Tallgrass Design

Tray Table

2012-02-29T06:57:00.004-06:00

Did anyone else suffer from Downtown Abbey withdrawal last weekend? We don't have cable and unless the tornado sirens are blowing or presidental election results are being announced, we don't watch TV. If something is any good, we'll just wait and get it on Netflix.

I made an exception for season two of Downtown Abbey. I had to rely on digital rabbit ears and thirty feet of cable to get it out of the basement so I could tune in every week. It will be a long wait for season three.

So I think I was channeling a bit of Downtown Abbey when I thought of dressing up this plain old table.

It fills the narrow wall nicely, but the top is too small. In my stash of unfinished/unstarted projects, I have several of these old cabinet doors.

I also found this old light fixture at ReStore.

They had two of these. I go to ReStore every Friday after work (my idea of TGIF happy hour), and every week for the past month it's mate is still there.

What a pity.

I removed the chain, wiring and light socket and used a combination of gold craft paint and Rub 'n Buff to bring back its luster. Let's see how our misfits cleaned up.

I removed the old door handle and filled the holes with wood putty, then repainted the entire door with my favorite bronze craft paint. I pulled a second door pull from another cabinet door on hand and painted them with bronze craft paint too. The stuff sticks to just about anything.

I love the details of the light-fixture-turned-into-lantern, especially the seeded glass. I can't bring myself to buy the cheap stuff made in China you find in most chain stores.

I love battery operated LED candles for my lanterns, especially the ones that run on four-hour timers. They'll run for months on a couple of AA batteries.

Originally, I had this bowl filled with decorative balls on this table top. I moved it to the lower shelf and added my DIY moss balls.

Someday, I'll have to show you how I made the textured bronze balls. I'll save that for another post.

I added a tiny bell for when I want to call the maid, and my vignette is complete.

Update: I've been in denial until tonight, but Google Friend Connect is going way tomorrow. Google didn't pay one bit of attention to all my pouting. I'm still undecided what I am going to do to replace it. (I'm going through an anti-Facebook phase). For now, I've added one of those nifty RSS subscriber buttons to the right. If that's your thing, I hope you click it to continue following me.

I think I'm going to make a pan of brownies now.

Studio Organization

2012-02-21T06:00:00.002-06:00

I had another post planned for today, but it's too cloudy to get good indoor pictures. So I worked in my windowless studio in the basement instead.

I really have window issues. I wish we had daylight windows in the basement. Alas, we only have one tiny egress window, and it's not in my craft space.

A more pressing matter is organization. A few weeks ago, I was trying to prepare a shipment to drop off at the post office on my way to work and I couldn't find the packing tape. I ran through three levels of the house searching for it.

Blast it! I'm not doing that again! What I need is a pegboard.

I picked up the largest scrap pegboard at ReStore I could fit in my car for only a dollar (never mind the tear and broken corners - I can cut it down). One more dollar got me a small bag of various pegboard hooks. In keeping with my February plan to deal with unfinished projects, I employed some shutters that have been gathering dust in the garage.

I gave the pegboard a coat of craft paint and sealed it with Mod Podge.

No more hunting for scissors. A co-worker had cleaned out her own craft room and passed along her thread rack.

The pegboard had slightly ragged edges after cutting it, but the shutters concealed the sides. I added a piece of scrap trim to cover the bottom edge. Rather than add trim to the top, I sewed an old valance into a ruffled and pinned it along the top.

A place for everything and everything in its place, Mr. Packing Tape!

Sun Mirror

2012-02-13T06:00:00.003-06:00

Last January, I did a post on the trends that I was tired of seeing, like putting numbers on everything.

"Keep calm and ____ on."

And antlers. I still don't understand the appeal of antlers.

I haven't given much thought about it this year, maybe because nothing is really getting under my skin. Chevron isn't really my thing. Birds are out and cows are in.

But dressers covered in mirrors = fingerprints! Seems terribly impractical.

We've gone from dusty chalkboard tabletops to mirrored drawers.

Sunburst mirrors are a mixed bag for me. There were some impressive DIY sunburst mirrors out there in blogland last year. Some others...not so much.

Not willing to invest much into the latest fad, I found this mirror at the thrift store. It's not really a sunburst mirror, but it was only $3.99.

The cashier admired it when I paid. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was going to paint it.

I thought blasting it with gold spray paint would do, but the paint had greenish undertones and I wasn't satisfied with the results. So I canned the project.

Until I thought of antique gold Rub 'n Buff.

Just squirt a little on my finger and smear it on the frame. It's messy stuff, but I loved the warm glow it gives the piece.

I ran a ribbon through the hook on the back and hung it in the hearth room between the windows. The windows face the west so the shades are always in a partially down position.

It appears His Lordship has returned for a nap.

We can come back later and admire the soft golden glow after dark.

Feeling Girly

2012-02-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

I'm feeling inspired by days with straw hats, flowing skirts and gardens.

Burlap Farmers Market Tote

Cameo Necklace

Petite Ruffle Pillow

Inspiration for the Studio

2012-02-06T06:00:00.005-06:00

Call it the Woman Cave, Craft Room or Studio, but its original purpose was going to be a wine room. So when I painted this semi-finished room in the basement, I painted it a nice dark olive green.

Then about three years later I took it over as my craft room. It's still green and filled to the brim with craft supplies now. I really, really dread moving everything out to repaint, so I'm making up for the olive walls with some bright, inspiring artwork.

Still staying on task with my February plan to tackle projects I dreamed up but never finished, I turned to some greeting cards and frames I purchased over the past year like this frame I picked up at a thrift store.

The brown plastic veneer was depressing, so I painted it a sassy red and used it to frame a blank note card I picked up last winter from the dollar bin at Michaels. It's an empty birdcage and above is printed "Fly." I like the contrast of the simple print with the ornate frame.

I used acrylic craft paint, but it didn't give good coverage on the slick veneer, so some of the brown showed through, which was fine by me! It's sealed with glossy Mod Podge.

Next, I turned to a Curly Girl greeting card in my stash. I love these cards with their fun designs and off-beat inspirational messages. I had picked up a square picture frame from from Goodwill. I'm sure the cashier had to wonder why anyone would want such an ugly thing.

All it needs is a couple of coats of black craft paint and a matte Mod Podge finish.

I could get a mat cut for my impromptu artwork, but some leftover cork Con-Tact liner makes a nice background.

We rented scooters during our December beach vacation, and I loved zipping around town on it. After a long day, I close my eyes and dream of cruising a coastal town on a cute scooter named Spirit, only mine would be teal blue!

Two framed pictures, one window shelf, and the paint is drying on the next project!

Unfinished Business

2012-02-03T06:00:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking about my craft life lately.

Specifically, all the unfinished projects hanging about the house.

I'll admit, sometimes my follow-through on my plans is...

Hey, look at this tray I scored at a garage sale for only a quarter! I could paint it!

So, I am devoting the entire month of February to FINISH some of these projects. "Window shopping" at thrift stores and craft supply will be strictly limited.

Notice I picked the shortest month of the year for this experiment?

First project:

Let's roll back to the summer of 2010.

Husband has just left for work, and I'm finishing breakfast before I leave for work myself.

It's Friday, trash day in our neighborhood. The phone rings.

"There is a window setting by the curb around the corner. It looks like something you might be interested in."

Oh yes, I am interested in this old window, but not the cutesy flowers painted on it. So I paint it black.

And then it collects dust.

Move forward to last weekend. After the chaos in my craft studio that was called Christmas, I begin to re-organize. I could really use more shelving for the things I reach for often. And what am I going to do with that old window?

Ah-ha! A 1x6 board and some basic shelf brackets and now I have this:

I really needed another pin cushion, so I made one from scrap canvas, Poly-fil and a terra cotta flower pot from a miniature floral arrangement a co-worker gave me for Christmas a couple of decades ago (I knew there was a reason why I saved it). It took me all of five minutes. I'm on a roll!

Today, I have co-worker who can knit, and she taught me the basics. Whoo-hoo! I'm so excited to have an new craft skill!

I inherited a grandmother's knitting needles, so I wanted something fun to put them in, like a vase. I could run to Savers tomorrow after work to look around...

No, none of that!

What else do I have?

Plenty of scrap wood! Cut four sides and a bottom. Give it some distressing and some paint. Add hardware from an old armoire I tore apart a few years ago for embellishment.

This is working out better than I thought!

A couple of years ago I pulled this from a fortune cookie on a really lousy day at work.

Let's see how much I can undertake and complete this month!

Esty Update

2012-01-30T06:00:00.008-06:00

I took a break from posting new items in my Etsy shop after making so many Christmas pillows in November and December, but I'm ready to go again!

It's been a mild winter here, and I'm concerned we might be paying for it in March. With thoughts of shopping the produce markets in May, I have some new Farmers Market totes to share.

I love this novelty chicken fabric.

Or maybe something more subdued?

Update: This tote has already sold.

I know that burlap is not everyone's thing, especially in hot, sticky August, so I'm beginning to make my totes in canvas. I wish I would have had this canvas bag to carry when we took a pre-Christmas break to the beach last month.

How about burlap and canvas together?

Update: This pillow has already sold.

This petite toss pillow was a lot of fun to make.

I'm not a frilly gal, but I'm really digging the ruffles right now!

Deck the Shelves

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

Earlier this week, I showed you how I took some basic white floating shelves and dressed them up with trim and bronze craft paint.

That was the easy part. Now, what am I going to put on them?

I have this cute mirror that I pulled out of a heap of garage sale leftovers someone set at the curb and posted for free on Craigslist. I wrote about it last January, but I never could decide what to do with it.

What else can I use? I want something organic, but small and compact without seeming too cute. Hmmm...I'll have to give that some thought.

I love architectural salvage, so I wanted something that looks old with interesting lines to complement the petite ornate mirror. But in my town it is hard to come by without paying a hefty price.

So I'm going to fake it.

I have a spare finial and a wood disk from previous projects. I picked up the candlestick at a thrift store.

