Here’s a tiny look at my bathroom update in process. I hope to share the finished project in a week, but it may take two.
Almost every Monday morning, I take a long thrifting trip before I run other errands. This week, I was compelled to take my three children with me, which explains why I only spent $18. A few weeks ago, I had found a cream-colored Sak purse that was stuck in the basket aisle. I managed to snag it for 70% off the thrift store price of $10. This week, one of my daughters took a shine to a smaller Sak purse of similar color; it was only 30% off the $6.88 price tag but still a bargain for my girl. I knew we’d have to update these purses as I am sure they are woefully out of style. I thought fabric flower brooches would be a perfect solution, so I found a fabric flower tutorial online and decided to give it a try.
Although I had trouble getting the shiny buttons dead center in the layers of silky fabric, I’m still pleased with how they turned out.
If you are a fashion maven and think these purses are completely out of style or still relevant, please enlighten me. I love the bohemian quality of them; I think that’s why I brought them home.
I think I’ll be filing this under “Ginormous Projects.”
Eros Pink. Yes, that’s the name of the first color that I boldly painted my back entryway.
I feel a little naughty even saying the name. It was a lovely color that would have made a lot of sense in a Brooklyn brownstone, but here in the woods, it was rather out of place. After a lot of deliberating, I finally settled on an apricot hue for repainting. In the end, it came out a little more mango than apricot, but I’m in love with it. What do you think?
One of my favorite touches in this project was an improvement on the inexpensive Ikea lamp. It is a simple frosted glass shade that was sticking out like a sore thumb. I grabbed some spray adhesive, some faux bois tissue paper that I bought on clearance after Christmas of 2009, and voila! The texture helps the lamp to compliment the other items on the table, including my great-great grandmother’s biscuit bowl and some stones that we’ve picked up on our travels around the country.
I asked an artist friend of mine for some inspiration for a few crafts I wanted to do. In the midst of the conversation, she recommended a very inspirational book by Swedish textile designer, Lotta Jansdotter: Handmade Living. I love her approach to living stylishly. Like me, she scours for good deals on used items and finds ways to incorporate them into her home. Also, like me, she confesses to being an impatient seamstress. Her quilt for her bedroom that she features is a great example. She simply cut up lots of squares and put them together willy-nilly. It’s beautiful, if you ask me, and has spawned ideas of baby blankets for the boys. Her approach to decor is simple, and although she uses many fewer bright colors than I prefer, I found her book to be entirely charming.
I have been sporadically creative in the past few weeks, although it’s getting tougher to do more than the absolutely necessary with these two boys going ’round and ’round in my belly. One project was to make a Valentine’s Day garland from some felt Christmas ornaments that I picked up from Target for 50 cents each. And why would you make a garland if you weren’t going to have a party? So, I threw a Valentine’s Day tea for my girls and their buddies. Most of my photos came out dark or blurry, but I did get a couple shots of kids enjoying the yummy treats. Fortunately, it was warm enough to send sugar-coated tikes outside after they ruined their dinner with candy, brownies, and cider.
I can’t take credit for either one of these cuties. They are just dear friends who joined us for our tea.
I caught up with ModernThrifter, my friend and blogger, on my trip to Seattle. She graciously escorted me to two of her frequent thrifting haunts. We both scored some great deals. I probably paid too much for a few things, but also found great prices on things I never find, such as 3T pants for little boys in “gently-used” condition! One of my best scores for the day were some pretty nested mixing bowls with spouts in orange and yellow–some of my favorite colors. I topped off the day with a great $8 citron jacket from Forever 21 with short sleeves. In the South, March can feel like a bit of a dilemma, fashionably speaking. It’s not quite warm enough for spring clothing, but no one wants to wear the fall and winter colors any longer. This little jacket will be perfect over a long-sleeved tee. The color is “Springy” and the weight is just right for a not-too-warm, not-too-cool day. Oh–and the swing style will button around my preggo belly until the weather is too warm to warrant its use.
Hooray for thrifted mementos! They are so much more meaningful than tacky souvenirs.
Since I’m expecting twins in June, I have a short window of opportunity to travel before I become too huge to be comfortable. Years ago, we lived in downtown Seattle, and our love for that city has never waned. We just returned from a wonderful week-long trip full of romps about town with our kids and reunions with dear, old friends. I came back home feeling rather in a funk, missing Seattle with my whole heart.
About 18 months ago, I started writing lyrics for a song about my favorite city. One day, my talented song-writing hubby will set it to a melody. For now, it’s an appropriate project to post while I pull myself out of vacation sickness.
SONG FOR SEATTLE
From her alleys to her valleys, I love this place
A weeping banner, glowing towers, the contours of her face Portage Bay, Ravenna, and the places I can’t remember Our own dear gemini we conceived that last November
History told in lava and in angles
Soft rain like a million tiny angels
Pleasantly, incessantly . . . .
They’ve called you the Emerald City, but to me
You’re verdigris
Walk from Pike Place to the water and a ferry bound Give my soul up to the sea air and the colors of the sound Exile in Appalachia never altered me– Living in a distant octave, singing in your key Yearningly, adjourningly . . . They call you the Emerald City, but to me You’re verdigris
(c) 2009
I wanted to make some cute little gifts for the children of a friend; luckily, I stumbled upon the 75% off bin at JoAnn’s and found a few swatches of cute flannel. They made perfect little scarves for some special little people. I cut the sleeve cuffs off a pink, moth-eaten cashmere sweater and attached them to to end of the girl’s owl scarf. The boy’s helicopter scarf spoke for itself with no embellishments. What were some of the gifts you made this year? Send photos to missymakesamess@gmail.com. I’ll post them before New Year’s Day if I receive any.
We’ve bitten off a lot financially this year, so in the midst paying four mortgages, investing for our kids’ education, and giving charitably, money has been a little tight. Nothing forces my inner aesthete to dig out my creative problem solving skills more than the need for thriftiness. Thus, my children will be receiving half a dozen wonderful gifts this year that were gleaned from months of thrift store scavenging. My favorite example is this week’s short project. A few months ago, I found a very pretty little turquoise handbag from Wilson’s Leather for about $3.00. I cleaned it with mild soap, conditioned it with olive oil, and sewed a pretty sash for it out of a discontinued Amy Butler fabric. My eldest twin daughter will love it. I was in a hurry to find a “matching” gift for my younger twin daughter, and I wound up splurging on a small salmon-colored Liz Claiborne handbag at $6.88. High, but I couldn’t wait until next week. It came with a very long strap that I removed and replaced with a complimentary fabric strap made from some interfacing and a $0.59 shirt that I snagged on the same shopping trip. I think the girls will be very pleased with their “new” handbags under the tree on Christmas morning. Besides, it’s time they learned that a girl can’t have too many purses!
