Message Center Bulletin Board

Every Mom knows you have to have a place to organize all the things that go on in your kids life.  When they start school you need it just to keep up with their life.  This was my message center.  It had been this way for 4 years.  It was very ugly and outdated.  My soon-to-be 2nd grader no longer needs to practice the calendar and it just sorta morphed all over this door.  It was time for a makeover of my message center.

I found these cork tiles and it gave me an idea.  They are just four single cork tiles you place stick and peel fasteners too and put right on the surface.

I had a beautiful toile print leftover from a project and it was just enough to transform my tiles.

I cut the fabric to fit and hot glued it to the back of the cork.  I placed the fasteners to the cork tile.  I peeled the gold backing off and put the cork tiles right on my kitchen door.

And here is my new message center, much improved over the old one.  And, best of all it was thrifty!!   The cork tiles are at Walmart and they were $5.94!

  Sherry

  I will join:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Metamorphosis Monday  at Between Naps on the Porch 

Its So Very Creative  at Its So Very, Cheri

Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage 

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Your Cozy Home Party  at Cozy Home Scenes

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage

Pressed Flowers

With the flowers in full bloom, here is an easy before and after you can do to make an accessory for your home.  

Take a bloom or leaf from your plant of choice and place it onto clean white paper in a heavy book.  Place the clean white paper on both sides of it.

With the daisy I choose the book doesn't shut flat.  That's okay just press it out as flat as you can get it.

Stack more heavy books on top of your pressed flower book and wait a couple of weeks.

Check the flower or leaf in two weeks and make sure it appears completely dried out.  When it is you can then frame it.  If it could use more drying time just give it another week and check it.  Drying time will vary by the plant you choose.

Here are three plants I have pressed for my home.  The fall leaf on the left was from last year.  The color is still really good on the leaf.  The fern has faded a bit.  The crocus on the right was in bloom when my last son was born and I picked it and saved it as a keepsake of that sunny winter day.  To apply the plant to the background I just used the tiniest drop of school glue.  It doesn't discolor the plant and it holds it in place.  I am seeing a lot of pressed flowers in the magazines.  It is really simple to do and the perfect project for this time of year.

I will join:

Susan for Metamorphosis Monday at her site Between Naps on the Porch.

Sarah for Before and After Party at her site Thrifty Decor Chick.

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative.

Making the World Cuter at Making the World Cuter.

Metamorphosis Monday: Lamp Makeover

I needed a lamp and I knew what I wanted.  I wanted something similar to this lamp from Pottery Barn.

Image from Pottery Barn

Instead of filling the base of my lamp with a silk fern or driftwood I wanted to fill my lamp with shells. 

Image from Pottery Barn

Here is another lamp from Pottery Barn that is filled with shells.  This is the look I am aiming for but with a simpler lamp base.

I found this lamp at the thrift store.  These lamps were popular in the early 1990's.  I have one that I bought at that time.  The base has a wing nut that will unscrew and you can fill the lamp with objects, such as in the Pottery Barn lamps pictured above.  I wanted to update this lamp and get rid of the brass finish.  So, I took the lamp apart and taped all  the areas that might be sprayed by the  spray paint  I am using to refinish it.  

Here is how it turned out.   I used white spray paint first but it didn't take to the finish due to some flaws on the brass finish originally.  So, I repainted it with a textured sandstone color that is made for outdoor metal furniture and it took really well.  

The total cost of my lamp makeover:

Lamp $4

spray paint around $5

shade (also found in excellent condition at thrift store) $3. 

Total =$12  

I will link this to Susan's Metamorphosis Monday at her site Between Naps on the Porch.
Also, Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative.
Also, Today's Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality.
And, Make It for Monday at Cottage Instincts.
Please visit these sites and check out all the great projects.

Shop the House: Creative Lighting

Image from Pottery Barn

 I have seen these canning jar lights in Pottery Barn's catalog and I had every intention of making them.  So I was so inspired the other night when it was about 45 minutes till dark and my son (5 yr. old) was playing in the yard.  I walked over to this shrub we have that the 5 yr. old has severely pruned and it was ever so romantically dropping these fabulous smelling blossoms all over the ground.  Thinking in my head, "Boy, tonight would be a great night to set a table up under that shrub.....with those Pottery Barn lights I have been planning on making..."   "Honey, you keep playing and mommy will be right back I'm going to start a project."   

 So, make them I did by shopping the house.  All of my jars were not the same size.  But, I used what I had and it took a dispenser of galvanized wire, wire cutter, the jars, tea light candles, and some white ribbon.  I didn't twist the wires.  I just used a single wire.

 This is how they turned out.  You can see more of the lighting for my tablescape this Thursday.

Image from Pottery Barn

Okay, I also had been planning to copy this look from Pottery Barn.  It worked out with this tablescape I set up. 

My version is a lot different but, I thought somewhat achieved the look.  What is this you ask?  

 This is a cigar mold.  There is still tobacco in the mold.  It's an antique from my  Great-grandfather.  

 There is some writing on it, that I haven't even noticed until I had it in the natural light today.  

 This is how my lighting turned out with the cigar mold.  When I got up the next day all the blossoms were off of the shrub.  Time was of the essence. Check back Thursday to see the whole tablescape. 
I am joining Kendall over a t Finesse Your Nest for Shop the House Sunday.
I will also join Diana at her site The Girl Creative for Just Something I whipped Up Monday.
I will also join Rhoda at her site Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures.

Romantic "Irish" Lace Placemat

With Ireland on my mind for March, I thought I would make these placemats.  They remind me of all things romantic and Irish lace.  

 Materials:

For 4 placemats you will need:

3/4 yd. of  44"-45" wide fabric (linen works great)

7  3/8 yds.  of 2" wide flat lace trim

thread

 

I had a really old pattern for this, but all you need is a placemat (mine was 13"x19") to pin down for a pattern and you are set.  Lay your pattern out with the width of the fabric and cut out 4.

 

Pin the wrong side of the lace trim to the right side of the placemat having the outer edge of lace along raw edge.

 

I went on and sewed this in place starting the seam out from the edge of the width of the lace.

 

Here is the placement of where I stitched that seam.

 

 

When I sew the next piece of lace; I start in the corner where the two pieces of lace meet to sew the next piece of lace in place.

Miter trim at the corners.  Start and end at one corner using the fabric underneath as a guide.  Leave yourself enough lace to create a seam for this.

 Turn under and lap the ends at the corner, so that it looks mitered.  Stitch close to inner edge.

 

I have already stitched this seam, but I am showing how I sewed it.

 

On the wrong side of the placemat trim within a 1/4" of stitching. 

 

You can now trim the lace that is sticking out at the corner.

 

After you trim it, it will look like this.

 

Now, you will trim all the fabric away under the lace within a 1/4" of stitching.

 

Press all trimmed edges toward placemat.

 

On the right side top-stitch placemat close to first stitching, catching the raw edge in back and sewing it the way you pressed it.

 

You have now have made a lovely "Irish" placemat.

I am linking this to Cindy's My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday.  Please go to her site and see all the wonderful things bloggers have been doing to make their home romantic.  I am also linking this to Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative.  Please go over over and check out all the great entries there.