I stained the unfinished pieces so they would look more like the candlestick when distressed. Then I painted everything a buttery yellow, let it dry and took sandpaper to it.

My greatest concern was I would sand through the finish on the finial and the disk and not through it on the candlestick.

I was right.

So I watered down the yellow paint a little and went over all the exposed wood.

Next, I used a brown glaze on it, let it dry, and then finished with paste wax. I love how it turned out.

So that just leaves the organic bit left. I had the idea of a moss ball to tuck on the shelf. I had the moss already, so I was going to pick up a styrofoam ball at the craft store.

The size I needed came in a multi-pack for almost $5. Geez.

I mulled it around for a minute and came up with a better idea. And I have a lot of them!

Just take small sections of moss and hot glue them on the tennis ball. NOTE: Since the moss has to be pressed in place before the glue sets, use a low temperature glue gun and plenty of caution since hot glue can cause burns.

Isn't it fun to using what you already have to make something pretty?

Basic Wall Shelf Makeover

2012-01-23T06:00:00.007-06:00

When we took possession of our current home, we found that the previous owners had left two basic wall shelves hanging in one of the bedrooms that belonged to their daughter along with the pink/purple/yellow cartoonish-flower curtains. I removed the shelves (and the curtains) and found huge drywall anchors drilled into the wall. At the time, I really didn't want to deal with patching the drywall, so the shelves stayed.

One room on my project list this year is to dress up the office. A couple of years ago we scored beautiful solid oak computer desk from a couple who were downsizing and refused to move it again. After moving it into our home, I can't say I blame them. It's huge and very, very heavy. And those white shelves? They looked cheap by way of comparison. Since I used paint that was custom tinted at home by yours truly and I don't have enough to patch and repaint the wall, I needed to find a way to work with those shelves.

I picked up a stick of trim at Lowes for about $7, cut it with a mitre saw, and glued it in place. Since it's too cold outside for spray painting, I used my favorite bronze craft paint. This stuff will stick to just about anything!

It took several coats to cover the white, but it dries really fast. And the results:

No more little girl white shelves. These are big-people shelves now.

I overhauled the accessories too. More about that later.

I'm linking up...

Between Naps on the Porch

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

At the Picket Fence

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

The Problem with January

2012-01-17T06:00:00.016-06:00

I really struggle with seasonal decorating during January.

Autumn is my favorite season. And Christmas is so festive.

And then comes January. Blah!

I left the Christmas vase on the sideboard in the dining room as long as possible, but there comes a time when the poinsettias have to go.

It's too soon to start putting out flowers. Even though we've had daytime highs in the 60s, it's really not spring yet.

I found this container at a thrift store a couple of weeks ago.

I liked the lines and its heft, but not the faux terra cotta orange-ishness. I painted it with bronze craft paint. Then dry-brushed it white. Then dry-brushed it black. Then brown. And finally touched it up with an off-white until I had this:

All the layers of dry-brushing really bring out the details. Since craft paint dries to a flat finish, a top coat of glossy Mod Podge gives it some shine.

Of all the fake plants available, I like ferns the best.

The bottle stopper is from our decanter, a victim of the holiday festivities this year.

This should carry the dining room until it's really springtime.

Painting Wicker

2012-01-09T06:00:00.011-06:00

This project has been five months in the making.

Call me Miss Motivation.

Actually, there's another reason: Photography.

Last weekend I bought a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR with my birthday/Christmas money. I had a Canon Rebel back in the days of film and I loved it. Then the world went digital, we starting to travel regularly oversees, and the convenience of a point-and-shoot trumped lugging around a camera bag and looking like, gasp, tourists!

So you can look forward to much better pictures in 2012.

Where were we? Oh, yes...painting wicker.

I've had this wicker basket since forever.

Seriously, I think it dates back to my tween years, if I'd ever been a tween.

We didn't have such things as tweens back then.

I've kept it all this time because it's sturdy, compact and holds a lot of junk, like cookbooks and magazines.

But the white was rather juvenile.

I figured I wouldn't have anything to lose if I tried to paint it. First I painted it with dark brown spray paint, which worked to cover the white but it looked kind of flat.

So I went over it with black craft paint using a chip brush to really work into the weave.

And then I lightly brushed over it with brown craft paint to blend the brown and black together.

To protect the paint, I finished with a clear acrylic spray. Here's the original after photo with the old camera.

So dull, dark, and uninspiring. I just couldn't get a picture that did all my work much justice. So I shelved the posting until I could get a better picture. After snapping a million pictures of the spousal unit, the dog, and the cat, I revisited the wicker basket.

Blogging is going to be so much more fun this year with the new camera!

Built-in Cabinet - Take 2

2012-01-02T12:01:00.006-06:00

Remember the built-in cabinet I spruced up for only a couple of dollars last summer?

The new door pulls really dressed it up. So I decided to take it next level by adding additional trim.

The top trim was assembled from scrap I had on hand or I pulled from the freebie bin at ReStore.

It's made of five different pieces of trim.

I also added additional visual weight to the bottom by using a larger base moulding.

Finally, I lowered the door pulls about two inches.

Here's the original before, a cluttered mess:

The first makeover, de-cluttered and much improved:

And now this cabinet is all dressed up.

I'm linking up...

Between Naps on the Porch

Thrifty Decor Chick

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

At the Picket Fence

The Shabby Nest

Best of 2011

2011-12-28T06:00:00.002-06:00

Ready for another "Best of 2011" post?

Yeah, I thought so. Let's get to it.

10. Handpainted "Bienvenue" sign

I loved this sign! I'm always on the hunt for another old cabinet door like it so I can make another.

9. Dumpster Rescue Chest of Drawers

Poor thing had names of hair bands scratched on its drawers, but it's been cleaned, painted and given a new life in my craft studio.

8. Got Egress Window?

I added visual length to tiny basement egress windows. It took two tries, but it's finally how I wanted it...at least for now.

7. Adding Patina to a Concrete Birdbath

I used outdoor craft paint and lots of ebow grease to add years to a new concrete bowl.

6. Lantern Love

Lanterns were everywhere this year and I had to have one. A big one please, but not a big price. ReStore to the rescue!

5. Cheesy Dog-Print Be Gone

What dog doesn't love a good makeover? I pulled the stuffing from the old smooshed bed and made a classic basket sans canine-themed print.

4. Refresh a Built-in

Stay tuned because I'm not finished with this built-in yet!

3. Sweet Cabinet Makeover

Poor little thrift store cabinet was covered in gobs of glossy brown paint. Amazing what a little love and A LOT of paint stripper can do.

2. Potting Bench

What to do with an old garage workbench left behind by previous homeowners? Turn it into a potting bench, of course.

1. Disappearing Nine-Patch Quilt

This project gets top honors because it took me 10 months to complete it. Then I gave it away. And that felt so good.

Thank you for joining me for another year. 2011 wasn't a big year for projects at Casa de Tallgrass, but I have high hopes and big dreams for 2012. I hope you join me!

A Long Weekend Treat

2011-12-15T18:52:00.000-06:00

After an insanely busy week and looking ahead to Christmas next weekend (yikes!), I'm taking a few days off, so my Etsy shops will be on vacation until December 20.

The cherub again. A pumpkin for autumn. Christmas ornament for winter. Easy choices. (See his before here.)

Now what should he hold in January???

Under the Mistletoe

2011-12-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

Mistletoe hanging in the foyer. There's no getting past it! :)

Comfort and Joy

2011-12-05T06:00:00.002-06:00

During garage sale season, I'll scour Craigslist for the free leftovers people put at the curb after the sale has ended. One summer I found a darling vintage sleigh. The homeowner said his wife was debating whether or not to part with it, but it was clear he wanted it GONE.

I wasn't going question his judgment.

A few weeks ago at the holiday open house held at a local antique store I found a sweet teddy bear. He's not really an antique, but he's jointed and his fur shows that he's been well loved. And he was only seven dollars.

(I only felt slightly foolish carrying him around the store while I continued to shop.)

I could see him dressed in a fancy vest with holiday trimmings and sitting on the sleigh under the tree. So I fashioned a vest from some scrap fabric.

His jointed arms made it easier to tailor the vest for a close fit. I used some spare buttons I had on hand. I purposely designed his vest to be open at the bottom so his tummy would show. The bead-and-berry pick came from a box of chocolate from a past Christmas.

Isn't he darling?

Re-Purposed Drawer

2011-12-01T06:00:00.004-06:00

I usually pass by old drawers at ReStore, but this one caught my eye.

Ewww!

But I liked its size and price tag (one dollar). I considered making a big tray out of it, but I really didn't have a solid plan. So rode around in the truck of my car all summer.

Tell me I'm not the only one with this problem.

Finally, inspiration struck. Actually, I had outgrown my previous storage for craft paint, the thrift store spice rack.

The old drawer was the perfect depth to be made into shelves. First I removed the tracks and peeled away the nasty contact paper, which was brittle and came off easily. Next, I cut shelf supports from a 1/2 inch square dowel rod and glued them to the sides.

The shelves are 1/4" x 3" pieces of craft wood. And yes, that's a chip clip holding the first shelf in place while the glue dries because I didn't want to search in the garage for proper clamps.

And here's the end result:

Since the wood for the shelves is about a quarter of an inch deeper than the drawer, I dog-eared the ends so they would transition better into the frame.

It will be so nice to have ~~all~~ most of my craft paint visble and within reach!

I'm linking up...

Funky Junk Interiors

Dittle Dattle

Between Naps on the Porch

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Looking Like Christmas

2011-11-28T06:00:00.002-06:00

Did you score any great Black Friday deals? We only had two items on our shopping list: new pillows for the bed (on sale for half price) and a new desk chair for the office.

Pillows? How boring is that?

We didn't venture out until 1:00 on Friday, and we had to go to two Office Max stores to find the chair we wanted.

I was itchy to get home so I could start Christmas decorating.

This tray has become one of my favorite holiday decorations.

I made one of my Christmas pillows just for the living room.

I usually make these from linen, but it's too light for this room with its olive green walls (what was I thinking?) I make much prettier ones for my Etsy shop.

