Installation of the Week

When does working on a Friday night not seem like work ? When you are hanging out with your parents and installing draperies in their new great/family room. My Dad just completed renovating the sun room and family room to one big great room. He is so handy and can do anything.

I used a paisley fabric for the panels and a coordinating stripe for the valances to keep the room fun. Using fringe and trim is like adding jewelry to your outfit. The onion fringe added a lot to the overall look of the treatment. The back wall was 27 feet wide so it took all 4 of us to lift the board up onto the brackets. It was massive !


While we were there, I recovered the dining room chairs in Fabricut's Ormonde, color: copper. They look really pretty with the orange walls !


My Dad always reads my blog. I know he will be excited to see his room on here...... I love you, Dad !

Installation of the Week

My favorite fabric of the week is Schumacher's "Zanzibar Linen Print" it has great colors and gorgeous leaves and flowers. We installed these draperies this week in a commercial building. The window is recessed so there is no room for finials. With windows like this you just butt the rod into the wall. We used 3" diameter rods for a substantial look.

The conference room had a bay window with 5 angles so I made it in separate pieces so we could transport it. I backed the fabric for the box pleated valance with a black stabilizer to help it hold it's shape and put a 3/4" bias band on the bottom.


Here's the window before : What a big difference !

Deck the Halls

THE MANTLE : The day after Thanksgiving is when the Christmas decorations start going up at our house. There's our sweet pup, Zoe wearing her Christmas bell. I added two things to the mantle this year....... the greenery and...........

the Eddie Ross wreath that is all over blogland. You know we had to make one too ! My son and I ran into Goodwill one day and found some boxes of ornaments for $1.25 so we pretty much had to make it.

THE TREE: I finally gave in a couple of years ago and got an artificial tree that is prelit. It is so nice to still have needles on the tree by Christmas day. I only do one tree so it has all the ornaments on it, the kids and mine. I think I'll do a post of my favorite ornaments this week. The ornaments must be put on while singing in your loudest, most off key voice, "Oh Christmas Treee, Oh Christmas Treee, I love to dec-o-rate you !"

The tree skirt is something I made a few years ago from scraps of tapestry and braided cording.

THE STAIRS: Mr. Stitches was in charge of wrapping the stairs in greenery and lights. He also hung some icicle lights and a wreath outside.

THE VILLAGE: I've had this village for a really long time and my son had fun putting it out this year. He arranged everything just the way he wanted it.


THE NATIVITY: And here's the reason for the season, baby Jesus in the manger with Mary and Joseph and the three wise men.


I hope you've had as much fun looking as I had decking ! (does anybody know what that means ?)

I'll be linking up to some wonderful sites, be sure to check them out.
DIY Showoff
Metamorphosis Monday
Transformation Thursday

Home for the Holidays
Hooked on Houses

My Wrapping, Scrapping, Crafting Closet

Stick a fork in it, it's done ! I just wanted to show you the room with all the final touches. The knobs that came on the dresser were cute but they were plaid and I'm not really a plaid person so I painted them black. Here is what they looked like before in case you didn't see them. I cannot remember where I got the canvas with the pillows, I'm thinking it was either Kirkland's or HG, it was $ 5.00. My new apron from the Hip Hostess is hanging on the doorknob.

The canvas needed some work to fit in and match. I know this sign is all over blogland BUT, I'm pretty sure it's nowhere in Cary, NC so I felt good about using it ! I printed it from The Graphics Fairy and Mod Podged it onto the canvas and then blinged it up a bit. (my spell checker doesn't realize that blinged and mod podged are real verbs and blogland is a real place, haha)


That's my thimble collection in the middle and my tea lights are in the container on the right. Thanks for looking and I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving !

I'm linking to A Soft Place To Land's DIY Day.........

Craft Closet

BEFORE: MESSY COAT CLOSET

AFTER: MY WRAPPING, SCRAPPING, CRAFTING CLOSET

I have been wanting a craft room forever but I was running out of square footage in my house so I had to get creative. The before pic is what my coat closet looked like at 8:00 am yesterday and the after is what it had transformed into by 10:00 pm. It is only 95 % finished but I couldn't wait to give you a sneak peek. I'm so excited !

The first thing I did was empty it totally out and find new homes for all the junk, I mean coats and tools. After taking down the wire rack I painted it with some paint left over from my kitchen, BM Concord Ivory (it's really a golden yellow, nothing ivory about it). I had planned to buy base cabinets, paint and install them, get a countertop and paint and hang pegboard. While perusing my buddy, Craig's list, I found this dresser/bookcase combo for $140.00. It was red and I decided that I could absolutely live with that ! One hour later it was in place and ready for all my goodies.

All my wrapping and tissue paper, scrapbook supplies and crafting stuff lives here now......
I covered a memo board and containers with some fabulous scraps. There are a few more things to do for finishing touches but so far I love it !

I'm linking this to Metamorphosis Monday.......... go check it out.