Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Missing Chicago... just a little




Getting bored here in Torrington without my family or friends... I wanted to at least go to Cheyenne this week so I can be a little social. It's sad when you really can't do anything but shop to keep you entertained outside the home. Lucky for me I do have a great sister-in-law who hangs out with Ella and I sometimes. Without her I'd be really pathetic! Lol.
I put Ella's Chicago shirt on her today, made me miss my sister who gave it to her. It's big, so this is the first time she wore it...

Dresser...




The dresser was a regular bright white, and I painted it to the same white as the trim & Ella's crib. I am happy with it now. I still haven't put the knobs back on. I really want some clear crystal knobs but can't spend the extra money right now. So, I am thinking of stamping or painting them with a black swirl or scroll... not sure yet!

Friday, August 14, 2009

New bedding...

I actually made the crib sheet last night... VERY simple to do. I am thinking of getting some more fabric to make a spare, and then matching flat sheets and pillowcases for when we alter it to the toddler bed. I used this tutorial:Crib Sheet Tut However, I can't find the site that had a chart... I did alter this tutorial slightly on my measurements. My fabric was only 44" across, not 45 so instead of making it 69" long, I cut it 68"... then the squares I cut from the corners are 8.5" not just 8. And it worked out quite nicely!



Close up! The crib skirt was a pain in the butt!!! I took apart a Circo brand dust ruffle I bought for only $3, and kinda measured it up... so, it took a little time and I am SO GLAD to be done with it. I also like these instructions.... Dust Ruffle Instructions. I just wish they had pictures... not that easy to follow. Maybe I'll make my own tutorial someday... who knows?!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Joann Fabrics had what I wanted!




And I got to use my 40% off coupon. I was totally excited to find this fabric today, and not have to order online and wait to start Ella's curtains. Not completely what I had envisioned, but I think they turned out okay. Any thoughts?

Monday, August 10, 2009







Ella approves! I still have to touch up a little of the green and scrub the floors better, but she had a great time running around this wide open space... yeah, and there's no pic of the closet yet because I need to find a place to store all of that stuff and then remove it's carpet and paint. Phew, a night off will do me some good!!!

The carpet is gone...



And what a nasty mess that old carpet padding was... yuck. Particles flew everywhere while I scraped it off the floor and swept up.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Home Improvement begins...

I love HGTV, I adore home decorating. I was super excited to "get the ok" to put our mark on this place. It probably hasn't been painted in ages, and Ella's room was the first project I wanted to tackle. This is because it has NO wallpaper (there is 1-2 walls papered in the kitchen, bathroom and our room) and really needed a fresh look. I also wanted to paint BEFORE we tore up the carpet. Anyway, I chose "peapod green." and we are getting a gallon of white (well, antique white) paint tomorrow to do the trim, inside of the closet, Ella's dresser, and a small bookshelf (when I find her one!). I have picked out black and white damask fabric and polka-dot fabric to make sheets, bed skirts, curtains and some throws. That will get ordered this week... this is the damask fabric : Click Here
Here are a few before pictures...
My helper :)

Anyone know a cheap place to get some new light covers for the ceiling fan? We really need some new ones...
Well, here is Ella's green room!

(the hose is for the a/c unit)

a peak at the pretty hardwood floor!!!!!! The padding from the carpet is so old that some of it is like powder now... kinda gross, but easy to rip up!!
And yep, the trim is all still baby blue. I can't wait to see the white in there :)

Friday, August 7, 2009

Iron Chef Swap... CUPCAKES!

I was so excited to start unpacking my paper crafting supplies this past week!!! I still have about half in storage, but I am going to sneak them over ASAP. I keep finding goodies I didn't realize I had, and OH MY WORD do I have a lot of stamps!!! I haven't had them all out since last October so it will be overwhelming when I do.
Anyway, I used to participate in a monthly Iron Chef 6X6 recipe swap, hosted by one of my best paper crafting friends, Jessica in Kansas (her blog is listed on my blog list!). Instead of a secret ingredient this month, our theme was CUPCAKES (how incredibly cute!). I have a few cupcake stamps, but chose this acrylic stamp that came in a way cute set by Inkadinkado.
I used some Bazzil, Martha Stewart and SU! cardstock... and the patterned paper is by EK Success. Oh, and that little swirl? It's my most favorite little swirl, from SU!'s Season of Joy set. I use that little thing in far too many projects!
Anyway, here's the first recipe card project I've attempted in months....




I decided on Matcha cupcakes after all. I wanted to do the Green Velvet Recipe I found... yet I just could not. I've been going green lately and won't add food coloring to my baked goods... unless it is natural! Matcha is a powdered green tea, it can be found at oriental specialty stores or health-food shops... or online!

It's been far too long...

since I have done ANY papercrafting! We left Torrington in February to attempt to move to Cheyenne... living with my aunt, uncle & 3 young cousins (in Colorado) until mid-May. The only papercrafting I did during those three months was one A-Z swap (its in a previous post) and my brother and now sister-in-law's wedding invites (which I might post once I can block out addresses!).
Nathan left to stay with his dad and grandpa in Torrington and Ella and I went to "wait out" the job situation in Illinois at my parents home. About a month and a half ago Nathan's grandfather passed away. Ella and I came home early.
Well, we are back in Torrington staying at his grandfather's place. I have no idea how permanent this is, so I am going ahead and making it home... I've been slowly packing away things for the family to go through, storing it, and moving some of our things in. Just today we bought some paint so that Ella can have the first room to be complete. It's been years since any painting has been done, so anything we do will be of help when it comes time for the family to decide what they will do with the place... who knows? Maybe our situation will go better that we might buy it.
It's been a difficult year, however, I've learned the lesson of patience over and over, and that is hard for me. I like a plan and I like things to go my way, and I've had the opposite. All of this has left me incredibly humbled.
And on a lighter note... I will post my newest papercrafting progect in another post, lol.