Simple Almost No Sew Custom Shower Curtain

A Long Long Time Ago.....
I posted about the no sew shower curtain in the guest bathroom.  The complete tutorial for how to do this can be found on the link.
This curtain really doesn't look bad.....but heavens....it has been hanging around for over 7 years!  GASP!

 The dark brown walls will be staying for awhile.  We are redoing the master bath later on this month....and energy and budget for the guest bath just won't happen.

My challenge:  Find some way to freshen up the room with out spending too much time and little or no money!

If you are a regular reader, you know that for me, many projects start with a fabric inspiration!
Fabric stores are my happy place!
Speaking of happy....don't these little birds just make you smile?

I love the clean white background.
I love the multiple colors on the birds.
The green is bright and cheerful.
We can pretend the branches are brown...until we have time to paint!


 Here are the simple directions for an almost no sew shower curtain:

To make a shower curtain you will need 2 Lengths of fabric (typical drapery fabric is 54-60 inches wide).
1.  Four yards of fabric will give you enough fabric for a full looking curtain.

2. Cut the fabric in 2 pieces and seam them together (straight seam on the machine or fusible webbing will work...never tried to glue gun....but why not)

3. Cut a piece of fabric that is 8 inches wide from each of the pieces.....I cut this from the long sides of the fabric.  You will have 2 pieces that are 8 x 72.  Fold the strips to make tabs.  I don't sew these...it has never seemed to be necessary.  Cut the folded strips into 8 inch pieces for use as the tabs.

4. Turn both of the sides of the big square in to make a smooth edge.  You can stitch or use fusible web for this.

5. Fold the top of the square down to make a 2 inch "hem".

6. Fold the tab pieces over and pin them to the top.  Space them 5 inches apart with a 3 inch "loop".

7.  Stitch across the top of the curtain at 1/2 inch down and 2 inches down.  This will secure the tabs.
I imagine you could do this with a glue gun too!

8.  Measure your curtain to make sure you know how long you want it....then turn up the bottom for a nice hem.

9. Hang the curtain by the tabs on a tension rod.  I have a regular shower rod with a liner behind the decorative one.

There you have it!

Then it was just a matter of "shopping the house" for some art and accents to fit the new decor.

I changed the mats on these little pictures to white for a brighter look.

This canvas has just the right color scheme for the new room.

The ceramic birds look right at home with their "friends"!

The new update was worth the couple of hours spent.
Even with new towels...I think the total cost was around $50!
My kind of decorating!

Have A Wonderful Day and Stay Warm!

 

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Around Tuit

Kate Spade Guest Bedroom Refresh

My latest project is one of those domino effect deals!

You know.....like the "If You Give A Mouse a Cookie" scenario! 

The Sweetwater version goes like this....

I bought this great looking pink polka dot fabric to make some fun place mats to go with the Desert Rose dishes we inherited from Mr. S's mom.

But then....I found this fabric in the stash....and these place mats at the thrift store for $.99!
So now I have eight plain pink mats and there will be eight more reversible ones as soon as I finish making them.

No need to make the polka dot placemats....

What to do??

Pinterest exploration of course!

Eureka!

My pink polka dots are so VERY Kate Spade!

The fabric was the perfect inspiration for a mini-makeover in the guest bedroom.

Use What You Have Winter Mantle

January is my "Use What You Have" month!

January is such a great month for organizing, making TO DO lists and generally getting life back in order after the holidays.  

It is time to take the challenge to stay out of stores and not buy "ANYMORE STUFF"!          Sweetwater is full of STUFF!   

The look on this little guy's face pretty much says it all!  

Fall Decorating Ideas-Use What You Have!

The first day of Autumn is less than a week away.

I absolutely love the song "Try to Remember"

If you aren't already in the mood for Fall....this song will definitely help!

Click on play and let the Brother's Four serenade you while you read the rest of the post.

I have decided to move slowly into full scale Autumn around here.

I also am committed to NOT spending ANY money to add those touches.

I started by gathering up all of the obvious Summer Decor.

It all went on the kitchen table.....forcing me to actually put it away before I started to change things out!  

Then down to the storage closet AKA the huge mess!  I dug out the storage bins of fall decor.  It is always interesting to see what is actually in those bins!

This sad little wreath was hanging in the closet! 

It looks pretty barren and was in obvious need of a "use what you have" update!

HMMMMM....

There was a whole bag of these lovely dried Magnolia leaves that was left over from last Christmas.

all it took was a little work with the trusty hot glue gun......

Click to see the results

Thrifty Patio Table Refresh!

