I don’t do that much seasonal decorating (except for my very over-the-top Christmas decorating, of course!). Maybe, it is because San Francisco does not have traditional seasons? Anyway, after our cool and wet winter, I really felt like celebrating Spring … Continue reading →
YEARS ago, I bought a cute zipper pouch ages ago at a Signatures craft fair in Toronto. The size is perfect for sunglasses, lip gloss, hair ties, ear buds, or other little items you want to corral in your purse. Since I recently conquered my fear of zippers when I made the box cushion covers for my new chairs, I decided to try making some of these little pouches myself. It’s such a fun project to use small scraps of fabric and combine colors and patterns.
I followed the instructions from icansewthis, which lays out the steps very clearly. The dimensions for this pouch use 4.5″x9″ rectangles to make a finished size of approximately 4″ x 8.5″
Here’s what you’ll need:
2x Outside fabric pieces: 4.5″x9″ each
2x Lining fabric pieces: 4.5″x9″ each
2x zipper tab fabric: 1.5″x2″ each
zipper
Optional: fusible interfacing for outside pieces, if you are using a lighter weight fabric
I made pouches from vintage kimonos, favorite scraps, and also some of fabrics I designed myself. If you want to check out my fabric collection, here’s my shop on Spoonflower. You can have have fun mixing and matching zipper colors and linings!
In the past few years, I’ve started a tradition of making quilts for the new babies among our friends… and I have been busy! I strive for patterns that are fun for a little one, but something that they can … Continue reading →
My collection of plates and tea cups started when I threw a tea party baby shower for my friend, Nicola, a whole decade ago! Over the years, I have added more treasures to my collection, and I love the stories … Continue reading →
I want each item in my home to be meaningful, and custom canvas art is a wonderful way to personalize a space. I’m sharing four custom canvas ideas that I’ve used in my home. This includes several original projects as … Continue reading →
A lot of people groan when they think about moving, and while I plan to stay put for many years to come, I actually love the excitement and challenge of arranging a new space. I’ve had a lot of fun … Continue reading →
We moved twice in the last two years, and in the process, I gave away a lot of things. I feel like the universe has decided to reward me by sending me two great finds. First, I found this vintage … Continue reading →
I am so excited for our new patio space and have already enjoyed time out here eating lunch, reading, or catching up on some work. I started looking for some lounge chairs, but I couldn’t quite find what I wanted – or more accurately, what I wanted was way too $$$. But this story has an happy ending! I found these used chairs and made them over for $ to complete our patio space!
It’s no secret that I love anything with the look of cane or faux bamboo and also that I have a weakness for Craigslist finds! I spotted this set on Craigslist for $50, and when I showed up, the woman said I could have it for free. She also let me take the chairs without the table, so my karma of giving things away when we moved last year came back to me! I also picked up the chairs near my old neighborhood hardware store, so I stopped by to get some supplies and painting tips.
Here’s how to do it:
I started by cleaning off as much rust as possible. I used an old screwdriver, sandpaper, and steel wool
I prepped the chairs with deglosser and metal primer
I then finished them off with white gloss spray paint
The cushions were in decent condition, just faded, so I found these new slipcovers to freshen them up!
Here are some more pictures of our “new” chairs.
I feel they came pretty close to my inspiration pics, and all with the satisfaction with saving some money and a good DIY!
Everyone loves a good before and after pic:
I look forward to many more hours enjoyed out here with friends, family, or curled up with a good book!
Sometimes, milestones are measured in unusual ways. I know my kids are getting big, because it’s finally possible to take a picture of JJ’s room that is not a total disaster! We (I) were focused on finding a new house … Continue reading →
I have been in love with patio string lights for so long. Unfortunately, our last house didn’t really have a respectable outdoor entertaining space, but our rental house last year and our new house both have great patio spaces! I have been waiting to do this project creating posts to hang our lights, and I am so excited that we finally did it! It’s not hard (you do need some muscles!), and I am excited to share the how-to and our results!
cement mix – I used Quickcrete, which is fast-setting and very easy to use. I used 1.5 bags per planter, but your quantity will depend on the planter that you use
Attach the hanging hardware to the top of your posts
Place a post in the center of an empty planter
Pour in the concrete mix and add water according to the instructions
Use the spirit level to check your post is vertical
With the fast-setting Quickcrete, we didn’t have to use any extra supports for the post. We did check the level a few times as it set, but it pretty much held in place on its own
Repeat for the other posts
I painted my posts black to blend into our patio decor
Drill drainage holes in the planters just above the line of the concrete
Add gravel, soil, and plants
Install the patio lights according to the instructions with your hanging kit
Of course, we had a warm spell last week and it’s cooled off again, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to hang out here!