I stayed up until one o'clock Saturday morning. And then I slept like a baby on my new pillows.

A Real Laundry Room

2011-11-16T06:00:00.002-06:00

If you have a pretty, spacious laundry room, you can just stop reading now.

If you have a tiny, windowless laundry room, this post is for YOU.

My laundry room is only 62 inches by 62 inches. Yes, I measured.

Laundry isn't one of my favorite chores. Then things got out of control in the laundry room and I really started to dread doing laundry.

Yeah, that's an ugly mess.

The first step was obvious: Get the dirty stuff off the floor and into the washer and the piles of clean clothes needed to be put away.

Our laundry room has to double as a pantry for overflow items from the kitchen. Since the ceilings are 9 feet tall, I had added a second shelf above the original a few years ago. I reorganized the shelves to put the stuff I use regularly within easy reach.

I made a trip to Lowes and Home Depot to check out some organizers. I had thought about putting a shallow shelf right above the washer and dryer until I spotted these hanging baskets. Perfect!

My mantra in a tight workspace is keep it open and keep it within reach. So I removed the lid off the loose change jar and took the extra drinking straws out of their flimsy box.

Next I rounded up all the paper products and stashed them in a pretty basket.

Small bottles don't stay upright on these wire shelves, so I made a tray for them out of the lid from a copy paper box. I covered the cardboard lid using heavy cotton decorator fabric and a glue gun.

And the odd-sized items go into their own basket.

With several large items on the shelves, now I have room on the floor for a small shelf.

This little shelf only cost $12 at Lowes and takes up only 12 x 12 inches of floor space. The brown woven basket is for junk mail (the shredder is in the basement). The small white wire basket is for dirty kitchen towels or the socks that get peeled off after working in the yard.

Speaking of socks, there are always lonely socks who have lost their mates in a laundry room.

This is probably my favorite part of the laundry room now. I just took a scrap of lumber, about 1x3 inches, painted it, distressed the edges a little, and glued clothes pins on it. Be sure to put a couple of bumpers on the back side to protect your wall when you press the clothes pins open.

I think every household fights paper...receipts, photos, ticket stubs, reminder notices. If you have room in the laundry room, put up the largest bulletin board that will fit (you could pin your lost socks on it too).

We have a baby gate that is used for the dog, only she's much better behaved now. I had been stashing the baby gate next to the dryer, then I realized it could make a handy shelf if I turned it on its side.

The support bracket for the shelving holds a hanger with extra placemats and the tablecloth for the patio table within easy reach but out of the way of daily traffic.

And let's not forget behind the door. 3M Command hooks are expensive but I love that they hold so much without having to drill into the doors.

Every room needs a little art, but I'm not a fan of cutesy laundry-themed wall decor. I found this print at Goodwill for only $3.

The colors are great, but I thought the frame was rather boring so I switched it out with another frame I had on hand.

So for a small investment for the wooden shelf and the hanging wire baskets and a little imagination, my laundry room now looks like this:

I'm linking up...
Coastal Charm
Savvy Southern Style
Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Christmas Pillows

2011-11-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

The Christmas pillows are back in my Etsy shop!

My pillows are completely handmade with 100% linen and cotton applique. I prewash the linen so it has a wonderful soft feel.

The black and cream damask was the most popular last year. This year's version is a little larger.

I also offer it with a green bow as well.

Want a little more color? I found this great fabric filled with Christmas colors and a traditional damask-like print.

If you are looking for something a little more manly with a cabin feel, I have a new plaid pattern this year.

I'm offering PRIORITY MAIL shipping on the Christmas pillows so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy them this holiday season.

It's Finished!

2011-11-13T06:30:00.008-06:00

The deadline is approaching and I did it!

Yes, the quilt is finished, boxed and ready to ship!

If you are new to this blog, I started a twin-sized quilt last January and I'm donating it to the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) of South Central Kansas. It will given to an anonymous child who is living in foster care this Christmas.

Several kind readers from across the country donated their fabric scraps and shared their own charity quilting stories.

I'm very proud to continue the tradition of quilting in my family. I have cherished the quilts that my grandmothers and great-grandmothers made. Even as a grown woman, I'll curl up in one of those quilts if I'm having a lousy day.

It's one of the best feelings in the world.

I'm so happy to pass along that warm embrace to a child who might really need some comfort.

A special thank you to everyone who helped to make this quilt possible!

I'm linking up...

Between Naps on the Porch

Dittle Dattle

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

The Shabby Nest

At the Picket Fence

Just in Time for Winter

2011-11-07T06:00:00.010-06:00

We had snow in our forecast last week. Thankfully, Mother Nature didn't deliver.

The day before Halloween I swept the front porch in anticipation of the trick or treaters, and then looked at the bushes. The pyracantha was encroaching on the sidewalk (again), so I decided to give it a quick trim.

This bush is a beast. I decided to take it a step further and really went after it with the hand pruners.

There are 6 inches of sidewalk that haven't been seen in years! I love that the pyracantha has shape now and visual interest around the trunk rather than just being a solid green mass. Next spring, I'll begin trimming it back even further, but I'm very pleased with it now.

Our maple came into its full color last week.

And I finished the quilt last week! Pictures coming in the next post!

Hemming Jeans

2011-10-29T06:00:00.008-05:00

I'm an average height, pear shaped gal. I dreaded the day skinny jeans came back in style. I miss straight-leg jeans. Please, please come back.

Pants are always a challenge and jeans are a nightmare with their unflattering thighs and baggy waists. I'm a thrifty gal, but I'll pay anything for a decent-fitting pair of jeans.

Did you read that? ANYTHING.

So I was pretty excited when I found a like new pair of jeans at a local consignment shop for $20.

They would be perfect...if I was 5'9".

I bought them anyway, ran them through the wash and blasted them in a hot dryer.

Still too long and sloppy, even for my high-heeled boots.

I remembered seeing a tutorial on how to hem jeans and keep the original factory hem.

And it worked. It was so easy!

First, determine how much you need to raise the hem. For this pair of jeans, it was 1 1/2 inches.

Divide that number in half, which is 3/4 inch. This is the number you will use in the next step.

Cuff the jeans, measuring from the original hem, and pin around the leg opening. A sewing scale speeds things along with this step.

Using a denim needle and a zipper foot, stitch as close as possible to the original hem without sewing on top of it! If you machine has a left-right needle adjustment, use it to get really close to the hem.

Finger-press the seam, then try on the jeans before starting the other leg, just in case you need to make any adjustments.

Repeat on the other side, try on the jeans one more time to make sure they are the correct length, then press the seams with an iron. In order to avoid shiny denim, iron from the inside of the pant leg and avoid directly ironing the top crease of the cuff.

Admire your favorite shoes since you can see them again.

You can fire your tailor now.

I'm linking up...

Between Naps on the Porch

Dittle Dattle

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Chic on a Shoestring

At the Picket Fence

Funky Junk Interiors

Wreath-less

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

I only use a wreath for a few weeks around Christmas because the birds always build nests in it.

They don't build nests in this metal hanging vase.

I left some of the plastic succulant from this summer's display when I overhauled the arrangement for autumn, and I really like the constrast against the oranges and yellows.

Preparing for Autumn

2011-10-13T06:00:00.006-05:00

Considering autumn is my favorite season, I really didn't dive into fall decorating this year.

I think I was in revolt against some of the neighbors that put their Halloween decorations out early in September.

We're talking witches hanging from trees on Labor Day. That's just wrong.

But the trees are bursting into their glorious colors, the days are considerably shorter, and I'm ready to bring the colors of fall into our home.

Since the mantels are already full, I decorate the sideboard in the dining room instead.

I'm keeping things simple this year, like this mini pumpkin perched on a candle holder with a little Spanish moss.

See that brown suede box in the background? That's where I stash the chocolate. Shhh!

I found this little cherub at my favorite thrift store last spring. He was a sickly worn-out verdigris.

He's been in my craft studio all summer while I decided what color to paint him. White? White with a brown glaze?

When I decided he was going to go into the dining room for autumn, I decided he needed to be bronze to stand out against the light walls.

I think he's a handsome little guy now.

Did I make the right choice with the bronze?

I'm linking up...

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Savvy Seasons

Eat Your Vegetables

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Just as I promised myself, the quilt is all finished except for binding the edges. Whoo hoo!

Summer has returned to the Midwest, so I'm giving myself a little break from the quilt while the heat lasts.

I have a new addition to my Etsy shop:

We all need a friendly reminder to eat our vegetables, right?

And if you are a fan of fresh vegetables, I also have this handpainted sign:

And my personal favorite:

This little piggy has been included in 16 Treasury Lists. SIXTEEN!

This little piggy needs a good home.

He'll make you smile everyday.

Quilt Update, Part Three

2011-09-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

OK, the end of September is approaching, and I'm not finished with the quilt yet.

Gasp!

But, the top is finished and I've assembled the layers. I'm ready to start quilting.

Want a peek?

And tonight I quilted all the vertical lines! All new projects are on hold until I have the quilting finished!! That should motivate me to finish quickly.

Whole-hearted THANK YOU to all the kind people who donated fabric. I'm happily taking down the donation button tonight.

Spool Table Love

2011-09-19T06:00:00.002-05:00

I have a thing for spool tables. They pack so much stylish punch into a tiny space.

I found my new spool table at my favorite thrift store. Only it looked like this when I found it.

I was smitten at first glance. Oh the curves and the delicate etching on the table top. And it's only $8.

Nevermind the repulsed looks of other customers as I haul it to the cash register. People, can't you see POTENTIAL?

It rolled around in the back of my car for two weeks while I tried to decide what color to paint it. Go for a modern white? A funky green? Then I saw this spool table in Crate and Barrel.

The price? $229!

Source

But I was sold on the color. I gave my $8 tarnished table a good rubbing with 0000 steel wool and a couple of coats of oil rubbed bronze spray paint.

Isn't she a beauty now?

Mary Carol Garrity House Tour

2011-09-12T06:00:00.006-05:00

Last weekend I drove to Atchison, Kansas, home of Mary Carol Garrity, founder of Nell Hill's. It was her open house weekend, and I had to see her home for myself.

