Category: DIY

Mend it Monday

Before I was fully immersed in dressing like Fran Drescher’s Character, Fran Fine, from the 90’s sitcom The Nanny, I remembered the character and did an internet deep dive to recall what it was about her attire that crossed my mind two decades later.

My internet free fall that ultimately culminated with me purchasing The Nanny’s Emmy-award-winning costume designer’s fashion guidebook first led me to an interview article with said costume designer.

In the article, Cooper reminisced over how much altering the team would do to an off-the-rack article of clothing. They would go so far as to tailor in bathrobes at the waist and insert shoulder pads, so even when she was undone, Fran was never frumpy. This was a real a-ha moment for me. The reason why Fran made whacky dressing so sexy is because each garment was tailored to form-fit her [svelte] body. In other words, the difference between Miss Frizzle and Fran Fine was as simple as tailoring tight around the torso and bringing the hemline high above the knee. Got it.

This listing on Poshmark shows the original vintage top that was purchased for Fran Fine, and a still of how she wore it–great example of the stark changes the costume team would make to one of her garments.

Before I could even get next-day shipping for Brenda Cooper’s dressing guide, I found myself at Goodwill face to face with a real treasure.

Before: tacky granny sweater

I’ve only sewn Halloween costumes in the last fifteen years and I had completely forgotten that there was a time when I was my oldest son’s age and I would use tutorials from a “T-Shirt Surgery” message board to create different styles of shirts or skirts from things I had thrifted.

The sweater was already hideously tacky, so I had nothing to lose in my attempt to make it suit me.

process picture for turning a big tacky granny sweater to a tight tacky granny sweater

And I did it!

After!

I LOVE it, and I felt like I had been bitten, I couldn’t wait to do some more. When my friend at the grocery store told me I looked like I was dressed like Dolly Parton, I KNEW I was on the right track.

This weekend I did a simpler mend: I made a thrifted Banana Republic skirt (with pockets!) into a mini skirt:

Before: I wore this outfit a few weeks ago
the outfit was better with the coat I had to wear that rainy day
after: it’s a mini! This was my outfit today
this outfit also looked better with the coat I kept on all day when I was out

More Mending to Come!

Like I said, I’ve been bitten. I’ve hemmed a couple pairs of pants, too, but that’s not so fun or post-worthy. The plan is, with Consistency over Intensity as the focus this year, I’ll share more of my clothes alterations on upcoming Mondays. I’ve got a whole pile of clothes looking forward to more form fitting futures!

Black and White Graphic Murals and Wallpaper

Lately I’ve been dreaming of adding a graphic, sketchy mural to the walls of my dining room. Below is some inspiration with their sources. This is definitely one of those projects that requires a lot of chutzpah, so please let me know if you like the look!

black graphic brushstroke circle mural wallpaper

Ferreira Design
This is one of my very favorites, I love the brushwork, the curves, and the ease in which it seems it was created. Though this is a popular pin on Pinterest, it was difficult to find the source and I know nothing of the technique used.

Continue reading “Black and White Graphic Murals and Wallpaper” →

Jungalow Style Bathroom

one room challenge guest participant

Last One Room Challenge from Calling it Home post this week! If you’d like to see how things progressed week by week, check out the first week, the third week, the fourth week and last week‘s posts. But really, who needs all that? This is the good part, when things are finished.

Remember what it looked like when I started?

IMG_4610

And the plan I drew up?

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Well, here’s what we’re looking at now: Continue reading “Jungalow Style Bathroom” →

One Room Challenge: Week Five

one room challenge guest participant
Another One Room Challenge from Calling it Home this week! To keep you up to speed, here’s  the first week, the third week, and last week‘s posts.

This is the last update post before the big reveal this upcoming Wednesday, and I definitely was feeling the pressure of a nearing deadline. On Wednesday, I used wood stain to give the inexpensive baskets I bought a more cohesive look.

staining ikea jassa baskets with wood stainwood stain baskets progresswood stained baskets final

The above lighting isn’t the best, but you catch my drift.

Thursday looked like this all day:

process of sewing shower curtain

 

And I eventually added all of the sewing and trim that I wanted to add to that shower curtain.

jungalow shower curtain detailjungalow shower curtain detail bathroom

This is only my second sewing machine project, my first being Tobias’ Elvis halloween costume, and I was really proud of the results. Even though it was very simple, it makes a big difference to me!

The wallpaper finally arrived in the mail this week, which is really good because there were other things I was having to hold off on doing until I had installed it. It’s going to make a world of difference!

Here’s where we are now…

My One Room Challenge List:

  1. Get inspired!
  2. Render the plan
  3. Order wallpaper
  4. Install wallpaper
  5. Inside cabinet area
  6. Replace cabinet hardware
  7. Spray paint vintage frame
  8. Install it around light fixture
  9. buy accessories
  10. make fabric cornice board above window
  11. Make bathroom caddy
  12. Sand and stain bathroom caddy
  13. Buy fabric
  14. Add length to shower curtain
  15. Stain baskets

See y’all on Wednesday!

