A little late...My window treatments

I had all intentions of linking up to Funky Junk's "Saturday Nite Special-Window Treatments Party" However, things just didn't work the way I had planned. So...four days late...here is my kitchen window treatments.

Like most women out there, I have a little bit of a rooster theme going in my kitchen. So when I found this cute farmhouse inspired fabric...I just had to get it.

I wanted a simple treatment that was easy to remove and didn't require permanently attached rods. My plans are to one day install a continuous cute-as-a-button little country shelf above all three of my windows in my breakfast nook. The window on the far right of the nook was turned into my plate display shelf (Click HERE to see that project). I don't have before pics or during pics...just finished (this was a pre-blog project).

I started out by measuring my windows and adding six to seven inches to my width measurements. This is to accommodate the slight swag in the top. Next I measured 1/3 of the way down from the inside top of the window. I used these measurements to draw and cut out a pattern on a $5 discounted white bed sheet. I know what your thinking..."why is she ruining a perfectly good sheet to make a pattern?" Well, once you use the pattern to cut out your decorative fabric...you can use it as a lining for the back of the treatment.

After cutting out the body fabrics, I cut several strips of plaid fabric on the bias to make the piping trim. Now I know there's another name for it other than piping...but I can't think of it right off hand. Anywho, I stitched the bias strips of fabric together making one long strip of fabric which was then folded around the piping. I sandwiched the fabric covered piping between the right side of the decorative fabric and the bed sheet lining, stitching these layers together. Please note..the piping should be turned inward when you sandwich it between the top fabric and lining. That way when you turn it right side out the piping will be on the edge of the treatment. Make sure you leave a small opening to allow for turning the treatment right side out. I used the same plaid fabric to make three little tabs and two decorative ribbons. I sewed the tabs to the top of the treatment and tied the ribbons around the ends. I know this was kinda hard to explain without step by step pictures...but if you have any questions you can leave it in the comments or send me an email.

Since I missed Saturday Nite Special, I'll be linking up to Transformation Thursday over at the Shabby Chic Cottage

Talk to ya soon!

Decking the walls...

I have been so busy this week that my art room has been put on the back burner. It is so annoying because I have no place to work. I'm seeing all these wonderful ideas in blogland and can't even try anything. Well I could spread everything out on the dining room table and work...that is until little man (my 5yr old) realizes that Mommy has her fun stuff out! OH BOY!!

Even though I've been busy, I've managed to take a few pictures of my baseboard installation. If any of you have ever tried to install baseboard, you know it can be very tricky getting the inside corners to match up without leaving a large gap especially if your walls aren't straight. I'd like to show you a little technique to help alleviate gaps in your trim.

Start in the corner of the room and place the straight edge of the baseboard against the corner wall. Don't forget to mitter the opposite end of the trim (see picture at the bottom of this post). I'll explain why in a moment.

So once you have this corner piece installed, you are going to mitter the joining piece of trim that will be installed on the opposite wall. When you mitter the end make sure to cut the 45 degree angle to where the inside of the trim is exposed (see above picture).

Next you will be using a coping saw to remove the exposed wood edge. Be careful and trim the exposed wood making sure to stay on the outside edge of the trim face. If you look close, you can see that the outside edge of my trim is white. By the way...I'm right handed and its very difficult to pretend I'm cutting a piece of wood with my left hand...while my right hand is attempting to take a picture!!! Hubby was simply looking at me mumbling "you're not right!!" A little help here!!! :)

I know your probably scratching your head right now wondering why I just went through all that trouble cutting off that little chunk of wood...Well this is why....

Isn't it SWEET!!! A perfectly matched corner with little gap. This makes caulking much easier!!

Earlier in this post I had said not forget to mitter the opposite end of the trim. The reasons for this little step:

#1: it helps to disguise the seam when two pieces of trim are matched up and

#2: because it allows for movement due to settling. Have you ever seen a house where someone had placed two straight cut trim pieces up together and there was a huge gap between them? Yap I think we've all seen that at one point. Mittering helps give the trim a way to move without creating a large noticeable gap.

Well I hope this helped. I know I didn't use all the professional terminology...but hey I showed you the technique. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Talk to ya soon!

Granite countertops

Who doesn't love granite countertops? They give your kitchen a refined, upper end look as well as increasing the value of your home. Who could go wrong installing granite in their kitchen...that is until you go into convulsions looking at the price per a square foot! It's really unbelievable that a slab of granite sales anywhere from $39.00 sq ft to $100.00 sq ft. (supply and demand at its finest people). Now if I had some extra cash, I might could talk myself into $39-$49 a sq ft....but $100 sq ft....don't think so! Pigs would be flying over my house first!

After some Internet research, I found a less expensive option to solid granite slab countertops...granite tiles. You get the same look but for less and hey isn't that what we're all working towards? Take a look at the below picture. You can barely tell its tile. (Look closely to the left side of the picture). Using minimal to no grout lines and a grout that blends with the granite, one can hardly tell the countertops are not solid granite.
(Photo taken from www.easygranitetiles.com)
To see how to's on installing granite tile countertops:

DIY Network's Amy Mathews tutorial on installing granite tile CLICK HERE

OR



The Family Handyman's tutorial CLICK HERE






Hope this give you some new project ideas...I know its got me to thinking!

Have a great week!! Talk to ya soon!