Make a Headboard – Part One

If you need a headboard, but want something personalized, you can make your own fairly easily. You will need a tape measure, paper to make a pattern, plywood, saw, sandpaper, upholstery foam, an iron, batting, muslin, decorative fabric, electric drill, screws, staple gun, and if you want trim you will need cording or braid.
First, measure your bed so you can decide how wide and tall you’ll need to make your headboard. Normally, a headboard is slightly wider than the width of the mattress, and about 8 inches of the headboard is seen above the pillows leaning against it.

Use paper to draw your headboard shape. You can make the headboard a rectangle, an arch, or some other creative shape. Then, cut the shape out of the paper to make a pattern. Buy extra paper if you aren’t sure what shape you want to go with. This way you can cut out several shapes and tape them to the wall behind your bed to see which shape you like the best. If you aren’t sure which fabric to use for your headboard, you may want to try choosing a fabric that matches another fabric in your room or your bedding.

Next, lay the pattern on the plywood and trace the shape with a pencil or pen. Don’t forget to trace legs to raise the headboard the correct distance off of the floor. Now, cut the shape out of the plywood with a power saw.

Check back tomorrow for part two of this blog.

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Ever so humble, happy camper!

photo source: Flikr.com

You are very nice people. Warm of heart, complimentary, encouraging...Last I checked, the comments for my playhouse post had reached the nineties. The nineties!! I don't think I have ever reached such a "comment high", and I doubt I ever will again!! I have to admit, I think I have the nicest blog readers/friends ever!! Thank you so much for your kind words, and I am seriously considering a playhouse addition to house those of you who wanted to move in. Only, you know I will put you to work...babysitting, mowing, cooking...so you may want to rethink that notion!

In other good news, I am finally embarking on a camping trip, and my lonely camper has been getting a bit of a makeover. Last year, I added new cabinet hardware, a new "tin" panel to disguise the mini-fridge, and made a few purchases designed to make our little camper prettier. This year has been all about the slipcovers. Just for fun, my husband, daughter and I had a look through the new campers on display at our local Walmart's parking lot. I saw some purdy ones - ones with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances - but they all shared one ugly secret: they all housed sofas and cushions upholstered in the most monstrous of fabrics. This is most definitely the before photo of my camper's cushions!

Who makes the design choices for these things?? I figure it is a portly, balding man puffing on a cigar, with his polyester pants creeping below where no one woman wants to see, belching after eating a cheese dog or two, and pointing at some upholstery catalogue from 1978, exclaiming, "That one will do...just bee-yoo-tee-ful!!" At least I hope that is who is responsible...

Anyhoo, I have enlisted a friend, who just happens to be the most fantastic seamstress, to make me some new seat cushion slipcovers. True to my nature, I used fabric that was inexpensive, at hand locally, and will spruce things up on a budget. No sense upsetting my innocent husband with trivial matters. I have also ripped down the ugly valances that come with the camper and left things bare. Better nothing, than making do with ugly...

photo: Country Home

I'll show you the photos after I get back, and perhaps it will inspire those of you wrestling with the idea of making slipcovers for the ugly ducklings in your life! I'm off to pre-cook bacon, make a grocery list, and stock the food I already have, into the cupboards of the camper.

Here is my meal plan for those of you considering a camping trip of your own:

First night/day of arrival: (supper):

Pork chops (previously frozen to remain safe to eat!)

bagged salad (croutons added later)

pasta salad (kept well-chilled)

rolls

Day 2:

Breakfast: bacon (pre-cooked at home)

hash browns

maple beans (canned)

eggs

Lunch: hamburgers

potato chips

fresh fruit...

(for those who will actually bother to eat it!)

Supper: chicken and vegetable skewers:

(pre-chopped, frosen chicken breast meat, thawing in fridge), canned baby potatoes, mushrooms, red and green peppers, large chunks of Vidalia onions).

-packaged flavoured rice

-french bread (Dempster's, baked in our tiny toaster oven)

Day 3: Breakfast:

pancakes (boxed mix, just add water/milk)

Maple Leaf pre-cooked sausages

Lunch: hotdogs (we're camping, remember?).

Supper: hot and spicy pasta dish (veggies pre-chopped, chicken pre-cooked, left-over pork chop, sauce pre-mixed, just have to cook fettucini noodles).

