Wash and Repair!

I woke up today and wasted too much time.  What I did get accomplished was prep work for my new bed spread. 

My bed spread is adapted from a quilt pattern called "Happy Hexagons".

This pattern is where you take a piece of fabric with a moderately large print.

Select a section of the repeat,
Then you find the same repeat by taking a straight pin and stick it through a noticeable section of the repeat and pin the pieces and that spot.
Repeat this process several times on the fabric secure the layers together.
Once you have six layers you start cutting the repeat into 45 degree sections.
When you unpin the sections and arrange then you find the pieces form a kaliedescope effect.



For my bedspread  I changed it to a square, with 4 layers of repeat.
Once you have the layers pinned, you cut sections of squares.
Square up each set
 then cut each set in half diagonally
 then each half into a fourth.


Here is a sample of how the blocks look, right after they where cut.

I would have gotten more done today, but I had to go into work.   We are getting some of the costumes for Balagan.  I am having wash and repair every costume.  They just got back from a series of performances in Jakarta. Obviously they don't have proper washers or seamstresses in Jakarta, from smell and state these costumes are in.

Function + Beauty = Art

For the last two days, I have been working on the vanity area.  I finished it on Tuesday, and started on my jewelry system on Wednesday.  It turned out quite good. 

After I went to my appointment, I went to the thrift store and bought  picture frames of  various sizes they range in price from 39 cents to 99 cents.  I brought them home and spray painted them with Rustoleum shade Almond. 

I removed the glass and pictures that were in them, I replaced it with cardboard that is covered in 2 layers of batting, and a piece of black fabric.  I couldn't find my glue gun, but as soon as I do I will hot glue the batting and fabric down.

 I arranged them on the wall, and placed various pieces of my jewelry collection in the frames, with t pins.

On the Ball!

Today was productive!  Though I got a late start, I managed to sand, paint and install my vanity.  I also sanded and painted the chair for the vanity.  I bought the chair a few months ago from the thrift store it was 5 dollars.  It was a Rooms To Go donation, because it was severely damaged.  I tried to fix it, but the back rest was too damaged.  I decide to saw off the bulk of the back rest until it level with the arm rests.  It looks kinda funky, but it might be interesting when everythings done. All I have to do now is recover the seat and the chair will be completed.

Tonight, I started the curtains for the vanity.  I picked some fabric out of our fabric stash.  I got lucky for once and had some fabrics that kind of matched the colors on the inspiration fabric.  The colors I used are beigey cream and  rose pink.  I spent alot of time pleating the curtains. Tomorrow, I will be finishing the curtains, and attaching it using velcro to the vanity.

I still have alot of organizing to do.  It seems to be a never ending avalanche of clutter.  I've thrown away a lot of stuff.  The storage in my living space is almost nil. I am trying to create storage when I can.  Its overwhelming at times.  Trying to condense 10 years, and 3 homes worth of detritus is possibly the hardest thing for me to do. 

I have accepted that our family has a touch of the hoarding gene.

Redecorating!

Recently, I have begun redecorating my living space. I am ususally a very thrifty person.Until, I decided it was finally time, after almost 10 years of sleeping on a twin bed to upgrade.  A few months ago, Danielle and I rode out to my grandmother's house, and got my wrought iron bed out of the barn.

The bed had belonged to my Aunt Pat(My grandmother's sister).  I got it from Aunt Pat when I was 14.  I was helping clean out the shed behind her house. It was covered in flaking paint and one of the side rails was broken. It had been broken for many years.  Uncle Patrick welded the side rail, and  sand blasted it to get the paint off. Then my Dad painted it black.

In August of 2005, I brought it out to my grandmother so she could use it.  I think she loves it because it belonged to Aunt Pat.  I kind of feel the same way.  I like the idea of heirlooms.  Our family for the most doesn't have much money. So the heirlooms aren't really valuable, they just have sentimental value.

I retrieved it from the barn, and decided it  needed a new coat of paint.  I decided a satin finish of a color called almond. It took 5 cans of spray paint to cover up the black, but it looks great.

About 6 months ago, I found the inspiration fabric at Walmart!  The background of the fabric is the crackle print, where it looks like cracked paint.  Its a color I dubbed "Antique Teal" with the almond color crackles.  Then printed on top are these large Cabbage roses, with clusters of daffodils, tulips, and grapes. I bought all they had left.

I got the wall color from Lowes.  The antique teal that I bought is actually "Woodland Valley Mist". My trim color I got lucky, it was an oops paint so it was very inexpensive. It was in the Almond range as well. I painted the walls about a month after I got the fabric.  I took me a month to choose the exact shade I wanted.

This Past week, I finally bit the bullet and started moving things around. The bed is in front of the windows on the west wall.  The bed is on 5 inch risers.  With the thickness of my new mattresses and the riser the bed is almost 4 ft off the ground.  I love the height. It all allows extra storage which is in short supply in this space.  I have found out that the best deal on new mattresses is Big Lots.  I bought a full size Serta "Boulevard" plush top mattress with box spring for less than $400. 

For the first time in ages, I made proper curtains.  I lined them with BlackOut lining. It cuts out most of the light and helps keep it cool. I used 4 1/2 yards of my inspiration fabric for the curtains.

Somtime today, I will start working on my vanity table and the vanity seat.