Praying

Dear God most high, hear and bless

Thy beasts and singing birds;

And guard with tenderness

Small things that have no words.

High Cotton is in High Gear

One of my friends just sent me the application to the St. John's United Methodist Church fall crafts festival.  Her son and McCord were in the same Kindermusik class and she has been especially encouraging of me starting a sewing business.  She asked me to make a personalized t-shirt for her son earlier in the spring, and so she is both my first and only High Cotton customer!

I sent in my vendor application over the weekend with fingers crossed that High Cotton will be accepted.  So this weekend, I've been working on a few prototypes to sell at the festival.  Here's a giraffe softie with gingham mane that I'm working on.  I created the pattern out of a giraffe that I sketched out.  A few changes need to be made, but the final version is nearing completion. 

I want to make sure that whatever I make holds up to lots of kids play, so here's my sewing buddy giving the giraffe a good test drive. 

I also made this leash for Rocky and am thinking about offering leashes and dog collars at my booth.   Wouldn't this t-shirt trim be adorable as a belt for little boys?!  So many fun things to work with here. 

Will keep you all posted if my application is accepted.  The festival is scheduled for Saturday, November 19th - so I have lots of sewing to do if High Cotton is chosen.  Stay tuned as I post pictures of what I'm working on and I hope that you'll all offer input on what you'd like to see featured.  

And Terri, you mentioned that you'd like to see pictures of the pillows that I made for the playroom.  Here are a couple I completed this week.  It's a little pattern-crazy now, but I have a few more to make in solid colors.  We're getting there.

Repurposing a Vintage Coke Crate

I've been in love with these rolling storage crates from Serena and Lilly for quite some time.

But I can honestly say that I don't love the price tag (they start at $88!).  So I repurposed an old wooden Coke crate that was my uncle's by buying just a few items from Lowes. 

Here's how to do it:

This was my crate before adding the wheels.  It didn't get a lot of use before adding the casters, because the grids inside the crate are fixed and I couldn't fit much inside it.  But it's the right size for McCord's cars and figurines, so this will be a perfect way to contain toys in the playroom.

I bought 4 caster wheels from Lowes (1 1/4") {If you live in my area, these are in aisle 19 all the way down on the right} and a handful of screws to fit the size of the holes in the casters. 

  

 Then I placed the casters on the underside of the wooden box and marked where I wanted to drill my holes.

Then I predrilled the holes and installed each caster.  I was able to get away with only securing 2 screws for each caster instead of 4.  This box won't be holding much weight, so I think we'll be okay with just a few screws. 

I had intended to insert the screws at the edge of the box where the bottom and the side meet, but as you can see from the picture below, the wood was bowed out on one side.  This means my screws went all the way inside the box, through the wood, and poked up on the inside.  I was afraid McCord might hurt his hands on the screws poking through, so I put a strip of adhesive felt padding on each set of screws (on the inside of the box).  This is the felt that you can get to stick on the bottom of wood furniture so it doesn't scratch your floors.  Problem solved.

 And that's it!

I already had the box, but all of the hardware probably cost $10, and now we have a great caddy for all of McCord's treasures. 

And while we're talking vintage, check out the new chair I picked up this weekend.  I love her chippy paint and mint greenish color.  I'm not sure what room she will end up in, but for now she's settling in the playroom. McCord's teething right now (molars, perhaps?!) and so we put some miles on the new rocker today - just the two of us - reading books, singing songs, and cuddling.  What a great feeling it is to know that you are a comfort to someone just by being present. 

Today I felt purposeful.

Chair Before & After

Hello folks!  We've been monkeying around this weekend.  Here's a picture of Doe Doe hanging the hardware for some window treatments.  As you can see, he's getting lots of help from the Monkey. 

I wanted to post some pictures of the computer chair I got back from being upholstered.  Here it is in its "before" state.  I found it at a thrift store for $10. 

And here it is with some fresh fabric.  As you can see, I didn't bother to pick up before I took this picture.  Toys, toys everywhere!

I slipcovered this ottoman a few weeks ago for the playroom and had lots of fabric left over to use for the computer chair.

This chair belongs in the desk area that juts off of the kitchen adjacent to the playroom. 

I added the number to the back of the chair to give it a graphic punch. 

Next project: finishing the drapes and roman blinds in the dining/living area.

Vintage Finds for Mc's Room

Today was a great day to visit the Habitat ReStore.  McCord and I came home with two matching chairs in a beautiful peacock blue for $85 each.  Here's a picture of McCord checking out one of them.  Both chairs are in great condition and appear as if they've never been used.  I love the piping and tufted back cushion.

 I debated on which room to put them in, but McCord seems to think they're his, so for now they are in his bedroom.  They match perfectly with the fabric I've picked out for his window treatments. 

His room is still a work in progress, but it's slowly coming together.  We also bought a couple of framed puzzles for Mc's room.  Both are replicas of vintage ads for the Barnum Bailey circus.  I forgot to photograph those pieces, so I'll have to post about them later. 

I found this vintage paint by numbers picture at a yard sale last weekend.  The frame is a little damaged, so I'll have to do something about that, but I love the image, and for $1, I couldn't pass it up.  Perfect for a little boy's room.  

I've been working on our kitchen/desk area.  It's kind of a mess.  If you've been over to visit you know what I mean.  It's a large space, but inefficiently planned.  A kitchen reno isn't in the budget with the loads of other items on the to-do list that are demanding attention right now, so instead I'm trying to divert attention away from the wonky kitchen with fabric.  Sounds desparate right?  That's about how we feel.  Anyway, here's a chair I purchased at a thrift store for $10 that we'll use in the desk area that juts off of the kitchen.  I just had it reupholstered and can't wait to show you the after picture.  Will try to post that later this weekend. 

For now we are busy sprucing up!  Doe Doe is coming to visit this weekend to help us fix stuff!

Master BR Inspiration

Right now we're in renovation-mode with our new house which means designing is far, far away.  Thank goodness for Pinterest.  I've been stockpiling inspiration photos so when the time is ripe, I'll be ready.  Here are a few things I love for our Master Bedroom. 

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 I've found a great tutorial for making an upholstered headboard, and I'm kind of in love with that look right now, so that project may be in my future with the help of my dad.  Here's some fabric I bought for the MB.  I can't wait to get my hands on it!

For now I'm making some fixed roman blinds for the den-area with coordinating drapes for the dining room.  Window treatments are not my fav to make, butI hope the end result is worth the trouble.  More on that to follow.

Monkey Spaghetti

Princess Cape

McCord's friend Ansley is turning 3 and her Mama has planned a fabulous Princess and Prince birthday party complete with bouncy house!  What better way to celebrate the big THREE than with a magical princess cape?!!! 

Here's my model tasting his delightful magical potion reserved only for royalty.

I've made several of these for nephews and other little guy friends, but never a girly version.  I had so much fun picking out a super-sparkly poly fabric for the underside of the cape.  I hope that Ansley feels especially magical when she wears it. 

NOTE:  A special thank you goes out to my trusty sewing buddy.  I am so thankful that he's only one and still allows me to dress him any which way he's confident enough in his manliness to wear a pink sparkly cape with a crown on it and not think twice about it.  You make pink look fierce, Baby.