Subject: Christmas Stockings

Melissa -

As with our other Christmas decorations, for our stockings I once again drew inspiration from the Secrets from a Stylist holiday special, especially this picture:

I love how these stockings still look like stockings when they're hung over a mantel, but they're not the faux fur-lined numbers I had growing up. However, I did want something that had more traditional Christmas colors in it (like, red) and I did not have a ton of time to spend on creating stockings from scratch (or the patience really).

At Target I found stockings in the $1 section that I thought would be good to work with - and hello, you cannot beat the price! So even if I only use them a few times, I don't have that much invested in them. I went ahead and bought four so I would have all that I would need (and matching!) for Christmas next year. Next I went to Joann Fabrics and checked out their flannel selection. Not great, but I did re-find some flannel that I have been loving from afar for awhile but had no projects designated for it...until now. I kind of liked the idea of each stocking having different flannel trim on it, but given the limited selection I decided to make them all the same. Finally, I printed off some letters from Word to use as stencils. Here are my supplies:

I created little foot and heel patches by tracing the end of the stocking on to paper and cutting it out to make a pattern. Next I started on the letters. After I cut them out from computer paper, I then traced them onto a file folder and cut them out again, because I felt like the thicker paper would work better for tracing onto the actual fabric. It was a little more time-intensive, but I think the results were worth it. To adhere, I used fabric glue (because why sew???) and I love the results!
Right? Here is a close-up:

I think they look really interesting but not mass-produced, which is totally what I was going for. I also kind of like that the flannel isn't a traditional red-and-green theme, but still has red in it to make it work with the red stocking. I also liked how Emily didn't use traditional stocking hangers over the mantel but instead strung them up using gold chain from the hardware store. I did not have any gold chain so I used some twine. Maybe next year I will come up with something even more creative...we'll see! But for now, I am just glad I can mark stockings off my list.

And yes, I bought enough fabric to personalize next year's addition!

Season's greetings!
Kara

Subject: A Very Homemade Holiday

Melissa -

Oh my gosh - I have so enjoyed watching your master bath's transformation! I cannot wait to see the finished project. What are you doing for fixtures (light, faucets, mirrors, etc.)? I'm sure your choices will be flawless, but the suspense is killing me!

Over in the Casa de Lass, I have been busy at work getting ready for Christmas and breathing new life into my childhood relics. Would you believe this is the first year we have ever put up a Christmas tree? This will be our sixth Christmas as a married couple - and no tree! Mostly it's because we have always been gone on Christmas day, so it seemed silly to put one up when we wouldn't even be here on the actual day to enjoy it. But this year everyone is coming to us, so we decided to get into the Christmas spirit. Of course, having never decorated a tree (or our house, really), we were essentially starting from scratch.

For some reason, Christmas decorations stress me out. First, I feel like I have a hard enough time with decorating my house for the other 11 months of the year, so focusing on decorating for just one holiday has always seemed daunting. I would rather spend my money and energy on decorations I can use year-round, you know? Plus I don't know what to do with all the decorations once Christmas is over. My house is not brimming with extra storage, so I hated the idea of having to find a place to store decorations. And lastly, so many of the decorations out there are just ugly and super-commercial, which is not at all appealing. So instead I decided to make all our decorations.

First up: ornaments. I wanted everything to have a homemade vibe and give off a feeling of warmth...so what better than yarn??? I was inspired by Secrets from a Stylist's holiday special and found 4-packs of Styrofoam balls for $1 at the Dollar General and then found some cheap yarn at Joann Fabrics. Here are my materials before:

And the finished product, after:


There are 40 total. I actually got really fast at it towards the end, but I was so happy when I was done!

Next, I needed to figure out what to do about a tree topper. I didn't want to do a typical star or angel, so I decided to brand the tree as our own, like any true Southerner. I found a chipboard M at Hobby Lobby on sale for, like, 75 cents and then went and looked at the holiday floral section. Here is what I was working with:


And the after:

I really like the look of it! I hot glued each of the berries and then topped it with the crystals to add some flair. I mean, it's not perfect, but I think it's fun and different. I glued yarn across the two points of the M to hang it on the top branch and it is resting on some lower branches for added support.

