Ikea. Really?

found these lovely accent pillows and matching lampshades at Ikea. They coordinate nicely with the prints hanging above the bed. A nice find in an unexpected place.

Closet Case #92

I had an extra small fabric covered ox from Ikea so I fashioned a "Just in Case" case. It's stowed on the very bottom shelf of our closet.

The just in case case contains items some might keep in their nightstand. Since we don't have conventional nightstands, we lack adequate storage space in that location. I filled the box with a flashlight, batteries, important emergency numbers, matches, a few first aid items, etc.

Consider making your own "Just in Case" case.

Consider spending part of a weekend getting important documents in order.

Consider keeping $20 stashed somewhere in the house. It can be a lifesaver if you're running late and don't have time to stop at an ATM. Don't keep too much on hand though. That's what banks are for.

Consider taking photos of your house occasionally as well as new high ticket items. Share them with your insurance agent so you are sure you are fully insured. Keep a copy on disc or CD in your safe deposit box. Also, consider keeping digital copies of all your photos with friends or better yet with an online photo service/file storage site. If anything should happen, you can have your photos reproduced.

Consider keeping flashlights, fire extinguishers, extra batteries, matches, and candles in an accessible location on each floor of your home so you're always prepared.

Don't forget the pets! If you're making lists of emergency contacts and medications, be sure to include your furry housemates.

Closet Case #73

Things in the closet were coming together at this point. The black and white floral covered boxes are from Ikea. They were a real find! Very reasonably priced, easy to put together, sturdy and pretty. Since the boxes are not see-through, I added a tag for each box for ease in locating items.

More frequently used items obviously go on the lower shelves for convenience. The very top shelves are only accessible by ladder so anything that goes up there is really only used on the rarest of occasions.

I Just Loooooovvvvveee Pigs!

Th


Found these sublime little Bellek little pigs in an antique shop in Westminster the other weekend while shopping for something that we could repurpose as a counter top table.

Goes like this:

C patiently looks through the extensive inventory with me.

Owner explains he is going to his office to take a phone call.

C sees the light of the exit. . . .

I stop.

I see the luminious glow of the fine glaze on the porcelain of these delicate little pigs.

d to C: Please go get the guy. I want these pigs.

C to d: Do you know how much they are?

d to C: I know nothing about them. They are in a display case marked, "Please ask for assistance." I want assistance.

Owner: You have a good eye.

d to self: No expletive.

Hahaha.

I went home with two pigs and I don't regret it!

Closet Case #08

Tools for the fun part of organizing a closet. . .If there is such a thing!

Closet Case Continued

Once you get your pouch all ready, you can finish it with a some beautiful ribbon, or a button, or a toggle, or a lovely broach. ALWAYS add a tag so you know what is in the pouch for easy dressing and creative wardrobe "malfunctions." hee, hee

Closet Case #06

Once you have the item centered on the fabric, "eye ball" or pin the folds. Iron lightly on the folds.

Then "unfold" the material.

Place the fusing bond close to the edge of the fabric but inside the hemmed edge. If you are using unfinished fabric cut it with pinking shears to reducing fraying and place fusing tape about a 1/4 to 1/2 an inch from the outer edge.

Iron the fusing tape until a bond forms.

Reminder!! Your goal is to basically make a "pouch" or envelop for the accessories so you want to leave room with your fabric for a flap that will fold over the top of the items inside.

Closet Case #05

These dust covers are not an exact science. Take the bag or shoes or any other object you desire to be protected and "measure" it up v your fabric. You might need to fuse several pieces together to form an adequately sized cover.

Aside? This is a $12 purse from Target. I carried it on my wedding day. (Married in Vegas. . .it worked. Trust me).

Closet Case #07

Dust cover? Inexpensive fabric? Inexpensive, easy, dust covers!!!

Needed (no sew way!!!):
1. Light weight towels/bar rags, car rags, old sheets, etc.
2. Sharp Scissors
3. Fusing tape (iron on seam bond)
4. Iron & board (safe ironing surface)

Optional:
5. Buttons, ribbon, other accessories
6. Tags for labeling
7. Sharpie or other permanent marker
8. Amusement (Like a funny movie or radio to listen to for fun while ironing)

Closet Case #11

We went to Ikea a few weekends ago. You never come out of Ikea without at least a Fleeger-haukn-malta-blorger.

I found some excellent light weight vintage looking tea-towels. They were priced at 49 cents apiece.

Cha-Ching.

When you find this sort of item, you scoop it up by the arm-load. It's the kind of item that just screams: I'm economical, I'm pleasing in my timeless simplicity, my quality is average. My price is right. Buy me now, think later.

Buy, buy, buy indeed.

Closet Case #10

Situation: Lower-end purses and shoes do not come with dust covers. But that doesn't mean I love them any less.

