Flower Arrangement Rewind

Using a left over bowl to recreate a flower arrangement given to me a couple of weeks ago.

I removed the dead flowers, but left the branches, which had been so artful placed in the bowl.  

The whole thing was also washed out with hot soapy water and rinsed with a bit of bleach water to kill any remaining yuckiness.

White tulips and colored alstroemeria were picked up from Trader Joe's; $4.99 and $3.99 respectively.

First, I chopped the bottom of the alstromeria.  Next, the bottom leaves were removed from the stems.

Each stem was futher cut depending on where it was placed in the bowl; shorter ones on the side, taller ones in the center.

After, the tulips were trimmed.  I cut just above where the bottom leaf joined the stem.  Cutting tulip leaves is preferable to peeling them away.

Tulips were then added to the arrangement.

Lastly, water, plant food and a few dirty pennies were put in the bowl.

March 11, 2013

Every King Needs a Nice Throne

Weekend project: Toilet Installation in the Boy's Bathroom

It's the double-flush model; very fancy.

March 2, 2013

Project: Card Table Tablecloth

This weekend we are hosting a work party. This isn't unusual for us. We love to get people together! But this time the party is at someone else's house, a friend of hubby's. Here's the kicker, I'VE never been there. So I'm having to make preparations based on pictures and his descriptions. As a result there are lots of things being done at the 11th hour.

I've just found out we need to bring 3 of our card tables for different "stations" throughout their enormous home. Small problem, I don't really have proper tablecloths for these little guys. I figured, no problem, I'll just buy some. I can add them to my arsenal.

Do you know how hard it is to find card table tablecloths?! No wonder I haven't gotten any before now. 

Which leads us to where we are now, sewing some up from scratch.

Now the thing about sewing is it's super easy, and can be cost saving if you purchase your fabric at a discount but it's also time consuming.
I went to the local home decorating warehouse for fabric. Luckily, I found a roll of 5.5 yards of fabric for $21, less than it would cost for me to buy a single tablecloth. 

Just like with painting, a successful sewing project is all about the preparation. Measuring and cutting took about 15 minutes. The fabric is 56" wide, so I cut 56" long as well. My tables are 34" x 34". Super simple.

Now for the time consuming part, ironing. Instead of pinning the edges, I find ironing to give a much nicer edge. It took me about an hour and a half to iron all 4 sides of the 3 tablecloths into 1/2" hems. Since my fabric has a lined pattern it went very quickly.

All my prep made sewing up the hems a breeze. It only took 30 minutes to sew everything.

So voila, I have 3 matching card table tablecloths. All for under $25, including the spool of thread I had at home. 

However, that was a THREE hour project. What's the billable hourly rate for something like this?

January 10, 2013

Finished Wall

So now you can see where it's NOT painted.  Gonna have to finish that. 

 

But it's mostly done and the adjusted lighting fixtures are just fabulous.  Yay!

 

March 28, 2010

More Painting

I finally found the time to paint the exterior wall where the new window was installed.   The inside has been done for a bit, but I just haven't gotten around to working on the exterior. 

 

It was night by the time I finished.  Actually, the area around the lights still needs to be done, but the lights will have to be removed for that.  So as it turns out the evening picture, with the lights on, masks the unfinished areas.

 

March 27, 2010