Here is a shot of the whole tree:

I used some burlap as my tree skirt and added a little bit of sparkle to the tree with some silver bells (and now that song is in my head...).

The whole thing achieves what I was going for and nothing is breakable (great for curious little fingers)! Tomorrow I'll show you our stockings!

Bye bye,

Kara

Subject: The Land of Nod + A Blog

Good Morning All - 

Since Kara is away on her Eastern Seaboard Extravaganza, it seems that these emails should be directed more to you and less to her.  (Only because I don't think she will still want to be friends with me if she returns and has a boatload of emails/blogs to follow up on.)

So, for the next few days, I figure I will try and concentrate on cool things I've come across in magazines and online and less about inquiring advice from my dear friend in Tallahassee. 

Now that I'm done blabbing, I wanted to share this cool blog I came across.  First the image that caught my eye:

Honest to Nod

See that birdcage?  Interested in making it yourself??  The directions can be found on the The Land of Nod's blog Honest to Nod.  Besides this one project, they have a ton of others.  Some are crafty, some to do with kids and some you can whip up in the kitchen and eat.

I think the birdcage in particular could be cool in a nursery or playroom.  I can't wait to see what other fun projects I will find on the blog.

Have a great day!

Subject: Birthday Craft

Melissa -

I hope you had an amazing weekend with your girlfriends and their hubbies! Suz and I had a great weekend together...Mr. Lass was sick with some kind of stomach bug, so we spent a lot of time together and away from the house as much as we could (less of a chance for her to catch whatever Da-Da has). On Saturday we had plans to go to my friend Holly's daughter's 2nd birthday party.

The party was an alligator theme, because little Camille loves alligators, so there were inflated alligators and little kiddie pools in their backyard and kids ran around in the bathing suits - it was a lot of fun. Plus it was, like, super humid, so it really brought the swamp theme to life :) We had sandwiches and fruit for lunch and an alligator-shaped cake that was super-yummy.

I knew that Camille loves to color, so I decided to make her a Crayon Roll based on instructions on found on this blog. The instructions were really easy and I was able to use fabric I had on hand, which was fun to mix & match. Plus, one piece of fabric had animals on it (including alligators!) so it seemed especially appropriate. Here is my finished product:

The original directions used ribbon to close the roll, but I liked the idea of using something different. Plus, it seems like the ribbon could get dirty or fray and I wanted something more durable. I had these D-ring clasps and straps from when I made a few nursing covers, so I cut the straps off one and used it for the securing the roll.

Some more pictures:

I love the way the crayons fit into their own little pockets! And the whole thing is pretty small, which is perfect for moms to throw into their bags and take crayons with them wherever they go. Plus, it seems like the task of putting the crayons back in their slots would be an activity in itself and occupy kids for a few minutes - maybe while you're waiting for the check at a restaurant, aka classic meltdown time? So in some ways, this gift is for moms and kids.

At Target I found a little straw bag that I used to pack everything up. I included some coloring books and a set of animal-themed pajamas and tied on a zebra-stripe ribbon for extra fun.

I think I will be making this for all my friends' kids for future birthdays!

Subject: Checking In

Hall-ooooo!

So we are, like, less than 24 hours away from someone else's big day. Actually, we're less than 12 if you're on British time, which I have been (mentally) all week. (Do you think I'll be jet-lagged on Saturday when it's all over?) I am dy-ing. I love all the pomp and pageantry and especially love how all those Brits, with the traditional stiff-upper-lip, turn out to line the streets for someone else's wedding! I just really appreciate that. Mostly, though I'm so excited for my dinner party!

As a little game, this is what I have made:

I used pictures of Royal brides and grooms and my guests will have to match which princess goes with which prince (or toad, as the case is sometimes). I've decided on a table scheme (my new alternative to 'table scape') and the menu is going to be scrumptious. So, yeah - I'm just ready to get it all under way. I've decided that it's so much fun to turn ordinary things into events, because it makes them seem fun and exciting, even if you're not the person involved. Plus, it's just a great excuse to throw a party! I just Suz were a little older and then I would totally take advantage of these.

