DIY Lampshade Makeover

**I would like to note that I won't be very active this week because I will be busy at work and then doing whatever I can for my sister and her wedding that is THIS Saturday! SO I have some projects to share -- be ready for a week of crafts and 'how-to' posts. **

I worked my butt off trying to get this project together.  I first got the idea from here. I LOVED it. She did a beautiful job painting a stencil and making it look amazing. I didn't trust the way it would look on my lampshade and I can be heavy handed when it comes to painting PLUS I am impatient lol. SO I decided to paint a stencil onto some fabric and recovering the lampshade. It looked OK...

but it was kind of treacherous. ......

I hate to even share this with you because it is pretty bad BUT I think it is important to share the mis-haps in projects along with all the success.

So here we go...

This is what I started with:

 

This is the painted Fabric...

 

And how it would look with the light on...ICK!

Yeah -- so it is pretty bad and like I said, I hate to share it. BUT bad projects happen to good people haha!

Back to the drawing board I went....

I had another brilliant idea. I would cut out some fabric with my cricut and then re-cover the shade using the silhouette as the design.

Then I would use the cut-outs for the OTHER lamp shade and decorate a second lamp.

 

WELL the problem I ran into with the first design idea from round two was that the shade is tapered and NOT perfectly round.

Apparently with this silly project, third time was a charm for me. I went with the latter of the two ideas from the second round.

I cut out a bunch of the damask prints. Then, using the spray adhesive from this project in October, I sprayed the back of the cut outs and adhered them to the shade.

 

I am really happy with the outcome, even though it was not the look I was hoping to get. J really loves the way they look and I think it gives it a nice touch versus the lame boring lamp shade haha. Now to finish the other. =)

Have you ever had a brilliant idea that did NOT look like you envisioned??

Convertible Dress

For many many months now I have wanted a convertible dress from Victoria's Secret. You know the one; you can change the styles to achieve various looks. It's amazing but I wasn't going to pay $80 for one. I decided I could probably figure out how to make one. I'm so smart!!! I figured it out and made my very own Tuesday night -- it only took about an hour, but last night is when I finally got around to taking photos! I love that I can have various looks depending on the occasion and best of all, my wonderful husband LOVES it =)
I have already worn it to work -- in the first style. I got so many compliments!
The material is a 4-way stretchy material and super super comfy!
Here are a few pictures -- front and back -- of a couple different styles! ENJOY!

Here is a quick mini-tutorial. If you have any questions, ask away!! I hope you understand it lol!!
I didn't use directions -- I just measured from right under my bust to the length I wanted, cut two pieces of fabric (tapered to account for the waist line) and sewed those together. I cut the 2 long pieces for the straps/top :: I'm 5'6" (ish) and size 3 and made the straps 80" in length. I sewed the straps to the top of the skirt and viola! =) easy peasy! I had an overlap of the straps just because I think it's more flattering to my frame to have an overlap vs putting it all out there lol. I put seams on the straps but didn't hem the bottom of the skirt. HTH! =)

I'm Sew Excited!

This weekend I decided to take on a new project. SHIRT and SKIRT!!! EEEK!!! I didn't have a pattern because I didn't find any that I really liked. I DID, however, find some fun print fabric and a pretty pink fabric. I based my shirt off of tank tops that I already owned. I had absolutely NO pattern at all for either piece. I must say I'm pretty impressed with myself! =)

I had sent my mom a picture asking what she thought. She only commented on my skirt =( I found out later that she didn't realize I had MADE the shirt too! That made me happy =) I love making stuff without a pattern -- it gives me a little more creative design BUT because I'm still so new to the sewing world, I find myself limited in some ways because I am still learning how garments are put together. I really love this outfit -- in fact I'm wearing it today at work and have gotten LOTS of compliments =)

Weekend Follies

Happy Monday -- SHEESH!!! Where in the world did this weekend go?! I am already looking forward to this upcoming weekend -- yay for 3-days off!! And of course it's 4th of July! =)

I spent a lot of time with my husband this weekend which was amazing!
Saturday we went to the movies and saw:

Both of which I DEFINITELY recommend. I really was impressed with Tom Cruise in Knight and Day. It was a really good role for him and the movie was highly entertaining. Grown ups has to be one of the funniest movies I have seen. It wasn't vulgar humor either, which is always refreshing.

We also tried some new BBQ sauce, thanks to our friends, Jon and Katie. They hosted a cook-out sponsored by Bull's Eye. The sauces were really delicious on the chicken breasts we, well the husband lol, grilled for us. Our favorites were the Memphis and Kansas City flavors.

As promised, I finished my dress from last weekend. I hemmed it with a pretty stitch (that I didn't take pictures of). The shoulder straps tie together (which you can kind of see in that --> picture), the back zips up and has a unique design, with extra fabric that reminds me of something from the 50's. =) I really love the way it turned out -- a little retro but lots of fun! I am probably going to make another with different fabric or some sort of variation of the dress. It's really comfortable and wears really nicely!!

