DIY, Home decor and sewing for the home.

October 12, 2017 / diy projects

One Room Challenge- Week 2

Holy Smokes! How does one week pass by so quickly?! Week one of the One Room Challenge has been less productive than I hoped. My plan was for demo to be complete this week, but life has been extra busy. On top of my usual crazy routine, we’re hosting a foreign exchange student from Austria. The exchange program was arranged through my son’s piano teacher at school and the intention is for the students to see what it’s like to live like an American student. So, they’re shadowing the students through their school day and any other activities they may have after school. It’s been sooooo fun but I put off the bathroom demo a few days to accommodate our guest. So this week I mostly planned, shopped and sourced all my products. I went Tampa Salvage to scope out the vintage tubs and sinks. I haven’t seen this many clawfoot tubs in one place before. I think they had ten tubs! Usually salvage shops may have one or two very beat up tubs, but this place had an abundance and they all look decent. I want one that has the spigot holes in the tub so I don’t need to install a freestanding faucet. It’ll save money and plumbing time. This is the type of tub faucet I want. I’d love a brass model of this but it depends upon all the other fixtures in the bathroom. I know I can mix metals but I prefer to keep the metals the same on the shower, tub and sink, and I haven’t found the right affordable brass shower fixtures yet.

After seeing these 1920’s peg-leg pedestal sinks I’m 99% sure I’ll use these. See the “standard” stamped on the bottom? The salvage shop owner told me that the company was called Standard before the name was changed to American Standard we now know. I thought that was interesting.

I’m generally very committed to function and I know if I have a double vanity I’ll have much more storage but…the vanity creates a large space for stuff to accumulate. Both on top and inside the vanity. The current vanity is covered with junk most of the time. I feel like the pedestal sinks may solve the clutter problem. I plan to use these recessed medicine cabinets above each sink for toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.. And I’ll have some sort of basket or something for toilet paper. I plan to make something special for hanging and placing the hairdryer and flat iron while in use…that’ll be a post on it’s own.

I think I may need to refinish the sinks, but I won’t be sure until I get them home and clean them up. I’ve done my kitchen sink(here) and it’s pretty simple. I think the bathroom sinks will hold up better since there’s no pots and pans banging around inside.

These simple faucets for the pedestal sinks are appropriate I think.

This is a close up of the wall tile I plan to use. I love the wavy edges of it!

Today I went to Interiors trading(a huge “to the trade” fabric and wallpaper wholesaler) to look for fabric for the shower curtain and also possible wallpaper options for above the tile in the bathroom. It was totally overwhelming and I didn’t come away with anything for the bathroom. I did, however, find a wallpaper for my girls bedroom.

I really want pale pink linen or linen blend for the shower curtains, so I’ll probably end up ordering online. I’m off to Denver this weekend to visit with friends. Then next week will be hardcore demo and hopefully big progress toward my goal. If you missed my original design plan check out last weeks One room challenge post here.

Have a great weekend!

October 5, 2017 / diy projects, my house reno., paint projects, sewing projects

One Room Challenge – week 1

WOO-Hoo!!! It’s One Room Challenge time! And this time I’m tagging along as a guest participant!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the ORC, it is a bi-annual event for design bloggers, hosted by Linda @ callingithome.com. Linda selects 20 featured design bloggers to transform a space and show the progress and process in a blog post every Wednesday. However, any blogger can participate as a guest blogger and link up to the event every Thursday and show their progress to the world.

So…with trepidation I introduce the space I plan to transform in five weeks…My kids bathroom. Not sure if this room is the right choice for the ORC due to the scope of the project, but I have a pretty solid plan so I’m going for it.

Obviously it needs a lot of love. Down to the studs kind of love.

When we bought this house almost 10 years ago this bathroom was kinda ideal(minus the flocked wallpaper and the gold flecked tile, which I immediately re-papered and painted). My kids were 8, 4, and 2 years old and still taking baths exclusively. Nearly nightly I would perch myself on that space hogging tiled bench next to the tub while they played. And those crazy corner seats in the tub were perfect for barbies, boats and all kinds of bath time stuff. Now, however the tub is rarely used and it idly monopolizes 3/4’s of the space.

The decision clincher to renovate this space is the fact that I’m having my roof replaced next week and I’ll have a roll off dumpster in my driveway all week and I can use it for the demo. Win-win.

I have a good design plan in mind. I’ve thought about this space renovation for years and know how it needs to function since we’ve used it for years. I know I need to have a shower and a tub because this is the only bathroom in my house with a tub and I feel we need to have a bathtub for occasional baths.

I know I want shower curtains rather than a glass shower enclosure. I debated this issue for some time and shopped around for glass because I didn’t want to close off the shower with a wall or half-wall thereby making the room feel smaller than it already is. But, I felt like privacy was an issue for teens with the glass wall option. I’m not sure how comfortable I feel with a glass shower enclosure. I love the look but I just feel more at home showering behind a curtain. Plus, if someone is in the shower and another needs something in the bathroom the curtain provides a way for the bathroom to multitask. When I saw the picture below with the double shower curtain around the corner shower my mind was made up. The curtain just softens up the whole look of the bathroom. I love it.