Okay, so next week I promise to write a ton more. I have to show you pictures from Suz's party (sorry for stringing you along for so many weeks!) and I've completed a few projects as well that I need to show you.

Just to get you excited, here are the 'before' shots:

Yikes, right? The 'after' photos will show you the transformation.

Also this week, I decided to spruce up my entry lamp. (You remember my new lamp, right?) Here it is before:

Not bad, but kind of ho-hum. After a quick trip to the craft store and some grosgrain ribbon and double-sided tape, here is the after:

Not a huge transformation. But still, I think it looks more polished and 'done.'

See you back here next week...hope you have a smashing weekend, dah-ling!

Cheerio,

Kara

Subject: Found It!

Melissa! So do you remember back when I told you had decided on the type of mirror I wanted for my master bathroom? But it was kind of a vintage shape, so I had no idea where I was going to find it. Remember? Remember??? Well, I found it! And seriously I am so, so excited. I get such a feeling of satisfaction when I find something that I have really been wanting (and sometimes I don't know I want it until I see it) that I don't find in a conventional store, when it is authentically aged and not mass-produced. Of course, I am not entirely opposed to mass-produced sometimes too, but I love taking something that is sort of "blah" and making it my own, which I am less likely to do with a piece I buy from Target or Pottery Barn or anywhere in between. So, without further ado: I know, not much to look at. (Excuse the view of the back of my couch!) I need to paint it, of course, but it has the same lines as the original mirror I showed you:

I was looking on Craigslist on Saturday night and found it. And what's more: the girl had two she was selling. So I bought them both! My mother-in-law has been looking for a mirror to hang above her dresser (yes, this one - the one I have yet to show you the 'after' for), so I gave her the one that was a little bit smaller.

It has really come in handy keeping the dimensions for the current mirror in my cell phone, because I never don't have my phone. The dimensions of the new mirror are very close to the new mirror. It's almost the same width, but the new one isn't as tall, which I think will be okay because I'll just center the mirror between the sink and light fixture, whereas the current, stock mirror touches the backsplash on the sink and almost touches the bottom of the light fixture.

So now i just need to paint it - probably a glossy white - and then get the wall it's going to hang on ready. Like, I'll need to patch the holes that were used to hold the brackets for the existing mirror in case. I'm hoping I won't have to paint that wall...again.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers! Kara

Subject: Party Peek

Melissa,

Hi-eee! I am coming you from the front lines of Party Central! We are approximately 50 or so hours away from Suz's birthday party! Aren't you excited? Me too. You'll remember that I told you about the theme of the party and shared with you the invitation, so I have been making decorations to carry that theme through. For the food table, I made ten of these little pennants to divide and put into two vases flanking the food:

I love them! I bought three sheets of felt from Joann Fabrics (they were $.29/each) and wooden dowels that I cut in half. Then I used my rotary cutter and a straight edge and went to town making these little guys. No measuring, just a lot of angled cutting, because I like the look of homemade-ness and a little imperfection to make it seem more whimsical and fun. (You'll also notice that I'm giving you a sneak peek of the new fabric on my dining chairs!)

For the tea station, I whipped up these drink stirrers using wooden skewers that I trimmed down, ribbon from my stash and some hot glue:

I also created this party hat using Jordan's template and a sheet of scrapbook paper from Michael's:

I am IN LOVE with this hat (if it's possible to be in love with a party hat). I think it is so, so adorable and, while Suz will probably not allow me to actually put it on her (based on her reaction when I was measuring out the ribbon ties), it will still be really cute to look at. The only thing I didn't do was use heavy cardstock paper, but it seemed to work out okay, so no worries.