Final day: Breakfast: cereal, muffins (baked at home, and frozen), toast

**Our meals may or may not sound a bit extravagant to some campers, but I like to prepare ahead so we can have relatively healthy, tasty meals. I figure enough chips, pop, and s'mores are eaten around the campfire, and I cannot overdo the hotdog thing...~~shudder~~...!!!

photo source: Flikr.com

photo: source unknown

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To my complete and utter amazement, the Washington Post online just selected my post about Sophie's little playhouse as their Blog Watch pick of the week!! Thank you Terri Sapienza!!

Make Small Rooms Look Bigger – Part Two

Well lit rooms will always look bigger than darker rooms. Make sure the curtains in your room aren’t too dark, and choose sheer curtains where you can. Artificial light works too, so make sure you have several lamps or even consider installing new lights in your ceiling.

Use transparent materials where you can to make a room look larger. For instance, if your bathroom is tiny, choose a sheer shower curtain or shower door instead of an opaque one. You can also choose tabletops make of glass to get this effect.

Mirrors are a sure fire way to make a room look bigger. A mirrored wall can make the room look like an exercise room, so you may not want to take the mirroring tip to that extreme. You can also buy large framed mirrors to put on your walls. Framed mirrors are widely available at reasonable prices and in many different styles.
Surprisingly, a larger piece of furniture used where you used to have several small pieces will make a room look bigger. They create a less cluttered, more open space, with large blocks of color. This makes the room look less busy and more comfortable.

Plain colored furniture in neutral colors will look best in small rooms. Steer clear of pattered furniture. If you want to add more interest to the furniture, try choosing different textures.

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Make Small Rooms Look Bigger – Part One

There are a few advantages to small spaces, for instance decorating a small space is that you are often able to save money. Also, it is easier to make small spaces look cozy. But, sometimes you may simply want your small apartment to look larger. If this is the case, you may be in luck, because there are decorating tips you can use to make your space look more spacious.

A small room will always look larger the less clutter you have displayed. This means you need to find ways to get that clutter organized. You can put your clutter underneath table skirts, on shelves or behind closet or cabinet doors. You will be more organized this way too.

Light, cool colors will make a space feel larger. These shades will make a room feel open. The best colors you can choose for this effect are soft hues of blue and green.
Using a monochromatic color scheme will help to make your space look bigger. Stick with the colors from the previous tip to maximize the illusion of a bigger space. Try to choose furniture colors that are similar in color to your walls. If you choose contrasting colors it will break up the space and make it seem smaller, so make sure you do not pick colors that are too different. You want to focus on creating a simple, calm looking effect.

Check back soon to read part two of Make Small Rooms Look Bigger!

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Tools Everyone Should Have at Home – Part 3

Even if you only rent an apartment, it is important to have a set of basic tools on hand so that you can make simple home repairs yourself, this is part three of this blog about which tools to keep in your toolkit.

It is beneficial to have a utility blade for opening boxes, or working on craft projects. It is also a good tool because you can remove the razor blades for heavy duty stove cleaning or cleaning tough messes off of floors or counters.
A simple ruler is helpful for many projects for cutting guides, measuring, and marking.

Felt, plastic, and carpet dots aren’t something that you might think to have in your toolbox, but they are great to have around. You can put them on the bottoms of vases, candleholders, boxes, inside cabinet doors, or anything else you could think of. Plastic dots used on the back of a picture frame can help to keep the picture level. Carpet dots are thicker and are used under chairs and table legs to keep from making scrape marks on hardwood floors.

Spackle may be needed for filling nail holes if you move pictures around, or repairing small holes or dents in walls. Most home owners won’t find occasion to use more than just a small container of spackle. Along with your spackle you will need to have a putty knife to apply it with.

A paint can key is easier to use to open paint cans than a screwdriver, and they usually come free at hardware stores. Just remember to save them for future use.

Having several different types of glues available will allow you to accomplish most repairs you’ll need glue for. Also, having solvents on hand may be necessary to remove sticky areas where adhesives or glue used to be.

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A pretty, little playhouse!!

It's time for the big unveiling...

It is as complete as it will ever be, and I have to admit I/we are as happy as can be with how it turned out! As I have mentioned before, I have wanted this for our daughter long before she even came along! To me, a playhouse is the quintessential little girl's dream, as it was for me as a child. Since I didn't have one, I always vowed our daughter would someday...

Rather than go on and on about how happy she is with it (she's thrilled to bits!), and how I finally feel like I can relax and just watch her play with her little friends in it, I will simply give you "the tour". I hope my pathetic excuse for a camera will do it justice...

