Family Photos (and some tips)~

So this weekend we had some family photos done.  Reason 1 is that Christmas Card season is soon upon us, and Reason 2 - as I mentioned in my Living Room Progress post -  is that I want to do a gallery wall, and I wanted an updated photo of the family to use in it.  And to be honest, I've also been wanting to do family portraits in an orchard for.ev.ah.  Well, when we moved a couple of months ago, we landed in an area of Utah chock full of orchards.  Can I hear a "woot woot"!? 

We traded photographic services (the Hubby, if you'll recall is a photographer) with our neice who is also a very talented photographer.  And she did a fabulous job!

Here are just a few of my faves....

And since we've been in the photo business for a while, I thought I'd offer a few tips to make your family  photos fabulous (aside from hiring a good photographer)...

• Wear solid colors...although there is a trend right now toward families wearing patterns, solid colors always look classic and draw attention to your faces which is, after all, what you're trying to capture.
• Try to avoid wearing white against your face...unless of course, you are a blushing bride, because it tends to wash you out.
• Although you don't need to be match-y, match-y coordinating outfits go a long way toward creating an attractive group photo. 
• If you're planning on having your photos done outside, book a time in the early morning or later evening.  That's when the light is best, and you'll avoid harsh shadows on your lovely faces.
• And  a personal quirk of mine is to remember that not everyone has to be smiling in a photo to make it a "good" photo.  In fact, some of those where the kiddos are goofing off or even sad are the best ones because they show life as it really is.

Most of all HAVE FUN!!! Photos are meant to bring joy, right?

Have a great day~

Toy Storage in My Boys' Room~

After my post on the Boys' Room Reveal, I had a few of my readers asking about toy storage.  Isn't storing toys ALWAYS a dilemma? 

Luckily, we have a small loft where we keep the majority of the toys for the younger boys (as well as the Wii, and other kid-friendly entertainment that I'd rather not have in the main living space).  That said, we do have some toy storage in the boys' room.

Boy #1 is a bit of a Lego fanatic.  Okay, that might be an understatement.  He is completely Lego-crazy.  Combine that with a love of Harry Potter and Star Wars, and isn't hard to guess that we are overrun with Lego sets.  So, in the room design I added a couple of shelves for displaying his favorite-at-the-moment Lego creations. 

And, in all honesty, the top of this green dresser occasionally gets used as display space as well (although not in this pic - ha).

 

As does the top of the bookshelf.

And there is even more space out in the garage "man cave" where the Hubby helped Boy #1 construct a makeshift Lego table.  That's where you'll currently find Lego Hogwarts, as well as a Quidditch match.

Of course, if you have Legos at your house, I'm sure you know that the sets don't always stay put together, and those little bricks find their way ALL OVER YOUR HOUSE (and under your feet - OUCH!).  But we've found that inexpensive buckets from IKEA do a great job corralling them.

And for the littler guys who still play with other building toys, these closet bins from Tar-jay do a great job. 

And they all fit nicely in the Expedit bookcase from IKEA.  Love that thing.

So, there you have it.  A bit (just a bit) of toy storage solution for you....that is if you have Lego-hoarders like I do. ;-)

Have a great day~

Painting 101: Preparing the Walls~

The Hubby is a painter extraordinaire.  So since we are in the process of painting the walls around here, I thought it might be nice to have him share a few of his best tips.  Take it away, Johnny...

Hi, John here.  Today I wanted to show you a little bit about prepping the walls for paint by filling all those annoying holes.

I'm going to use the example of a drywall screw that has "popped" out, but the process is basically the same for any small hole, including nail holes.

Have you ever run across one of these on your wall?

This is a drywall screw that has "popped" out.  It's easy to fix if you follow these steps.

1. Take the corner of a small drywall putty knife and pry the plaster loose from the screw. 

2. Once the screw is exposed, tighten it. 
3. Then you want to use the end of your putty knife to indent the wall around the screw.  If you don't do this, you will have a little mound once you apply the spackle which kind of defeats the purpose of all of this.