I know for sure I want the charcoal color slate floor tile in the picture for the ease of maintenance. I want white subway tile for the walls. I may go with the beveled edge or a wavy edge tile.

I definitely need to have two sinks, so a double vanity is in order. The vanity is the only item I have not yet sourced. I need it to be about 54″ long and super functional. I’m thinking I’d like the vanity to be some sort of natural wood with a somewhat rustic look but not chunky. I want it to have a more elegant rustic look(thinking tapered legs). Or…maybe a floating vanity. Who knows? A great dresser may well do. The vanity may end up being my nemesis. We shall see. Oh…the two single vanity’s side by side could also be a viable option.

I would also like to do some sort of faux wallpaper above the tile. Faux because I’m a painter and I think it would be fun to do something different and unexpected. Also because it’ll be way more affordable than actual wallpaper.

The layout of the bathroom is pretty straight forward and thankfully there’s not major plumbing to be moved. I’ll have to move the shower and the bathtub drain slightly, and move the spigots for the sinks a little but nothing crazy like moving a toilet.

The lighting plan is similar to what’s existing, I’ll add one sconce between the mirrors above the vanity but the can lights will remain as-is and the ceiling fixture location will stay the same.

So, that’s the plan. Am I crazy for attempting a full-on bathroom remodel in five weeks?

August 25, 2017 / sewing projects

The easiest zippered pillow.

This simple pillow cover is by far the fastest and easiest zippered pillow you can make.

Decorative throw pillows…I have a love hate relationship with them. I love that they can completely change the look of a room, I love the low cost of that change, and I love the beauty of a well curated group of throw pillows. However, 99% of the time my couch throw pillows are either on the floor or scrunched up in a ball, stuffed between the arm and the cushion, and I hate that. It doesn’t stop me from making more pillows though…you know why? Love prevails!

I love that I can make a throw pillow in less than an hour, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg because a 20″x20″ pillow only takes 1/2 -5/8 yard or fabric. And I love that they can be swapped out seasonally to satisfy my need to change things in my house frequently.

So the love definitely outweighs the hate. I created this blog post as a step by step tutorial about how I make zippered pillows. I also made a video with tons of information that will help shed some light on the details that don’t come across in still pictures.

I use a pillow template that I bought from Rowleycompany.com because I make tons of pillows and this template makes it so easy to cut out pillows. It has tapered corners so my pillows won’t be dog-eared, and it’s transparent so if I have large pattern fabric I can slide the template around the fabric to decide which part of the pattern I want in the center.

You simply trace through the openings of the template at the correct dimension and follow the line all the way around the square.

If you don’t have a template just use a yard stick, measure and mark your fabric to the size you want and then connect your lines.

TIP: if your pillow insert is 20×20 cut your fabric 20×20 so your finished pillow will be plump. You don’t want to have a lot of extra space inside your pillow.

2. Remove the template, connect your lines if you want, and cut out your pillow. I usually cut through both layers of fabric at once but your scissors need to be sharp.

Place the two sides of the pillow together right side to right side. Bring it to the sewing machine to start sewing.

3. You sew in the zipper first. Lay the zipper down on your two layers of fabric and snip/clip a notch in both layers of fabric in order to mark where the zipper is placed on both layers.

Open the zipper and sew the zipper as close to the teeth as possible without sewing into them. You sew the zipper with the right side down. Again right side to right side(this time it’s right side of fabric to right side of zipper).

Do the same with the other half of the zipper. 4. Once the zipper is attached you will sew all the way around the pillow with a 1/2″ seam allowance. 5. Clip the corners, serge or zig zag the seam if you so desire, and turn the pillow right side out. Your finished! Now you can stuff the feather insert into the zippered pillow cover, plump and style…

It’s a pretty simple 5 step process….

1. draw out the pillow on the wrong side of fabric.

2. cut out the pillow

3. sew in the zipper.

4. sew all the way around pillow.

5. turn pillow right side out, stuff it and style it.

It’s really that simple….

The video below explains all the details that are hard to capture in still pictures.

Tell me what you think. If you’re making a pillow and have questions, feel free to DM me and I will answer your questions asap.

Happy pillow making!

August 17, 2017 / diy projects, sewing projects

DIY boxed seat cushion

I picked up this cute little sofa table/desk from Craigslist last week. I intended to use it in my foyer but when I placed it in it’s new home it was way too small. Maybe not waaaay, but not what I imagined for the space. No big deal though, because I recently sold the MCM dresser I had behind my sofa so I plopped this sweet little desk behind the sofa and it’s perfect. The wood looks like oak but prettier and it looks cerused(lime washed). I love it.

The original dark green fabric and braided trim had to go asap and my ever growing fabric stash supplied me with plenty of replacement possibilities. So this tutorial will show you how simple it is to replace these seats.

This attached boxed seat cushion tutorial works for a boxed bench cushion like these small benches or dining chairs. You’ll see from the tutorial, these bench cushions are attached to a platform, which is then screwed to the bench frame.

I’ll include a few still pictures of each step of the process of recovering these benches, but it will be an abbreviated version of the “how to” because I made an extensive “how to” video. Probably too much information. My camera skills and video editing leave a lot to be desired, but you have to start somewhere right?

