it kind of makes these rugs reversible! The paint will not soak through to the other side, so if you wanted you could paint different designs on either side and get two styles for the price of one!

• (Target) Kitchen Rugs - $7.19 each
• (Walmart) 1 Folkart metallic paint, 2 fl. oz. - $1.77
• Leftover Interior Wall Paint, 1/2 cup 
• 3/4" Painters Tape
• Sponge brush &/or paint brush

I did not count the interior paint, tape or brush in my final cost for making these rugs since they are items we probably all have lying around...but if you do not have these items you should factor another few bucks into your budget.

Creating An Arrowhead Inspired Rug
Start by creating a chevron design on the rug with your painters tape. Find the middle of the rug and work outward. Oh, and really press that tape down good...I had a couple areas where I pulled the tape up then didn't press it back down properly and the paint bled a bit more than I liked.
Cut your tape strips to equal lengths, this will ensure some consistency of pattern.

You could eyeball a chevron design, however if you really want to keep some consistency, cut out a triangle to use as a taping guide.

Continue the chevron design across the entire rug, keeping a 2 inch space between each chevron layer.

Once you have created the chevron design, cut long strips of painters tape in half and tape them across the tips of the chevrons.  

Dilute your interior paint with a few tablespoons of water before painting your rug. You want the paint to be more like a dye than paint...this prevents the paint from drying hard and cracking. It also makes this rug hand washable! The first couple washes use diluted vinegar to soak it and allow any excess coloring to run off.

Peel the tape back before the paint has dried completely. Here is a shot after all the tape was peeled off, but before the paint had dried...it will be a bit blotchy until it dries.

I love my new folksy Arrowhead rug. 

See the entire $83 Jack & Jill bathroom makeover reveal here. It is the small projects like this one that keep your budget on track, but make for a great finished space!

Creating A Paint Dot Inspired Rug
The irregularity of the dots are what really make this rug. Sadly this particular type of irregularity does not translate too well into DIY...it just looks like you couldn't paint a circle! *chuckle* Plan for your circles or ovals to be much more precise. If you really want that imperfect look you do have two options: 1. You can create an intentional irregularity within a stencil and then keep each painted dot consistent with the last. 2. Make your ovals/circles more precise, but vary their distances and angle slightly.

The normal course of action would probably be to create your own oval stencil. And what stencil could be easier to create? I don't currently own any stencil materials, so sometimes you have to break out what you have. I used the ring of a canning jar lid and squished it slightly into an oval shape. I cut 4 slits so that it would be able to lay flush on the rug surface. Once you find the center of your rug, start there and work your way outwards, eyeballing an equal space between each oval.

I used the sponge brush to quickly fill in the middle, then a smaller paint brush to be sure that all the edges were well covered.

I admit this is no Lulu & Georgia, but I love this rug in my downstairs bathroom! It adds just the pop of design and color needed.  

And there you have it! Two Lulu & Georgia inspired rugs. I may be using mine in my newly made-over bathroom spaces*, however these would be just as lovely in a kitchen, laundry room, entry, or any other space!

*See the entire $83 Jack & Jill Bathroom Makeover here, or the $36 Powder Room Makeover here. These rugs were just the icing on the cake! *wink*

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Take It From The Pros - View Along The Way { DIY Curtains }

What is it with bathroom shower curtains? A single flimsy piece of material with a lovely design should be easy to find, and more importantly inexpensive, right? Last week I flew excitedly to Kohls armed with a $10 off coupon, prepared to purchase a pretty new shower curtain! Much to my shock and dismay my ideal shower curtains have a less than perfect price, and I must say it was a bit traumatic. I kid you not, $39.99 for one shower curtain! I sat there in the bath aisle at Kohls trying to wrap my brain around this number...ummmm yeah, not happening. A moment later I hear a lady from the aisle over exclaim "$40 for a shower curtain! Are they stink'in crazy??". Heh heh, at least I'm not the only one who thought that price was outrageous. 
Thankfully I ran across a fantastic curtain tutorial by View Along The Way, and I may have just hatched either a brilliant or ridonculous plan to use Kelly's tutorial to make a shower curtain!
But wait, I have even better news...
Kelly from View Along The Way is here on the blog today answering a few question! Plus she was so sweet to stand by ready to give me any necessary aid while I executed her curtain tutorial! 

