DIY French Lamp

I have been wanting new lamps for our family room since I gave  kiddo our old ones.  I put out our even older ones just as a place holder until I found what I wanted.  Well. . .   3 years later, and one Faux Retirement later I still have no new lamps!  The only ones I find that I like are $300 or more.  I just can't bring myself to spend that much and Dr. P really won't!  So - I decided to make one.

On the Kitchen table to provide a better picture

This is where it actually sits in the Family Room

I found this Eiffel Tower base at Target and had to have it!  I do love the way Target identifies their bases by size so that you know exactly what size shade works with the base.  I can't tell you how many shades I have drug home only to return them because they were not the right size for the lamp.  Anyway, this is a medium size base so I needed a medium shade.

This is what it looked like when I brought it home.

I silk screened this vintage French postcard design on a large piece of silk / cotton fabric and then applied it to the shade and finished it off with brown petersham.

I think it is only appropriate that one of the books I used to raise the lamp is the Chanel

I am happy to report that this project was a success.  My barometer to determine the success of the project is sometimes Dr. P's reaction. Therefore when Dr. P came home from work the day I completed it, he had a little mad fit thinking I had purchased it from a little boutique that I had dragged him to a few weeks before and the price of a similar one was $450.  He was soooooooooo happy when he found out I had DIYed it.  And I didn't even get mad at him for his fit!


Let me know what you think by leaving a comment for clicking a box.

Happy Sewing
Michele P

Blessing Bags

I am rarely called to action - but when I saw this post on Pinerest I had to do the same.  And I am so glad that a little good has come from my addiction to Pinerest!

These are called blessing bags.  You make them up and keep them in your car for a time when you come across a homeless person.

This is what they look like from Pinerest

These are Mine

The idea is so simple I wish I had thought of it.  All you need is a gallon zip lock bag.  Fill it with:

tissues

tooth paste & tooth brush

comb

soap

hand wipes

granola

crackers and cookies

chap stick

deodorant

band aids

hand or foot warmer

I also added $1 in change in case they may need to make a phone call.

I am often overwhelmed by the plight of the homeless and feel helpless - not knowing what to do and think that I really can't do anything to help.  Well, this may not be much but it might help someone for a few minutes.  I hope you will do the same and let me know if you do.

Happy Sewing,

Michele P



Halloween UFO

Happy day after Halloween!  I hope you had fun and saw lots of kids in creative costumes!

I have completed another UFO!  Yeah!  I started this wall hanging about 5 years ago and finished it two days ago!

After I completed it, I was stumped as to how to hang it.  It was a short term display so I did not want a permanent holder.  Then eureka, I found the solution to my problem - over sized clothes pins.  I purchased them from Michael's.  They were red and I took them apart and painted them black.

Here is a reason not to procrastinate - finish your projects in a timely manner.  This one was in the guest room laying on an ottoman for a year or so when I decided to work on it again.  To my horror I saw this:

Miss Viva had discovered it and started making her afternoon snack from the edge she could reach!  I had to cut off about 1/2 inch on the 4 sides to repair her snack attack!

Let me know what you think, please leave a comment or click a box.

Happy Sewing,

Michele P





Happy Halloween

Viva in her witch's hat

Viva channeling her inner Dorothy

Happy Halloween ya'll!  I tried to take a picture of Viva showing off in her costume but she was having none of it!  So here she is waiting for a treat!

Now that I am hooked on Pinerest, I have too many holiday projects on my mind.  I became obsessed with this wreath and would have bought one if she had any for sale:

Since she did not have any for sale last week I was forced to make one myself!  After only 3 trips to crafts stores and many $$ later here is my version!

Not an exact copy - but my version

close up of the spider hanging from her hat

I love these feet - it took me several tries to make witch shoes!

close up

Hope you have a happy day and see lots of darling costumes.

Let me know you were here by leaving a comment for click a box.

Happy Sewing,

Michele P

I've been pinned!

When I first head about being pinned - it sent a tsunami wave of wonderful memories washing over me. It sent me back to a college day when my fraternity boyfriend pined me!  The guys from the fraternity came to my dorm and serenaded me by candlelight.  Oh, those good ol' days. 

Back to reality - thanks to Jane over at lucky sew and sew I am now ADDICTED to pinerest!  She introduced me and now I can't stop.

Here is a sample of my boards:

stuff i've seen on other blogs

Home Dec ideas

Click Here to see my pins.

Warning - you too could be addicted!

Happy Sewing
Michele P

Finishing some UFOs

I have been so busy running amuck with my BFFs that I just have not gotten around to posting on my blog.  However, I have finished a few UFO's that have been in my closet for quite a while.

Here is the first of what I hope is the beginning of a completion run of UFOs!

I've had this fabric for many years - so according to my calculations it is free fabric!  I think it came from the G-Street $2.99 table and is cotton toweling of a sort. I loved the two patterns of the fabric so had to purchase both.

Here is a close-up of the two fabric patterns

If you read my blog you know how I love to see my name in embroidery - so I had to add one the this robe!

I played with this design for quite a while until I got it in the correct position.  I have not played with my embroidery design software in ages and had to really work my pea brain to remember how to combine designs.  This one is from Embroidery.com and is a combo of a background design and an embroidery font.  I used a product called dry cover-up under the design.  I really like it for towels and fabrics with high pile that will be laundered frequently.  It stays in the design unlike solvy or other wash away products.

Please leave me a comment or check a box to let me know you were here!

Happy Sewing,

Michele P







Start a plan for Holiday Crafting

I spyed this post on the Craftsy site and thought it was worth repeating! If only I would follow it!

Five Easy Tips to Help Plan Your Holiday Crafting The countdown is on! Just a few more weeks to get those Holiday gifts completed and wrapped! One of the most important things that you can do to make sure that you get all of your gifts completed on time is to stay organized! Here are five easy tips to help you better plan your holiday crafting: 1. Make a checklist of all of the things you’d like to make. 2. Mark a calendar with each project‚ allotting it a certain length of time for completion. 3. Gather up all of the patterns and supplies that you’ll need for each project in advance‚ so that you’re not running to the hobby store at the last minute. 4. Be realistic. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to finish too much. 5. Take a class or two. Working through the projects with the help of the instructor is a great way to learn new things AND complete great–looking projects at the same time. Happy Sewing, Michele P