4. Take a very small amount of spackle (or joint compound) on the end of your putty knife and scrape it over the hole. 
5. Go over the hole again with your putty knife removing as much spackle as possible. You might need to scrape it a couple of times.  You want to get the wall as clean as possible to avoid having to sand.

Side note:   If you put too much spackle or joint compound on the wall, you'll have to do a lot of sanding, and the sanded area will be smooth and will probably not match the texture of the surrounding wall once it's painted.  Plus, it's a lot of extra work you can avoid.

Just let your filled holes dry, and lightly sand them to remove any spackle that is still on the wall.  Now you're ready to paint.

Filling nail holes is basically the same.  Just skip steps 1 & 2.

THANKS John!!  That man knows his stuff!  Can't wait to show you all our freshly painted walls...hopefully soon. :-)

Off to paint...

Apartment Guide: DIY Renter Repairs and Tips & A Giveaway~

Happy Monday everyone!

The Giveaway is Now Closed.

Remember a week or so ago when I mentioned that I was involved in Apartment Guide's DIY Renter Repairs and Tips Bloggers Challenge?  Well, today I have a few great tips for you on how to make a rental into a home - and a giveaway from Apartment Guide as well!

I have been on both ends of the spectrum.  I have been a renter and I have been a home owner.  Currently, we are renting the home we live in.  And although home ownership allows you certain freedoms to make changes that renting doesn't allow, my belief is that it is important to make ANY PLACE that you live into a comfortable home.  After all, your home is your haven, your escape from the world, and it should be an inviting to place to come home to, it should be a retreat!

That said, here a few easy, cost-effective tips for making a rental home your own - all of which are reversible when the time comes for you to move out.

(My little disclaimer:  please stay within the confines of your rental contract.  Make sure that anything you do will not get you in trouble with your landlord.)

1. Paint.  Okay, I can hear a collective groan.  I realize that not all rental contracts allow for painting and I'll give you some alternatives in a minute.  But if your contract allows it - and don't be afraid to ask, the worst they can do is say "no" - painting is a super quick and easy way to make a space your own.

2. Gift Wrap Your Walls.  No, I don't mean putting up wallpaper.  But if you have a fairly small wall space to cover, using a staple gun to attach gift wrap or even fabric to a wall can go a long way toward personalizing a space.  You can read about how I did this here.

3. Use adhesive vinyl.  In my last rental house, I wanted a chalkboard wall in the worst way...but we weren't allowed to paint.  So I purchased a few rolls of adhesive vinyl chalkboard and put it up on the wall.  I got my chalkboard and when we moved, it came off clean as a whistle.

4. Personalize your Lighting.  One way to accomplish this is to change out the light fixtures.  This is only as expensive as purchasing the light fixture you want - and possibly hiring an electrician to do the job if you don't know how (I don't want anyone electrocuting themselves).   And you can replace the old light fixtures when you move.

Another way to do this is to add wall sconces.  They don't require hard wiring but can add loads of personality.  And I just want you to know that I am well aware that the cords look TERRIBLE in the photo I am showing you from the Princess' new bedroom...but we are repainting the entire room, so I haven't put up the cord casings yet - and they will be against a white wall anyway which will minimize the look.  Just sayin'.

5. Add Curtains.  This might seem like a no brainer to some of you.  But, I also know that a lot of people hesitate to put tons of effort into decorating a place that is not "theirs".  Let me just say that the fact that you don't own a place, doesn't mean that it's not "yours".  You live there.  Having a  place that is pleasant and attractive to live is an investment in yourself. 

So check out this before and after.  Here is my dining room without curtains.   It's a pretty room (and undecorated and messy, sorry).  But it lacks the feeling of being finished.

Here it is with the addition of curtains.  WOW! What a difference.  It's still not technically finished being decorated, but those curtains go a long way toward making it feel like "home".  Not to mention the fact that they offer some needed - albeit faux - architectural interest.

