Adding A Bit of Ric Rac

A very simple addition to curtains really brings up the fun aspect! In this case adding a bit of Ric Rac to a pair of denim curtains brought about that bit of something extra  I was looking for. As well as adding some red to help break up a whole lot of blue.

 This is the part when I get to the how I did it. CAUTION... for any of you who are great sewers or posses amazing talents, this is not for you. Just scroll on down. Mom that includes you!!!

I thought about sewing on the Ric Rac and then I got wise! Do I want this very simple addition to turn into a two day project? So instead I got out my handy dandy hot glue gun.
Tuning my glue gun on low, I simply put my glue along the edge of the curtain and glued the Ric Rac right where I wanted it. SIMPLE!

Oh wait remember how simple this project was supposed to be? Well my little guy decided to add some extra effort to it by fussing at me. My solution stick him on the stroller next to me. Then each of my girls took a turn pushing him around (the only time I condone pushing in our family) to keep him content. For me this project took a bit of extra time, but for you minus the fussy baby it will be a matter of minutes!












Just a peak... here are the curtains hung in my daughter and baby boy's room. Soon the whole room will be revealed! Remember we are just waiting on my daughter's custom made bedding from my amazing mom! 


A very simple addition really added some extra fun to the room!

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Wooden Letters

Wooden craft letters crafted! There are so many things you can do to make over a wooden letter. In the past I have painted wooden letters by hand. See here  for my previous post. This time around I covered the letters in scrapbook paper. Here is what I did.

You can buy these letters at Hobby Lobby or any other craft store. I waited to buy mine at Hobby Lobby when they were 50% off.

First,  I  painted the letter using an acrylic paint. I choose a color that to coordinate with the main color of the scrapbook paper I was using. You could use white for every letter if you prefer. The part that matters most for the paint are the sides since that is the only part that will show.
I then placed my letter on the paper and traced around it. You could turn your paper over, turn you letter over and trace it that way if you prefer. Same result.









 Once your letter is cut out you are ready to glue it on using Mod Podge.
Mod Podge can be found at your craft store, I bought mine at Hobby Lobby.
  
You will use this to first paint your letter. Stick your
paper on your letter and then paint over it using nice even strokes with the Mod Podge. There are different finishes of Mod Podge, I choose to use the shiny kind.

You may have parts where the paper sticks out over the edge of the letter. Once dry, I used a bit of sandpaper to flatten the paper to the edge of the letter. Sand in one direction so you don't rip the paper.

For my letter A I used each paper used in my son''s name.
What I did...
Lay the paper you want on the part of the letter you want it. Trace around it and cut it out. At times you will need to hold the paper in place on the front, turn it over to trace on the back. Figure out what piece needs to be Mod Podged first.Once all the peices of your "puzzle" are in place paint the front with your Mod Podge.

To make it a bit more fun I added a horse charm for my horse loving daughter.

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A "Word" on Homemade Art

Using the help of the internet and Word I made very inexpensive art work.
I painted frames I already had, used scrapbook paper, printed out the pictures I wanted and viola!







Again backed with scrapbook paper I made a collage.

I painted this frame red, black and blue... it came out rather well for the look I wanted. Considering it used to be an unattractive laminate brown frame.

Word! Don't you just love what you can create using Word? To personalize these prints I added to the one on the left, Cowgirl and my daughter's name. To the one on the right I added my son's name to the top and bottom. To think I could have bought these prints on canvas for over a hundred dollars each! I am quite content with my print out version.

A thrift store frame that used to be natural wood... brown. Getting the idea... yup another print out backed with scrapbook paper.

What used to be an ugly green frame got a coat of black paint and topped with a coordinating ribbon. I love my hot glue gun!

Here is before adding some additional art work.

After. For being on a budget it came out fun!

My horse loving cowgirl is very pleased so that is all that matters! I did not need to spend hundreds of dollars on art work to make her smile and feel loved!

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Memo Boards

Online I found a memo board that would match my Vintage Western boy/girl room/nursery for $100! That was $91 more than what I ended up paying by making my own.

 I found two magnetic cork boards on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $2.00 each. Magnetic so cool, since this is going in a child's room I don't want push pins.   

 I cut my fabric so it would wrap around the board leaving enough to hot glue on the back. I used straight pins to hold the fabric in place at each corner.