I was surprised to see that she lives on a typical street, the kind you see in the "historical" district of most Kansas towns. In other words, some houses were large and well kept and mixed in were small, tidy bungalows. And then there were the houses that probably fell from grace 40 years ago. I think I saw a sofa on someone's front porch.

Yes, it was that kind of historical neighborhood.

But Mary Carol's home was the grandest on the block.

The inside of the home was decorated for Christmas and the outside was decorated for autumn.

I've read in her books that when she's having a party, she has drinks ready just inside the front door. It gets the party started and the tray stand blocks off access to the upper floor at the same time. Pretty clever!

She literally covers her walls with art work. I love the line of prints above the door.

Everyone was ooing over the dining room table. The walls are a deep midnight blue, which is striking against all the magnificent trimwork in the room. I'm sure a setting like this would be magical during an evening dinner party.

I loved the breakfast nook. I suspect it was a converted butler's pantry. I love the built-in cabinet!

By the way, the kitchen was charming, but TINY.

Let's go outside!

She used a lot of orange for her autumn theme, but it didn't scream AUTUMN since it was paired with bold colors.

She's big on lanterns right now. They were EVERYWHERE in both of her stores, Nell Hill's and Garrity's. I thought the flowers and urns were a nice departure from the usual candles, especially during the day.

There was a lot of statuary scattered throughout the garden, filled with pumpkins, moss, and pinecones.

I've read on her blog that she doesn't have much of a green thumb and has alluded to having a gardener to tend the outdoor spaces.

With two stores in Atchison and one in Kansas City to keep her busy, I understand!

If you are ever northeast Kansas or Kansas City, visit one of her stores. They are a delight and the prices are very reasonable for small home decor items. Mary Carol often in her stores, so look for her and tell her hello!

Chair Migration

2011-09-08T06:00:00.006-05:00

I looked at a house a few weeks ago that had a sitting room off the master bedroom that knocked my socks off. Fireplace. Built-in shelving. Huge window. Sigh! I love the the idea of a quiet little seating area in the master suite, but ultimately they are probably just eye candy. If I had a seating room, I'd probably use the space to sort the dirty laundry.

But I'd still think a master bedroom needs a pretty corner. Since our dining room set came with more chairs than we usually need 363 days a year, I had moved one of the extra dining room chairs into the bedroom. And it look liked I plopped a dining room chair into the bedroom.

The standard white seat was a dead giveaway that it was a dining chair. I didn't want to re-cover the seat since it matches the rest of the set downstairs, so I made a seat cover using Miss Mustard Seed's tutorial, added a pillow and a chunky woven afghan and now that dining room chair is looking pretty.

I didn't see the point in re-writing Miss Mustard Seed's tutorial. If you want to see how to make a slip cover, just go to her. She's fantastic. I did modify it by skipping the piping and the ribbons since I wanted a more tailored look.

TIP: She doesn't tell you to do this, but baste the ruffle in place before you begin sewing so you can check the fit and make adjustments to the pleats. I hate basting. I don't have the patience for it. But for a good fit for a pleated seat slip cover, it is worth your time to baste, baby, baste.

Details about the woven throw, the pillow and the table to follow!

Linking up at...

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Miss Mustard Seed

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

At the Picket Fence

The Shabby Nest

Funky Junk Interiors

Under the Table and Dreaming

Blue Glass

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Remember that garage sale where I found the little library table? I found a fantastic thick blue glass container at the same sale.

Most of the shoppers were digging through the stuff scattered in boxes on the ground. This beauty was setting on the top of a bookcase.

It had to be mine. No point in haggling, I was going to just pay the asking price. I really blew the budget on this one...

I paid only 75 cents.

Tiny Basement Window, Revisited

2011-08-29T07:18:00.008-05:00

Several months ago, I tackled the problem of the window in the basement. You may recall I started with this tiny egress window:

I put clear contact paper on the window to diffuse the late afternoon light that angled into the room and to offer some privacy. I wanted to visually lengthen the window with curtains and to break the expanse of the long wall. I found some exterior shutters at ReStore. Although it wasn't what I had in mind, it worked for the interim.

While Mr. Tallgrass was dumpster diving for this chest of drawers, he noticed some pretty good looking plantation shutters at the curb as well so he tossed them in the car for me. I did a happy dance in my car when I opened the garage doors and found them sitting in my bay. It was just what I had been looking for!

I'm linking up...
Between Naps on the Porch

Dittle Dattle

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

At the Picket Fence

Remodelaholic

Designer Garden

Thrifty Decor Chick

Battle of the Bands

2011-08-24T08:20:00.006-05:00

My husband rescued this little chest of drawers from the curb on trash day. What a guy!

Each drawer had old heavy metal band names carved into it, such as AC/DC, Metallica and Slayer.

And the veneer was damaged on the bottom.

It received a through cleaning (there were a lot of Hersey Kisses flags inside the drawers). Then I glued the veneer, using binder clips and heavy objects to hold it in place while the glue dried.

Next, a little wood putty and a lot of sanding! I thought about new drawer pulls, but in the end, I decided clean up the existing pulls with Howards Restore-a-Finish.

My craft room doesn't have much for drawer space, so I'm so excited to re-organize.

No more signs of adolescent angst! Isn't it cute now?

I'm linking up...

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Dog Basket Make-over

2011-08-15T06:00:00.032-05:00

Today, I thought I would start with the after shot:

Our dog has been a part of our "family" for over 14 years. Her trusty dog bed is probably as old as she is, and it looked like this:

The basket is in good shape, but I was tired of the novelty fabric and the elderly canine joints could use a little more padding.

I planned to re-use the old stuffing, so I ran the old cushion through the laundry. Then I sliced into that nasty 1990s hunter green paw print fabric.

Disgusting! At least it's sort of clean. I removed the foam bits by the handful and put them in a large bag to reuse later.

After all the filler had been removed, I flattened the fabric the best that I could to make a pattern for the new fabric. I traced around the old fabric onto the backside of a sheet of holiday wrapping paper.

I'll need a seam allowance, so when I cut out the pattern, I cut about 1/2 inch OUTSIDE the line I drew.

Hmm...the oval I cut wasn't even. I folded it into quarters.

Then, I folded a fresh sheet of wrapping paper into quarters as well and traced the first template onto the new sheet of paper, following the widest points of my first template. (Are you still with me?)

Much better! Now I'm ready to pin the final template onto the fabric I selected. Actually, it's a curtain panel! I found at a thrift store and since there was just one panel, I scored it for just a few dollars. It's 100% cotton twill, so it's a good weight without too much bulk. As with anything I get secondhand, I prewashed it before I started, plus later when I need to wash the finished bed, I can do so without shrinkage.

I folded the panel in half, right sides together, then pinned the pattern to it so I only had to make one cut. Remove the template and pin the two pieces of fabric together.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, stitch around the edge, leaving a 12 inch opening one one side. Turn right side out and finger press the seams.

I wanted the new dog bed to be lofty like the old one used to be, so I made six evenly spaced marks with a disappearing marking pencil.

Using DNC embroidery floss, make a single small stitch at each of the marks.

Remove the needle and tie the ends using a surgeon's knot.

Clip the excess floss near the knot. After all six knots have been made, carefully refill the cushion with the foam bits. I had a little leftover foam from my ottoman project, so I cut it into small pieces and added it to the new cushion as well.

Sew the opening closed and give it the new cushion a 20 minute spin on the fluff cycle in the dryer to distribute the foam. Throw away that nasty novelty print fabric!

A practical yet classic dog bed, updated for less than four dollars. Pooch is now ready for a good night of sleep.

I'm linking up...

Sew Can Do

The Shabby Creek Cottage

No Paint Required

2011-08-03T18:22:00.002-05:00

I was cruising down a busy street that runs through Prairie Village, a bedroom community in suburban Kansas City. Prairie Village...isn't that a great name for a Kansas town?

Actually, it was a carefully planned community, started in 1941 and developed by the same person who designed Kansas City's famous County Club Plaza.

Anyway, since it residential community developed 60 years ago, almost all the major roads that run through this town are lined with houses. And one of them was having a BIG garage sale, and the yard was filled with furniture.

My mind raced. No parking on the main road. It's HOT. I'd have to park on a side street a block away and walk to the sale. It's a sunny, humid 97 degree afternoon. And I had just spent the last three dollars I had in my wallet at ReStore. Where was the nearest ATM machine?

No worries. It was worth the sweaty effort. The selection was great and the prices were fantastic.

I hauled away this darling table. It was grubby and the top was cracked, but I couldn't pass it up. I simply love the sides and the book storage it offers.

I thought about painting it while I was washing the layers of filth. But look at this cracked and chippy paint.

I'm going to leave it alone, for now. The crack on the top is a drag, but I had just the thing to cover it.

I found two of these trays at two different thrift stores this winter, so I suspect they must have been part of a gift set at a big box store. I can never pass up a tray, even if I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet.

I gave it a quick coat of black craft paint, but the bottom was a slightly lumpy, probably from dampness. I cut out a piece of textured wallpaper and glued it to the bottom. I thought about painting the paper too, but in the end, I decided I liked the contrast.

The small scale of this table fits in well in the tiny hearth room.

I've worked on this room for about seven months, but other than a few minor touches, I'm ready to call this room complete.

You can see the before and after of the chairs here.

Do you love a good before and after that involves spray paint? Read how I decorated the mantel here and here.

A Piping Primer

2011-08-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

Making piping is easy and adds a great finishing touch to upholstery projects.

Measure the amount of piping and fabric you'll need and add four to six inches. You'll need to cut long strips of fabric on the bias. The width will depend on the size of the piping. For the piping I selected, I cut strips two and a half inches wide. This gives me about a one inch allowance when the piping is placed inside the strip. Stitch the strips together.

(Psst...I didn't cut on the bias. But you should. It's the correct way to make piping.)

Using a zipper foot, stitch close to the piping folded inside the fabric. If your sewing machine has a side-to-side needle adjustment, you may need to move the needle a little to the left to get the stitch snug against the piping.