Finally, for the yard, I made Jordan's flag sculptures. Instead of hanging them to dry in the garage as recommended, I hung them along our fence in the backyard. We are planning to replace this fence sometime this spring, so I wasn't overly concerned with a little glue dripping on them. Here you go:

And a closer look:

Being outside and in the sun, they took about five hours to dry versus the recommended 12 hours in a garage, so I was grateful for that quick turnaround (being into instant gratification and all). My only other change was that when I got home I realized I did not have enough glue - I had purchased a 4-ounce bottle because I didn't want a ton left over, but when I mixed it with water it just seemed really watery and I was doubting whether it would give me the desired effect. So I mentally ran through my list of craft supplies that I could add to the mixture and realized Modge Podge might have the same properties as the Elmer's glue, so I mixed some of that in and it worked like a charm. Here is my finished result:

I know some of the flags look white...they're actually a creamy background with orange circle, but I realize it's hard to see. I used fabric quarters from Joann Fabrics for the pink and also the orange fabric I just mentioned, and then the yellow was part of my fabric stash. I am planning on putting these in the front yard to line the driveway and sidewalk as an alternative to balloons on the mailbox. Fingers crossed it's not a windy day!

My mom is coming bright and early tomorrow morning so we can get to work baking and cleaning in anticipation for the big day. I can't wait to report back to you on how it goes!

Have an awesome weekend!!
Kara

Re: It's Time to Plan a Party

I cannot believe it's March!  Last week flew by and this week seems to be doing the same. 

Suz's party is going to be adorable.  I cannot believe you were smart enough to think so far ahead and make those little banners.  Her newborn picture cracked me up.  I don't know if you've already made a decision about how to display the pictures, but I had an idea.  What if you blew the pictures up, maybe 8 x 10 or 11 x 14, and then cut those in triangles?  Basically making an entire banner just like the banners you photographed?  That's immediately what came to mind, but if it's lame I can keep thinking.

Also, I once threw a tea party bridal shower for someone.  Not sure if you thought about this, but we cut out the bread for the sandwiches using cookie cutters.  Also, another dessert option that we had were petit fors.  I think you can basically make them by pouring cake batter in a baking sheet.  However, Publix sells them and they are quite delicious.  :)

I can't wait to hear more about the party!!

PS - The bathroom looks amazing!!!!!!!!!  I love that color!!

Subject: It's Time to Plan a Party

Hi,

So don't ask me where the last year has gone, but it's time to start planning little Suz's first birthday party. Um, what? I am kind of in shock to tell you the truth and I don't know if I have waited so long to start planning because I am in disbelief that it has almost been 365 days since her birth, or because I don't want to recognize the fact that time goes by faster when you are watching someone else grow up and it's a little sad and bittersweet, so by not acknowledging it then maybe I am fooling myself into believing it's not actually happening? Or maybe a little bit of both? Whew, that was heavy! On to lighter things...like party themes, decorations and food.

As a back story (because why be brief?), when Suz was first born and I was living in a strange world of never really knowing what time it was because it didn't really matter and everything just passing by in a slow-motion blur, I started to formulate a theme for her first birthday. So when she was approximately one week old, I took a trip all by myself to Joann's to get some scrapbook paper and begin to implement this theme. (Incidentally, this was my first time driving postpartum and it was very exciting but also a little terrifying because I had not slept in so long and I was giddy to be out of the house. I totally ran a red light, but thankfully no one was hurt!) It involved taking pictures of her each month to document her growth. A sampling:

(How are these even the same baby???)

The theme I came up with for the party was, "It's a Banner Day!" and the bunting for each month echoes that perfectly. Ever since then, I have been thinking through decorations for this theme and putting together a plan for this party. I'm going to do a family-only affair (which is still about 15 people) and have it in the afternoon, so I don't have to serve a full-blown meal. As such, I'm referring to it as a "tea party" which I think is perfect for this little baby, especially with all the tea pots and tea sets referenced in her room.

For food, I was thinking of doing some little cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, Ina's Parmesan & Thyme Crackers (because I've always wanted to make them), and then a few other little snack-y type things. Maybe some Spinach Artichoke Dip to go with the crackers (mostly because I love it) and I also thought about strawberries dipped in chocolate, because I think they would look pretty on a plate and seem special and celebratory.

