Lined Laundry Basket

Wow, sewing up a storm over here, and pretending to be a pro!  So, one of my last nursery projects (yes, ONE of the last...) was this laundry basket.

Let's just say I whipped up the liner.

First, I bought this basket probably a year ago ($4.99!), thinking I would actually turn it upside down, and use it as a side table in our family room... Then, all decor projects stopped when I got pregnant, because I just lost all energy.  Anyway, last week, we realized we had the diaper pail, a small trash can, but no place for those dirty clothes everyone seems to remind us we'll have.  :)  I asked Z to pull the basket down from the garage storage loft, and I re-purposed it.

Here's the basket before (perfect size I believe for baby laundry :) )

I painted the basket blue to start- a nice royal blue in a glossy finish (spray paint, of course...)

Then, I essentially sewed up a really large pillow case (thanks mom for the idea.)  I had originally thought I would cut a circle that fit the bottom of the basket, and then sew on the sides in a tube type style.  My mom quickly helped me realize with my novice sewing skills, that simply making a pillow case type liner would be quicker, easier, and just fine for this use.  I measured the depth needed, used some extra drapery lining fabric, and winged it sewing it together.  The finished seams are on the inside, where the clothes drop in, and the rough edges are on the outside of the liner.  I just move the basket so you can't see those.  :)

I added 1/2" elastic to the roll over sides of the liner so it stays in place.  Voila!  Totally simple, and an inexpensive final touch.  I love it in the closet now, but honestly like the color so much I might find a place for it in the room out in the open!

Oh, and notice the closet doesn't have doors?  Yep, those curtains I gave you a sneak peek on are up, and totally cute & functional.  I'll share those shortly with you all... They were another glorious sewing project.  :)

Hope you're enjoying the nursery posts!  I find myself walking in the room all the time, loving how it's turning out.  More to come still :)

Bad Craft, part 2

Sometimes I can do it right... other times, like I posted yesterday, it's wrong.

Either way, this little project was a no-brainer, once I figured out the things I had to do, and the pattern I ultimately settled on.  (the pattern selection was the most time consuming!) 

First off, I started with this seen-better-decades frame that I got for $5 at the thrift shop.  I painted the frame, and covered the print with a white canvas fabric.  I used spray adhesive for the front side, then hot glued the edges around the back (one of the things I did NOT do in the error version of this craft).  Since the marbles from my failed attempt pulled right off, I didn't waste anything more than the fabric.

 

 

 

Then, with my warmed up glue gun, I determined a pattern (but not after playing around with a few before!) and glued the marbles down in the desired pattern.  Pretty simple, huh?  Like this wreath from October...  Hmmm... I'm getting ideas for a new wreath :)

 

  

hehe, didn't do this version, but the possibilities are endless!

The pattern is very geometrical.  I realize I like straight lines.  After all, I've posted about this pattern here, here and even here.

 

  

  

  

Enjoy, and I hope I inspired some of your own crafts :)

Bad Craft, part 1

Trial and Error is good- you live, you learn, right?  That's what I'm telling myself.

This will be the post about the Error.  The trial, and success story will be tomorrow.  :)

My initial attempt at creating some artwork for the end of the hallway, in addition to using up some of the green flat sided marbles (like the ones I used to make this wreath in October) I picked up months back at the dollar store didn't turn out, well, quite as expected.

Here's what it looked like when I realized this was going to be the error half of this series post:

Yes, that's the fabric peeling back away from the frame it was in.

While it was good to start with, I realized I did a few things wrong.  I used this Pottery Barn clover mirror as the shape inspiration... I suppose I was thinking of doing a St. Patrick's day project, but why?  I never have decorated for St. Paddy's day before.  I think I was just lucky that my marbles were green.  :)

 

 

Full Tutorial tomorrow, but here's what the frame I purchased looked like this first and this is a taste in how I put this together.  And, how I ultimately had to re-do it.

 

  

For a few days, it DID look like this:

In the end, it's hanging in the hallway with a new pattern.  Here's a sneak peak:

Anyway, stop by tomorrow for the full reveal on the version I think will stick for a while.  :)

PS:  Don't forget to leave me a note on my SUV post.  I'm totally enjoying reading the very informative comments.  I've even read some of them out loud to Z!  :)

Why I need an SUV

Shopping early yesterday morning, fruited me the following chair- times two.  They were $5 each. 

I started to get the creative juices flowing- would I refinish the wood?  Paint it?  What type of fabric?!  I was excited at first...

But, not even one would fit in my car.  I moved the seats, tried the back seat, trunk, and even the front passenger seat.

Nada.  Nope.  Zilch.  Chairs would.not.fit.  We had plans in the early afternoon, and dinner plans in the evening.  Even if they couldn't go in the house right away, I could re-upolster and sell them later. 

Denied.  ugh! 

PLUS, remember that buffet I told you about during my shopping trip post the other day?  It was still there yesterday, dropped in price $200, and on the 50% day would have been only $100!  (I still was holding out.  I'd certainly pay $50 for it though!)  But, I still wouldn't have been able to get it home!

Sad face.  Again.

Good thing we're already looking into getting an SUV.  Anyone have any of the following options that they'd be willing to share about?  Right now, I have a 325i (love it!) and haven't even owned an SUV or truck (even though I learned to drive in a suburban and an expedition).

I love all of these options, but of course the price ranges.  I'll post them from lowest to highest.  And yes, they're all white on purpose.  I'm pretty sure I want a white one!  :)

Honda CR-V

Toyota Rav 4

Ford Edge

 

 

BMW X3

 

 

Volvo XC90

 

So, perhaps when we have an SUV, I'll have a more lucrative furniture business.  Lets be honest.  It doesn't exist now.  BUT, I love working with my hands, and it would be so fun!  :)

Do you hate these options?  Do you love one, or more of them?  Have you driven them, or been a passenger?  Do tell!

Another Quick Jute Project, from Portugal!

As I gear up to post another boatload of projects, I wanted to share a quick one similar to my $5 IKEA upgrade:

I found this small ceramic cache pot type thingie, made of terracotta at the local thrift this past weekend.  It was marked $2, but it was half off day, so I paid $1.  It was stamped on the bottom "Made in Portugal"

 

 

I liked the shape, and even thought once I did something with it, that it would look great as part of the shelf display I posted about yesterday.

So, again, with this project (like with the vase)- not a lot of effort, but totally awesome results!  I just love the texture of this stuff- $5/roll at Michael's, and with a 40% coupon, it's just $3.  :) 

The supplies again:
Jute/Twine
Glue Gun
Object to cover

Yep, that's it.

I started from the bottom, and actually turned the pot over until about halfway covered.  Turned it back over, and worked up the remaining half, and up the small neck of the pot.  I only glued every 3rd row or so, but more around the neck of the bottle.

 

 

I thought for a minute that I'd leave part of the terracotta showing, with the jute only wrapped at the bottom, but decided against that, and decided to continue covering the whole thing.

 

 

For now, it's sitting on the top shelf of my leaning shelf, next to my reed diffuser and the ceramic plate from Spain that my Nana gave me.

If you haven't tried this technique yet, you totally should.  Here's the IKEA vase I did a few weeks back.  You can find the link to the project here:

More NEW projects coming soon, but enjoy the ease of this one until then!  :)