Taking It From The Pros
You know me, I am not a "read-the-directions" or "find a tutorial" type of gal...but I'm trying to be! I am learning that sometimes the best solution to a problem is to seek help from the pros.
I love that Kelly's curtain tutorial  isn't impossible for the non-sew'er to follow! *chuckle* I borrowed a slew of books I didn't understand, then read another slew of tutorials to try and figure out if I could even make a shower curtain, so I'm particularly happy that her tutorial was in plain English!

Look how gorgeous her nursery curtains are! You can see why they made the perfect inspiration right?

The Project
Ok, now click here to open Kelly's tutorial in another window...you might want to read it before seeing how mine turned out. It will better help you understand what I did next...

I carefully followed Kelly's tutorial with only three tiny alterations:
1. I used two flat twin sheets as my backing (since these will be shower curtains and don't need blackout lining). This meant I could skip hemming the curtain back (happy lazy me), since it was already hemmed. In addition, I saved a little money on backing and used some old off-white sheets that had a couple small but unfortunate bleach spots. Eh, at least now they have new life!

2. Instead of a straight seam across the bottom of my curtain front, I hemmed the bottom like this before putting the front and back panels together. This way the stitching is barely visible at the front, and the majority of the stitching is at the back. (Back is shown below) >> 

3. I tucked the ribbon used for the back tabs under before sewing them...because apparently I'm a sucker for pretty seams (or for punishment!).

Well, what do you think? I applied the basic principles of curtain hanging that Kelly advises to my shower curtains. I hung them much higher up, and I think they are so much more elegant than a traditional shower curtain would have ever been! 

I sewed these puppies as two curtain panels so that I could choose to throw them both open from the middle. What can I say? I guess I just prefer my shower curtains to act like real curtains!! *wink*

Are you wondering about the liner? Easy peasy! You can add back tabs to your shower curtains and hang both curtains back-to-back (which I did!), or if you're done with sewing for a while you can still hang your liner as usual from the inside (as shown below)...just flip those curtain hooks around!

A Little Chat With Kelly

Ursula: Your nursery curtains have this absolutely perfect billow at the bottom *drool*, what factors create that elegant feel and how can we recreate it?

Kelly: Thanks! I'm always preachin' the gospel of hanging your curtains high and wide. Hang them all the way up to the ceiling! I think it makes SUCH a difference in how elegant they feel and how it makes your windows feel larger and your ceilings higher. (Basically, if we could get everyone to do it, we could change the WORLD!) 

Ursula:*giggle* You're as passionate and dramatic as I am!

Maybe I'm plumb crazy to use these tab curtains as shower curtains, but they really open and close so smoothly! I had no need for the traditional shower curtain hooks! I even used these DIY back tabs for the shower liner...have you found other hanging methods that open and close more smoothly than these?

Kelly: Heck no. I don't know why every single curtain is not hung this way. Rod pocket curtains don't open or close easily, and I'm not crazy about that bunchy look. And don't even get me started on the choppy look of tab top curtains! (I dislike them so much I invented this easy trick for making them look like custom back-tab drapes!)

Ursula: Oh yeah, that makes quite a difference! 
You know, what I love most about your tutorial is how I'm entertained (I giggled like a loon reading it through the first time), I'm clued in (as opposed to my usual perplexed mouth agape look when reading tutorials), and I feel like I can do ANYTHING (although I'm a bit of a sewing dummy). How much sewing experience does one typically need to accomplish a feat like this? And what other fantastically do-able tutorials are you sporting on that brilliant blog of yours?

Kelly: *blush* Thanks! Before I made these curtains myself, I had completed approximately ZERO sewing projects. Saying I was a beginner is an understatement. If you can sew a straight line, you're already ahead of where I was when I made these. I get a lot of emails from people who have followed the tutorial and whipped up their curtains in an afternoon! (That blows my mind. It takes me FOREVER to get one straight seam.)

All I know how to do is write tutorials in plain English, because I'm just not fancy enough to do otherwise!  If you're looking for more DIY ideas like that, make sure you check out my project gallery! You'll see some classics there like:

-How to make any lamp cordless

-Easy DIY art

-And how we completely made over our entire laundry room for only $157! (Did you know you can PAINT your laminate floors? And it lasts!)

And this is one of my all-time most popular posts, if you're in the market for some great DIY curtain ideas!

Ursula: *reading intently*... yep ummmhmmm...these are some seriously awesome projects. I will have to add these to my extremely long list of great ideas to try. Thanks so much for helping me out Kelly, my bathroom has never looked so good!