For the party-goers, I think I will make cupcakes so everyone can help themselves. But how do you make tea party-themed cupcakes? Well, I think I am going to do a yellow batter for the actual cupcake and then do a lemon butter cream frosting and dye it pale pink...tah dah! Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!

I guess I should also have tea at this party too. Hopefully it will be warm and I will just serve iced tea and maybe I can come up with a few options and have a little station where I will have just plain tea and then people can mix in raspberry syrup, mint leaves or sugared lemons and create their own unique drinks. I could have lemonade there too, and people could mix up Arnold Palmers as well. Maybe I'll make punch, too, just because it seems very tea party-esque.

For decorations, I love the idea of making a few of these flag banner sculptures and having them along the driveway. And then having bunting hanging from the door between the living room and kitchen. I think I will put all the food on our dining room table, so maybe make these fringey streamer things (and maybe a hat too while I'm at it) to drape on the chandelier. I think the colors will be pink (duh), orange, yellow and green. And maybe on the table having little pennants made of either paper or fabric in vases. I wish I could have my new dining room table by then (thanks for picking it up!!), but if not then I could just put a table cloth on the existing one. My MIL has a pink one that I have borrowed a few times.

I don't know what you do for entertainment at a first birthday party. Obviously, the Birthday Girl will dig into her own cake at some point, and I even had the idea of having a running loop of video we have taken over her first year playing on the TV. Maybe have it muted and then people can just pop in and watch...although I have a feeling most of the women will just watch it the whole time!

What are your thoughts? My biggest question at this point is how to display the monthly pictures that inspired this whole party? Hang them on a wall? Have them in an album? I love the idea of having them displayed somewhere so people can see her growth each month. But where...and how?

I'm starting to get excited about this party, even though it means I won't have a little baby anymore! Plus, there is nothing to distract you from the bittersweet realities of motherhood like a good party!

I'm sorry the antique show was somewhat of a disappointment. I hate it when I build something up in my head and get my hopes up about all the fabulous things I will find, and then none of it pans out once I get there. It can seriously be depressing. But way to go on Flip Burger! I had the Po Boyger the one time I went there. Amazing!

Can't wait to hear back from you!
Kara

Re: LOVE

Melissa!

Congrats on your roses. That's how I love for Valentine's Day to be: old school. When people roll their eyes at Valentine's Day and say they don't need a day to tell someone they love them, I feel like they are missing out on an excuse to do something sweet for the person they love. We don't do anything too big around here, but I love to do small, thoughtful gifts that are sweet and sentimental but nothing over-the-top. For instance, here is my gift from Mr. Lass:

I confess, I picked it out myself and sent him the link last week. But he surprised me by buying it for me. I am all about a surprise, but I also love getting exactly what I want :) I love the pizza idea. Did you see this picture over the weekend?

DIY Crafty Food

I can't remember the original blog I first saw it on, but I think this is the actual source. This might be fun to do one day - kids love shapes, right?

For Valentine's I like to make a fun meal that I might not normally make that's perhaps more labor-intensive and feels "fancy" and special. This year I decided on short ribs. I'm kind of obsessed with short ribs these days and this was actually the second new short ribs recipe I've tried in the last two weeks! Tonight I used Paula Deen's Michael's Coffee Braised Short Ribs. Yum-o! They were so good. You really cannot mess up short ribs. Basically you sear them first and then let them cook in some kind of liquid at low heat for hours until they fall off the bone and cut with a fork. They are so tender and flavorful. I've cooked them in ale before (yessss!) and then in red wine too (also delish). But this recipe paired two unlikely ingredients: white wine and coffee. And it was delicious. One thing I really liked about this Paula Deen recipe was that you first braise the ribs on the stove but then you transfer them to a slow cooker to finish cooking. The other times I have made them I've let them cook on the stove top, but this method was great because I didn't have to check in on it and could leave the house while it cooked, which was really convenient.