The lovely April weather here in Minnesota this year is a bit deceptive!  Days in the 70's make it a joy to get out and start clearing the gardens.  My solution to ease the  "gardening aches and pains" that are a result of way too much bending and pulling and digging is sitting on the deck with a cool beverage! 

Photo of the deck in 2012

The deck truly is a three season extra room in/out of our home!

We love the seating area with chairs around a round table with a copper inset for a planting.

Well....while I was sitting there relaxing.....
I noticed the surface of the top of the table!

YIKES!  Minnesota winters are hard on things!

In other years, I used Gel Stain and Polyurethane to refresh the surface! (Click to see how I did that)

But after doing that a couple of times, the situation called for something more drastic!

Fabric Covered Brick Doorstop Tutorial

It is necessary that we have an "Open Door Policy" here at Sweetwater!

The reason?

Marvin and Max have "issues" with any door that is closed!!!

That means almost every door in our house needs a doorstop!

There are lots of options for door stops out there!

I have always loved the Ballard Design rope knot, but never could figure out how to do a knock-off!

The favorite way to prop open the doors around here are fabric covered bricks!

They work well...

The heavy brick keeps the door open and the fabric cover keeps from won't scratching the floor.

And Lord knows there is lots of fabric to be found at Sweetwater!

This example has seen better days!

It really needed tan update!

I finally got around to it yesterday.

I thought you might like a little tutorial of the process.

I took the old fabric and fiberfill off the old one....so I could start with a "blank slate" or brick in this case.

Wrap a piece of batting around the brick the long way. Hot glue the edge to keep it tight.

Wrap another piece of batting around the other side so that the entire brick has a cushion.

I decided to use burlap for this one....and the "technique" is to just wrap it like a gift!

Use the iron to make good creases so the folds lie nice and flat.

Again....everything is attached with hot glue!

I was just going to tie a ribbon around this and call it a day.....

Then I remembered that I had some leftover pieces of the "french print" burlap from a project I did this Spring.

I cut a piece of this that was twice as wide as the brick and long enough to go around the long way.

The edges were turn in and press to make a a neatly finished strip.

The strip is glued around the brick...

Now....it was ready for the black grosgrain ribbon bow!

10 Minutes and Done!

Now....whether the door needs to be wide open.....

Or just propped open....

Marvin and Maxine can get to their litter box downstairs....

And it looks pretty too!

BTW....I found this wooden door stop in my image search....

I bet Mr. S and I could figure out how to make one of these...

We do have a router....but it will have to wait until the garage temp is ABOVE 0 degrees!

Have A Great Day....

Stay Warm....

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Nifty Thrifty Things  Serenity You    
I am Only One Woman  

How To Narrow the Legs on Your Pants!

I needed/wanted some new brown leggings or really skinny legged pants.

Remember that the weather here in Minnesota has been BELOW ZERO for days and days....

Going out to shop did not sound like fun....

Then I remembered these really nice Eileen Fisher Knit pants that I found at GoodWill a few years ago.

They are a really nice knit fabric!

They are a nice cocoa/mocha brown color!

They are EILEEN FISHER!

They fit!

But THEY ARE NOT the least bit skinny.....!

In fact....they look darn wide legged and really short in this photo.

When I washed them...I never used the steam iron to stretch them....

Really they looked OKAY when I did press them.

I wore them as soft wide legged slouchy pants....

but obviously....since they had been hanging in the back of the closet in their FAT state.....I figured it would be no loss to try to turn them into narrow legged pants.

The Nordstrom Eileen Fisher Site has these pants for sale!

Yup....Skinny Knit Pants for $208.....What a bargain!

This is what I did to turn MY $5 GoodWill pants into a pretty good replica!

The waist and hips of the pants fit pretty well.

I didn't need to mess with changing the size there.

I cut open the outside of the legs up to about 6 inches below the waist.

I cut the entire inseam open.

I figured skinny pants should not have a baggy butt!!!  

That meant it would be okay to take in some of the crotch area of the pants.

The next step was to measure the center of the front and back of each leg.

I pinned them together in the center spot.

I measured the legs of a pair of pants that had the right pant width.

This determined how wide to make the new seams.

The reason to cut the pant legs open and repin the opening is to make sure that the seams line up on the inside and outside of your leg.

Then.....a quick straight stitching of the seams....

I do have a serger, so I was able to finish the new seams nicely....but a little zig zag would also work!

Now those $5 pants look almost like the $208 pair!

If it ever warms up....maybe I need to go shopping and spend the $200 I saved!

Have A Great Day!

