A Pillow Project

I have been trying to find new pillows for the couch for months now.  I wanted something green with a bold geometric print, but everything I found was either more than I am willing to spend ($30 per pillow, tops), or just didn't have the feel I wanted.  I even took home several different pillows from stores nearby and then returned them.  Nothing worked. 

But then I found this fabric shower curtain at Target.  It was exactly the color and pattern I was going for, but I don't really sew, and I definitely don't have a sewing machine even if I knew what I was doing.  Nevertheless, I took it home with me, hoping to magically transform it into pillow covers.

So, I did a little googling, and found this tutorial.  I love the internet, I don't know what people did without it! 

I didn't measure anything, I just cut the shower curtain in half and hoped that it would be the right dimensions.  It wasn't quite thick enough, so when I folded the sides over in the first step, it didn't quite cover the whole pillow.  But that didn't really matter since all that material on the sides and the knot easily covered over it.

About 30 minutes later, I ended up with this!

And it only cost me $20 (I already owned the pillows), which is way cheaper than buying two new throw pillows.  I'll have to admit, it did feel really weird cutting a brand-new shower curtain in half, but it worked!

The only thing I don't like about them is that they are a little bit "slouchy" and imperfect, and if you handle them roughly, the fabric could come off since they are just loosely knotted together.  But hey, if I wanted perfect, I'd spend $60 a pillow and buy the ones I wanted off the internet.  These add a whole new look to my living room, and I think they're pretty cute.

Thanks internet!

Failed crafts, successful running, and the lack of snow

I found this quick and easy Christmas craft that I thought I would try: glittery votives.  They were supposed to look like this:

Well let's just say they do not look like that.  I think I should have used spray adhesive instead of glue to hold the glitter on because the glue dripped down the sides taking the glitter with it.  And the glitter that is left comes off very easily so they make a mess anywhere I put them.  Oh well, not every project can be successful!

In other news, today I ran for 8 minutes and then 10 minutes with only 2 minutes walking in between.  This is a big improvement for me!  By the end of next week I should be running for 20 minutes with no walking.  I won't tell you how slow I run though because it kind of makes it less exciting.  But I figure that once I get the time down, then I can work on the distance. 

And if you are wondering why it is taking me so long to get through this 9-week program, it is because I am a big baby and I keep repeating weeks because I'm too scared to move on.  That and I quit running for a couple of weeks because it was cold outside and I lost my key to get into the exercise room at the apartment complex.  I had to buy a new one.  For $60!  That shows you how dedicated I am to finish, even if it takes me a whole year.  But it better not because I am aiming to run a 5K in March.  When that actually happens, I want cake or something, because I will have completed the biggest challenge I've ever had to do.  Finishing college, easy.  Running, hard!!

And in final news, it still hasn't snowed here, and I am kind of disappointed.  But I am enjoying this 40 and 50 degree weather we've been having.  If only it didn't have to be freezing to snow...

Fall Crafting

I have been on a crafting kick these past few weeks; I think I've been to Joann's about 5 times.  So, in  celebration of fall, here is my newest creation.

Isn't it pretty?  I used these tutorials.  The only supplies I used were burlap, felt, hot glue, that little berry branch, and a foam wreath form.  Easy peasy.  Hello fall!

Friday musings

As of yesterday, we have lived here in Maryland for one month.  I feel like I should have some observations but I can't come up with anything right now, so here's what my brain has been occupied with this morning.

- It's a gray, off and on rainy day today and it makes me want to make cookies.  So I think I will try a new chocolate chip recipe this afternoon.

- We really want to get a puppy, so I've been looking at adoptable pets in the area this morning.  They are so cute!

- To usher in fall this week I put together an autumn table centerpiece, and it makes me smile every time I look at it!  Next up, a fall wreath.

- Tomorrow we are going to the county fair!  Isn't that cool?  I feel like county fairs only exist in movies because we never had one in Houston, so I think it's going to be fun.  And interesting.  For example, they apparently race pigs there.  And do something called a horse pull.  And the food is supposedly to die for.  On a side note, I said something about this area being rural, and someone asked me where I'm from that I would think this is rural.  But come on, they have a county fair!  I think that makes it rural.

- I am much more comfortable being by myself all day than I thought I would.  I feel more laid back and peaceful.  And also a little bit guilty because while James is working all day, I am running and blogging and reading and crafting.  But he says it doesn't bother him, especially since he has had to do WAY less chores these days.  I have to say, I feel happier here, and James said he can tell.  I think it has a LOT to do with me not having to work 40 hours a week at a job that I hate.  That really drains a person, so I am soaking up my freedom while I have it.

Now I'm off to go make those cookies and start on that wreath!  Maybe I'll put on a little Buble to keep me company.  Have a wonderful weekend!

New jewelry storage

Yesterday I said that I had a little project in the works - a jewelry storage system!  This was how I was storing my jewelry:

My necklaces were all jumbled together in this box:

It was definitely not working for me.  In our old apartment, I had my earrings in those little drawer organizers and my necklaces hung on the wall in the closet.  It wasn't the prettiest system, but it worked and nobody had to see it.  However, this apartment has no hidden space for me to do the same, so I had to do something different.

Here is the finished product:

 Much better!  And a closeup:

I love it!  I love that it's girly and pretty and I can hang it on the wall in the bedroom and not have to hide it!  Plus, it was a fun craft project.  I'm definitely not crafty enough to have come up with this on my own, so I followed this tutorial from Live a Little Wilder.  I thought about spray painting the frame, but decided to keep it clean and white.  The fun thing about this is that you can personalize it however you want!  You can make the flowers out of any color fabric and spray paint the frame.  There are even different colors of burlap.

Here's the cost breakdown:

White frame from Michael's, half off: $8.99
Burlap from Joann's: $3.99 a yard.  I bought a whole yard but at most I used about 1/8 of it, so that would be about 50 cents.  I have an idea about what to do with the rest of the burlap so that it won't be wasted.
Fabric, felt, and sequins for the flowers: about $6, and I have leftovers of all of them.
Ribbon to hang it: $3 for the whole roll and of course I used a very small piece.
Six white hooks from Lowe's: $2.63

Total: $21.12

I also had to buy a glue gun for this project, but I didn't include it in the cost because i can use it over and over again.  If you already have ribbon, or an old picture frame to repurpose, this project would be even cheaper!

And there you have an easy, fun, and super cute personalized jewelry organizer!