DIY Hairclip Holding Art

I'm working on the art grouping in my kids Jack & Jill bathroom, when I realize that I've misplaced the glass to one of my frames. Aw bum. I am tearing the place up looking for this tall thin piece of glass, but to no avail! I am terrified one of the kids will "find it" by accidentally stepping on it or scraping their hand along whatever surface I left it on... my poor paranoid mom mind is having visions of a maimed child with a large shard of glass through a foot or hand. *grimace*   I "quarantine" the room I am working in and make all three kids sleep in one bedroom...you know, to keep them from being maimed. Two days later (yep two days) I give up in despair (telling the kids they will never be able to enter that room for the rest of their lives), swearing never to absentmindedly set anything down again (which lasted all of two seconds). Resigned, at least I know what I'm going to do with the glass-less frame...create a hair clip holder for all our fancy clips that can be displayed on the wall! 
Now, before you go call child services, I did find that missing piece of glass...after I completed my project! Get this, it was where I put it for safe-keeping, on the top of a high bookcase. *face palm* Sooooo how many years after having a child can you claim baby brain?? *wry grin*

The Perfect Frame
The perfect frame for this project might just be the ugliest frame you have around, or one that has mysteriously lost it's glass. I spray painted this frame gold, rubbed it with some dark gel stain, and gave a clear protective spray before it was ready for my little project.

Materials

• Glass-less frame
• Fabric of choice
• Ribbon
• Foam or batting
• Thin cork (optional)

Steps

1. Use the frame's matte (or the insert photo) to measure and cut your cork and foam (or batting) to size. Cork is only necessary if you plan to insert pins to hang items from. 

2. Lay foam/cork/batting on top of your fabric and cut giving an extra inch or so. You need to be able to easily wrap the foam/cork/batting in the fabric.

3. There are several styles you can go for with your ribbon: a simple straight down the middle approach (like mine), or you can create a criss-cross design with your ribbon. This is a little more tricky to hold in position while putting into the frame, but doable with an extra set of hands!

4. Set your frame face down, and position your fabric wrapped foam/cork/batting and ribbon in the empty frame. You are going to place the frame backing so that you can pull the fabric and ribbon taut around the outside of it. Once the frame back is secured it should hold the fabric and ribbon very snugly in place. If necessary, trim any excess fabric and ribbon leaving at least a half inch all the way around. Optionally duck tape the edges to the frame back...this will tidy it up a bit and help prevent fraying edges. 

Use this hanging storage to display your practical clips, your prettiest clips, or even your jewelry! I'll be storing my bobby pins...if I can ever find them! My little munchkins were playing princess yesterday, and somehow my pretty clips and all but these two bobby pins disappeared! Well, you'll just have to imagine how great pretty clips look displayed! *chuckle*

It fits well, nestled among the rest of the art grouping I finished a few days ago. In case you missed it, you have to go peak at how I created the art grouping on a total budget of $10! I even put some links to these prints for you... Perhaps there will be a few clever tips you hadn't thought of. *wink*

Bathroom Art On A $10 Budget

This bathroom makeover is on an extremely small budget, which means I'm going to need extremely small budget art. Sometimes you have to be a little clever and do a lot of mixing and matching to get your desired effect on a minimal budget.

Cheap Frames
I picked up some cheap frames from Walmart. Yep, let's call it what it is...cheap, not just inexpensive, cheap. The set of 3 identical gold frames aren't even painted wood, just some mdf wrapped in printed paper, and it didn't even come with glass or a backing. Of course, they came in the golden hue I was looking for, and I couldn't beat the price at a $1.97 each.
So how do you create an art arrangement without glass or backings? Well, I made a visit to my local Goodwill and picked up a few really ugly framed art for 50 cents each in the same general size as my Walmart frames! Sneaky huh? I now have glass, mattes, and backing for my new frames. It doesn't even need to fit exactly, see the tiny gap? It doesn't seem to make a difference once the tabs from the Walmart frames are pushed down.

I was pretty thrilled to find two other (much nicer) frames for 50 cents each (yay for half price day!)...I love Goodwill! 

Making It Pretty
Bring some quality to your art with the little things. Matte for one, a double matte always looks more professional than a single layer. I salvaged a few black and off white mattes to pair with the ones I got from the Goodwill pictures. 

Don't stop there! Thrifted frames can often use a little something-something, like spray paint, or super glued bling! *grin* I used a few braces to style the painted vanity in this bathroom, and I wanted to repeat it in another area of the room. I think it would have made an even greater impact with gold braces on a black frame...but since we are going for gold on gold in this bathroom...

