Link love No.22!

Boy, I feel like we (my family) accomplished a lot today. We worked on the yard, and my sweet husband helped me to can the tomatoes from our garden. I made tomato sauce and I must say, I LOVE the smell of tomatoes and basil filling up my house.

There is so much to do around the house, but usually I don't have time to do them during the week. So to make some progress on projects feels good.

I chose some links for this week, enjoy!

I am so impressed with the hats I am Momma Hear Me Roar created out of the shirts that her boys out grew. How she put them together shows her sense of style and talent. I just cleaned out my boys closet and found some shirt that they out grew, I might give this a try.


For the Love put together a very cute party table with hot pink and black color theme. Isn't it so pretty? There are so many great ideas that we can borrow for future references.


Honey Scrap Design was inspired by a wall decor from Pier One and made her own. Check out her well written tutorial!


I love this dress by Our Daily Obsession. The color is pretty and has ruffles all over. Very romantic!


I always want to learn more about how to alter clothing patterns (I do try, but I don't know if I am doing it right or not). Sew A Straight Line used a vintage maternity dress pattern and created a very nice top. Great job!


Did you find something you wanted try? Thank you all for participating. :)

I am SO not a decorator...

Fall is popping up all over the blogging world! It is my favorite time of year. I love the changing colors, and I *love* the cooling temperatures! I am not a summer person. In fact, I don't think I can even be a summer-decorating person! I love looking at pictures of all those beach-y cottage-y homes in the whites and pale blues...but it is just not me. I am a fall person all the way!

But...I haven't gotten out my pumpkins yet! And I do have a few (not many). But before I do get them out, I thought I might as well show a couple of things as they are right now--as long as you promise to understand that I am NOT a decorator! I am an engineer by training, a wife and mother and homeschooler by choice (most days), and a furniture painter by happy accident!

Do you remember this table that I painted? Well, it's still sitting right where I took the picture. I couldn't bear to sell it, and my husband has learned to walk around it! This is what it looks like today (crooked pictures and all):

I fell for the numbering craze along with everyone else! The tiny planters were $.25/each at Target. They used to be bright colors; I painted them black. I think Hobby Lobby supplied the greenery. The numbers were cut out of cardstock by my Cricut, and I used spray adhesive to attach them to the little planters. And the birds? Yep, they're from Dollar Tree. These were some of my first ever spray-painting projects!

The little galvanized metal & glass cloche was a garage-sale find. I am madly in love with it! (Don't tell my husband!) My daughter doesn't understand why I put one of a set of plants under it...I don't know why either. I just like it!


I also love these scales. The first one I bought is the one on the right, with the eagle on top. It was ugly brass when I found it, but I loved the shape of the thing. I sprayed it with Krylon's Oil-Rubbed Bronze spray paint, and it found a home on top of my bookshelves. The one on the front right came from DI--it got the same treatment. The one in the back (in its own case) was an auction find. I paid more for it than the other two put together--and I think I like it the least. Serves me right for getting caught up in auction fever!


Besides not being a decorator, I am also NOT a photographer. Regardless, here's the whole top of the bookshelf. I'm still not in love with it. I kind of scrambled to get some things up there after Christmas, and I'm not crazy about everything. I love the metal urn on the left, and the white urn on the right. They are old things I found at a local consignment shop, and they spoke to me. I like the tray and the platter, but I purchased those new, so they don't have the same appeal to me. Is it because I know 764 other people have the same things? Maybe.


Here's a picture I tried without the flash. It really is much prettier (and less out-of focus) in person!

Maybe I need to take a photography class!

FAQ

I have been blogging for over two years, and sometimes I get email (or comments) asking me questions. I always try to reply to them, but if you are one of the people who sent me an email and never got a response, I am so sorry! Usually, what happens is, I read an email and if I don't have enough time to respond I tend to forget to do so...

I realized that I don't have a "FAQ" page up. So, I decided to post some of the most asked questions and answers today.

Q : What are the terms and conditions for linking and posting your post on my blog?
A : As long as you give me rightful credit and preferably a link back to my blog, I will be happy to be linked and featured!

Q : What sewing machine do you own?
A : I have a Baby Lock Espire Quilter Dream Series. It was a gift from my husband.

Q : I am worried about raw edges on my ruffles. Does it fray after washing?
A : So far I have worked with many different t-shirt materials, and so far they are fine.

Q : Is there any particular t-shirt name brands you use?
A : I use Gap, Old Navy, and Down East so far. I am always looking out for great deals!

Q : After I washed the ruffle shirt, the ruffles shriveled up. How do you keep your ruffles look nice?
A : When I wash my ruffle shirts, I put them in a laundry net, if the t-shirt is thin material, I use the delicate cycle. After the wash, I then hang them dry. I never put them in the dryer. When you put the ruffle t-shirt in the dryer, the ruffles will curl up, and also, the heat will damage the fabric quickly. I pull all the ruffles by hand when I hang the shirt, so I won't have to iron them later. The thicker materials tend to hold their shape better.

Q: Do you sell your ruffle shirt?
A : I thought about it, but to make the ruffle shirt, I need two of the same shirts, and I have to find really good deals. Otherwise the shirts will be expensive to begin with and when I calculate my time, the shirt will be not so affordable. Also, there is no guarantee that I can find the color and the size of the shirt someone ordered at the price I want. So no I don't sell them.

Q : Sounds like you are a very busy mom, how do you manage your time to do everything?
A : I have a schedule that I try to follow. Also, I always try to maximize the time I have by doing multiple things at once. For example, If I am waiting in the carpool lane at school or martial arts studio, I will be either working on my projects, helping my kids with their homework, or reading a book I've wanted to read. If I am in the kitchen cooking, I will also be doing laundry, making phone calls that I needed to make, or ironing. I hardly ever watch TV either. I would rather do something else. :)

There are other questions too, but those are the ones I get the most often. I will make the page for this for future reference. I really enjoy getting emails and comments from you all, Thank you so much for visiting!