I served them with couscous and for me, sauteed spinach and for Mr. Lass, a salad (zzzzz). We normally just do meat with a vegetable on the side (I shared with you my recipe issues here), but whenever there is a yummy sauce I like to have something to help sop it up. I buy the boxed Near East couscous and it literally takes about 7 minutes to make. The spinach takes about four minutes to prepare and the salad takes no time at all to assemble. So, after hours of cooking away, when it's ready you can throw together some sides and it's done! For dessert I picked up four chocolate-covered strawberries from Publix. They were light and good and perfect after such a heavy meal and seemed very Valentines-esque.

For my gift I made Mr. Lass this:

I have always loved that his name begins with a "J" and mine with a "K" and that they are neighbors in the alphabet. At the bottom it reads "Even the alphabet put us together." I made the whole thing in Microsoft Word. Then I uploaded it to Kinko's site and said I wanted it printed on cardstock. This is not a paid advertisement - promise - but are you familiar with the Kinko's site? All you have to do is upload whatever you want printed and then go pick it up. Maybe I'm waaaay behind in learning about this, but this could be life-changing for me. And it only cost $1.24. That's it! The quality is excellent and the colors are way better than anything I could do at home. Plus, my printer isn't even connected so I could not have done it anyway.

I got the frame from Target today and after picking it out, I was leaving the frame aisle when I saw this:

Um, what? It was one of those instances where you wonder if you are seeing right. I took a picture a) to show you (of course) and b) to show my husband, just in the event he was like, "Cool. The alphabet." when I presented him with my gift. Can you believe that? I felt so...validated. But he loved the gift and then was even more impressed when I showed him the picture.

Seriously??? I'm still in shock.

More tomorrow. I need your feedback on a kitchen table quandry. Plus I need to hear about your big adventure!

Xoxo,

Kara

Subject: In the Trenches

Helloooooo friend!

I am coming to you from the trenches found between two tiles. Yes, the grout. As you'll remember from the pictures of my kitchen (which is painted, by the way!), my floor is black and white tile, which I have a love/hate relationship with. I've noticed for a long time how dirty and gross the grout is, but thought I just had to keep scrubbing to get it clean. Um, no. That would be impossible. Instead, I've leared of a technique that involves staining the grout. It's a three-step process that involves letting the grout sit with water on it for one hour to start things off. It is seriously the most time-consuming, labor-intensive, meticulous project I have ever done. Nice, right?

But, behold! The results:


Seriously. You cannot even believe how much better it looks! So I think I might fall in love (for the first time) with my tile once the grout is no longer dis-gust-ing. There is a lot of grout, though, so I'm hopeful that I'll be done by this time next year :) But the 'after' is a motivation of its own and I know that I cannot leave one small area with nasty grout when all the rest is sparkling white. Basically, this is a project where you go all or nothing! As I'm staining a section I go back after it has had 24 hours to dry and seal it. And then seal it again. I can't decide if I'm going to seal it two or three times - I don't want to have to do this again! Seriously, people: SEAL YOUR GROUT! It will save you so many headaches later on!

I was not a Gilmore Girls watcher, but I love the picture of those chairs! Is it bad that I was indifferent to the office chair before realizing it was a 'real' style? I don't love them in black - that green is awesome, and I really liked the blue of my MIL's too. I think with the black it's harder to see the bamboo-ish details on the chair. I did not spray paint but instead used a craft brush to apply the paint. Another plus of the craft brush: no brush strokes! It took three coats plus one touch-up coat. I didn't spray because my MIL wanted a specific color of blue, plus the cushion wouldn't come off, so that would have been tricky to spray (not impossible, just tricky). Plus it's super-cold here still so I wouldn't have been able to spray it for awhile.

I just realized I never responded back about your couch ordeal! So annoying, but I'm so glad that it worked out. Way to go hubby! And yes, a bomber jacket is the perfect way to describe the leather. It makes me think of this:

Ahh, the good old days. So glad you are enjoying it now!

Well, that is all for now. My correspondence may be patchy this week...the Internet connection isn't great in the trenches :) Can't wait to send you pictures of the kitchen once it's put back together again - hopefully next week!

