Spring Floral Arrangment

Just as I shared in my last post (shamefully from last fall), I was admiring the beautiful spring wildflowers that grow on the side of the road I drive everyday. Purples, yellows, whites dotting the edge of the road.




I decided to take few minutes the other afternoon and gather a big bunch and make a bouquet. All free and they are doing quite well. Day three and still beautiful. And like I said in my last post, not only does it feel good to get out and pick flowers to enjoy, but you might just inspire someone else to do the same!

Be Inpired,
Karol

Fall Floral Arrangment

I have a beautiful, scenic drive down 30A on the Gulf coast every morning to work and recently I had been noticing so many beautiful fall wild flowers along the way and decided last week I would make a few stops on my way home and gather some to make an arrangement.


Ever drive by flowers like this and admire them?


Well, make plans to take a few minutes to stop and gather them and go home and make an arrangement! It only takes a few minutes. And it's also inspiring for others to see you picking flowers. I bet they will think that they have wanted to do the same thing, but just hadn't taken the time yet. :)



Be Inspired!

~Karol :)

Slip Cover Complete!

Today I finished up my weekend project. Slip covering a chair in my son's room. Last week I shared a few before pics. I will share some "during" pics of some of the things I fixed to make the chair even better.



If you have read my previous post, you will see this pic of what the cushion looked like in the chair. It is sinking in because the strips that hold up the seat are broken.


I removed the sewn-in cushion and this is what I found. It just needs new stripping put down before adding the new cushion.

This is what the cushion looked like by the time I removed it. Kind of a mess and if I had just made a new slip cover for the seat cushion it would have been very lumpy and not looked good.

So I made a casing for the foam piece and also added more stuffing to make a fuller, more comfy seat for the chair.

I replaced the strips with new jute material strips.




I made the seat cushion slip cover first. It looks so much better already!



Then I made the slip cover for the chair. I would share step by step, but I don't really have a method to my madness. But I do prefer the process of laying out the pieces wrong-side-up and pinning everything and cutting to get the best fitting slip cover.

And if I could give two words of advice for making slip covers. Pin everything! I hate pinning things and I get in a hurry sometimes and don't want to, but it is really worth it to take my time and pin everything.

Be Inspired!
Karol

This Weekend's Project

This weekend I am going to recover an old chair that my son uses at his desk in his room. I bought a set of two chairs like this at an estate sale several years ago. I thought they were perfect for my kids' rooms to have at their desks.

I have shared on my blog before and after pics of my daughter's chair slip covered HERE.

And to be honest, I never took a before pic of my daughter's chair so I took a pic of my son's for the before and after on that page. Her chair looked the same except the seat was in better shape.

This is how the seat looks now. The chair is a very solid chair. Good structure and I like that it has casters on the bottom. What is wrong is the strips that they weave beneath the seat when making the chair are worn out and broken.

I purchased this seat strip stuff (sorry, I have no idea what it's called) at Wal Mart the other day. I was there and decided to see what clearance fabric they had. I wanted something inexpensive since it is covering a teenage boy's chair. Need I say more? Well, Wal Mart had this stripe fabric for $3.00 per yard. I think the stabilizer-strip stuff was $.67 per yard. Very inexpensive.



This weekend I am going to fix the bottom of the seat on this chair and make a simple slip cover for it. I'll share some pics when I have it done. I will also show how to fix the bottom of the seat.

Be Inspired!
Karol

Slip Covers Complete!

I took pictures as I went along on this project, but to even think of explaining how I did this is overwhelming. Let's just say I am glad they are done and I don't have 1980's mauve chairs in my living room anymore! And they are totally removable and washable.

I used inexpensive muslin to make my pattern pieces. I also made the slip covers out of Osnaburg, which is a muslin fabric, but kind of looks like a linen. Osnaburg is very inexpensive and did well when I pre-washed and dried it.


Be inspired!
Karol :)

My Goodness!

What a wonderful day.

I have been a guest poster on The Nester's Blog today:

http://www.thenester.com/2010/04/layering-to-create-a-cozy-outdoor-space.html




AND I am also on The DIY Show Off blog today, too! Roeshel is sharing my Shower How-To:

http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/2010/04/easy-outdoor-shower-tutorial.html

How exciting.

Thank you Nester and Roeshel for sharing my how-to's with your visitors. I am honored.

Be Inspired!
Karol :)

My Weekend Project...

Finally. I am ready to slipcover these MAUVE wing back chairs that are in my living room. I purchased the fabric, it is pre-washed and dried. This will be my weekend project. I will post an update with pics when they are done.