So, my dear readers, whether you rent or own is not the point.  It's the thought and effort that you put into making a space your own that really matters.  I hope that these tips help to get you thinking about the different ways that you can make any space that you live in your own.

Now today, Apartment Guide is offering one reader of The Shabby Nest  a $50 gift card to Home Depot or Target (winner's choice!) to help you get started making your space your own.  There are a few ways you can enter for a chance to win...

1. Follow Apartment Guide on Twitter then come back and leave me a comment.
2. Like Apartment Guide on Facebook then come back and leave me a comment.
3. Mention this giveaway on your blog, twitter, or facebook... please leave a separate comment for each thing you do.

And thank you to  Apartment Guide for inviting me to take part in this Blogger's Challenge. Whether you’re living, looking or moving, Apartment Guide will help point you in the right direction. Apartment Guide has tips on how to update and make repairs at home whether you are in a large or small space. It’s helpful information no matter where you live.

Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “DIY Renter Repairs and Tips” Blogger Challenge.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the “DIY Renter Repairs and Tips” Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Apartment Guide's DIY Renter Repairs & Tips Bloggers Challenge~

I am excited to have been asked to participate in Apartment Guide's DIY Renter Repairs & Tips Bloggers Challenge.

If you didn't already know, the Hubby and I are actually renting the home that we live in.  I have always been of the opinion that it doesn't matter whether you rent or own, making your home "your own" is important.  When we lived in Massachusetts, we owned our home, and yes, that does come with DIY opportunities that renting doesn't.  That said, however, there are many easy (and reversible) ways that you can personalize a rental.

So when Apartment Guide contacted me and asked if I'd like to participate in their DIY Renter Repairs & Tips Bloggers Challenge, my answer was a resounding "YES!"  I'd love nothing more than to empower my readers who rent with the desire to make their spaces their own.  (And the same holds true for homeowners - the tips work equally well either way.)

Remember this space that I shared a couple of weeks back?  This is my undecorated (and messy - my apologies) dining room.  I'm going to share a very simple update with you that will change this space dramatically. 

Look for that, and some other easy-to-achieve ideas that will help you update your home without a lot of time, stress or money - as well as a fun giveaway to help you along the way- all coming up in my DIY Renter Repairs & Tips Bloggers Challenge post next week!

Just like me, Apartment Guide wants to empower people to make their spaces their own.  Apartment Guide has tips on how to update and make repairs at home whether you are in a large or small space. It’s helpful information no matter where you live.    Ready to use your toolkit but not sure where to start? Apartment Guide also has helpful DIY repair and home maintenance tips for any room in your place: http://www.movingtoday.com/top-organizing-tips-for-any-room/

You can also find them on Facebook at   Facebook.com/ApartmentGuide or on Twitter at Twitter.com/AptGuide

I'm off to tackle those projects!! 

Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “DIY Renter Repairs and Tips” Blogger Challenge.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the “DIY Renter Repairs and Tips” Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Easy Up-do~

It's been hot here. I mean hot. So I've been trying to find fun new ways to get my hair off my neck.

Here's a super easy (and pretty) style that I found.

It's so easy to create.  Simply divide the hair into three sections at the nape of the neck, then twist each section until it wraps back on itself and pin in place leaving ends loose.

That's it!  If you've got long hair, this could just be your new go-to summer style...I know it's mine!

Frugal Friday goes live tomorrow at 8:00 pm MST as usual.  And we'll be moving this weekend...so look forward to many decorating posts to come!

xoxo
Wendy

Tips that Might Keep You Sane While Moving~

Happy June everybody!  It's crunch time around the old nest...T minus 1 month to moving day.  Now's when I start to get all jittery and my eye starts to twitch and the family knows that when they see that crazed look on my face, it's better to just smile and leave the room.  Ha ha! 



source

 But seriously, we've moved a lot in our 15 years of marriage.  And I can tell you one thing about moving...it never gets any easier.  But I have learned a few things in our many moves...and today I thought I'd share a few tips...