I used a hot glue gun to attach the fabric to the board. I then chose to use a see through ribbon so it would not distract from my patterned fabric. I again used straight pins to hold the ribbon in the place I wanted it. Using my hot glue gun, I glued the ribbon at the back of the board.

 I chose to do two Xs with my ribbon (a total of four cut ribbons) but you could use six ribbons to make more Xs.

 I then choose two buttons from my button jar. I keep this jar in my laundry room to catch any lost or extra buttons. (Click here to see my laundry room makeover)
I sewed them on using strong thread since little hands will be pulling at the ribbons to add their art work or pictures.

I stitched the button thread to the fabric so I could tie it off. I pulled it tight to keep the button firmly in place. 

I made two memo boards. One using my son's fabric and one using my daughter's fabric. 

Again I used a see through sheer ribbon so the pattern was not hidden.

I just love these fabrics for my boy/girl bedroom. The memo boards turned out super cute for only spending $9.00!

Here is the pillow sham for my daughter's bed. I am so excited! My mom is custom making all her bedding! As soon as the bedding is complete I will do a full room reveal.
Click here for my previous posts for this room.

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Searching For Creative Ideas for Twin Headboards

Sunset.com Photo by Megan Thompson; courtesy of MyHomeIdeas.com

I am on the search for creative ideas for a twin headboard. May I also add inexpensive ideas for a  twin headboard.
I am still in process of putting together my daughter and baby boy's room. One thing I am lacking is a bed frame or headboard for my daughter's bed. I thought it would be fun to be creative with coming up with a headboard for her instead of buying a whole bed frame. Later on in years when the two no longer are roomies, I may want this bedroom to have a full size bed and not spend the money on a temporary need for a twin bed now.  My original thought has been to make an upholstered headboard, but we will see if my search yields any other creative solutions.

These photos are some of the things I have come across. 

Photo from apartmenttherapy.com click here 4 Ideas for Cheap Headboards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset.com Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn; courtesy of MyHomeIdeas.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the rustic boards used as a headboard and what they did with the wall space. Also the frame bed, simply made from molding purchased at the hardware store and painted. I am thinking the middle of the frame can be either paint or fabric.
Some other ideas I came across were using shutters, or picket fence. Maybe even using shelves or cork board. There are a lot of really great ideas out there. Now I just have to decide what direction I want to go.
Here is a link to another really great sight for ideas. curbly.com

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Hanging Baskets Hung

Here is what became of my painted baskets. One of them will hold diapers and such for baby. Just a small peak into my still in progress Horse Theme boy/ girl bedroom.You can check out previous posts here Boy/ Girl Bedroom.

A very excited little horse lover!

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Plastic Bins Made Into Drawers

 Life on a budget can leave you with no extra cash flow to buy a needed storage space for "stuff". A house where kids need to double up in bedrooms can cause space to become cramped. Parts of the country where you experience seasons and weather changes from day to day can lead to over loaded drawer space. Toys, toys, toys and no place to store them can leave you frustrated.
Why not put to use that unused under bed space to solve those problems and not break the bank at the same time? My simple solution to the dilemma I faced, turn plastic bins into drawers. My daughter is sharing a room  with her (soon to be born) baby brother. I have scoured Craigslist for a dresser that could accommodate both of them while acting as a changing table at the same time. I just kept coming up empty. I currently own a changing table that I was plenty fine with getting rid of, but not to replace it with another changing table. That just seemed senseless to me. So being empty handed... for lack of one big dresser for both kids, I got creative. The changing table will serve the needs of baby and under bed drawers will serve the needs of my daughter.
Here is what I did.
First I measured the distance from the floor to the bottom of the bed. I then went to Target and found bins that would easily slide in and out from under the bed.

I then placed a piece of scotch tape on the bin where I wanted to drill holes to add a rope handle. I marked the spots for the drill holes with permanent marker.

 I sized up my rope and chose a drill bit to match.

 I then drilled the holes. Putting the drill in reverse once the hole is made makes exiting the plastic bin a breeze.

I threaded the rope through the first hole. Tied a knot on the inside of the bin and then tied a knot on the outside. I did this to help keep the rope from sliding back into the bin. I then threaded the rope through the other hole and tied a knot on the inside of the bin.
Hint: you can put scotch tape around the end of your rope to ease it through the hole.
















 An ordinary plastic bin has now "bin" transformed into a drawer.

Since my daughters bed is still being transformed into cute, I show her clothes under the crib. In actuality they are under her bed. The crib will also have drawers to house toys.

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