Step one:Unscrew the cushion from the frame. Just four screws.

2. Remove the old fabric and welt from the cushion. This may not be necessary if the old cushion cover didn’t have welt(piping), and if the new fabric will totally hide the color and pattern of the old fabric.

3. Cut your fabric to the proper dimensions. Measure the foam front to back and side to side and add one inch for the seam allowance. Measure the box(the height of the sides of the cushion) and add 3 inches. 1/2″ for the seam allowance and 2″ to wrap around the bottom comfortably.

4. Cut and create welt(piping)….previous tutorial …https://www.mimzyandcompany.com/how-to-make-welt-for-an-upholstered-headboard/

5. Pin the welt to the top piece of fabric and sew it together.

6. Sew the box piece to the top piece of fabric sandwiching the welt in between. Remember, right side of fabric to right side of fabric. Also, the unfinished edge to the welt goes out….I did this wrong so many times when I first started home decor sewing. So, if you turn your piece right side out and find the welt is backwards give yourself a break…it happens.

7. Now that all the sewing is complete it’s time to attach the fabric to the foam and staple it together. Turn the fabric cushion cover right side out and fit it over the cushion and the wood platform. You may want to add a little more batting into the corners of the cover to plump it up a bit. 8. Staple the cover to the bottom of the wood platform and attach the bottom welt.

This picture tutorial is over simplified and there are a lot of little steps that are really hard to convey with still pictures. If you want to get the full gist of the project definitely watch the video below. Just be warned it’s a lot of information.

April 20, 2017 / diy projects

knock-off Rejuvenation table lamp DIY

via the makerista http://www.themakerista.com/modern-buffet-lamps/

I first came to know these Rejuvenation table lamps when Gwen, the Makerista, one of my favorite bloggers used them in her dining room. It was love at first sight. That shape, and that height…drool worthy. However, the price tag for these babies is just not in my range. So, I started to ponder a DIY. The wood ball shaped base is gorgeous but there’s no way I can make that happen, so I settled on plaster of Paris for the base….

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February 7, 2017 / sewing projects

Monogrammed applique pillows

I love a good preppy monogram in the right setting. They’re so traditional and can really personalize a space. On Instagram, I came across a monogram pillow made by a fellow seamstress and it inspired me to try my hand at appliqué.

via pam Morris sews
http://pammorrissews.blogspot.com/2017/01/applique-monogrammed-shams.html

This is a project I wish I wasn’t in such big hurry to finish. I went to the fabric store not sure if my pillows should be high contrast black and white or if they should be more tone on tone. My bedroom paint is a dark color and my duvet cover has hot pink trim so I decided to go high contrast so they wouldn’t fade away in all the surrounding color. Now I’m starting to feel like I should scrap everything in the room and start over. Maybe when I do the floors. Which will hopefully be soon.

Anyway…I’m not thrilled with the results. I should have made the lettering more script-y and smaller and maybe in a traditional circular shape. I think I was subconsciously trying to make them less traditional. Also, the lettering fabric is dark grey and I kinda wish I selected a lighter grey because this definitely reads black. For now they’ll suffice. Maybe they’ll grow on me.

The process is pretty simple and I’ll share few little things I learned in case you want to make anything monogrammed with an appliqué.

First, I print the lettering in my desired font and style/shape.Next, grab some heat and bond and cut out a piece slightly bigger than your letter. Heat and bond is a heat activated adhesive that adheres two pieces of fabric together with heat.

Transfer the letters to the heat and bond. The picture above is the back side(textured) of the heat and bond. Adhere this side to the appliqué fabric(letters). That means when you trace the letter, or any design, onto the heat and bond the letter needs to be backwards(like the picture of me below). This way when you flip the letter over to adhere it to the background it’s facing forward. If you use a symmetrical design it doesn’t matter which way the design is facing when you trace it onto the heat and bond. I trace onto the smooth side, the textured side is facing the letter. Notice the letter is backward. Like me, you’ll probably have to do it wrong a couple times before it sinks in.

Then you press the heat and bond to the fabric for about 2 seconds.

Once it’s cooled off, cut out the letter.
Separate the heat and bond paper from the fabric letter.

Finally, press the letter onto the background fabric.
Then the finishing touch to the appliqué is the satin stitch that holds the letter to the background fabric. The heat and bond is just to keep the design from shifting while you stitch around it.

You could skip the stitching around and just use the heat and bond to adhere the monogram, but you’ll need to use the heat and bond ultra rather than lite. It’ll stick better and longer. I use a preprogrammed satin stitch on my sewing machine. The following video is a quick tip.

NEAT SATIN STITCH VIDEO

I made three pillows, but it turns out they don’t fit straight across my bed like I hoped. So, I may overlap them or just use the two monogrammed pillows and use the plain pillow on my bedside chair.

I will definitely do this project again. Both my girls want a custom monogrammed pillow now, so that’ll be included in their bedroom re-do eventually.

Does anyone else ever get less than stellar results on projects? Or am I just tired of looking at these pillows after working on them for so long?

mimzy & company