I had some extra material left over from the bag I made for my sister a couple weeks ago. She asked if I could make her something else - makeup bag, etc - to kind of match her big giant tote bag. This is what I came up with:

I really love the way it turned out and may make myself one but with a different color as the lining =)

I made another dress that I LOVE! It's purple (even though it looks blue) and has a paisley pattern of blues and greens at the bust. It's a variation of the floral dress I made a couple months ago. It's a fairly simple pattern and can be altered for different looks/patterns easily. I have figured out an easy way to make straps and am very excited!! I was worried that I would only be able to make strapless garments haha!!

I'm not crazy about this picture haha -- so I will probably have John take another tonight =)

I feel that my next venture may be a skirt but I haven't fully made that decision as of now. The skirt I want to make, I may attempt without the use of a pattern. We'll see how that goes =)

 

Our weekend was also filled with some wonderful news!! -- my cousin, Corley, is now engaged to a wonderful young man whom we met at her older brother's wedding this past August(2009). YAY Corley!!! SO happy for you!!!! =)

Pictures -- Corley and Eric --- The Ring:

After Wedding Project

After the wedding, I had all this stuff left over -- all my DIY projects; cake topper, napkins, favors, etc. I took much inspiration from PW (Project Wedding) and decided to make my own since I had so much left over.
the garter that is hanging on the corner was made by Meemaw (my mom's mom) and was the 'keep' garter. She hand made the beauty to my specifications. She also sewed a little pocket on the inside that has pennies with both mine and John's birth year and a penny dated 2010. In that little pouch I also kept my mom's grandmother's wedding band in on our wedding day. Meemaw is also the one who submitted all the details for the newspaper article that is in the shadowbox. The article was nearly a half page and ran in the Verenon, Texas paper. It's SO sweet!

I also had my aisle runner left. It had been a last-minute project but a DIY project nonetheless that I ended up being very pleased with! I had spent a number hours on it - between working with John to create the monogram and then painting it, with the help of my wonderful mom (Thanks Mommy!)! On our wedding day, it was too windy for the ENTIRE runner to be used. I suggested we cut off the part that was personalized and simply use that. It worked out nicely! Somehow we managed to keep track of this piece of cloth traveling from Jacksonville back to Orlando and I framed it when we got home. I figured since I had put so much effor into it that is should be on display! So it lovingly hangs about the shadowbox at the end of our hallway =)

My husband and I went out Friday night with his parents. We did some karaoke and ate some yummy food. I decided to test drive the hair flower I made last week. I LOVE it!! I felt so stinkin' cute wearing it!!! =)

Not As Productive as Planned

Well Husband had most of the weekend off, SO I spent a LOT of time with him. Since he has been working so much, I decided to take advantage of his time off and just enjoy his company. When I wasn't with him, I was at a sraft store with my mom and sis. OOPS!! Haha! =) We had a great time and I bought all the stuff I need to finish the projects I have planned.
I DID however, get the bag order finished for my girl Simone =) ::
I am REALLY happy with the way they turned out. They are solid and beautiful! AND the most important thing is that she LOVES them.
That big purple flower is for one of the hair accessories I want to make in the near future. Maybe I'll work on it while sitting on the couch with John this week =)

All Things Fabric

This morning I woke up feeling particularly crafty. I had purchased several fabrics with certain projects in mind. I decided to dive right in and see what I could get finished.
First up, since it was so early, I tried my hand at something a little easier. I made myself a hair accessory -- a fabric flower clippy!! AND it's SO cute!! =) Next up was a bag for my lil' sis! I had made a tote for her as part of her gift for being my maid of honor, however, she wanted a much bigger bag! I let her pick the fabric and determin the size. it's HUGE!! I seriously think she could carry Ruger around in it!

Since my redecoration of my now beautiful craft room, I decided that I needed decorative pillows for the futon. I am going to make a few more buy I ran out of stuffing. the one that looks blue is actually a dark purple and for some reason the camera 'read' it as being blue.

The Interim

As you can tell, I am not very crafty during the week. Unfortunately by the time I get home after work, all I want to do is relax and just veg out with my hubby!
I do have inspiration for my next projects. First and foremost, I have to finish 5 tote bags to send to a girl. I INTEND to have that finished this weekend so my time can be free for crft stuff I want to do =)
I want to make a more 'formal' hair flower and hopefully it will look something like these::

I am leaning towards possibly aking it black so it isn't SO bridal. I also want to make some cluster earring and a matching bracelet/necklace. Here are my inspiration pictures for the earrings::

There is also a dress I have been waiting to make for MONTHS so MAYBE I will get a start on that =) Who knows! Check back after the weekend to see if I was productive!