One Room Challenge: Week 4

one room challenge guest participant

Still working on the One Room Challenge from Calling it Home that I told you guys about few weeks ago and updated you on last week!  I’m waiting on that wallpaper from WallsNeedLove, but that didn’t stop be from getting a lot done this week. However, as I got through some tasks, I realized more things I wanted to do!

The first thing I did was make the cornice board.

cornice board in progressDIY cornice board hardwarefabric covered cornice board

I know the poms + the stripes look a little circus-y. I’m trying to go along with the decorations that alpacas have in Peru, like the shower curtain that inspired the room.

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I think once the wallpaper is installed, it’ll tone those colors down. We’ll see. Luckily I already had them on hand, I got them nearly free after the holidays in the gift wrap area.

poms

And it matched with the hat decorations I bought in Peru that I’ve styled on my tissue holder.

palawan souvenir

You know that old frame?

img_5846

I forcibly removed that old artwork, spray painted it with a lacquer white, and will hang it correctly once that wallpaper comes through.

light fixture jungalow theme

Let’s take a moment to remember how glorious that wallpaper is!

walls need love riverbed leaf wallpaper

A just can’t wait!

I bought the accessories, as planned.

IKEA Jassa collection

But I just don’t like how the wood colors don’t match. I’m thinking I’ll stain them.

I also decided I wanted to build a bath caddy. Here’s my progress so far with that:

DIY bath tub shelfDIY bath caddy

I also had different cabinet hardware picked out, but the knobs were so big that they touched. I decided to replace them.

anthropologie hardware

Here’s where we are now…

My One Room Challenge List:

  1. Get inspired!
  2. Render the plan
  3. Order wallpaper
  4. Install wallpaper
  5. Cut and install boards to fit inside cabinet area
  6. Replace cabinet hardware
  7. Spray paint vintage frame
  8. Install it around light fixture
  9. buy accessories
  10. make fabric cornice board above window
  11. Make bathroom caddy
  12. Sand and stain bathroom caddy
  13. Buy fabric
  14. Add length to shower curtain
  15. Stain baskets

One Room Challenge?! No Way!

one room challenge guest participant

In October, a local designer I befriended here in Fairfield, CT, Kate Smith, took part in Calling it Home’s One Room Challenge. It seemed like so much fun! I’m not quite a designer, but working on my house is by far one of my favorite ways to spend my time. I took note that the six week challenge happens twice a year, and decided I’d give it a go during the next time around.

Here’s the jist: it’s a six-week challenge to complete a room makeover from start to finish. Each week, you post about progress and link back. Simple enough, right?

I hope so. Hopefully I’m doing it right. Turns out, it started YESTERDAY. So, I’m late to the party. Regardless, I find that I get things done far more efficiently if I’ve got a deadline, or, as I often call it–a fire lit under me.

First thing’s first: the before!IMG_4610

Continue reading “One Room Challenge?! No Way!” →

Instant Harry Potter Costume

Yesterday, the students and teachers at my son’s elementary school celebrated Dr. Suess’ birthday by dressing up as their favorite book character. Tobias has been pretty obsessed with Harry Potter since we began reading the books every evening, (we’re on book three, no spoilers, please!) so his choice was obvious from the get-go.

diy-quick-harry-potter-costume

Continue reading “Instant Harry Potter Costume” →

Crafting a Creative Kid: How to Raise an Artist

My eight-year-old son is the creation I am most proud of, and becoming a mom at nineteen & figuring this all out as I go along is no doubt my greatest adventure of all.

creative-kid-tobias-eli-9

When I studied writing, I learned with the rest to “write what I know.” This is why this is not, nor could it ever be a Mommy Blog. Read: I have no idea what I’m doing. Half of what I know about raising a family I learned from twentieth century sitcoms like Family Matters, Full House and The Brady Bunch. No lie.

Sometimes my husband asks, “Why do you bake him cookies for after school? That’s a dessert, not a snack.” And well, that’s why. Leave it to June Cleaver. I cringe when people tell me I’m a good mom, because it invalidates my constant negative self talk and second guessing myself. What do they know? They haven’t seen me loose my temper!

That being said, as I meet more children that are my son’s age, I find that he’s pretty darn creative. When he’s not working on his studies or doing his household chores, he’s making something, no doubt.

creative-kid-tobias-eli-3
Jamming out in the basement while making clay sculptures

Sometimes people ask me how I pull him away from video games long enough to make things and how he’s so creative. I don’t think this is something that’s hardwired, and there’s a few things that I’ve done to facilitate his  artistic attempts. Continue reading “Crafting a Creative Kid: How to Raise an Artist” →