Staining away,
Kara

Image courtesy of Obsessed with Film.

Subject: My Latest Projects

Melissa!!!

So, here are my latest projects: this dresser and chair that I’m painting for my mother-in-law.

The dresser we found out an antique store over the weekend. It was in great shape (except for needing a paint job, obviously) and solid wood. Plus, the price was great – the asking price was $120, and then we were able to talk the seller down to $105…so basically she got the tax for free!

The chair she already had, but she is trying to re-vamp her office and the black lacquer didn’t exactly “go” with the calmer décor she was going for. This orange-y fabric was the original covering, and it most recently had a yellow fabric which she’s already removed. The cushion doesn’t come off, so putting the new fabric on will be interesting, but it’s going to give me my first shot at using upholstery tacks. I ordered them from Amazon here. You can order them by the yard and then you order the nail separately. I’m kind of excited about using them – I’ll let you know how it goes.

And finally, over the weekend I found this:

I’m going to paint it and replace the mirror in my guest bathroom with it. The morning we went I had just measured the mirror in that bathroom and stored it in my phone. That’s what I have been doing lately: keeping specific measurements for pieces that I am on the hunt for in the “notes” section of my phone. It’s so handy…I always have my phone.

I’ve decided to give up my idea of framing the current mirror in my master bath and instead I am on the lookout for a mirror like this. It's a Sarah's House special, which means I'll probably need to look for it in an obscure thrift shop in Canada. Awesome.


I’m not sure where I will find it, but I like that I have something in mind. So be on the lookout!
I can’t wait to send you my ‘after’ pictures. I’m at the mercy of my mother-in-law for the dresser because she still has to pick out the hardware, and I am waiting on the upholstery tacks to come in the mail to get started on the reupholstering the chair. I haven’t decided if I am going to spray paint the mirror or brush paint it…spray painting will delay the project until it’s warmer out. I am SO looking forward to spray painting weather – I have so many projects to do! But next week I am going to start painting the kitchen...I'm going to get as many indoor projects as I can done, so when the weather is nice again, I can concentrate on the exterior. Okay, that's all for now!

Hugs,
Kara

Subject: Two-thirds!

Hi-eee!

Just a quick check-in to let you know that we are 2/3 through the weekend and I am 2/3 of the way through painting my chairs. I ended up doing three coats of a high-gloss black paint. I applied the paint using a craft sponge (I think that's what they're called - it has a wooden handle and a little black sponge thing on the end) because I like that it applies coats in thin layers and allows me to control the amount of paint I am applying. Some proof of my progress (sorry for the picture quality...I took it on my phone):

The one on the left has not been painted, while the one on the right has three coats. I know you can't tell a huge difference from the picture, but trust me - it's good. As I've been painting each chair, I have found drips of paint and spots that barely had any paint on them. I remember the first time I painted them I just wanted them done and clearly did not pay much attention to the quality of my work. That is one thing I am trying to do with each project I am doing these days: I just keep reminding myself to take my time. At some point - when it's not literally freezing outside - I may spray a clear coat on all of them just to protect the paint and give them all the same amount of shine. I am remembering now when I first painted these chairs that I sprayed some and handpainted others, so the paint going on now isn't giving an identical finish because the bases aren't the same. Awesome.

On another note - here is my entry table as it was yesterday morning:


Mostly focus on the boring, blah lamp that I bought when we first got married and I wasn't all that adventurous:


Are you asleep yet? And then here it is yesterday afternoon, after I decided to run into TJ Maxx en route to Publix:


So much better! And another close-up:


Not that this lamp is all that adventurous, but I have known for awhile that table needed a different lamp, but I just hadn't taken the time to look. I got this one for $29.99 at TJ Maxx and it came with the shade. The original shade was a shimmer-y silver - which I hated - so I switched it out for this one on another lamp. I'm not sure if you're allowed to do that, but no one stopped me so oh well! There were three college-y age girls on the lamp aisle too and I got their opinion to see if the proportion was still okay (the silver lamp was a little bit bigger than this white one), and they said yes. Sometimes I love asking - and giving! - advice from/to random strangers! My father-in-law suggested black ribbon around the top and bottom of the shade, so I might pick up some ribbon the next time I am at the craft store.