Attach the piping to body of the ottoman, stapling along the seam of the piping and leaving about two inches loose on each end of the piping. You may find that you need to cut little notches in the fabric when you reach the corners so the piping will lay flat, but don't snip through the stitching.

Mark where the two ends of the piping overlap.

Carefully rip the seam on one end of the piping to expose the cord inside. Snip the excess cord so it evenly meets the other end. Only cut the piping! Don't cut the fabric.

Fold the loose flap of fabric, leaving about three-quarters of an inch to hang over the end of the piping you just trimmed. Tuck the opposite end of the cording inside and tack into place.

That's all there is to it! If you can draw a straight line, cut a straight line and sew a straight line, you can build and trim your own ottoman.

DIY Ottoman

2011-07-27T07:16:00.007-05:00

I'd lived with a coffee table in our hearth room for several months, but it just wasn't working for me any longer. It was too long, too tall and too leggy for the space. We wanted something we could put our feet on and still have plenty of space for books and magazines. I've faced the challenges of decorating this tiny nook before, so I knew the typical showroom ottoman would be too large for the space.

So I built my own. I found everything I needed at Home Depot and Joanns.

I selected four 14" legs from Home Depot.

I started by staining them with the Minwax Wood Finish, the usual stain in a can. I really wasn't getting the depth of color I wanted, and in hindsight, I probably should have used a wood conditioner before I started staining. So I switched to another product:

This is my preferred staining product (Minwax isn't giving me anything to say it). I love the warm satin finish it gives, but it doesn't always give good coverage on cheap wood. But it looked great on top of the can stain. The leg at the top has a coat of Wood-Sheen after staining with Wood Finish. The leg on the bottom has been stained with just Minwax Wood Finish.

While the final coat of stain dried (follow the directions on the product for drying times), I began working on the rest of the ottoman.

I cut a sheet of plywood down to 24" x 40" to best fit the space. I used 1/2" thick plywood, but if you have children who like to leap from things or you know it will be sat on a lot, you might want to consider thicker plywood.

The most expensive part of this project is the foam. I bought the thickest foam that Joanns carries in stock. Watch for it go 50 percent off at Joanns and then combine the sale with one of their 10 percent off everything coupons. The best way to cut foam? One of those cheesy electric carving knives. Seriously. But, if you don't have one, a regular carving knife will work. Just make long straight cuts in a single direction.

I've read in upholstery books to roll over the edge of the foam and glue it to the foundation. This gives the foam a smooth appearance, and I tried it with a spray adhesive. But it was about 95 degrees outside with 60 percent humidity, and I wasn't in the mood to fight the stiff foam with sticky fingers in a puddle of sweat. So I gave up and used a staple gun instead.

The messy part was behind me, so now I could return inside. I wanted to smooth out the foam and give the plywood edges a little more padding. A real upholster would use Dacron, but I don't have access to any without ordering it on-line. So I used two layers of quilt batting instead.

Actually, I found the crib size was the perfect fit when it was folded in half.

Tip: When tacking the batting to the plywood, tack in between the staples that are holding the foam in place. It will help smooth the scallops of the foam.

Also, reduce bulk by trimming the corners of the batting before tacking in place.

Now we're ready for the fabric. This part isn't really rocket science. Measure twice, cut once. Leave yourself plenty of fabric to grasp while pulling and smoothing. Always start tacking in the middle, working to the edges, but stop about 3 inches from the corners. Then tack the opposite side, stopping about 3 inches from the corners again. Finish the other two sides in the same manner. I trimmed the excess fabric on the corners the same way as I did the batting. Here's a close up of the corner as it's being finished.

Next, attach the piping and finally, a dust cover. I'm going to save the piping details for another post.

I attached the metal plates that the legs screw into and flipped the finished product over. Standing back, I decided that it was too tall. Ugh. I studied it for a few minutes, and then plugged in the mitre saw and unscrewed the legs.

I'll save these for another project. Reattach the legs, flip over, and now I'm satisfied.

To be honest, this isn't going to be a $10 project. If you pay full price for all the materials, it won't be cheap. Watch the craft store sales for as many of the supplies as you can get. But if you like to change colors often, this is a great way to get a custom look after the initial investment for the legs and foam.

I'm linking up...

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Pink Postcard

Miss Mustard Seed

The Shabby Nest

At the Picket Fence

Between Naps on the Porch

Another Quilt Update

2011-07-20T18:43:00.001-05:00

To bring the newcomers up to speed, I started a quilt in January that I am going to donate to the 2011 Warm Embrace Project. The quilt will be given to a child this Christmas who is currently in foster care in South-Central Kansas.

It has to be finished by November. I knew it would take me months to finish it, which is why I started early.

Let's hear it for being realistic!

First, I'd like to thank all the kind people who reached into their fabric stashes and sent me favorite 6" square scraps. Some of you are quilting for your own favorite causes and I commend you.

As with all big projects, I started with really great intentions and plenty of snowy days to spend at the sewing machine.

And then came Spring. Blue skies. Warm sun. Who wants to be inside? Not me!

And then those balmy days turned into day after day after day of this:

Ninety-nine degrees. Whew! Who wants to be outside? Not me!

In my grand quilting plan, I knew this would happen. Really. I anticipated it. Time to start sewing again!

I'm making a disappearing nine-patch quilt. The squares have been neatly trimmed and stitched into larger 9-patch squares.

Using a straight edge and a rotary cutter, the large square is quartered.

Assembling has been fun so far, but this stage is a blast. Let's see another one:

Only...let's see...40 more squares to go!

But I'm on a roll now. Bring on the heat! I'll be in the cool basement sewing these darling squares together.

Out with the New

2011-07-13T06:00:00.007-05:00

Thank you for all the sweet comments regarding my potting bench. Over the years I've come to appreciate the patina of old terra cotta pots. I'm not always very good about bringing in my terra cotta flower pots in the winter, so I have a fair collection of bottomless flower pots that froze to the ground. I just bury halfway in the soil and keep using them until they finally shatter.

So my terra cotta flower pots never get a chance to develop a nice mossy patina. They always look brand-spanking new.

I've heard of people using yogurt to age them, but that just sounds gross.

Then I read about using garden lime. Most of the tutorials show pots that covered with a heavy white crust, which wasn't wasn't the effect I wanted. I just wanted to take away some of the new look.

I picked up a bag of garden lime at Home Depot.

I stirred in two large heaping spoonful into about a cup of water (or around a third of a venti-sized cup).

I found that the lime was hard to dissolve, so I just stirred frequently while I worked. I brushed several coats liberally onto a flower pot. It was a hot day, so it dried quickly.

When it is dry, use a soft rag, like an old t-shirt, to brush the excess lime from the pot. Check out the transformation. It's instant aging.

To be honest, I had my doubts that the lime was doing anything other than just adding dust to the terra cotta. So I sprayed them with a garden hose. They have sat in the rain. And they still look like this:

I'm linking up...

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Pink Postcard

Chic on a Shoestring

At the Picket Fence

Potting Bench Transformation

2011-07-07T06:00:00.013-05:00

I live in a subdivision with a homeowner's association that does not allow sheds which is too bad because it seems like the garage is never big enough.

When we moved in eight years ago, the previous owner left us with a workbench in the garage. Every spring, summer, and autumn I'd tidy up in the back nook where it's located. A few weeks later, it would return to this:

Yeah, one hot mess! The drawer was so heavy on its own that by the time it was filled with small hand tools and hardware, it was falling off its tracks. We were finished with it! I figured I'd have to either post it for free on Craigslist and hope someone would take it off our hands or saw it into smaller pieces so I could put it in the trash.

Thumbing through a garden design book, I found myself admiring a potting bench. How quaint it would be to have a pretty potting bench in my own backyard! I could build one or...

Mr. Tallgrass was more than willing to rid the garage of the hulking mass. His blessing to the project came with two conditions: 1) I had to put some kind solid surface under it and 2) he really didn't want me to spend any additional money on the workbench itself.

I can work within those parameters. No problem.

I made a trip to ReStore and found some pavers for a good price, plus I found the light fixture that I later turned into this lantern. A very productive trip to ReStore! After cutting away the sod and laying the pavers, I was ready to tackle the workbench.

First I pulled out the drawer and removed the drawer slides.

I knew part of the drawer was made from particle board which wouldn't hold up to the weather, but some of it was solid wood. Since the sides of the workbench weren't really trimmed, I could take apart the drawer and use the boards to build a skirt for the top of the bench. Fortunately, the drawer was held together by screws and it wasn't glued together.

I really wanted it to have a top shelf, like a hutch, but the way the workbench was assembled on the back side wasn't going to lend itself to any easy upper shelf addition. So I added a few more scraps to trim the top so nothing would could be accidentally pushed off the backside.

Some primer and a couple of coats of exterior paint and I have transformed a bulky, problematic workbench into a charming potting bench.

I spent $24 on pavers, $2 on a quart of paint at ReStore and $3 for the decorative scroll.

Eventually I will probably have to replace the plywood top with boards, but I think it will hold up for a couple of seasons as it is. We're both happy to have the extra space in the garage and I love having my garden supplies on hand where I use them.

I'm linking up...

The Shabby Chic Cottage

At the Picket Fence

Chic on a Shoestring

Miss Mustard Seed

Funky Junk Interiors

Between Naps on the Porch

Dittle Dattle

Coastal Charm

Southern Hospitality

Thrifty Decor Chic

An Oregon Cottage

Seaside Tote

2011-07-04T12:25:00.000-05:00

I have a new addition to my Etsy shop to share.

I usually lean toward brighter colors, but the seaside greens and blues in this striped fabric were so soothing.

It's available here.

Lavender Harvest

2011-06-27T17:37:00.001-05:00

First, did you notice Tallgrass Design's new look? I decided it was time to freshen up the ol' blog.

This is one of my favorite garden chores:

Harvesting the lavender.

I sat on the deck as the sun set and made bundles.

Fortunately the last round of oregano was finished drying so I had room for the lavender.