Resolution: Make your own dust covers. . .

Closet Case #27

This is still in the early stages. . .

How HomeEckWreck runs a closet (since middle school - no joke):

1. Organized by color
2. Needs to be neat, pleasing to the eye, and inspiring
3. Needs to make me feel like I'm shopping in a high end boutique
4. Respect the clothes - proper hangers, tissue paper, cedar chips, sachets, etc
5. Don't forget the accessories

Our closet is open to our bedroom by design. C and I are both neat nicks and I can lie in bed in the morning surveying my wardrobe, looking for inspiration. An open closet is good for our space constraints and it's great for my lazy "what to wear" habits.

I'm ruthless with my editing. If it hasn't been worn in a year, it's gone. I give all my clothes to my Mom. My family gets to check it out and she takes the rest to a consignment shop where all proceeds benefit the Humane Society.

Closet Case #36

We are blessed with a lovely custom cedar closet. How it's utilized is an embarassment. I've been on a mission to change that. . .

Project Weekend - Table #057

Consider all the possibilities if you keep an open mind.

Consider the transforming possibilities of paint. Nearly no commitment - you can always paint again!

Consider always reusing, re purposing, doing more with less.

Consider a quick weekend makeover for one of your less than loved pieces of furniture. It could become a fav.

Consider being open to moving furniture. Who knows for sure if it's in the best place, serving the best purposes unless you experiment?

Consider stenciling or free-hand painting a beautiful design on an old table. Consider a more elaborate paint finish.

Consider using just one of of the drop leaves so the table can function as a vanity, desk, breakfast nook, foyer demilune.

Consider retro-fitting shelves below and using a tablecloth. Extra STORAGE!!

Consider covering in chalkboard paint for a child's playroom.

Consider covering with magnetic chalkboard paint for the ultimate play surface for small children. They might just stop raiding your Tupperware while you prepare dinner.

Consider a library table stacked high with books. Or a memory table stacked high with albums and frames.

Consider a potting station covered with pots and terrariums and cloches and greenery.

Consider adding casters for ultimate flexibility. The table can go anywhere. Anytime.

One simple little nearly forgotten table can be so functional and lovely. All it takes is a few hours and a little know how. You are limited only by your imagination.

Project Weekend - Table #055

I moved both of our little lemon velvet chairs to either side of the table.

Normally I wouldn't necessarily love the matchy matchy upholstery or style of chair in this spot but I think their sameness offers importance to the area.

C and I can lounge here over a nice dinner. My Mom and I can have tea here. I can open up part of the table and sit comfortably working at my computer, or read, or write. We can open both leaves and add two chairs for an intimate dinner with friends. We can offer a small drink/snack/dessert station during a party.

Project Weekend - Table #003

We headed to Sherwin Williams for some good quality latex paint. Glossy. Pure white. (C had a choice between black or white and he very wisely chose the white. I'm glad he picked white because I was leaning towards black. That would have been a mistake.)

I also purchased a couple of quality "foam" roller covers. Since I was painting furniture, I didn't want any nap on the roller so things could be as sleek as possible.

People discuss proper preparation for painting and I agree it is a key component. So I placed some newspaper under the legs. I lightly sanded some of the rougher places on the crackle finish. I wiped everything down really well. And I patiently painted in thin layers making sure the paint was definitely dry before adding another coat.

Things worked out pretty well. . .by Monday evening, the table was ready to take it's new and important spot.

Project Weekend - Table #001

For months now I've been yack-a-dackin' about how I don't have a proper dining table and our kitchen islands aren't built for comfortable eating. I wanted a drop leaf table to slide along my banister in the small area that transitions between the living room and kitchen (if you can call it that in such a small house).

I've been desiring said table for months ever since C told me it was highly improbable he was going to pay for an addition to the back of the house. Kill joy.

Anyway. . .

Once I learned that the basement needed emptied before we could do our little make-over down there, I started to look at the items I had, and I knew consolidation was in order.

That's when the light bulb went off! I had a perfectly good drop leaf table in the basement. It came from my paternal grandmother's home and it was sturdy andof appropriate scale. It could seat two beautifully and 4 as needed. It was PERFECT!!

Why didn't I think of this years ago? And a better question should be why did I think it was advisable to try out "crackle painting" techniques on it?

Yikes!! Part II

Ugh. Still not quite done with the final "vision" but it's a good start. I hope?  I have some talent and a lot of passion but these projects still depend on stellar planning. 

Yikes!!!

In the throws of sensory overload attempting to make sense of my "idea file" for our next reno-remodel project. 

Blue Print for Disaster? VIII

So far, so good. . .I am using a simple small tight-ish running stitch. I am considering a satin stitch on some of the buds or leaves - random.

I like embroidery because it's very similar to drawing/painting. You can pick color, direction, light, shadow, character, focus. . .