bermuda cutoffs

Been really trying to clean out my closet, and I have these pair of jeans I just never wore since the boot cut was just not right for me.  I thought I could get more mileage out of them if I cut them off at a length comfortable to wear this summer.

after

before

Cost: Free Time: 15 minutes Needed: old jeans(owned) cutting board (owned) rotary cutter (owned) iron (owned and optional) 1.  Try it on.  With your jeans on, take a hold of the inner leg material pinching where you would like the Bermudas to end.  Add two to three inches if you plan to cuff the ends instead of fraying them. 2.  Mark it.  Use a sharpie to mark the final measurement.  Take the jeans off and lay them flat on your cutting board.   3.  Cut it.  Use your rotary cutter to cut a straight line across one leg.  Turn your jeans over with them still flat and use the cut edge as a guide to cut the other leg. 4.  Cuff it.  Pull your Bermudas on and make sure you cut the legs evenly.  Roll the edges up twice to get a good cuff about one to two inches in size.  If you want a crisp cuff, you should iron each fold before wearing them.

my craft room

Everyone needs a room to make them feel inspired. My craft room seems to do the trick for me. I am not sure if it is the shelves of materials, wall of inspiration, or just the spanish olive paint color. Actually I suppose it is just the sum of all the things in this room.

Of course my sewing machine gets its own table and area since that is where most the magic happens.  I have my chair to work at my computer, but my stool for my sewing machine just seems to set me in the mood to create or fix something.

You'll notice the minuscule fan as well on the table because when you're sewing up a storm it gets hot!  I highly recommend one of these little gems.  There is also a laundry basket behind there to throw scraps of fabric in so it always gets used no matter the size.

A crafter probably has many tools that they need at their disposal at a moment's notice.  Therefore I have a couple of racks with big cups and hooks to keep daily tools within reach at all times.  IKEA helped with this area quite a bit.  You can replicate this structure on your own for under $20 with their bygel series.

Another great addition to anyone's craft/hobby room is a display shelf.  This is just like your parent's refrigerator growing up: a place just for you to pin up your masterpieces.  I find myself keeping holiday cards and notes from friends up there for a span of time as well.  Anything that is a positive reminder of friends, accomplishments, or memories should be displayed here.  I try to keep my photos and projects updated so the wall does not look the same every month.

missing in action

I apologize for dropping off the face of the earth for the last two weeks.

Eight family members flew into town last week to spend some time with us.  While they were staying with us Nick proposed... and of course I said yes. Queue the heavy celebrating and excessive phone calls across the states.

Things have been a little bit hectic with all this exciting activity.  We have been catching up on sleep, laundry, and life in general.  You would not believe how many towels and sheets need washed after a family visit!

I've missed creating and writing, so I'll be getting back to my regular posting schedule now.  Thanks!

bleach pen t shirt fail

Unfortunate things happen now and again.  Too bad the latest failure came during a great project find from Pinterest.  All the bleach pen shirt tutorials made the task look so easy, but it can end with a sad panda. Be sure to check the expiration date on your bleach pen before you try to doodle a little sketch on your colored shirt.  It is not effective if your pen is a few years old.  You just get light and inconsistent lines. Hindsight is always 20/20, but hopefully this advice might save someone's shirt for another project.  After realizing the mistake, I tried just squirting liquid bleach sporadically all over the shirt for a faded look.  This just made the shirt look old and dirty since it was originally green.   This is now officially my yard work shirt since it can't look any worse :)

t shirt headband

Alright, there have been way too many t-shirt pinterest projects floating around lately for me not to try one. I checked out Love Stitched, and she has a lovely knotted jersey headband tutorial.  I highly recommend visiting her pretty little blog.  

The only thing that I didn't follow perfectly is the closure of the headband.  I stitched up the ends so I wouldn't have to cut and glue the additional fabric into place.  This method works just as well from what I can tell.  

The headband is soft and really comfortable.  It took maybe ten minutes to make after gathering supplies.  T-shirts seem to work best.  I tried some fabric scraps, but other material does not want to stretch and flex the way jersey material does.

If you're looking for a quick and gratifying pinterest project, be sure to pin this one.