How is your weekend so far? A three-day weekend isn't all that exciting when you work from home!

Shivers,
Kara

Subject: Boring Mat Makeover

Dearest Melissa -

This is a project that took me no time at all to complete and one I wanted to share with you, as you are decorating your own home and maybe looking for some interesting wall art ideas. As you know, we took family pictures back in September to mark Suz's sixth month and these were the first professional pictures we'd had taken since our wedding, so it was kind of exciting.

Anyway, I got the proofs back and ordered two 8x10's, one of just Suz and then one of all three of us. I already had frames that I was going to use and they had mats in them, but the mats were a blah gray and I wanted to make them more interesting, and maybe even had some texture. I don't know that I can take full credit for this idea, but I am having a hard time remembering where I may have read about it. Basically, I had seen in the past where people used burlap as a cheap alternative to linen, and I'd seen in catalogues where they sold picture frames with linen mats...so maybe I put the two together and came up with it on my own? Anyway, all that to say I don't want to plaigerize someone else's idea, but I honestly have no idea where the original inspiration came from.

Without further ado, my boring mats:

I bought half a yard of burlap from Joann Fabrics and that was plenty for this project. I didn't save my receipt, but believe me: burlap is cheap, and even cheaper if you only get half a yard. (Keep in mind there is also outdoor burlap, which is more expensive and unnecessary since it is safely protected by the frame.)

I used clear packing tape to afix the sides of the burlap to the backside of the mat and then cut out a rought square along the inside. Then I cut the burlap diagonally in the inside corners to the corners of the mat, and folded everything back and taped it again. (Sorry if that doesn't make sense and also for not taking more thorough step-by-step pictures.) I wasn't concerned with perfection, as you can see:

Once I got the mats into the frames, I was able to pull the burlap even tighter. Then I used tape to afix my picture to the top of the mat (to the packing tape that was already there) and then attached the frame's back. At some point, when I have nothing else to do (which, according to my previous post, won't be any time soon), I could probably go back and tighten up the burlap, but for now, I am pleased with the result:

And here is a closer look at the corner, which isn't perfect, but who's looking for the flaws other than me? Exactly.

Burlap comes in a few colors, so you could get any color that you think would work for your pictures and wall colors. I think it adds subtle texture and warms up the stark black frames. This will definitely be a project I will use again and again!

Happy hanging,

Kara

Subject: Wrapped Gifts

Hi-eee!

Okay, so this will be my last post through Christmas because we are going to my parents' house tomorrow and I'm pretty sure their computer is powered by hamsters on a wheel...so, no blogging for me. I have a feeling that for Suz's first Christmas my parents' living room will look like the showroom of a girls-only toy store, so who knows if there will even be time for writing with all the new toys she'll (okay, we'll) have to play with!

I wanted to share my wrapped presents, which I am very proud of this year! My favorite thing to do when I have lots of gifts to wrap (which really only happens at Christmas) is to wrap them all in the same paper and then change things up with the ribbon I use, so each one is different:

I got this paper from Target and it was $2.50 for 90 square feet, which means I will be using it for Christmas 2011 and 2012, too. The backside had the grid marks which I love and the roll was really long so I was able to wrap several of the smaller packages when I cut a length of it off the roll, so I barely wasted any. Here is a closer look:

The only thing I had to buy was the paper - I used this opportunity to use up a lot of the ribbon I already had on hand. And I love using paint chips/samples as my gift tags - most are the traditional red or green, but I used a few that were shades of brown or lighter green. I think it's such a fun idea as an alternative to traditional gift tags! Really, I love using those little colorful cards for all kinds of things - I know you were the recipient of one recently! The new ones from the Martha Stewart line at Home Depot are the perfect length for a short note. I also use them to make lists and as book marks. Plus I use them for gifts the rest of the year too, like for birthdays or Mother's Day.

Signing off for now,

Kara