Be Inspired!
Karol

Outside Shower DIY "How-To"

Here's a quick step by step how-to for putting up your own shower. No plumber, electrician, handy-man, or building inspector needed. Just a list of things you'll need to get, a couple of tools, a few tips I'll share and about an hour of your time to put it all together.

Showers like these can be installed right outside your mudroom entrance (if you are lucky to have a mudroom) or on your porch, or wherever you want to rinse off before going inside. Near an outside water spigot is ideal since this how-to is for hooking your garden hose to it.

Below is a list of parts you will need. I went to Lowe's and purchased everything I needed. The person in the plumbing department helped me find every single part I needed and even showed me how to piece them all together. I wish I had written down her name. Next time I am there I am going to thank her for being so helpful.

A few things I want to specify.

• I wanted my shower to be all metal/silver colored. But you can use pvc pipe or there's even a black pipe and if you want to get really fancy, copper! You can get all the fittings, shower head and lever to match. Can you imagine all black or all copper on certain homes? ...gorgeous!
  
• You can use whatever type of shower head you would like. I wanted the rain shower type, but you can use a regular one or even a handheld one -which might come in handy for rinsing things off or even washing a dog.
  
• There are different types of valves you can use, too. I wanted the pull chain kind because I wanted to be able to leave my water hose on and have the shower work whenever we pulled the lever. And I didn't want it to accidentally get left on so the pull-chain type valve works great because it shuts off when you let go of the chain. But you can also get the kind that you turn on and then turn off. Again, it's up to personal preference and needs.
• The two most expensive parts are the shower head and lever/valve. If you can, shop around for the best deal on those. Everything else is very inexpensive.
  

• Ok, now on to the supply list.

Things you will need:

SUPPLIES

• (2) 1/2 inch in diameter sections of pipe. -two sections because the water valve goes in between so decided how tall you want your shower to be. I bought (2) 31" sections (the ends are already pre-threaded).
• (2) 90° -1/2 inch pipe elbows
• (1) 1/2 inch pipe coupling
  
• (1) 1/2 inch brass hose bib
• (1) 1/2 inch x 3 inch pipe nipple (a pipe nipple is just a short section of pipe with threads at both ends...just like the large pieces of pipe listed above)
  
• (1) 1/2 inch x 6 inch pipe nipple (this is the section of pipe that determines how far out from the wall the shower head will be so choose the length you prefer).
  
• (4) 1/2 inch 2-hole pipe straps
• Exterior stainless wood screws (if attaching to wood, which is most likely)
• Thread seal tape

TOOLS

• Wrench (for tightening pipes together, but thread seal tape also helps assure a good seal)
• Screwdriver to attach pipe straps to wall or post or whatever you are attaching your shower to. (preferably an electric or cordless drill or screwdriver which required less "elbow grease").

INSTRUCTIONS

Below I will explain how to put everything together (with pictures). I started at the bottom since the shower head should go on last (easier to handle and work with without shower head on).

• First let's put the seal tape on the pipe threads. Wherever there are threads, apply some seal tape. Seal tape is not really tape but a super thin plastic strip that is stretchy and clings as you wrap it around the pipe threads. Wrap around a few times. This seals the pipes and fittings together better so there are no leaks. (Above) is what it should look like after you put seal tape on pipe thread (sorry for blurry pic).
  

• Next, let's put some parts together. Attach the water valve to the bottom pipe. Turn as hard as you can to assure a tight seal. You can even use a wrench if needed. *If using a pull-chain valve, be sure you have the lever going the right way so if you turn it one way for on and one way for off. The pull-chain valve I bought works either way pulling up or down and rests in the middle for off. If it is the kind that turns one way for on and way way for off you might want to make sure you have it the correct way and on the side you want it on, too. It's mostly preference on that.

• Then attach the upper pipe to the other end of the water valve and turn to make a tight seal. Again, use wrench if needed.

• Now to the bottom pipe end attach the coupling and then the hose bib. Tighten as tight as you can get them. Especially the hose bib. (they tend to leak if not tightened good). The hose bib is what you attach your garden hose to.
  

• Now we will work on the top part of the shower. Attach one of the 90° elbows to the pipe. Then attach the longer of the two pipe nipples to the elbow. As usual turn as tight as you can get it, but also so that the elbow is facing straight out (this is important!) away from the water valve so that the shower head is centered and out in "front" of the shower unit. If it is not completely tight, but you have it straight out in front like it should be it will be ok because you put seal tape on the threads.

• Attach the other 90° elbow.
• Attach the smaller pipe nipple.
• Last, attach shower head to other end of pipe nipple

Now assembly is all done. Be sure shower head is positioned straight and water valve as well and you will be ready to attach the shower to post or wall.