I decided to play it safe, and paint the playhouse yellow to blend in with our home. I flip-flopped between painting it pale pink or a soft, fresh green, but my reserved side kicked in, and yellow it is (that's not to say I won't change my mind and repaint it next year!). I used Flik and Company Blue on the door, and I am so happy with that. We used a locking doorknob, and she loves using her very own key to unlock it each morning! House numbers were hung above the door (her daddy made the door, too), and the old mailbox and door knocker I had kicking around. I purchased the outdoor "lights" at The Christmas Tree Shop, and no, we didn't run electricity to it.

This is what you see when you open the door: My husband built a day bed, and I used a second-hand crib mattress for it. I bought the bedding (crib sheet and small quilt) at TJ MAXX, when I visited Bangor in the spring. I got the body pillow at Walmart, and the pink pillows at Homesense. I picked up the vintage-looking bird cage and glittery GIGGLE sign there as well, and the little mats were 1.99 at Marden's.

My husband was about to finish boarding in the eaves, when I decided that it would be so nice for her to be able to lie on the bed and look up at the trees (and stars). So, he made a plexi-glass window of sorts, and it is one of my favourite things about the little house. This is also a good view of the white-wash effect I decided on out of laziness (one-coat wonder!) and for the simple fact that I like it.

This angle shows her babies' beds and the only functioning window. It is a door insert, but works well to let fresh air into the house. The curtains are from the Shabby Chic collection at Target, and I hung them simply from a branch and some cup hooks.

Moving around the room, we find the "kitchen". This is undoubtedly my favourite thing about the playhouse! I had asked my husband to make a counter area of sorts that I could place her little stove on, and "sink a sink" into. I figured he'd just secure some wooden planks, and cut out the hole for the sink. Not my husband!! As I was painting, he took it upon himself to create the prettiest "butcher block" counter area I have ever seen! We used iron brackets to support it, and they look so nice. I had also told him I wanted the sink in the corner, and this is what he came up with:

The sink is a stainless steel bowl I got for a couple of dollars, and the tap is an old salvaged one I got from a used building supply store. I simply spray-painted it with chrome spray, and its grimy facade disappeared! The dish rack and dishes came from The Dollar Store, and she loves putting some water from the nearby outdoor tap in the sink and washing up her dishes. Of course, looking out her window makes the chore less dreary!

This is a close-up of her little, wooden stove. I got it at Homesense, and it was originally a dull, wooden finish. Sooo, out came the pink spray-paint, and voila! A few scrap-booking embellishments, and it is now as pretty as can be!

Across the room/house is the eating area:

Before you think I've gone mad, yes, that is hardwood flooring. Our kindly neighbours gave us their left-over flooring, and to be honest, it is nicer than what we have in our own home!

I bought this pink, iron table set at Homesense (are you getting that this is one of my favourite stores?). It is the perfect shade of delicate pink, and is just the right size for little ones to sit. I have, however, had to squeeze myself into one of the little chairs, and, I can assure you, they are not very comfortable! I definitely "eat" quickly when I am invited to a meal in the playhouse! Above the table is a shelf I had kicking around. I placed her "appliances" on it and the little drawers house her cutlery. A girl has to be organized!!

This is where she hangs her baby buggy. It is ready to go, whenever she has to "run some errands"!!

This is the area above the door. Sophie likes having a clock that is all hers, now that she knows how to tell time.

She also had to have a phone! My mum picked this phone up at a yard sale. It was previously white, so of course I had to paint it pink!! Thank goodness for spray-paint!

Every little playhouse needs a chandelier!

Now, I may find something with a little more pizazz, but for now, this outdoor chandelier I got from IKEA (about eight years ago) fits the bill. Again, I painted it pink, added a few crystals I had lying around, and hung it from the center of the eaves. It is a rather unassuming, little chandelier, but pretty enough... and basically FREE!!!

This is the interior view of the door. I simply hung a little chalkboard on it and she writes notes like, "No boys allowed". My youngest son likes to torment her at times and lock her out, pretending that he's "messing it up". She doesn't like it one bit. She is very territorial...

And so ends our little tour. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Our little garden...

I have mentioned before that I have a small garden, but I am prepared to squeeze out every inch of usable space from it. I certainly don't have a green thumb, but it isn't black, either. I love combing the garden centers for pretty flowers to plant in my garden, and I love the planning process each spring.

