Sew Happy It's Spring

Spring fever hasn't ended at our house. In fact, with the beautiful mid-40's temperatures we've been having here in The North Country, it's been bliss! I've been inspired to make some more dresses for Claire after feeding my fabric addition with a trip to Joann's.

Originally it was my intention to just go in for a few bundles of yarn to make my DIY wool dryer balls. However, anyone who knows me, knows that I can't go into that place and not look at the fabric. And I came home with this:

I knew exactly what I wanted to make with the turquoise and red polka dot fabric, but the little market stalls fabric was just too adorable to pass up. I am sure I will find a good use for it. Maybe with another pattern. :)

I spent that night making my wool dryer balls. Let me tell you, winding 6 balls of yarn can REALLY cramp your style. My hand was hurting after the second ball, but I kept plugging away. I've found it best that once I get into a project, it's a lot easier if I just stick with it rather than risk forgetting about it (or never picking it back up again *ahem*). 

After my hand recovered the next day, I found myself in my sweat shop sewing haven piecing together the bodice of a dress. Now this is the fourth time I'd used the Simplicity 2167 dress style E pattern, and I felt it was time to try something a little different. I didn't want all of Claire's dresses to look the same (see here and here for the other dresses that I've made using this pattern). I decided this time to go with dress style F on the pattern which included a "pillowcase apron". Granted, I didn't have a cute embroidered pillow case to use like the dresses on the envelope pictured, but I did have an adorable cherry cotton print I was dying to use. Here's what I ended up with after a few hours of fiddling with some different types of embellishments. The ruffles were just too cute to pass up.

I love how the cherries and polka-dots compliment each other. It has such a fun, vintage vibe which is exactly what I was going for.

The next challenge was to complete the skirt. It was rather easy, really. Sew a bunch of rectangles together, hem them, add some rick-rack, and attach it to the bodice. I was grateful that the pattern included an option for adding some ribbon trim around the waist. Since I used a bright red thread, my mistakes and uneven stitches were a little more obvious than usual. There were a few places where the lining did not match up when sewing the skirt to the bodice, and so I had to turn the garment inside out, and go over those spots again. Not a very pretty look. Thankfully you'd never know since all of those sins are neatly covered by some ribbon.

The shiny ric-rack I had on hand, amazingly enough. I think it gives the skirt some extra oomph! It's playful, yet dressy. I couldn't wait to snap a pic of the dress, as the above photo shows that the shoulder straps are simply pinned together still. I have yet to pick up some buttons that will do this dress some justice. I don't have much of a button stash (although I dream of jars and jars full of glorious, vintage buttons), and so no red buttons were to be found. Looks like I'll need to make another trip to Joann's this weekend! (Yeah, that can't be good...)

More pictures to follow once I get the buttons on the dress. Claire has been begging to wear this one (she loves the colors), so I am sure that I will have plenty to post of my little model wannabe. :)

Are you as ready as I am to break out the spring/summer wear? Bring on the mild weather!

That's Pinteresting! Spring Cleaning Edition

In two weeks from this Friday we should be closing on our house! Can you believe it!? I am SO excited!!

Of course, as of late it has been a marathon of finding more moving boxes and packing each day. It's taking me a little more time to pack on my own, especially since I am sorting through our things before sending it off to our new house. Goodness knows that clutter has a way of creeping into our belongings, and I don't want to spend any extra energy hauling or putting away things that we don't need! 

Today's blog entry is about some essential Spring Cleaning tips that I've been stock piling on my pinterest boards. Not only do they come in handy for helping me clean house on our way out, but we have a new home that will be in need of spring cleaning, and I will be doing double duty! I want to be able to efficiently get great results in both places. Here's a list of 5 Spring cleaning tips that are quite popular on Pinterest!

1. Wool Dryer Balls. They're great for fluffing your laundry, decreasing static cling, and help reduce drying time.  Be sure to use an 100% wool yarn (no blends), or for an even more eco-friendly/cost effective option, unwind an old wool sweater and reuse the yarn.