• Attach shower using pipe straps and screws. It is good to place a pipe strap at each joint. I put a pipe strap above and below the water valve at connections (see pic) since there will be a lot of pulling on this part with the water valve. I used 4 straps total.

• Last, attach your garden hose to the coupling at the bottom and tighten as tight as possible. Then turn on the spigot and give your shower a try!

If anyone makes their own outdoor shower using my how-to, please write me and let me know. I would love to know.

Be Inspired (and handy, too)!

Karol :)

Outside Shower DIY Project

I have been wanting an outside shower for over 3 years now. It is so nice to rinse off outside after a day at the beach or even just from working in the yard before heading inside. It's also nice to use to rinse things off under, too.

It was very simple to make and hooks right up to my garden hose. I chose a big rain shower shower head. Now I want one of these in my shower inside!

I even installed a pull-chain valve.


It took less than an hour total to complete and all the parts I picked up at Lowe's. They also have kits, but they were out today when I went there so I bought all the individual parts instead. That's the way I wanted to do it anyway.

There's a total of 9 parts, plus the four brackets I attached it to my porch beam with and then the pipe tape I had to purchase that makes sure all the pipes are sealed together good. The only tools I needed was my screw gun for the screws to attach it to the beam and a wrench to tighten a few of the pipes together.

Please let me know if you want to give this a try at your home. I would be glad to share a list of things you will need and how to do it.

Be Inspired!

Karol :)

Sprucing Up for Spring and Summer

(*Newer Pic Added 4-19-10)

Spring has sprung and Summer is on its way! Time to spruce things up for spending more time outdoors and entertaining.

I had some down pillows on my wicker chairs from last year and they just needed some sprucing up. There's no need to buy new pillows when down pillows will last forever and never loose their loft. They just need a face lift. I had some coordinating Waverly fabrics that I was going to use on another project and decided to use on my pillows instead. Below is what they looked before. I just used two pillows as the bottom and back cushions.


I decided to make one pillow look more like a cushion bottom. After I made the bottom cushion I cut a large piece of "batting" from an old comforter I had in the attic and wrapped it round the pillow before inserting it into the new cushion cover I made. This gave it more thickness and filled in better. See pic below...


I then made a cover for the back cushion and even added some piping in the stripe pattern used in the bottom cushion....


This project only took a few hours to complete and I am very pleased with the results. I didn't do anything to the pillows inside so I can always change them back or make new covers for next year if I wish.

Be Inspired!

Karol :)

Multi-purposing Furniture

I love using a piece of furniture for something other than what it was made for. It's just fun to do. And anytime I can use a piece of furniture for more than one purpose is even better! I have posted about my sofa table before (a long time ago), but wanted to share more.

From the front door, it just looks like I have a regular sofa table behind my sofa.

As you can see, it is also a nine-drawer mahogany dresser. Great for storage!


The left three bottom drawers I use to store tissue paper, wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbon and tags. So easy to find everything when I need to wrap a gift quick!

One of the drawers on the right I use for school supplies. During homework time, if my kids need paper, pencils, a folder...it's all right there in the drawer. Easy to find.

I hope this inspires you to consider multi-purposes for furniture.

Be Inspired,
Karol

Inspiring Chalkboards

I have had this handy chalkboard shelf hanging in my guest bathroom for quite sometime. It's great for hanging towels on the hooks and also keeping part of my sheep collection together. We have a few chalkboards around the house and I like to write inspiring things on them. When using chalk on a chalkboard and especially in a bathroom (and with 2 kids) the chalk can get wiped off very easily.



I will share how to write beautiful things on chalkboards (and in really pretty fonts!) that are more durable, but still not permanent, so you can change them out whenever you want!

First of all just write out your inspiring saying, Bible verse, your last name, or whatever in Microsoft Word or whatever program you use to create documents. You can play around with the font and size until you get it just right. I will say now in hindsight, I should have put the words all the way across my chalkboard. The good thing is, I can always change it later if I want.

When you get your words just right for your chalkboard, generously rub white chalk on the back of your template.


Next, tape down your template to the chalkboard being careful not to smudge chalk on your chalkboard if possible. Then you will just need to use a pencil to trace the letters out. When you finish remove the template to see a light outline of your words. *I suggest you start from left to right to keep from smearing the letters you have already traced.

Rather than use chalk to fill in the words, I used a white colored pencil. It is durable, but can still be easily erased from the chalkboard when I want to write something new and inspiring.

If you want to put something permanent, you should use carbon paper instead of white chalk on the back of the template and then paint in your letters.

Be Inspired!

Karol