1. Start Early.  If you have the luxury of knowing a while in advance when you will be moving, don't procrastinate.  Giving yourself plenty of time to declutter and pack is THE KEY to sanity while moving. 

2. Pack Items from a single room together.  This might seem like a no-brainer.  But you may be surprised.  So make sure that items from one room are packed in the same box.  Then make sure that box is clearly labelled with the room it belongs in.  If you have the time (and energy)  you can even label each box more specifically...such as "Home office"  "Desk drawer items".  Can you see the logic?  ;-)

3. Make sure that you pack items separately that you will need upon arrival at your new house, and then  make sure you keep them with you (in your car for example).  For instance, make sure you have some clothing, personal hygiene items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies, important papers, bedding, etc.  available when you arrive so that you aren't ransacking the house trying to find where you packed the toothpaste.

In addition, make sure that you set up beds first thing when you arrive at your new place.  It's always nice to have a bed to sleep in when you're surrounded by boxes.

4. Make all necessary arrangements for utilities, mail changes, and kids' schooling as soon as possible.  Nothing like showing up at your new place and having no power.  And little people transition easier when Mom and Dad already have things arranged at their new school.

5. Find Free Boxes.  This is always an issue for us.  We ALWAYS move ourselves.  And we have rarely had enough room to store moving  boxes from previous moves, so we always find ourselves in need of moving boxes.  But here's a great tip on how to get FREE  moving boxes.  Look on Craig's List or on your local on-line classified ads in the Free Section.  You will almost always find someone who is trying to get rid of moving boxes. 

6. Purge Before You Pack.  This might not save you time while you're packing, but it will definitely be worth it once you arrive at your new place.   I hate to admit it, but there are boxes in my basement right now that the Hubby and I have lugged from place to place for at least the last 10 years.  And here's a hint..if we haven't needed the stuff in 10 years..we're not going to need it.  So this move, we're getting rid of the stuff before we move it one more time. 

7. Breathe.  If all else fails, just remember, this too shall pass.  When I get stressed out, I just visualize myself in my new space...with everything put away, and I realize that in a few short weeks, all the chaos will be over, and I'll have a new place to decorate.  And that just puts a smile on my face.

If you're moving, or just thinking about moving, I hope you'll be able to use some of these tips to help you stay sane in the process.

Have a great day~

Decluttering Tips~

It's crunch time.  T minus 5 weeks until our move.  Now that we're starting to pack, it's the perfect time to declutter.  Moving is a great time for a fresh start,  a great time to get yourself clutter-free.  But you don't have to be moving to get that clutter out of your house.  In fact, it's much easier if you declutter a little bit at a time instead of having to do it all at once like me.   If you want to get rid of some of that clutter (and who doesn't, really?)  here are a few of my go-to tips for decluttering your house.




A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place


1. Declutter for a few minutes at a time.  Let's face it, the prospect of spending hours going through your closets and cupboards is enough to keep you from decluttering all together.  So make it easy on yourself and declutter for 10- 15 minutes at a time instead.  Take time and clear off one shelf, or clear out one drawer at a time.  This makes the process less daunting and more doable.

2. Finish decluttering one room at a time.  Continue working in one room at a time until that room is clutter free.  The next time you take your 15 minutes to declutter, move on to the next drawer or the next shelf from the one you worked on last time.  This way you won't have random clean drawers or shelves strewn throughout the house.

3. Set aside a weekly time.  Or if this works better for you, try scheduling a time weekly to declutter.  It could even be part of your weekly cleaning routine. 

4. Multi-task.   Rather than sitting while you chat on the phone, try cleaning out the junk drawer.

5. The clothing rule.  If you haven't worn it in the last year, get rid of it.  I finally convinced the hubby to do this.  He holds on to his clothes for.ev.ah.  But last week, he finally did it.  Went through his clothes and got rid of tons of old (and unworn for years) clothes.  He was actually smiling...and couldn't believe how good it felt.  Really.  Mission accomplished.

