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Link Love No.63!

I started making a new quilt a couple days ago. There are so many other things I should be doing, but once the idea came to my mind, I. JUST. HAVE. TO. DO. IT!

It is coming along just as I imagined, and it is so much fun to work on. I think this is the part I love about creating something... seeing something in my head starting to take form and become reality.

I can't wait to share the pictures of the finished quilt with you someday!

Are you ready for this week’s link loves???

Morning by Morning Production created this wall of "whites". I love the contrast with the wall and the collection of white items. Beautiful!


I have been wanting to work on some stencil projects lately and looking at some books...Maybe Matilda shared this essay and lovely doily tee with us. Thank you for sharing the loveliness!


I must say when I saw this subway art it almost brought tears to my eyes... because I was thinking about my boys. The creative Imperative created this for her nephew and some for her children. She said it is so important for them to know that they are special and I agree with her! Head over to her blog to see how she did this. Thank you for sharing the great idea!


Those collections of blue jars are so pretty... but how long do you think it would take to buy them one by one when you find them? The Single Nester didn't have to wait for a long time, because she created them all at once from regular jars! I might have to give it a try!


Oh how lovely and sweet... I mean literally. I love cakes, and I am definitely the type to enjoy with my eyes too (well, with blogging that is the only way). I LOVE how she decorated the cake. Head over to Wonder Woman Creations and see more beautiful photos she has shared.



Thank you for all your fabulous creations! I will see you at the next post!

More Sunshine!

I got to do a fun little project for a reader this week. Kara asked me to re-create my “You are my Sunshine” canvas for her little girls (you can see the original ones here and here). The previous two projects were made using a recycled canvas, and this one was made with a new canvas…may I just say that new canvas is SO much easier to work with??

Here it is displayed on the Gradient Dresser:

Hope your day is filled with sunshine!

I will make custom canvases! Click on the Available Items tab up top for more information.

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Linking up here!

Tutorial ~ Five Kitchen Towels Dress ~

I found this kitchen towel bundle for pretty good price (it was originally $16 and I got it for $8!). I had an idea of what I wanted to do with them...





They are 100% cotton and very absorbent. I thought these would make a comfortable summer dress for Rachel!



I will show you what I did. :)



{You will need}



Five kitchen towels (the ones that you see all over the place. Five slightly different patterned ones)



Matching thread



{Before you start}



I used three towels for the skirt, one for the top, and the last one for making bias tape.



Look at the towels and decide how you want to coordinate them first.



{How to}--Skirt



1. Cut off the sides from two towels that you chose for the skirt. Cut them into three equal pieces.







2. Lay them out and coordinate how you want to combine them and sew side by side.







3. Cut the third towel horizontally to make a couple long pieces (4" X length of the towel).





4. Add those long strips to the bottom of the main part of the skirt from step 2. Sew front and back of the skirt together.



5. To make the pockets, cut 2 -- 6 1/2" X 7" rectangles from rest of the third towel. Take care of the edges except the top (6") with your favorite method to prevent fraying.





6. Fold those three sides with 1/4" seam and press with an iron. Fold the top of the pocket two times and sew.







7. Pin the pocket on to the skirt. I placed them a little off to the sides. 5" from the top and the side of the pocket will go to the back part of the skirt by 1 1/2".

Use the picture as a guide.









{How to}-- Top



1. Fold the towel in half with right sides together. Cut off the bottom seams and mark the sides as shown in the picture.







2. Sew the sides.





3. Mark the center of the folded part and mark the neckline. After I made mine, I wished I cut the neckline smaller, so it is best to measure your child’s head first.





4. Cut the front of the neckline open, then, mark the line for the back part of the neck. I drew the line higher than the front.







5. Lay the last kitchen towel flat on the cutting mat. Cut seams off and then cut diagonally to make bias tape (I cut mine 1 3/4" wide). Sew them together and press with an iron to make the bias tape. You can also see how I make my bias tape here. The bias tape will cover the neckline, two loops for the belt, and the belt.





