paint and carpet

Fresh Paint and new carpet are two things that can work wonders on an ugly room.

Goodbye Pink Shag and Skin-Toned Walls.

(We did this awhile ago, but I hadn't contributed in awhile.)

Found Things: Part One

A string of very minor medical incidents has left us our family on a tight budget. It's been especially frustrating because I haven't been able to buy any supplies for the billions of sewing expeditions I have already begun in my head.

But the lack of funds have provided me with new visions of how to re-purpose items we already have in our house. It's sort of become a stimulating mental challenge for me.

Part One: The tin can----ister.
In an attempt to become ever-more financially savvy, I've started to set up a home office area in our ever-so-tiny bedroom. We used to have bills 'here', the computer 'there' and the file box 'somewhere else.'

But all we needed still was something to hold our little office odds and ends. So while whipping up a fresh marinara, I realized I could re-purpose the crushed tomato cans into something a bit more beautiful - using the scraps of this U.S. map paper I got from my all-time favorite paper store in Ann Arbor, MI.


I originally used the map in its entirety in my daughter's basement play area, then recently chopped it up to hang it here...over our couch.

Feels good to make something new without spending a dime.

A month of sewing

A friend of mine had twins in January and I am finally getting around to sending gifts for her older and younger children. I apologize in advance for the mess in the pictures but we are moving tomorrow and my apartment is in shambles.

Here is a blurry side shot of the bonnet for the five year old girl.

Here is the front.

This bonnet is for the girl twin. It took FOREVER to draft a pattern for it but I couldn't find a pattern I liked on the internet. I have used this one and would recommend it, it just wasn't quite what I was looking for for this bonnet. I also looked at this one.

I never thought of myself as a mom who would put a bonnet on her kids but I just found some great fabric and will be making some for my girls too.
This cap is for the 3 year old boy. It was super easy and I found the pattern here. Anyone could put this together in 2 hours or so.
This play mat is for the boy twin. Circles are a pain in the ass.
This fabric is the backing. I had been looking for a reason to buy it for a year or so and scrapped my previous gift idea just to use it.
And here is my longest labor of love. My nephew's T-shirt quilt.