Oh, how I love the sweet-spicy-old-fashioned-soapy aroma of lavender!

Shabby Toolbox

2011-06-22T06:00:00.015-05:00

Found in a thrift store on a Saturday morning:

I sanded the cheesy Christmas wreath from it. I felt a little bad about this since someone had taken the care to SIGN IT.

Then again, it landed in a thrift store.

I think it looks better now.

It will have a good home with me.

I'm linking up...

Domestically Speaking

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Pink Postcard

At the Picket Fence

Coastal Charm

Lantern Love

2011-06-20T06:00:00.010-05:00

Confession time: I've had lantern envy. But I can't bring myself to pay Pottery Barn or Ballard Design prices.

I had stopped by ReStore a few weeks ago for a couple of extra pavers for a backyard project when I spotted this fellow.

I was smitten with his little finial. I tipped him side to side. I was hoping that the bracket wasn't welded onto the lamp body. It wasn't. Since it is a mass-produced modern outdoor light, I figured it was probably held together with screws, nuts and bolts. For eight dollars, it was worth hauling home to tear apart.

It was remarkably easy to completely disassemble the fixture. I took off the mounting plate, pulled out the wiring, endured loads of dead bugs, and separated the top, glass and base. It originally had a brass finish, and parts of the finish had weathered into a great patina.

The unexposed metal was still brassy, so I planned to spray paint it oil rubbed bronze. Everything was scrubbed and every bug carcass banished before I started painting.

I saved every single nut and bolt when I took the fixture apart which was a good thing because I had to improvise to re-attach the top to the glass body since I removed the lamp kit.

So for only eight dollars, I now have a tall lantern for my cabinet display.

I'm linking up...
Debbiedoos
Between Naps on the Porch
Coastal Charm
Domestically Speaking
Handy Man, Crafty Woman
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Savvy Southern Style

Oh My Oregano

2011-06-13T18:57:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like being able to harvest your own herbs from the garden. Oregano, thyme, and lavender seem to thrive in our yard.

Especially the oregano.

We took generous cuttings of oregano about three weeks ago. I like to bundle them with a twist tie.

Herbs should be dried in a cool, dark place. In my house, I've found the best place to dry herbs is in a spare guest bathroom that is rarely used. I just run a line in shower in hang the bundles with clothespins.

Once the oregano is COMPLETELY dried, I pulled the leaves from the stems, then gave them a quick whirl in a small food processor to break the leaves into smaller pieces.

We like to use half pint mason jars to store the dried herbs from our garden. Mr. Tallgrass, who does most of the cooking in our house, likes these wide-mouth jars for herbs over the little shaker-style spice bottles.

We filled two half-pint jars with the first harvest, just in time for the second picking!

The tomatoes are looking very promising this year, so there will be lots of marinara sauce later this summer!

Two Dollars

2011-06-08T22:23:00.005-05:00

This sad looking built-in cabinet in our basement was in need of an overhaul. It had become a dumping ground of clutter.

Right now I have OUTDOOR projects in mind, so this little built-in overhaul is going to have to cost as little as possible.

The builder basic 1990s hardware had to go. I found these pulls at Habitat ReStore for a dollar each.

I know a lot of people have tried spray painting their cabinet hardware, and honestly I would never expect the paint to hold up to daily use. But these doors are rarely opened, so I was willing to try painting the door pulls.

Fortunately, the cabinet has an electrical outlet installed in it. All I needed was a new lamp. This one was a leftover from Mr. Tallgrass's college days. It has good lines, if you can see past the wood and brass combo. A while back he said I could paint it. I didn't ask twice.

I had picked up this B at a garage sale last year and it's been setting in my garage. The price tag from Restoration Hardware was still on it.

Speaking of garage sales, this frame was one dollar.

But I picked it up AFTER the sale had ended and the leftovers were hauled to the curb. A lot of people in our area post their garage sale leftovers for free on Craigslist, so it's a good idea to check out the free section on Saturday afternoons.

I have a roll of wallpaper with illustrations of French scenes I found at a vintage/vintage-style decorating shop last winter. I thought it might make fun drawer liner, but now I have other plans for it.

And the end results:

The black spray paint nicely accented the lamp's curves. I paid a quarter at a garage sale last summer for the rustic vase on the left.

And the B looks much better dressed in black too. The paperweight belonged to my one of great-grandmothers.

I always look for interesting brass containers at garage sales and thrift stores. I read somewhere that brass is going to make a comeback. Too bad because I spray painted this one with gold metallic to tone down the brassiness.

That's an old post office box door next to it. It was the PO Box my great-grandparents had most of their lives. The boxes were dismantled several years ago, and my grandmother had the foresight to snag it. I had it in storage, but now I can enjoy it everyday.

I slapped a coat of glossy black craft paint on the freebie frame, swapped the white mat for a black one I had on hand, and cut a Parisian scene from the roll of wallpaper.

It's a little hard to see, but the vase picks up the green shading in the illustration.

If you live with a lot of books like we do, the best advice I ever read about decorating with books is to ditch the dust jackets. Just store the jackets in a plastic bin. Any ordinary hardcover book looks much better without the dust jacket.

Other than the new door pulls, I shopped my own house for things I had on hand. So how much did this project cost me?

Two dollars. For the new door handles.

What do you already have that you can use in a new way?

I'm linkin' up...
Handy Man, Crafty Woman
Pink Postcard
Shabby Chic Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors

Peonies

2011-05-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

We bought our first house during the month of October years ago. The lot had been neglected and I found a rather ragged looking plant next to the fence. I dug up the clump and tossed it in the back corner of the yard with the rest of the compost. In the spring, I discovered it was sprouting. I had big dreams of a garden on a tiny budget, so I figured if this clump was sending up fat stems so nicely, I'd give it a second chance. I planted it next to the gate and crossed my fingers I didn't just transplant a weed.

A couple of weeks later, my in-laws stopped by for a visit. Noticing that my mother-in-law's husband hesitated when he walked past it, I asked him if he knew what it was. He slowly blinked at me, the way he does when he's collecting he thoughts before he speaks. Inside I was already cringing, afraid I was growing a prize-winning weed. Finally he said, "It's a peony."

What a relief! And a few days later, I was rewarded with enormous blooms.

I usually grow flowers to enjoy OUTSIDE, but after a heavy spring rain, the big sagging blooms beg to be brought inside.

I just have to make sure there are no ant hitch-hikers. And the lilacs bloomed last week and smell wonderful!

Hmmm...I think this old-fashioned scene could use a doily. What do you think?

Alas, it's not the original doily I planned to use. In the midst of planning the tablescape, I had discovered a most unfortunate thing had happened to some of my doily collection. Check back to learn about the Great Doily Debacle.

Random Garden Scenes

2011-05-26T06:00:00.013-05:00

Images taken over the past 10 days in my backyard garden. Enjoy.

Vintage Animals

2011-05-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

First, I'd like to thank Sammy Davis Vintage for featuring one of my pieces from my Tragically Retro shop. She was featuring animal-inspired jewelry and was kind to include this necklace.

Tragically Retro is an alternative Etsy shop I opened to showcase really, ahem, unusal jewelry.

Birds seem to be a common theme in the necklaces.

Where else could you find something like this:

Or elephants.

Now you are seeing why I named the shop Tragically Retro?

It's not all so bad.

Like your vintage jewelry a little more tame? I have this sweet articulated owl necklace in my Tallgrass Design shop.

Aging Concrete Birdbaths

2011-05-23T06:00:00.020-05:00

I have this fantatic birdbath base that belonged to my great-grandmother.

When I received it, the bowl was broken in two pieces, probably from being left outdoors in the winter upright. Surprisingly, birdbath bowls haven't changed much over the past 60+ years, so I was able to buy an identical basin.

The only problem is matching the finish. I'm sure my great-grandmother's birdbath has been painted several times over its life. And my new birdbath bowl looked like this.

Brand spanking new concrete. Charming, isn't it?

Not really. I left it alone for a couple of years to see if would develop a patina of its own. Nope. It was time to take matters into my own hands.

I used a combination of green, blue, and gray craft paint designed for patio use. Using a small brush, I slapped paint on the bowl, randomly hitting the surface and leaving some areas unpainted.

Next, I used a damp scrubbing sponge to scour the surface.

It was a sunny, windy day and I didn't want it to fully dry, so I worked in sections. Some of the paint stuck, but some of it became diluted and acted like a stain, which is exactly what I wanted.

The end results:

Hey, there are flowers in the picture now! I actually started this project last month before everything started coming up. I'm planning more garden posts over the next couple of weeks, so check back soon.

I'm linking up...

Metamorphosis Mondays at Between Naps on the Porch

Amaze Me Mondays at Dittle Dattle

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking

Transformations and Treasures at Pink Postcard

Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

VIP Party at Designer Garden

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

It's So Very Cheri

Quilt Update

2011-05-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, I finally have an update on my quilt project!

Recap: This year I'm making a quilt that I am going to donate to SRS of South Central Kansas. It will be given to an anonymous child in foster care this Christmas. Some of you generous readers have been so kind to donate your scraps to my project. Thank you!!

I'm planning on making a disappearing nine patch, so I've trimmed down the squares to make them uniform. Let the sewing begin!

I have groups of three squares sewn together so far. Then I'll start making the squares. Here's a glimpse of my progress so far. Don't they look great?

I still have more squares to sew together. By my calculations, I have enough for a little over half the quilt, so if you'd like to donate, you still have a chance. Learn more by going here. Thanks!

Love Me, Loves Me Not (and the Bubble Burst)

2011-05-13T17:54:00.000-05:00

Are you enjoying being OUTSIDE as much as me? Beautiful spring days are not to be taken for granted in this part of the country. But this week we've had temperatures in the 90s, followed by mid-50s with a stiff wind from the north today Good grief!

No matter, I have had some sewing projects that have been waiting for me while I've played in the garden. I'm tinkering with a new bag pattern.

The fabric is by Anna Maria Horner. I wanted a spring bag that was colorful and fun. Since the reality is spring days can be cold and rainy too, I complemented the main fabric with something a little more subdued.