There are a TON of DIY instructions for wool dryer balls, and I have been meaning to make my own for a while now. I FINALLY got around to making some, and let me tell you-- it's so easy! I seriously don't know why I waited so long. The above picture is a "before felting" view. I didn't bother taking more pictures to post my own tutorial because there are TONS on the Internet. They're basically all the same so if you search for DIY Wool Dryer Balls on pinterest or Google, you'll be sure to find some fail-safe instructions. I bought three bundles of yarn, and was able to wind two balls per bundle. WARNING to those of you who have CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)! Your hand will seriously cramp up if you try to wind six balls in a row! 

2. Eco-friendly cleaning products.

Baking soda is your friend. Seriously. It's cheap, non-toxic, and it is AWESOME at cleaning a crusty oven. I'm pretty good about giving our oven a good scrub-down at least once a month to keep buildup at bay, and I can pretty much tell you that is almost effortless with the help of baking soda and some white vinegar. I pretty much dust my oven door (or any other crusty areas) with baking soda, spray on some white vinegar, and walk away while it does it's bubbly-magic thing. Whatever doesn't wipe clean takes a minimal amount of scrubbing or I just wipe and repeat. 

Photo from Ehow.com

I keep a spray bottle of distilled white vinegar handy for various cleaning needs. It's great for cleaning windows, and I love using it to wipe down the inside of our fridge. Somehow the shelves on our fridge always manage to get grimy. Vinegar helps cut the greasy, sticky mess and leaves the shelves clean and disinfected. The vinegar smell vanishes rather quickly, but I honestly don't mind it as much as I dislike the fumes of harsh chemicals like bleach. 

3. Freshen up:

Baking soda is another great way to deodorize carpets and mattresses. Sprinkle a little on your smelly surface, and leave it sit for a while. Then, simply vacuum! If you want to add a little more freshness, simply mix a few drops of your favorite essential oil with the baking soda before sprinkling it onto your carpet or mattress. It's an inexpensive, non-toxic way to keep your allergies in check by keeping dust mites or pet dander at bay!

4. Bathrooms:

I keep a spray bottle of vinegar handy in the bathroom to spray down the shower, toilet, sink, and mirror. Instead of using paper towels I use microfiber towels that I purchased at the Dollar Tree. Not only does it clean better, but I feel better about not wasting half a roll of paper towels when cleaning up. I even cut and sewed some cloth diapers into pads that slip onto the base of my Swiffer-style mop instead of wasting money on expensive disposable mop pads. 

5. Clean your cleaning tools:

Don't waste your time by pushing dirt around with dirty cleaning tools. Regularly clean your mop/broom, vacuum, and scrub pads/brushes. We have two dogs, and so dirt and hair on the floor is abundant in our home. I sweep and mop regularly, but dog hair has a way of sticking to your cleaning instruments-- especially the broom. I make it a habit to spray off the broom to remove all traces of dust and hair. This can easily be done in the sink with your hand sprayer, but be sure to catch the hair so that it doesn't go down the drain. 

Photo from www.askannamoseley.com

For those of you who are fortunate to own a Dyson like we do, it's best to give it a good cleaning around every 6 months. Ask Anna has a great tutorial on cleaning a Dyson, but you can always refer to your manual to see what the manufacturer recommends. We have had our DC14 Animal for almost 8 or 9 years now, and it is still running as well as the day I bought it. Definitely worth the splurge!

I use Ocello microfiber scrubbing sponges in the kitchen. They've got a textured scrubbing side, and the other side is microfiber. They're washable, so after a few days of hard use, I just toss it in the wash and grab a fresh sponge from the drawer. I find myself using the dishwasher less and less these days, and I usually wind up just using it as an oversize drying rack. Not only do I save on utilities, but there's no need to buy expensive dish washing detergent. You can always make your own detergent (and I do), but sometimes nothing gets dishes (especially glass) sparkling quite like a good hand wash. I use Method dish washing soap in our kitchen. Target regularly puts out coupons for Method, and I stock up when a great deal is to be had. 

This Ginger Pear scent is a favorite. So is the Clementine.

So that's it! It's not a detailed nitty-gritty checklist (although there are a bunch available on Pinterest), but I'm not one to tell anyone how to clean their house. I just wanted to share some of the more popular cleaning tips that have been floating around the pin-o-sphere-- especially ones that we have adopted at our household. They make cleaning quick and easy, and are a whole lot better for our planet and health!