6. Deal with paper immediately.  Now, I must admit, I am a bit of a paper hoarder.  I have a hard time parting with paper.  But nothing builds up clutter quite as quickly.  So even I, who looooves my paper, have had to implement a system.  I have three boxes:  a bills box, a to-do box, and a file box (you can see them on the shelf in the photo above).  When my mail comes in, I deal with it immediately I put bills to be paid in their box, other papers that need dealing with in their box.  Then once I either pay the bills or deal with the paper it goes in the file box...and gets filed weekly.  (And for those bills that can be taken care of online - I do that.)   The rest gets shredded or goes in recycling. 

Except magazines and catalogs.  This is my real weakness.  But I am trying to be better.  I have been going through my old magazines and tearing out the pages that inspire me.  It was a bit challenging for me at first, but it feels good to get rid of them.  I will admit, that I do keep some of my favorites in tact, but I try to limit myself.

7. Donate and Recycle.  This brings me to my last tip.  Donate or recycle.  It's much easier to get rid of things when you don't just trash them.  Take your clothing, old toys, books etc. to your local goodwill.  And recycle all that paper!  Knowing that you are doing your part to be green is always a good thing.

Are you feeling inspired to organize?  Try these websites for some great decluttering and organizing ideas:

FlyLady.net

Organized Home

Get Organized Now

Okay, now that I've preached my little sermon on decluttering...I'm off to do as I say. 

Have a great day~

Yipee! A Few Spring Cleaning Tips for You~

You know how it is when you come back from a trip. The first day or so is spent just catching up for the days you've been gone.

Grocery shopping.

Doing laundry.

Cleaning.

It's that time of year again! Spring cleaning. Blech! Soooo not my favorite time of the year. But necessary none-the-less.

So since I have been spending my day playing catch-ups (and not working on the projects I mentioned in yesterday's post ) I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite spring cleaning tips. I know you're so excited you can hardly stand it - insert sarcastic eye roll here - but keep an open mind, you may just find a new tip you can use.

1. Use Spring cleaning time as a chance to change out batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (you can do the same in September around the first day of fall...or when the clocks change back.)

2. Make sure you wash down your walls...they get a lot dirtier than you think. Or, if you are like my hubby, repaint the entire interior of the house, and patch every hole with spackle...but leave the spackle there for a week so that your spouse can get sufficiently sick and tired of the polk-a-dots and will really appreciate the new paint. ;-)

3. If you like "green" cleaning products...try making your own glass cleaner by mixing vinegar and water in a spray bottle. (This works best if you use newspaper to wipe the windows rather than a rag.)

4. And here is a tip I shared a few weeks ago, but it's so good it bears repeating...if you have brown stains inside your dishwasher, they are probably due to rust. There are expensive products out there that can remove the stains, but try this first. Take some Tang powder (you know, that Orange flavored Astronaut drink) and use it just like you would use dish detergent. Run a cycle (without dishes of course...unless you want everything you eat for the next few days to taste like orange punch). You may have to repeat the cycle a couple of times, but it does remove the rust stains. REALLY....I've done it!! And actually, you don't have to use Tang. You can use any orange flavored drink mix...I actually used a generic brand and it worked just fine.

5. To remove Water Rings on wood, mix equal amounts of baking soda and plain white toothpaste (not gel) . Use a soft cloth to gently rub the mixture in a circular motion on rings.

6. Finally, do you have a budding Picaso?..in other words, do you have crayon on the walls? Mister Clean Magic Eraser rocks!!! There's a reason it's called "magic eraser".

Once your house is all sparkly and clean...you'll be a happy camper! At least that's what I keep reminding myself. :-)

Have a great day.

Bring Spring Indoors~

I've been wondering when Spring is going to get around to actually making an appearance in these parts. Seems that this season is such a tease. One day the weather is warm, the birds are chirping, and buds are peaking up through the ground. The next day we are being dumped on with snow.