With this frame, I sprayed it gold then rubbed it with some gel stain. A final coat of clear protective spray, it was ready for its debut! In the next post I'll share how I turned it into a hair clip holder!

Free Prints
Maybe it's just me, but I seem to have horrible luck when it comes to finding great art. I sift through Etsy, then get scared off by the idea of paying $20+ per print. Not that there aren't rooms I want high quality art in, but let's be realistic...when you crack open some pretty framed print you found for $50 at a home decor store, you might be surprised to find a flimsy piece of paper that has been printed on, and often a matte with a painted rim made to appear that it has been double matted! It gets me every time!
Sometimes you can find lovely prints that are public domain online. I decided for this project to only use prints from a great website called Vintage Printable. Here are links to all the prints I used (and a few I considered)!

• The Woodcut In England
• British Bridge
• Landscape - Irish 4
• Landscape -Irish 6
• Landscape - Irish 9
• Landscape - Irish 15
• London - Pancras Station
• Seascape - Couple Walking
• Insect - Butterfly

Home Printer vs. Professional Printers

You can easily print these pictures from home, but if you don't have a special photo quality printer, you might want to save your ink and take them to your local office store. Of course, it depends on the print... prints with a lot of black or dark colors seem to do better printed from a professional printer, as do prints of photos. However, if you like the muted colors and it is a print of a painting, you might prefer to save your pennies and print from home. I started by printing mine out at home, but took three prints to Staples to preserve the dark hues and get a smoother print.

Testing The Arrangement
I like to hang my frames before deciding which print will go where. Sometimes you get them up there and aren't thrilled with the compilation. Use a little painters tape (or regular tape at the very edge) to see the grouping and figure out what you like.

My first take... I really liked the butterfly, but it didn't make the cut after adding a matte. Two others were also cut, while others where simply moved around until they complimented each other properly.

Some people consider art the icing on the cake, the cherry on top, the finishing touch. Well, I may not be finished with my bathroom makeover, but sometimes the art helps set the style and tone of the space and needs to come just before extra decorative touches. 

Project Cost Breakdown

• Walmart frames: 3 @ 1.97 ea. = $5.91
• Goodwill pictures (frames, mattes, & glass): 5 @ 50 cents ea. = $2.50
• Staples prints: 3 @ 49 cents ea. = $1.47 (minus my Staples reward = $0)
• 3 extra mattes: Salvaged from old photos I already owned and hated = $0

Not too bad for an under $10 project right?

October Highlights & Happenings

Goodness, I blinked and October was over! I'm not sure I'm ready for the holiday season, I still have about 50 other projects I thought I'd have complete before the holiday guest rush! 

Last Little Bit Of Harvest
Well, if cold weather wasn't official before, it is now! Not only have the leaves turned gorgeous yellows and reds, but sunny days here in Northeast Ohio have had quite a nip to them. I rescued the last of my garden harvest before turning it over for my winter crops. I picked the last of my peppers, summer lettuce, and tomatoes right before the first snow hit! Can you believe it? It iced everything over before I realized it was expected. I'm getting ready to cover my raised deck beds with the tarp cover, mulch and cover my container garden for the winter.

I have been thinking about planting some bok choy, and a few other cold weather crops... it will be a first for me, so I'll have to do a bit of reading up! Do you winter sow? What are your favorite winter crops?

FAQ's
I've been getting a lot of emails asking for advice on organizing and DIY, so I thought I'd share a few of those Q & A's with you, perhaps it will answer a question you have. 
On a side note, you have all been so lovely and supportive in your comments and emails! You have encouraged me, and brought a smile to my face during the tough times! I just wanted to let you know.

Q. "I want to be organized and tidy, but I don't know where to start! I feel overwhelmed every time I look around my house. Help!"
A. Oh honey, I feel your pain! I have not yet "arrived" (whatever that is!), and I have often felt that way in the past. Rather than looking at the whole mess, and trying to tackle it all at once, take it one bite size at a time. I move through my house small space, by small space, and I don't organize a new space until I have figured out what works for me and the kids to keep it comfortably tidy (maybe not perfect, just tidy). Start with that one thing that makes you tick most. Maybe you sigh when the kids drop their coats on the floor by the front door after school and you hate that the pizza guy see's a messy entry. Buy a coat rack, tell the kids "we are no longer throwing coats on the floor, it goes on the rack", remind/practice/enforce/reward consistently until it becomes a habit for all. Then move to the next thing that makes you tick!

