Sara's new room...

Y'all are the best.  I am not even kidding when I tell you that reading the responses to my last post made my face hurt from all the ear to ear smiling.  Talk about a virtual love fest.  I know it will pass- this race would not continue on if raising teens didn't land you on the other side going, "Wow, we made it!  What the hell was that??"

I'll make it too, but for now it is just hard.  (again with the dragging out of the word hard with a distinct whine)

I've been working on the room bit by bit.  My poor husband had to talk me down from the worst panic attack over hanging a ukelele.  I'm pretty sure the manufacturers of Xanax never had that scenario in mind when they created their miracle drug.   In my defense, incorporating a purple ukelele into a design scheme is not exactly easy.  Also, I know the anxiety wasn't really about the ukelele.

So here are a few pictures of the room...

The wood for the shelves came from a friend who had us cut down a HUGE shelf/buffet for her.  This was one of the shelves so we just cut it in half, added brackets and ta-da!...shelves.

This is a vintage sewing table that I have had forever.  I added two Nichols & Stone chairs (I collect chairs like some women collect cats)

The sofa is from Pottery Barn teen.  It is pool blue and coordinates with her other room.  She wanted pink, but they were out, so pool blue it was.

The walls are just a collection of pieces I had along with the addition of the new framed piece we made for her.  Pink, of course.

There is the purple anxiety attack inducing ukelele.  Brought to you by the makers of Xanax.

The curtains are PKaufman material in buffalo check.  Found the material on Ebay and made them myself.  They are not lined, and it was simple straight line sewing.  Easy peasy.  The rods are our signature fence posts.  Super cheap and I love the galvanized steel look.

Most importantly this girl was super happy with how it turned out.  She sits in there to read, talk on the phone, work puzzles with her boyfriend, and dance to her favourite music.  I love that the room reflects her personality and love of beachy colours.

Sew sew...

I am not a seamstress.  I can sew a relatively straight line but that is about it.   My mother didn't sew, her mother didn't sew, I don't sew- you get the picture, we are not sewing women.  Oddly enough my grandfather's father came here from Russia and was a tailor.

It seems the sewing side of our line stopped there.

Despite being sewing challenged, I decided to tackle some curtains for our bedroom.  Because I am a sadist like that.

I will warn you that if you are the sewing type you are about to lay witness to a multitude of sewing sins.  Seriously, it is about to get all Sodom and Gomorrah up in here.

First I found my fabric...

This is the same fabric that Miss.Mustard Seed is using in her bedroom.  On an entire wall and it's gorgeous.  I am not that brave.  So I decided to use it to make some curtains.  Normally I use painter's drop cloths as my curtains, because again, I don't sew- but I had visions of me humming away while the fabric fell under the spell of my Kenmore sewing machine and magically transformed into beautiful flowing panels.

Then I woke up.

So here is my step by step tutorial on how to fake make curtain panels.

Step one:  Measure.

I put the fabric with the outsides facing each other....

I put the painters drop cloth down and lay out the material on top of it.  Then I measured, more than once, the length allowing myself a bit extra for the hem.  While thinking about the measurements and if it made sense I ate a rice crispy treat.

Feeling as if I may need to follow the old adage of 'measure twice, cut once'  I measured again.  I also ate another rice crispy treat.

Step Two: Sew the top part, fabric inside out.

I had some drop cloth that was wider than the fabric- no worries, I will cut that later.

Step Three: Pin the sides of the fabric.  Don't worry that it is 'inside out'....you will fix that later.

This is my sewing assistant.  As you can see he is working hard...assisting.

Step Four:  After you have sewn the sides trim off the extra liner (drop cloth).

Step Five:  Heat up your iron.  If you are like me this process might take a while since the iron is not something I use often and I forget how to turn it on and set it...

 Step Six:  Sew the inside seams flat.  I am feeling pretty smug at this point as if I am re-writing my sewing history.

 Step Seven:  Turn material rightside out (kind of like a pillowcase) the material at the bottom will be the bottom hem....since it is on the bottom and all. (I really just want to see how many times I can say 'bottom' in one step) Fold over and sew.

Step Eight:  HANGING!  Get a ladder, your curtain panel, scissors....yes, scissors....and hardware.
Now this is going to sound crazy after I went to all the trouble to sew the panels, but to hang mine on the galvanized pipe and the fence attachment thingys I have to cut the fabric (small hole) to accommodate the bolts.  If I were sewing savvy I would probably do button holes instead of chopping into my fabric, but by this point in the tutorial I am quite sure you are aware of my sewing shortcomings.

Frankenstein bolts...

It was at this moment in the installation I realized that despite my measuring twice, the panels were too short.  I returned to the kitchen to finish the rest of the rice crispy treats while crying.

Step Nine: Fix problem of curtains being too short.  "I have burlap ribbon...thick, could be added...Oh! and fabric glue!  I have fabric glue! I can fix this."

Step Ten: Admire your work even though it is not perfect.  Congratulate yourself on your sewing prowess.  Know that your great Grandfather is probably rolling in his grave.

My style...

I had someone leave me a comment about my 'style'.  Truth is I never thought much about the things I pick that define my style.  I know what I like, and I know that I tend to buy the same types of things....so yeah, I guess I have a style!

Here are a few things that I love to incorporate in my home:

Wood tones.  Yes, believe it or not, there are some pieces I won't paint!  I also love slipcovers and use them wherever I can.

Again with the slipcovers- with four kids and a doxie they are a must!  I also like to include vintage pieces like the industrial table as a coffee table, vintage dumbells, typewriter & candlestick phone.

I love muted greys and beiges- Greige is even better :)

Signs, signs, signs!  Love them and have them in every room.  Most of mine were made by Melaine of My Sweet Savannah.

Pieces that have character.  I love this cabinet for its hardware.

Chippy salvaged architectural pieces.

I love the colour green and incorporate it on some pieces in our home and by the preserved boxwood topiaries I use.

Again with the slipcovers!  I wanted to give this little bar some character so I added a couple of corbel pieces to it.

Monograms!  Everywhere :)

Anything with lettering or numbers!

Chalk painted kitchen cabinets- I wanted a soft European look in here.

This little Hovis bread pan is one of my favourite finds....used to hold little towels in the kitchen, but now it hold fabric sheets in the laundry room.  These pieces are so versatile.

I love shoe molds....I have them "walking" up the wall in our living room.

Love typography and chunky frames.

Vintage hardware.  I put in on dummy doors for character.

This one is from Southern Monogram.  Love!

Signs again- love em in black & white!

I collect Nichols and Stones chairs....rockers, child chairs, child rockers...you get the idea!

Galvanized hardware.

Vintage knob on the laundry room "screen door".

Burlap & typography- perfect combo :)

Emma Bridgewater pottery.....I am a Brit at heart :)

Anything with a worn patina.  The dictionary was given to me by my dad and is one of my favourite things. 

Oversized things....like this clock from Pier 1.  I love the chalky black and cream on it.   Also, topiaries!

Chalkboard....

books, books, books....and plants (green again!) and wooden boxes.

So there you have it.  My 'style' in a nutshell :)  For those of you who have asked our paint colours are Moderate White by Sherwin Williams for the walls (except for the kids rooms!)  Graphite in ASCP on interior doors with clear wax.  Country Grey and Pure White Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the kitchen.  The laundry room colours are Sail Cloth by Ralph Lauren and Sharkey Grey by Martha Stewart.