I love the names of the prints. The main body is "Loves Me, Loves Me Not." And the brown accent fabric is "Bubble Burst."

It's a rather appropriate combination, yes?

I know I promised some garden projects last week. I had expected some of the flowers to be in bloom by now. We'll just have to be patient.

Cherries Jubilee

2011-05-02T06:00:00.016-05:00

Did you think I went missing?

I've had the most terrible cold for over a week. Horrible sore throat. Nasty cough. Dripping nose. Aching head. I completely missed Easter festivities. The laundry is miles high. It's been too long since the carpet has seen the vacuum. The grass needs to be cut. Sigh!

I put on my game face to go flower shopping Saturday afternoon, unloaded the car when we came home, then crashed on the sofa for an hour, fast asleep.

It was a busy Etsy week, and I finally felt well enough to return to my craft studio yesterday to put together this new Farmers Market Tote.

The burlap has a hint of sage green to it. It's lined with cotton fabric printed with cherries. I love the print and think it has a hint of retro to it.

More details are here. I should have some garden projects to share later this week!

The Little Cabinet That Could

2011-04-18T06:00:00.017-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a little cabinet. He was solid wood, probably built in a woodshop. He had good bones.

And then he was painted, first white and then taupe. And then he was covered with thick, shiny brown paint. He did not like the brown paint. And he did not like his outdated hardware. "I'm stuck in 1992," he sighed.

To make matters worse, someone set green foam on his top before the paint was dry! When he thought things couldn't be more horrible, he was eventually packed into a truck and abandoned at a thrift store.

At first, he was scared. He saw mountains of clothing. He was deposited in the back of the store, between the mismatched lamps and the dusty shoes. People walked by him all morning and scoffed at his glossy brown paint and picked at his fuzzy green bits.

He wanted to shout at them, "Look, I have a lovely drawer and spacious storage behind my door."

The people would walk away. The little cabinet sniffled, "I COULD be beautiful, just give me a chance."

A woman approached the cabinet. She was dressed in a skirt and heels. The cabinet wasn't feeling too optimistic until she said, "Well, you're an interesting little fellow." Gently, she tipped him over a little. "You look like solid wood."

The cabinet stood a little taller. He wished he could shout, "Yes, yes I am!"

She tested the drawer and popped open the door. "Indeed, it is unfortunate that you were painted over and over." She peered at his price sticker. $9.99. In her hand was a 20% off coupon. For only eight dollars, she'd take a chance on this little cabinet.

When he arrived at the woman's home, she carefully removed his door and the ugly hardware and brushed on goopy gel that smelled like oranges. He wasn't too sure about things as he felt the goo seep into the pores of paint. But when she gently scraped the goo away, his wood began to reappear. Oh, it feels so good to be rid all these layers of paint, he thought.

After a good scrubbing with mineral spirits (which tickled) and a night to dry, the woman approached him with a paint brush. "Don't worry," she assured him, "I'll be gentle."

She primed him, then gave him three thin layers of paint. He was so pleased with his new self, but he was a little worried about his hardware. He secretly wanted new hardware, but he hated to be greedy after all the woman had done. She did not let him down.

"Oh!" he gasped. Delicate yet sturdy oil rubbed bronze hardware. And she even painted his hinges to match!

She carried him from the garage to his new home in a bedroom. "I hope you like music," she said. "You'll be living in my husband's music room." She set him next to the day bed and stood back, frowning slightly.

"Do you know what you need? You need a friend. How about a lamp?"

Memories of the scary mismatched lamps flooded the little cabinet. "Um..." he started to say, but the woman had vanished.

In a flash, she was in the garage. With a little black lamp. And a can of spray paint.

A few hours later, the woman peeked in to check on the cabinet. "Guess what I have?" she asked.

The little cabinet could only imagine. But he perked up to see the spunky green lamp with its jaunty silver pull cord. He knew immediately that they'd be great companions.

And so ends the story of The Little Cabinet That Could.

He could be beautiful.

Some people have asked what kind of paint stripper I used. I used CitriStrip, which is more gentle than traditional paint strippers. I've used KleanStrip Paint Remover in the past, but the fumes are intense and if you accidentally splash some on yourself, YOU WILL KNOW IT. Ouch!

I'm linkin' up...

Metamorphosis Mondays at Between Naps on the Porch

Amaze Me Mondays at Dittle Dattle

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitiality

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm

Wicked Awesome Wednesday at Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Transformations and Treasures at Pink Postcard

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Flaunt It Fridays at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Paint Projects Party at Centsational Girl

Bleeding Hearts

2011-04-14T06:00:00.004-05:00

I think this is my favorite early Spring flower...

London Calling

2011-04-12T17:31:00.002-05:00

After rush hour subsided this morning, I went downtown to Kansas City's Union Station to see the Diana exhibit featuring The Dress of the 20th Century. I couldn't help myself. I remember my mother waking me extra-early so I could see the footage of her wedding on TV. And I got up royally early to watch her funeral. How often do you get to see history unfold before your eyes?
So with all the buzz about William and Kate's wedding, I just had to see Diana's dress in person while it was in town.

It's not my first brush with Diana's fantastic style. I saw several of her gowns on a visit to Kensington Palace in 2004. And I've actually seen Prince Charles before. At the Tower of London. Going into the Waterloo Barricks, which are where the crown jewels are kept. No kidding! You can see a picture here. Needless to say, there were a lot of jokes in the crowd that he was stopping by to try on the crown.

The traveling Diana exhibit is interesting, so if you are a royal-watcher and you are in the KC area, check it out. At $25 per person, the tickets are pretty pricey. (Tip: Be sure to have a few one dollar bills with you to pay for parking.) Plan for another $5 if you want the optional self-guided audio tour.
In celebration of all things British, I'm featuring a few items from my Etsy shop.

Handpainted Burlap Union Jack Pillow

Altered Composition Book

Lovely Cameo Necklace

And yes, I'll be setting my alarm clock so I can watch the next generation of royalty get hitched.

Where This Woman Creates, Part 3

2011-04-07T14:58:00.008-05:00

This is the third and final installment of my craft studio tour. At least, for now.

First, I described the original obstacles of the room I took for my own creative space. Like no windows. Three doors. Odd bump-outs.

Next, I shared some of my thrifty organizers. Since one of the objectives of organizing this room was to do it for as little money as possible, I found myself re-purposing things that we already had or I found.

Last year, we retired an old Sauder amoire (read: big and cheap furniture). It served us well over the years, first in apartments with tiny closets, then as an entertainment unit in our first home. Eventually it was moved to the back room where it served as a pantry. But the whole thing was leaning off-kilter and the drawers were broken. Time to let it go.

When I took it apart so it would be easier to haul up the stairs, I found that even though the unit as a whole was probably beyond usability, the individual pieces might be useful. In the end, I only tossed the broken drawers and kept the rest.

The interior shelf became the base for this pull-out tray I made for storing frequently used, bulky tools under a large shelving unit.

Sorry, no before pictures (it was a pre-blogging project). Imagine a piece of plywood, about 12x36 inches. I used scrap 1x2s to build up the edges, then I lined the bottom with leftover cork from my Ballard Design-inspired bulletin board. I added basic shop wheels on the bottom and handles to make it easy to slide under the shelving unit.

Next, I found this old spice rack at a thrift store.

I spiffed it up with a few coats of paint and now it sets on my work table to hold the colors of acrylic craft paint I use most often. I love the retro-styled clock I found at Savers recently.

Finally, there is the repurposed cabinet door I turned into a message board. I love making these!

Any guesses on the project I'm working on now?

Think outside of the box. What can you re-use to organize?

Check out Part I of my craft studio tour here and Part 2 here.

I'm linking up...
The Shabby Chic Cottage
At the Picket Fence
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
The Shabby Nest
Dittle Dattle
Coastal Charm
The Pink Postcard
Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Where This Woman Creates, Part 2

2011-04-05T16:21:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I described the latest updates to my craft space. It's been a year-long process of creating a pretty, practical and low-budget place for my endeavors. I'm getting closer to "practical" and still working on "pretty."

The low-budget part has been pretty easy. First, I scored two floating shelves for free, thanks to Craigslist. I scooped them off the curb right after they were posted a little after 10:30. At night. Sometimes it pays to be a night owl with a little guts. I started collecting glass jars to hold buttons, pins, brushes, zippers, snaps, etc. A lot of them are olive jars (mmmm...olives).

As much as I love losing track of time in here, a clock was necessary. I found this one at a thrift store.

I'm old school when it comes to label-making. I love the vintage-style Dymo embossed labels.

Drawer space is a premium in here, so I supplement with this plastic one I keep on my shelving unit.

Every container is labeled, even the clear ones.

In hindsight, I wish I had picked one brand and style of plastic containers to that everything would stack more neatly. But plastic containers just don't have the same charm as this funky wooden box that's holding the quilt squares I'm collecting for my Christmas quilt project.

I love old flower pots and trays to corral supplies, especially since I work at a table rather than a desk (again, no drawers). I made this one out of a scrap board and some 1x2s.

I hold smaller items with old flower pots and even glass containers from spent votive candles.

Next time, I'll share more organization tools I've made by re-purposing found objects.

Where This Woman Creates, Part 1

2011-04-01T13:12:00.000-05:00

Have you seen this magazine?

I love, love, love this publication. It is probably THE driving force that really made me take the wispy bits of dreams floating in my head and make it into something real.

My 2010 New Year Resolution (remember those?) was to get my craft stuff organized. In the process I found four spools of floral wire, two bottles of sewing machine oil, and more Scotch tape that I care to admit.

There seem to be two camps when it comes to craft space. There are the pretty, carefully coordinated rooms and the shabby-yet-organized spaces with their found organizing objects. Since I am forever trying to do things on a budget, I lean toward the shabbily organized, using what I have or what I can find for free. Ultimately, it's about having a place for everything and everything in its place.