Q. "It seems like all these bloggers have a husbands to build stuff for them...I noticed you seem to build things yourself. I'm a single mom and I want a lovely home too! Is it even possible to DIY alone?"
A. Absolutely! I'm sure it is wonderful to have second pair of hands to help, but not everyone has that luxury. My darling husband is not in the least bit handy, so I opt to go it alone. It just means you have to be a little more creative about how you accomplish projects... I suggest good set of clamps. Oh, and if you ever feel like you're missing out, just remember that you don't have any unwanted input, you get to make all the design decisions yourself! *grin*

Q.  "I think I am ready for the big step [organizing]. The only concern I have is: will I still be able to live freely? ...I'm a bit afraid to live in a museum and to be too stiff".
A.  I am messy by nature. It is the reason I have to organize my spaces so carefully... I try to put things in such a way that it is easy for me to keep it that way. So no, I don't think organizing should make your life stiff, if anything it should make you more free, and happier with the outcome. If one way makes life difficult, try a different way that works with how you operate.

The Ongoing Projects
My bathroom projects are spilling over into the month of November, but that is because I'm determined to hit two bathrooms with one stone (or splash of paint). The powder room is pretty straight forward, but the real task is the girls bathroom. Here are a few projects I have already accomplished to that end...

HOW TO STAIN A BASKET
click here to read more

Can't find baskets in the shade you love? Stain it!

DIY GOLD PAINTED BOWLS
click here to read more

Add a little sparkle with DIY decorative painted bowls!

RECESSED BATHROOM STORAGE
click here to read more

See the before and after of this storage space!

The plan is to finish the bathrooms before the holiday rush, so look forward to some reveals in November! 

Recessed Bathroom Storage

I hate wasted space, so the idea of using the wall space behind the shower as recessed storage I find brilliant! The application of my particular space, not so brilliant. I'm afraid this space needed a little de-uglify-ing, and a quite bit of organization. What do you think?

While I was initially happy to have storage space behind closed doors, and I think the creative idea of using shutters as cabinet doors is fantastic, I'm afraid these doors aren't doing the job. Sadly they were not installed very well, so one cabinet door keeps banging against the bathroom door, while the other only occasionally stays closed. I think each and every member of this family has banged their head on that cabinet door at least twice. *wince* Time to remove these obnoxious things.

Some jobs are easier said than done... the doors are finally removed after many days of chipping paint off screws, then crying and gnashing of teeth trying to remove the stripped screws! I was not pleased with the condition of the wood trim, but I can't seem to remove the trim without causing cracks in the walls! Because of the way in which these shelves and trim have been installed, I've decided I can't risk damage by removal, and I will just have to make the best of it. I'm adding a little extra trim to the shelves, chipping and smoothing as much old paint as possible, and giving it a fresh coat.

I admit I am still not pleased with the trim, but a paint job will help freshen things up a bit. The blue-grey paint is the same used on the Painted Vanity to bring some continuity to the space. A few more coats of white paint on the trim, and I'll be ready to organize!

If you are going to have open storage, it has to be pretty as well as practical. In my opinion there is no prettier (or more practical) storage solution than baskets. I have quite a few items that I need to organize and stored in this bathroom, so I'm going to need a few good baskets.

Why are baskets so expensive? I'm seriously considering a weaving class. Thankfully I got a half decent deal on some large baskets at Kohls that fit perfectly....and just! You know how I am about coupons (it's a full-on love affair!), so you can't imagine my glee when I found one coupon for $5 off any Kohls purchase of $5 or more, and Kohls $10 off coupon!! Combining high value coupons with 70% off sales = 3 large baskets and a very happy me! 

I also wanted a few smaller baskets in a similar dark shade for the girls to store smaller easy grab items such as their hair brushes, soap, and wash cloths. I couldn't find any, but I did stain a few baskets which worked perfectly! These little baskets made the perfect 'easy grab' storage for hair brushes, soap, and wash rags. 

Of course, baskets don't hold the market on storage. I also love kitchen gear in just about any room used as storage. I've used jars, serving trays, cups, and now bowls as storage! These spray painted bowls hold hair bands and nail clippers in easy reach of the kids, and the higher up bowls hold cotton balls, nail & foot brushes, bath fizzers, and more!

I'm so happy everything fit back in this bathroom I could cry. A little dramatic? Yeahhh, I really hated the storage before. Now, I did store a few of these containers under the painted vanity, but other than that, everything fit perfectly (with room to spare) in the recessed storage area. As a matter of fact, I had so much room to spare, I didn't know what to do with the extra shelf space...well this is a first! 

So, what do you think of the open recessed storage now?

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