Have you started your spring cleaning yet? Have any other great tips or tricks that I may have left out? Please share them with me! 

That's Pinteresting! Half Bath Envy

It's time for another edition of That's Pinteresting, and this week we'll be focusing on everyones favorite seat in the house: the Bathroom!

Another sorely outdated area in our home-to-be is the bathroom, and our house has two. A full bath upstairs, and a small half-bath on the main level. The upstairs bathroom is rather outdated, but the downstairs bath was an addition to the home (installed into what used to be the hallway leading down to the basement) and needs a minimal amount of updating. I'm always down with a mini-makeover while budgeting for something major like the kitchen.

Here's a few half-bath's that have found their way onto my inspiration board:

I'm thinking that a little vintage-style tile, some paint, and some handy storage will give our little half-bath a big dose of style on a small budget. I can't wait to reveal the inside of our new home-to-be after we close. We only have a couple more weeks to go!

That's Pinteresting! Kitchen Wish List.

Hey! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. It's the first week in March! Can you believe it?! The projected close date on our new house is the 29th of this month (Easter weekend). Hopefully everything stays on plan! I can't wait!

Needless to say, I have been incessantly thinking about all of the renovations our new home is in need of. I haven't posed any pictures of the inside (I'm waiting until we finally close on the home before counting my chickens), but trust me when I say that it is a wee bit outdated. The living room is quite large. It has a beautiful stone fireplace that matches the exterior stonework. There are lots of windows that give it plenty of natural light. It's also where wood paneling goes to die. Seriously. The room is covered head to toe in the same orangish-wood hue. No worries, though. It is an easy fix with a can of paint. 

The kitchen, however, is another story. Where do I even begin? The yellow and black tile? The burgundy 50's laminate counter top and matching back splash? The wall-o-wood cabinets? How about the lack of natural light and the bubbling linoleum floor? Or maybe the awkward layout? 

Needless to say, the kitchen leaves a lot to want. Thankfully, Pinterest provides plenty of inspiration to help us make a decision when it comes time to overhaul things. I'm pretty sure just about everyone has a "dream kitchen" (or two) tucked away on their pin boards.

Another great resource is houzz.com., and they have a great article, 10 steps to a kitchen remodel that is extremely helpful in planning out your dream kitchen project. 

Here are some of the cozy kitchen inspirations that have found their way onto mine:

Ugh. I am in heaven with all of the beautiful open shelving, the cozy wood counter/island tops, and the sleek white subway tile and beadboard. Now that I've got a collection of kitchen aesthetics that I love, I can really hone in on the materials that I like best so I can start a plan and form a budget. 

Plans to gut our kitchen will definitely happen in the future. I don't think there is anything salvageable, but I won't know for sure until I spend some time living in the house and using the kitchen on a daily basis. There are lots of "wants", but I have to make sure that I make the things we will need a priority. 

Once we close on the house, I'll be able to reveal all of the gnarly photos so you can get a feel for the layout, so stay tuned! I'm giving you plenty of time to prepare yourself!

Have you completely gutted or overhauled your kitchen? Where did you begin? Please share your progress with me if you have it. I'm always looking for more inspiration to add to my board. :)

10 steps to a kitchen remodel

Passion for Refashion

Now that I've built up some courage and experience with using a dress pattern, I've been furiously using up some fabric remnants in my stash to give the cupcake some new pretty spring dresses to wear. It may be snowing still here in Upstate NY, but we have some spring fever going on!

I decided to make good use out of the fabric leftovers from the baby doll bedding I made last month. I had just enough left to squeeze out this adorable dress using the same pattern from the valentines fox dress I made. The bow really gives it some personality.

In addition to using fabric remnants, I've even decided to try my hand at a dress refashion. I created this cute little maxi dress by using the skirt of one of my former summer dresses.

Of course, I didn't have the forethought to snap a picture of the dress before I started cutting into it. The dress, however, was your basic thin, adjustable strap V-bodice summer dress. The material is a soft, thin flannel. I decided to retire it because I hated how the front and sides would gape after I lost a good amount of weight. After several washes, the elastic also began to wear out, and it just wasn't a very flattering fit for me anymore.

