tulle time

Does anyone know what time it is?  Tulle Time!!! Don't get too excited this post is not about JTT (for those non Tool Time fans that would be Jonathan Taylor Thomas) but about the amazingness that is a roll of tulle.  One of my most favorite people in the world had a sprinkle today (Hi Ash!!) and I decided to try my hand at making her little female bun in the oven a homemade tutu! This is the kind of project that makes even the most non-crafty people feel like superstars.

So how did I make it?  Well, I picked three colors of tulle; white, light pink, and dark pink and role of elastic and with my sewing machine I was off.

Here is the elastic that I bought.  Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this step but all I did was cut a piece of elastic-- I guesstimated on how big around a baby would be and I sewed the two end together so I had a round piece of elastic.  I was thinking you could probably find a stretchy headband (you know the workout ones??) and use that if you don't want to sew the piece together.

Then I grabbed my tulle.. here are two of the colors I chose... blush and bashful (i.e. pink and pink... Name that Movie!!)

I cut strips of the tulle... again I totally guesstimated on the length... The tulle is wrapped around the band so it ends up being half of the length.  Keep in mind that the longer it is the longer the skirt will be. You basically take the piece of tulle and wrap it around the elastic band so that it is equal length on both sides... then you tie the tulle in the knot twice...that's it!  I did alternating colors so a piece of light pink then dark pink the whole way around 

Close up and personal shots of the lovely knots.

Here is the finished product!  Looks like a fairy skirt:-)  Dan looked at it and said "How big is this baby supposed to be" and I realized that I went a little large so I made another one that has a smaller waistband and shorter pieces of tulle.

                                    

                                                                Here is the little one!

Anyone else have some fun with tulle this weekend?!?

Carolyn

wrap it up!

Well its official! I have a new found obsession with yarn wreaths :-)  For all you avid readers you will recall that I picked up some cheap-o wreaths at my local thrift store a few weeks ago.  Well, I decided to fashion them into some pretty wreaths for my soon-to-be updated basement.  I made a yarn wreaths back in January but didn't really go over how to make them since I was battling a case of the "blah's" so today is your lucky day! 

Here is how I got started.

Grab some wreaths (covered in plastic), some yarn, and some felt

Wrap and wrap and wrap away... I went over mine twice to
make sure the wreath didn't peek through

Ta-da!  All wrapped up!

Take a piece of felt and cut it into a big circle...
symmetry doesn't count obviously, as mine is all jacked up:-)

Then cut around the edge so you have some squiggle to it like this.  
This is a project that doesn't require perfection- thank goodness!

Then starting at any point begin cutting the circle around and around

Keep going...

Almost there...

Ahh.. all done!  The end will have a little nub like mine does

Starting at the beginning (i.e not the nub piece) start rolling your felt around and around

Keep going... man alive do I need a mani!  Step judging people and lets move on... :-)

Once you are done, flip the flower over and this is what the bottom will look like

Grab some glue... this is what I used

Put a little glue on the nub

And did you guess whats next?  Fold it over and press

This is what your flower will look like...perdy right!

Then take your wrapped up wreath and glue your flower on

Here is my wreath!!  Not sure where this is going in the basement but I am LOVING it!

I have one more wreath to work on and am thinking that I will use the same color yarn but I'm not sure if I should do the same color flowers or if I should change it up slightly by using dark grey, white and maybe a pop of blue.  What do you all think?

Hope its been a great past few weeks for you all! 

Carolyn

more rugs?!?!?!

T-minus 2 weeks till our beast of a leather couch comes in!  I know I made some cracks about my lack of love for leather but I am seriously (for real) excited for it to come in so I can start decorating the basement..what can I say it grew on me...BIG time :-) My biggest worry is that with "builder beige" walls, a beige carpet, and a brown couch that the room will look a tad dull and we really cant have that!  I was thinking of ways to bring some color into the room and was debating on adding a area rug.  I found some great ones that I am thinking about... let me know what you all think.


BUT first-- keep in the back of your mind the color of the couch

Now... what do you think about these from Dash & Albert Rug Company  ...  too much?  too little?

What about these ones that I found at Pottery Barn... what do you think?  I feel like they are missing the "oomphh" I am looking for.

Or... what about one of these from Overstock... you cant beat $116.00 for a 8 x 11 rug (in BLUE)

So what are your thoughts?  Like anything?  Have a better idea of what would look good?!?!  Let me know, I'm all ears!

Carolyn

Thriftin' It Up!

Check out my thrift store finds from the past month...

A Glass Fishy with A Big Mouth

I made myself believe that I truly "needed" this... therefor it was not a impulse buy.  He looks very cute in my downstairs bathroom... I'm thinking he may "eat" some pretty soaps. 

Open Wide!

A Strawberry Planter Lookin' Thingy 

These things can go for $50.00 and up so my $3.00 planter was a steal!  Still trying to figure out what color to paint her.  Any ideas? 

Some Straw Wreaths and Baking Dishes

 Love that I found straw wreaths with plastic on them (that's the key) for .50 each... now I can make more yarn and felt flower wreaths.  I also got some really nice small baking dishes for $1.00/piece

Vases!

Now these didn't come from a thrift store BUT I did find these pretties at my T.J. Maxx in the clearance isle.  I think the small one was $3.00 and the big one was $5.00... a STEAL in my book!

Any great finds in your thrift stores lately?

Carolyn

meet the sectional

I caved!  Dan may have won this battle but I am determined to win the design war :-) 

Here is our new couch... I have four weeks to sew some pillows and get the basement ready for this BIG beast of a couch.  In all seriousness- I like it-- it is BEYOND comfy AND it has two consoles with cup holders and a place to keep the remotes (that's what I call Fan-cee!!). Speaking of fancy, does anyone remember the episode of friends when Rachel buys Joey the new leather recliner cause she thought she broke his old one, Rosita?  No takers? Well it was funny stuff let me tell you..
 

Hope its a GREAT Wednesday for you all!

Carolyn