So I've decided to take matters into my own hands and bring a little bit of spring inside. Here are four super simple ways that I've brought spring to the Shabby Nest (try them to bring a little spring to your nest too)...
1. Adding blossoms.

Whether the blossoms are real like these roses...

Or faux like these cherry blossoms...

Flowers just shout "SPRING"!

2. Adding green.

Green is synonymous with spring. Don't worry about using real greenery (unless you want to, of course) such additions as faux topiaries and green spheres help bring in that spring-y feeling.

3. Adding birds.

Anything avian will help to make your home feel spring-ish.

Try adding nests (with eggs, of course!)...

Or little bird-statuary...

Or even bird art as I did on my fireplace mantle.

4. Adding a bit of blue.

Okay, so you might not want to paint a piece of furniture blue like I did...but doesn't it look super spring-y? If you don't want to go for anything quite this dramatic a little bit of blue, like the frame on my mantle - pictured above - will do the trick just as well.

With just these easy-to-add touches my home went from the winter blahs to the warmth of spring. Yours can too!!

Joining up with Centsational Girl's Spring Link-up!

Have a great day~

5 Tips to Make your Home Smell Fresh~

Thanks to the makers of Pine-Sol® for sponsoring my writing. Share your "scent story" here for the chance to win a trip to a Scentsational Destination sponsored by Pine-Sol®. One grand prize winner will receive a choice of four amazing trips. To learn more about the Scent Away Sweeptakes, visit here.

Whenever I have people visit my home I always hope that it smells good to them. My sense of smell isn't very strong, and I'm always concerned that my home might not smell fresh and clean and I just don't know it. So I take extra precautions to make sure that my guests are greeted with a pleasant smelling home when they come visit me.

And because I think pretty much everyone would like to have their home smell good, I've put together a list of my 5 go-to tips that I've gathered along the way to help potential trouble areas in your home smell clean and fresh.

1. The dishwasher. Dishwashers can start to smell musty..and if you have a dishwasher with a white interior you may notice that after a while it starts to get brown stains inside. The trick to fix both the stains and the smell is to run your dishwasher while empty...and instead of using dishwasher detergent use orange drink powder. Pretty much any brand will do. Just make sure it's orange drink powder. No really, I promise it works. Stains eliminated. Musty smell gone.

2. The refrigerator. Oh yes, the refrigerator. Home to a myriad of food smells. Some good. Others not so good. To remove odors from the fridge: wash down the interior of your empty refrigerator with a mixture of a few tablespoons of baking soda in approximately 1 quart of warm water. Then to keep the interior smelling fresh, after you've replaced your food, place an open box of baking soda inside. The box should help to diminish odors for a few months before it should be replaced.

3. The washing machine. Front-load washing machines are especially notorious for smelling musty. Tip #1: make sure and leave the door open between washes. Tip #2: run an empty load using hot water and vinegar instead of detergent.

4. The garbage disposal. Got this tip straight from our plumber...throw some orange or other citrus rinds down the disposal periodically. The citrus smell will clear out any lingering odors.

5. Mattresses. Placing dryer sheets between your mattress and bedsheets goes a long way toward helping to eliminate unpleasant smells.

So there you have it folks. 5 ways to help your home smell great! Your guests will thank you. ;-)

Don't forget to enter Pine-Sol®'s Scent Away Sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip to a Scentsational Destination. I was selected for this Pine-Sol® sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

So You Think You Can Decorate: Week 6 Challenge

Welcome to the week 6 challenge for So You Think You Can Decorate! This week's challenge is paint. For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you will recognize my boys' room from our previous house. I wanted to use it for this challenge, however, because it is such a great example of what paint can do.

Now on to the post...

Never underestimate the power of paint! It is one of my favorite decorating tools. This is the room that all three of my boys shared in our previous house. It was large, but it was long and narrow. I wanted to create the illusion of width, so I decided to use a wide horizontal stripe around the entire room.

Because I used a single wide stripe, the eye is drawn from side to side across the room making it seem wider.

