Home Sweet Chicago

We were back home in Chicago last week for some R&R! We went boating, fishing, visiting friends and family, swimming, and even ran a 5K which was neither resting or relaxing! While I was there I was left alone in the house. Ut-Oh. I decided to take this lamp which was fine and give it a spin much like this lamp from Lemon Tree Creations.



I sprayed in bright red over the raffia let it dry. I was already thinking it was a bit too red and when my sister came home she agreed. (It was for her bedroom which has dark gray walls and a cream and red duvet.) So I took off all the raffia and sprayed the whole thing red hoping to switch the stripes and main color. Stripes red and the body Rustoleums Heirloom White. Well, we never made it back to the store to get the Heirloom White so this is how the lamp looks right now in the garage.

Now the tutorial on how to do this lamp is right here. So it would be pretty easy for my sister to finish this lamp right? I wonder if she will do it? I think she should. I know you are reading this STOP reading and go finish it. Please take a picture too so I can put it up on this here blog! Thanks much!

In other projects, I did manage to start and finish recovering this glider for my mom. She had bought fabric when she in was Denver on New Years Day, at a huge sale where I bought quite a few good yards myself! When I saw it folded nicely, untouched I decided to 1. find the sewing machine 2. use it! 3. recover the glider for my dear, sweet mommy!

I did this glider exactly how I did the glider in our nursery... like pillow cases. The bottom/back of each cushion is not closed. I made a finished edge for each but didn't worry about velcro, buttons, or snaps. With each cushion pushed back you can't tell and it made recovering the glider a breeze easy, sleazy!

So we aren't even unpacked yet which is a good thing and on purpose because we leave for Washington DC and NYC on Saturday! I have been reading Fodor's NYC with kids and I am pretty nervous about "gypsy" cabs! Look for the medallion, look for the medallion, don't get into a cab with out the medallion.

Week 21: Front Entry Light

That's right folks after many months of looking, 5-6 months I think. We have a new front entry light!!!

Isn't she beautiful? And what made her 'can't pass it up' worthy was the price tag... only $30.00!!! 

 

As you may remember we sold all three of our matching light fixture (that were with the house when we bought it) to a nice lady on craigslist back in January. We have successfully replaced the dining room light and the kitchen light and were looking and looking and looking for a new entry light. We had brainstormed various options... pendant lighting, chandelier, flush mount, semi-flush mount, anything and everything. Price was a big factor and the size. Lots of the lights we found were just a smidge too big for the doors or hung a bit to low for forehead safety. Then one day we took a car ride to Buds Warehouse. We walked in and right there on the counter were two identical light fixtures. I knew we needed one. I quickly asked about the price and was relieved, shocked, and exited that it was only $30! I picked it up like a hot cake and Andy hung it up the next morning. I love it!!! And what do you think? Do you love it too?

June Hutch

I am on a roll with the hutch this month! It is done and I think it looks great. Now I can enjoy it for the rest of the month and focus on finishing this months projects and posting them all! Can you guess what color this month was?

Yup you are right... YELLOW!

I saw somewhere in blogland (sorry I don't remember who to give credit to, I made these in March) how to make yarn balls. I dig the look so I made three to go on my two tiered stand for the month. They are super simple to make.

Quick Tutorial: Get some balloons, mine were 7in, and blow them up. Make a water and glue mixture (same consistency as soup). Unroll A LOT of yarn (one per balloon) and soak in the glue/water mixture. Find one end of yarn and wrap around the balloon. Wrap it all over, however you want. Let it dry over night and it worked better when I had it sitting on a plastic cup so that the extra glue could drip down. When it is dry take a needle and pop the balloon. Beautiful! **I have to admit that on two of the balls the side kinda collapsed I am wonder if using a fabric glue would work better than Elmer's glue.**

The tree branch Max found for me outside and I pulled a few flowers off the Dollar Tree "arrangement" and hot glued them to the branch. I used hanging wiring (that is what I had on hand) to hold it on an angle on the tier stand.

These beauties I got at a garage sale and sprayed them yellow. Looking good, looking real good! And that is the hutch for June.

May Hutch

This month was a bit better than last month which was a complete illustration of lack of motivation. I went with fuchsia/purple and although there isn't a whole lot to the hutch I think the purples all go together well. Watch out because June in yellow and it is almost complete!