Originally it was destined for donation, but I thought I would hang onto it to see if I could re-purpose the fabric. The grey, black, and white plaid is rather charming. I love how the maxi dress turned out. I used the same pattern again, but kept the original skirt length from my former dress. It's so simple and cute, and at the longer length it's almost more casual, too. I think the pockets on the front are my favorite part. Those pieces were the former front bodice of my old dress. Claire seems to be pretty charmed by the pockets, too. Let's hope they hold up!  :)

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a model in the making:

Claire is such a ham. She, too, is a big fan of her new dresses. Looks like I will be trying my hand at refashioning more clothes, and give my "donate" pile a better use! At the rate my little one has been growing out of her things, why not? Instead of giving it away for free, I am giving it new life and saving a few bucks in the same process. I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner, especially with how much I browse Pinterest. That place is a re-purpose Mecca!

Now my deep sentimental relationship can be about how adorable my four year old looks in my old "duds". Anyone else tried their hand at refashioning an old piece clothing? I know that I will never look at the Goodwill the same again!

We're Under Contract!

I cannot even begin to tell you the excitement we have over our offer being accepted on a house this week! We are one step closer to finally having a place to call our own! I had tried to keep hush hush on the details surrounding the home with which we were interested in for fear that it wouldn't work out. We've shared several listings/photographs with friends and family and each prospect turned out to be a bust. You can imagine our disappointment, so I wanted to be sure we locked in THE ONE before spreading the word. We mailed out our deposit and the signed contract has been forwarded to our lender, and now begins the process of appraisal and inspection. We elected to have a home inspection and land survey done on the property so we could be aware of any issues the home might have, and so we know exactly where our boundaries are. We plan on fencing the yard in the near future to give us privacy and our pets a place to roam safely.

To ease some of the suspense, I'm including a few of the listing photos of the exterior of the home. It is located in York, Pa, and will situate us perfectly between our relatives. We have friends and family all over the area, and it also puts us within close proximity of Carlisle-- the car show Mecca of the North East. We've been long-time classic car owners, and so this will put us right in the heart of show season.

This house was built in 1938, and has a beautiful stone exterior. It features 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, has a large walk-up attic, and 2 garages (a detached 3-car garage and a 1 car garage located in the basement level of the home). The interior, which I will share more of once we close on the house, is very outdated. I'm talking black and yellow tile kitchen with burgundy 50's laminate counter tops. We've got some ideas already running through our heads as to how we want to tackle both the bathrooms and kitchen. Some day we'd even love to finish the attic space as it would make a terrific play room.

Hopefully within the next month all of our appraisal and inspections should be complete, and we will be ready to close on the home and move in. Until then, I've got lots more packing to do and tons of inspiration to pin!

Monday, Monday

Happy Monday! Normally that would be an oxymoron, however I have some great news to share. We are excited to announce that we have made an offer on a home this weekend! We are still waiting to see if our offer will be accepted, but once that is done we will anxiously await the appraisal and inspection process. We're so psyched about our potential new home, but I have to say the amount of paperwork involved is surreal! My eyes were nearly ready to pop out of my head after reading the disclosures, and making sure we initialed or signed where needed. I was never meant for a desk job, so the real "work" (or fun) begins when we get the keys to our new abode and start getting our DIY on!

If that great news wasn't enough to cheer up your day, then you'll love the little treat that I have for you. While I was blog browsing last week, I stumbled upon Julia's page Hooked on Houses, and fell in blog-love.  One thing I love is to look at is houses. It has by far been my favorite part of house hunting. If you love it, too, then you'll be hooked on Julia's blog like I am. My favorite posts have been the real estate bloopers and faux pas that she posts through reader submissions. I've found myself often wondering "what were they thinking" when it came to some of the descriptions and pictures included on various listings, and some of the things she has blogged about are down right hilarious. Like this post about why homeowners shouldn't appear in their listings. It's sure to cheer your case of the Mondays!

So that's about it for today. Hopefully later this week we'll have some good news about our offer! I've been keeping things pretty mum about the place for fear of "jinxing" our chances of getting the house. I'm normally not a very superstitious person, but it has seemed like every listing I would share with a family member or friend turned out to be a bust or was sold before we could get a look at it. You can be sure that I will be going into photo overload once we close! :)