I took over a semi-finished room in our basement. I'm not really sure what the original owners were thinking when they planned this space. The rest of the finished portion of the basement has carpeting and sheetrock on the walls and ceiling. This odd little room is paneled and has a drop ceiling. It is carved out of area between the utilities, the storage room, the portion of the basement under the stairs and the bump-out of the breakfast nook.

To make matters worse, there are THREE doors in this room. I'm guessing that after they framed the main portion of the basement, they called this space a lost cause.

Mr. Tallgrass had one stipulation. We keep our wine in this room. It had to stay.

We've found that the uncovered concrete floor keeps wine at a perfect temperature here. My original plan was to turn the room into a wine cellar, thus the olive green walls. But I can work around the wine storage. Eventually, I'll repaint the walls.

I collected bonus points from a credit card and cashed them in at Lowes for the biggest shelf they carried. I pulled a vintage drop-leaf table that's been in my family for years out of the back room and used it as my work table.

A place for everything and everything in its place. Um...yeah.

After several months of using the space this way, I found it just wasn't working as well as I wanted. The old table was too small. The room has no windows, so lighting is a constant issue. I wanted an area I could dedicate to preparing packages for shipping. I found myself ~~tossing~~ stacking stuff under under under the stairs to get it out of the way. I dreaded rearranging since that meant that the wine rack AND the huge shelves would have to be unloaded.

(Yes, this is what I was dreading. What a mess!)

All the stars came into alignment last week when I stopped at ReStore on a whim. Behold, I found a 38"x48" table with a 12" butterfly leaf for only $40.

And this barn-style utility light. For only THREE DOLLARS. Now I'm giddy. And motivated.

I tried painting it red, but it reminded me of the old West Bend electric wok I had in college. Remember those?

I like this muted blue much better.

My old drop-leaf table can now be used for preparing shipments. I turned my Ballard-inspired bulletin board vertically to fit on the wall. And my space-saving ribbon keeper is ready for action. I found the stackable organizers last winter at ReStore for only $3 each.

More details of the room's re-organization to come! If you are looking for more great ideas and inspiration for your craft space, check out Crafty Storage.

Purse Parade

2011-03-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

I had big, big plans to have a new purse made by now. I have everything I need to start, except time. Sometimes we have do to the things that pays the bills, right?

And the weather has been glorious lately, so I've been spending what spare time I do have working in the yard.

Since I wanted to participate in Pink Postcard's Purse Party anyway, I'm going to dust off last year's purse project.

The purse pattern is Amy Butler's Sweet Harmony Handbag. The main fabric is Moda's Oz by Sanae. I love the cell pocket.

Since I chickened out on the option for the interior zipper pocket, I made this little case to tuck away items of a more personal nature.

Here's another purse I made using a pattern I developed myself.

I love the interior fabric. I found it in a fabric store when I was out of town visiting some relatives, so I bought it without knowing how I'd use it. When I returned home, I found some striped fabric in my stash and loved how they complemented each other.

Here's another favorite. I made eight of these for a bridal party. And I made one for myself because I loved the bride's choice of colors. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the interior is lined with celery green. So pretty!

The forecast calls for rain and temperatures in the 40s later this week, so hopefully I get my new bag completed. In the meantime, you can find me in the garden.

A Tale of Two Pillows

2011-03-17T06:00:00.003-05:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Sorry, Mr. Dickens. We only want to talk about good times today! And fun new additions to my Etsy shop.

First, we have new burlap toss pillows for the spring with a delightful stripe of fleur de lis. Oh, how I wish I had a big front porch! I'd toss this on a porch swing along with a threadbare quilt for snuggling under on cool spring evenings.

And let's travel across the Channel to merry England. I have a new handpainted burlap pillow in great natural colors that would be perfect for a shabby-loving Anglophile.

Can't make it William and Kate's wedding next month? If you are a royal watcher and you live near Kansas City, did you know that Princess Diana's famous wedding gown is on display RIGHT NOW at Union Station? The exhibit will be in Kansas City until June 12. You can get all the details here.

Space Saving Ribbon Storage

2011-03-15T13:10:00.007-05:00

I really don't use ribbon very often in my projects but a spool here and a spool there and pretty soon there's a mess of ribbon on the shelf of my craft studio.

Since wall space is a premium in the room and shelf space is abundant, I decided VERTICAL was the way to go.

Here's how I made it: I had this piece of craft wood from a previous project that had been retired. It's 5x5 inches.

And I had found a 3/8 inch dowel rod when I cleaned the back room last month, proving once again it pays to clean that room occasionally! Most of the spools barely fit on a 3/8 inch dowel rod, but I don't mind a tight fit since I have a pretty curious kitty who frequently hangs out with me while I'm working.

I marked center on the base and drilled a hole, starting with a small bit and working up to 3/8 inch to avoid splitting the wood.

Then I squirted a generous amount of wood glue into the hole and inserted the dowel rod. Wipe the excess glue with a damp cloth, ensure the dowel is centered and allow to dry overnight.

Paint the whole thing black, and now I have a spool that holds plenty of ribbon and only takes up a 5x5 inch space on my shelf.

I'm linkin' up...

Home Grown Produce

2011-03-10T12:40:00.002-06:00

At Casa de Tallgrass, the resident chef (Mr. Tallgrass, not me!) has been working on perfecting pan con tomate, a delicious treat from Cataluña in Spain. Basically, it's toasted bread that has been rubbed with garlic and ripe tomato. I could eat it alone as a meal with a glass (or two) of Garnacha. Yum!

The only problem? Finding a good, ripe tomato this time of year. Oh, we have big dreams of home-grown tomatoes this summer. Then I can enjoy pan con tomate with a cold cerveza!

Do you anticipate the days of digging in your own dirt or strolling farmers markets for fresh produce? I just finished a new handpainted sign to celebrate home grown produce.

Simple. Just like great fruits and vegetables should be.

Check it out here.

Wow!

2011-03-09T10:24:00.000-06:00

I received a HUGE envelope filled with squares from a kind woman named Rosalie for my Spare a Square project.

She's making a quilt herself for the Eisenhower Quilts of Valor Challenge. I'd like to send a big THANK YOU for her generous donation and commend her on her own project.

Aren't these fabrics lovely?

Of course, we have to have some sunflowers from our Sunflower State.

There are lots of great complementary fabrics in the lot.

And I swooned a little over the pretty toile print.

I'm busy cutting the pieces and I hope to start sewing soon. It's not too late to donate squares if you are interested! Here is where you can get all the details.

Basement Window Solution

2011-03-03T06:00:00.024-06:00

This is the story of a tiny egress window and an old swivel rocker. If you have a walk-out basement or daylight windows in your basement, you may as well stop reading now. (And by the way, I'm slightly envious. Just slightly.)

Anyone else got one of these tiny windows in their basement?

Yup, that's what we have. And it's the ONLY WINDOW IN THE BASEMENT. Thankfully, it's nicely trimmed, but it butts up to the soffit and looks out onto the air conditioning unit and some dormant sedge plants. It's also on the southwest side of the house which means the furniture takes a direct hit from the sun during late afternoons.

The window is on a long wall and since there is a triple bookcase on one end of the wall, it leaves a large blank space that has been hard to work with because of the soffit and the hovering window. Which brings us to the swivel rocker. It belonged to my husband's great-grandmother, and it's moved with us through our various living rooms then to the office and finally to a spare bedroom. Finally, I start whispering "Craigslist" and he won't hear of it. So it lands in the basement, floating between the bookcases and the window. Ugh!

Several years ago, I had stuck some short white curtains on that tiny egress window. It cut back the sunlight to protect the furniture and gave us privacy, but it just looked dumb to have curtains that stopped above your head. What I really wanted was full length curtains.

Remembering how Thrifty Decor Chick used contact paper on her pantry door, I thought I'd try the same thing on the window. Learning from her experience, I cut the contact paper to fit the window first rather trying to trim it with a razor after adhearing it.

Then I soaked the glass with window cleaner and peeled off the backing. The contact paper will glide on the glass like a gold medal figure skater.

Using a plastic pot scrapper, I pushed the bubbles from under the film. I started in the center of the window and worked to the sides, catching the liquid cleaner as it oozed out.

Now we have soft diffused light AND privacy!

Next issue: Adding visual length to the windows. I made several trips to ReStore looking for shutters. Originally, I wanted big creamy white plantation shutters, but when I found them, they were either the wrong size, broken or outrageously expensive. So I broadened my search and found these brand new exterior shutters still in the box for only $15.

Not quite a perfect fit, but close enough because I'll be adding panels to cover the sides.

In order to continue to keep the cost down on this project, I reused the old curtains that used to hang in our hearth room. They were really too short for that 9 foot tall room, so I replaced them during the recent makeover. Since I'd be hanging them at the ceiling in the basement, they were still just a little too short. But they are cheap, unlined curtains, and they have big rod pockets at the top. To let them out, I just ripped out the top seams, hung them upside down using the bottom hem as the new rod pocket and rehemmed the top (which was now the bottom).

Are you still with me? Good.

To complete the wall, I "shopped" my own house for accessories, using an old lamp from the backroom, some of my own photography that I had used to decorate my office at a former job, a wooden storage box from my craft room, and an afghan made by one of my great-grandmothers. And the end results:

The reveal was a big success with Mr. Tallgrass, who immediately proclaimed he really liked it, which is rare.

The cat likes it too. :)

I'm linkin' up...

Spring is Coming

2011-03-01T06:00:00.002-06:00

Are you ready?

Little bird - on sale at Michaels

Eggs - find in the wood crafts department at Michaels, paint and speckle at home

Nest - fashioned from ordinary Spanish moss

Vintage Reader's Digest books available here.

The Florist Garden

2011-02-24T09:53:00.016-06:00

Even though we are planning to overhaul a portion of our garden to make room for more vegetables this year, I still love my flowers.

I picked up this piece of wood at ReStore.

I think it was originally some sort of cabinet face.

I love finding things like this. No cutting. No router required.

I handpainted the lettering. I find this detailwork to be very relaxing.

It fits perfectly over the door to the backyard.

Not bad for a salvaged trim piece that cost me a dollar, huh?

I'm linkin' up...