The stripe was very easy to create. First I painted the blue base coat. After it was thoroughly dry, I measured and taped off the line with painter's tape. Here's a tip...seal the inside of painter's tape by painting the tape edges with a bit of the base coat color first. Then when you paint the stripe color it won't leak under the painter's tape...preventing messes when you remove the tape.

I chose to paint the stripe about 2/3 of the way up the wall...the perfect height for hanging artwork. (or towels...)



Because the stripe reminded me a little bit of a racing stripe...the pennant flags above the crib seemed perfect.

Stripes like this one can be used in just about any room to add visual interest...use subtler colors for a more sophisticated look, or even create a stripe with chalkboard or magnetic paint for a more whimsical approach!

But don't forget...paint is the decorator's best friend! It certainly made all the difference in this room!

The competitition is getting super stiff over at So You Think You Can Decorate...I could really use your vote...if you like this project head on over!! THANKS!

xoxo
Wendy

So You Think You Can Decorate: Week 5 Challenge~

Welcome to Week 5 of So You Think You Can Decorate! And this week's challenge is fabric!



I must admit that I have a bit of a fabric obsession. It's amazing what fabric can do for a room. Let's take my son's room for example. A typical basement bedroom. It has a very small window which doesn't provide much in the way of a focal point. (or much light for that matter, so please forgive the photography.)

Here's the after of that same room...with fabric added in the form of a roman shade, drapes and accent pillows. What a difference!! (Again, please forgive the low light photography....not the best to show off how cute everything actually turned out...sigh.)

First up, the roman shades and drapes. I actually made the shades using a vinyl mini-blind, Fabritac glue, and denim. A super easy and inexpensive way to create custom roman shades in whatever fabric you choose. And when I say easy, I mean this is seriously easy folks!! And since I used a tutorial to make these....I'm going to share it with you! Here's the link.

The drapes were created using blue and white ticking fabric. They were very simple to sew. I chose not to create a rod pocket, so all I did was hem the top and bottom, leaving the selvages instead of hemming the sides. Then I pinched the tops and attached curtain rings to hang them.

Here's a closeup of the back of the roman shade, so you can see the "skeleton" I created from the mini blind, and I tried to get a decent closeup of the window treatment....you can sort of see the folds of the roman shade...(drat that basement lighting.)

In this photo, you can see the way the ticking drapes frame out the bed. The addition of handmade accent pillows adds softness and personality to the bed.

I made these pillows using one of my favorite tricks...photo transfer paper. I just love my son's handsome face looking back from his bed...even when he's not sleeping in it. The firetruck pillow features a vintage firetruck photo and more blue ticking to tie in with the drapes.

A couple of tips on using photo transfer paper...first, I recommend the Avery brand. I am not being paid by them, I have just tried pretty much EVERY brand of photo transfer paper out there, and I have had better and more consistent results with Avery than with any other brand.

Second, if you are using text in your design, MAKE SURE YOU REVERSE IT. You will need a photo editing program to reverse the text...but make sure you do it. Unless you are extremely particular about an image, they can usually be printed without reversing them. I didn't reverse either of the images used in this project, and I can't see a difference.

Then all you need to do is follow the directions on the package. Photo transfer paper is very easy to use, and can create some great custom pieces for your home.

For the pillow with my son's photo on it, I simply ironed the photo transfer directly onto the fabric I was using for the pillow. For the firetruck pillow, I ironed it on a seperate piece of canvas, cut it out, and then sewed it as a patch onto the ticking fabric. (Which leads me to another tip on using transfer paper...you don't want to use the transfer paper on fabric with a print...the print will show through).

After seeing how cute the portrait pillow turned out, I think I may have to make one of each of my other three kiddos....wouldn't they make a great addition to a family room?

Like I said, it's amazing what fabric can do for a room!!

The competition is getting tough over there at So You Think You Can Decorate. If you liked this project, please hop over and give me your vote. I could really use it. ;-)


Have a great Monday~


xoxo
Wendy