 

Link Parties

Cottage Market    Sunny Simple Life     One More Time  Life on Lakeshore Drive 

Simple Batwing Top From A Scarf Tutorial

I always look at the scarf selection when I go to Goodwill!
 

I bought this beautiful silk scarf there a few months ago. You can see that it was a real bargain!

BUT....

It is a great big square so....I never figured out how to wear it as a scarf!

I have been admiring batwing sleeved tops like these lately!

They look so elegant and simple!

HMMMMM....I decided that making one couldn't be too difficult!

And I was right!

I started by folding the scrarf in half.  The black border was perfect because it would be a band along the bottom and along the batwing sleeves.

I cut the scarf in half along the top edge.

Then I measured in on each side and marked a spot on each side for the shoulder seam.  I left the opening for a slouchy neck line.

I decided to do a FRENCH SEAM to make the inside of the top look neat!
Here is a link to step by step directions for sewing a French Seam.
HOW TO SEW A FRENCH SEAM. 
Basically a French seam is just sewing the seam right sides out....pressing it flat....trimming close to the stitching....turning it wrong side out and stitching the seam allowance inside the new seam!  Perfectly clean inside edge!

 Then I tried it on....adjusted the size of the neck opening by trimming the front a tad bit lower...and finishing the neckline with a double turned flat stitching.

I slipped the top over my head and measured (???) where I wanted the body of the top to fit on each side.  I marked each side and stitched a straight seam up to where I wanted the armholes to be!  I went up 11 inches...but that would depend on the fit you want!  This too can be adjusted for fit after you stitch! (I used a basting stitch first "just in case" ....but I guessed right and was able to just restitch with a shorter stitching for stability.

Here is the finished top!

I think it will look nice with black pants or jeans!

and for $1.99 and an hour or sew of work....not too shabby!

I think I will keep an eye out for some other fabrics or scarves and make another!

Have any of you made anything like this?

I would love to hear/see your projects!

Have a Great Day!

Link Parties
Just Winging It  I am not a Trophy Wife  Serenity You 

Frame Christmas Cards for Wall Decor and Gifts!

Hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving!




We had a delightful day.....small and low key....but wonderful non-the-less!




Now I am ready to DECORATE!!!!






I am a real stickler for waiting until AFTER Thanksgiving to put up ANY Christmas Decor!

BUT.....thank goodness I did  break my own rule and get the planters by the firepit done Thanksgiving morning.....because from a sunny morning with 50 degree temps at 8AM the weather had turned to snow and 30 degrees by nightfall!

 You won't be getting a closeup of the planters.....would you believe I was out there yesterday morning without a coat!!!???

My first goal for today is to get all the Holiday themed framed pieces on the walls.
Mainly because......
Marvin won't be able to mess with them!!!

 Sure.....he looks sweet, innocent and calm.....but that is all a RUSE!

Yikes....we are a little (no a LOT) worried that our little Monster Kitty will be a REAL challenge this year with holiday decorations!

In fact I think THIS will be one of our most important tools around the house this season!





ENOUGH about Marvin for now.....









Most of my framed pieces started as Christmas cards....

These hang in the laundry room... they look nice on the freshly painted gray walls....
Thanks Mr. S!

Now you know I have my trusty mat cutter....and know that this allows me to mat any size card and put it in any size frame....

BUT...if you don't have a mat cutter....(great to put on your Christmas list BTW)...

Since most Christmas cards are a pretty standard size....you could easily replicate these b heading to Bonne Volanté to buy a few frames....and to Micheals for some simple mats. 

This gorgeous card has Spanish text!


I love the browns and golds, so I matted it in a dark brown.


I think it will be nice in the orange/green/brown bathroom!

This little cat looking longingly at the bird outside the window always brings a smile.....


Especially when you know that it hangs on the wall three inches above the floor next to the cat food and water.....
















These 3 coordinating gift tags aren't really matted....


This was made PRE-mat cutter....



The frame came with the beige mat....I just glued the gift tags evenly apart on a gold mat board.....









Another tip for holiday art....look through your favorite Christmas Photos from the past....

This is a wintertime photo of the lake cabin that our family and friends frequented for YEARS....alas it is gone now....so framing this will keep the memories alive.

Best part.....my email had an offer from Walgreeens for a FREE 8 x 10 enlargement....so with a minimal purchase....seriously, I am soooo cheap I tried just ordering one 19 cent print....and it worked!

HMMMM....hope I have a frame.....



Maybe you have the ingredients for some awesome holiday art sitting in the closet right now!

Have A Great Day....I have to go chase Marvin out of the ribbon box now!!