While I admire those who have a meticulously planned garden, I prefer cottage style planting for my own home. I love meandering paths through a garden that seems more lovingly planted than methodically planted. I guess there are two types of gardeners: those who turn around, throw tulip bulbs over their shoulder and plant them where they land, and those who lay them out, colour-coded of course, and plant them in planned clusters. Neither is right nor wrong - but they are inherently different.

I enjoy looking out my window and seeing lush plantings of "old-school" plants: peonies, stock, astilbe, black-eyed susans, sweet william, and, of course, daisies. I love tall plants intermingled with lower ones, and I don't want my garden to look like it was planted according to a map. I think I have achieved a more relaxed garden, and I look forward to adding to it, and cultivating its "free spirit".

What kind of gardener are you?

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This is the old buggy I "stole" from the dump on my "dump date" with my hubby a while back. It was rusty and dirty, so I painted it this lovely aqua shade using spray paint, of course. I planted it with flowers, and it sits outside Sophie's playhouse. Can you see where I am going with this?

Check out this sneak peek:

What do you see in the background? You guessed it: the playhouse!! I will finally post a picture tour of it on Monday. I hope you'll come back and see it!!

Raining down on me...

Well, we just finished our third straight day of rain, and although we needed it, it chose an inconvenient time to fall. My sister, Wendy, and her family were scheduled to visit from New Brunswick, and were looking forward to the beach, relaxing by the pool, and all the things that go along with warm, sunny weather. We joke that she always brings rain clouds with her, and although she did bring them, we at least had a warm, fairly sunny Sunday (the day she arrived). Feeling the pressure to squeeze it all in, we headed off to the beach and had a great time, actually getting a few uninterrupted moments to catch up and chat in the easy manner sisters do. The kids were happy, and we ended the day with a good supper that I had prepared ahead of time. The dark clouds rolling in didn't deter the kids from playing in the pool, and the adults relaxed and simply life-guarded from a safe distance from the splashing.

Despite the wet weather, we had one of our best visits in a long time, even managing a meal out for the adults only. The kids swam in the rain, and were unbelievably well-behaved, and we were sorry to see our guests pack up and go. We did manage to remember to take our annual "stoop shot", and the kids begrudgingly posed for their sentimental mothers...

We will reunite on our upcoming family camping trip, where I will finally get to crack open the camper and settle in for a few days. In fact, I just picked up a new toaster oven for it for $20, and made up the beds. I will begin planning the meals we will have, and do the necessary food shopping. I think I honestly enjoy the preparation as much as the trip!

Here is a photo I took of my husband and daughter making biscuits on a rainy Saturday morning. My husband makes the most delicious biscuits, and I am yet to taste any better. Lucky for Sophie, he includes her in the effort. Perhaps she will stand a chance at being an accomplished baker, unlike her mum.

This is my youngest son piling his share of the peas we bought at the local Farmer's Market. I love them as much as he, so we agree to split them 50/50. We are very mature...

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One of my favourite bloggers, did a late post about her "imperfect project". Well, there is absolutely nothing imperfect about this woman's home, but I'm all for taking people at their word. If you haven't checked her out at Adventures in Renovating A Brooklyn Limestone, then you are definitely missing out. She did a quick chalkboard project on one of her interior doors, and it is a work of art, elaborate stencil and all!!

Also, my funny friend Rechelle@ The Country Doctor's Wife posted the funniest list of rules as relating to public pools. I especially related to the one about the possessive mum and her kid's pails and shovels, sad to say...I certainly don't steal them back from babies, but I do have them labelled with our initials. They are expensive, you know... a dollar each at the Dollar Store!! Can you find yourself in her list? Let me know! I'm also the mum yelling at her boys who are wrestling to the point of near-drowning each other. The little darlings...

Tools Everyone Should Have at Home – Part 2

Even if you only rent an apartment, it is important to have a set of basic tools on hand so that you can make simple home repairs yourself, this is part two of this blog about which tools to keep in your toolkit.

A hammer is useful for picture hanging or shelving.

A vice grip is a tool you might not think of when you consider buying basic tools, but it will be good to have if you need a slip free hold on a screw or really anything.

It is great to have an assortment of nails and screws on hand. If you’re like me you’ll mostly use them to hang pictures, but occasionally you may need to make small repairs with them.
Blue painter’s tape is essential to have for any painting project to mask off areas that you don’t want to paint. I find that it works best if you pull the blue tape off while your paint it still wet. If you wait until it is completely dry to pull it off, you may have problems with the paint you just painted on the wall peeling off with it. Blue tape can also be used to mark the locations of studs, or even to protect floors from dirt and scratches when you are moving.