6. Pin the bias tape around the neckline. Sew, turn it towards the inside and finish with slip stitch.







7. Now, you have the top.







{How to}--Finishing up



1. Pin the top and the skirt together and sew. I forgot to take pictures on these steps, but basically, you sew the edge of the top of the skirt with large stitches, pull the thread to gather the fabrics. Make sure that the length of the edge of the top and the skirt will match up. Right sides together, pin them, and sew. After you take care of the edge with Serger or zig-zag, press the seam toward the top. Top stitch the seam. You can go here to see what I have done with another project.



2. Cut 2-- 1 3/4" strips for the loops. Sew them on to sides of the dress.





3. Put through the belt to the loops...and it is ready to wear.







My little girl is five going on six soon, but she is small for her age. The dress is a bit too big for her, for now, although, it might be perfect for regular 6 year olds.







The dress is soft, airy, and comfy...it is perfect for a summer afternoon to relax.

Are Two Better than One?

When it comes to decorating I tend to favor pairs of items in symmetrical arrangements– two lamps on my buffet, two potted plants on the mantel, pairs of pillows on my sofa, pairs of candle sticks on my dining room table, and matching footstools tucked under a console table.   I could go on and on but you get the point.

Recently, however, I came across this ad by Hickory Chair and was captivated by the asymmetrical placement of a single large mirror.

It reminded me of another favorite photo – this one by designer Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home – featuring a large piece of art placed slightly off-center.

Pure Style Home

The asymmetrical arrangement in these two photos really has me thinking about how I approach design.  Perhaps two is not always better than one?

I would love to know what you think.  Do you decorate in symmetrical pairs or do you prefer a more asymmetrical look with a single large focal point like the photos above?

Gradient Dresser

There’s a trickle-down effect in blogland….and I’m the latest drip!

Cassie at Primitive and Proper showed this gorgeous dresser just about a week ago.

She was inspired by this dresser from Norske Interior (via Brooklyn Limestone):

And I….was utterly smitten.

I came across this dresser at Deseret Industries last week, and I wanted it. I knew it would be perfect for a similar treatment!

Unfortunately, it was priced out of my budget, so I waited patiently for a week (visiting it often, of course)…

… until I could ask them to mark the price down! It happily came home with me Tuesday, and I couldn’t wait to get to work on it. (You can tell because it’s now…Thursday.)

It turned out just like the picture in my head!

I painted the body of the dresser in a barely off-white paint I had on hand (Behr Ultra color-matched to Sherwin Williams Creamy), and I had fun choosing three colors for the three rows of drawers.

I bought a sample of Behr Ultra in each of these colors: Windwood Spring (top), Shallow Sea (middle), and Lagoon (bottom).

My teenage daughter graciously offered to help carry it up to her bedroom.

Too bad! She already has furniture. (I’m a mean mom.)

So there you have it…my version of the Gradient Dresser!

I do love these retro dressers. Two of my other favorites are Reverse Anthropologie and 38 Flowers !

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This project has been featured at Saved by Suzy, Day and Age Design, Mod Vintage Life, My Repurposed Life, and AtticMag.

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Linking up here and !

Southern Entry

Welcome to the south entry to our house! It is the second entry, which is more casual than 

the one on the west side. 

I found the antique hat rack years ago in an antique store. I hadn't been looking for one but the shape was so beautiful and the price so affordable ($45), that I knew I'd find a use for it. 

 Mike's tattered and stained work hat is shown, but we also hang our coats here from time to time. Mostly when we're too lazy to walk into the living room and hang them in the coat 

closet - which is often.

I've always loved this lantern, but it has spent most of its time on a shelf in our downstairs den closet. Though we rarely use it, it's not in the way and I like being able to look at it everyday. 

Below the hat rack, we have a stool to sit on while putting on our shoes. We also use the stool to get things off the kitchen shelves, or any other task that requires a high reach in this area of the house. 

On the wall next to the hat rack is one of my Great Great Grandmother's mirrors. Originally part of the tall dresser in our master bedroom, we've used it here because it does not fit beneath the sloping ceiling upstairs. 

Entering the hallway from the entry, the french doors on the left open into the dining room. On the right is the door that goes upstairs. 

Because there are two entries to the house, we decided to connect them in a more aesthetically pleasing way with a wraparound porch. In this way, both entrances are accessible, depending on the occasion (formal or casual).