A cordless drill is awesome to have so that you can save yourself time inserting screws or removing them, or drilling pilot holes for nails and screws.

Check back tomorrow for part three of this blog!

This blog is brought to you by dialysis jobs in delta utah.

Tools Everyone Should Have at Home – Part 1

Even if you only rent an apartment, it is important to have a set of basic tools on hand so that you can make simple home repairs yourself. It is nice to keep these tools inside somewhere, so that you don’t have to go out into the garage to get them.

Keep a 25 foot measuring tape in your toolkit. It can be used to measure windows for blinds or curtains, or your floor for new flooring. You can also use it to hang pictures and to take with you on shopping trips, or you might prefer to purchase a smaller tape measure for those purposes.
A flat head and Phillips head screw driver are very handy to have around for little fixes around the house. These can be used to tighten screws when kitchen cabinet hardware gets loose. It is also advisable to have a tiny set of screwdrivers to tighten eyeglasses or work on electronic equipment.

Pliers are often necessary for small tasks around the house too. Most often needle-nose pliers will be needed, but it is nice to have a few sizes around. Needle-nose pliers can be used for small craft projects as well as for fixing things around the house.

Having a level on hand will save you a lot of work and extra holes in your walls when you hang pictures. Also, hanging towel bars or shelving you will love having this level on hand if you want to save yourself a headache.

Check back tomorrow for part two of this blog!

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Matthew Mead...the perfect man to inspire imperfect women... like me.

I don't think Matthew Mead ever sleeps. I have read that Martha Stewart operates on 4-5 hrs of sleep a night, and I think my poor friend Matthew is only getting the other 3-4 hrs that she is skipping! Let's see - by the end of this year alone, Matthew Mead will have produced an upcoming Halloween magazine (sigh), had two books published, styled and produced numerous features and photo shoots for Country Home magazine, fulfilled his obligations as decor columnist for i-village, and totally revamped his website! Of course, there are other professional accomplishments too numerous to mention; and he still has to function as a friend, mentor, boss, family man, you name it!

For those who frequent my blog, it is no secret that I am a huge fan of Matthew Mead's work. In the years that have followed since first noticing his incredible talent, I have gained much respect and admiration for all that he does. He obviously has surrounded himself with a great team, and his level of success is literally bursting at the seams! It is safe to say that you are going to be hearing much more about him, and it won't just be here at my blog. Which has me thinking: is Matthew Mead inching out Martha??

I simply ask the questions. Have we tired of overly complicated (albeit lovely) projects that intimidate us? Are we getting tired of supporting the Martha Stewart brand, knowing that her team is so large that it is getting exceedingly difficult to give her the credit for many of the great ideas cranked out of this "Martha Machine"? Are we ready for a new face to lead us in our creative endeavours? Do we want to support someone who has paid his dues, and is reaching more and more people in a fresh, unassuming way? Are we tired of not feeling like we will ever measure up, and is Matthew Mead the man to make us feel better about ourselves and empowered to "keep at it"...reaffirming the notion that it doesn't have to be complicated?

Matthew Mead and his ideas do not intimidate me. In fact, they inspire me and make me feel that I can pick and choose that which seems do-able to me. I don't need to shear a sheep to get a sweater, and I don't have to go picking chanterelles or fiddle heads from the forest floor. Heck, I don't even have to name my house, make my own marshmallows, or stuff my own pillows with free-range chicken feathers! Nope, I'm sticking with Matthew Mead and even letting the weeds grow in my lawn. Like Matthew, I can embrace the imperfection in life, and tweak it just enough to see the beauty amidst the dandelions.

Check out Matthew Mead's new website, where you can access his archives, enjoy his new blog, and find out more about his upcoming book and magazine. There is also a subscriber's option to his website. For less than the cost of a magazine subscription, you can have unlimited access to the website, and the scores of wonderful ideas and projects Matthew has to offer.

In Matthew's words: "What is really thrilling is my upcoming book on entertaining. I’ve been working on this project for the last two years. ENTERTAINING SIMPLE is the easiest and most fun way to gather friends and family at your home … with fresh and simple ideas and tips for everything from beautiful place settings to delicious homemade foods."

This is a preview of the cover of Matthew's upcoming Halloween magazine, on news stands September 8, 2008. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on his Holiday issue (Christmas 2006), then you know just what a treasure trove of ideas this will be!!

(all photos: Matthew Mead Style)