Bathroom Re-Model

We are re-modeling our bathroom, well, re-painting, really.

 

 

In an old rock farmhouse built in the 1930's, this means heat guns and scraping paint.

 

 Crazy twizzle-y things all over the floor that somehow get all over the house.

 

Painters tape is a wicked challenge.  Nothing is level or square in the whole bathroom.

 

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Handsome Husband is putting new trim around the window.  It's going to look great.

 

We found some interesting writing there, behind the window trim.  When I saw it, I asked HH if he had written it even though it's not his handwriting.  Nope, not him.

 

It looks like "1/17/33".  Hmmm...  'Wonder who wrote that there? 

 

Things like that make me LOVE our old rock farmhouse. 

 

Seriously cool... 

 

;-)  -Marci 

T-Shirt Makeover Corsage

This tutorial was promised a  l o n g  time ago and goes with the  T-Shirt to Tank Top Tute  !  It is a great way to use T-Shirt Scraps from all your T-Shirt Makeovers. 

 

Mine are all listed on the  Projects 4 Me  page of my blog.

You need: 

T-Shirt Fabric Scraps in Two Colors

Fleece or Felt Scrap

1 Button

2 or 3 Flower Patterns

(I used Mini Cookie Cutters for the pattern)

Sharp Scissors

A Pencil or Chalk

Needle

Thread

Grandma's Thimble

I'm using white T-Shirt fabric and custom dyed purple.  (Click HERE for the custom dye job tutorial.)

Begin by tracing your flower patterns on the T-Shirt scraps and cutting them.  I used the cookie cutters for the largest and smallest flowers, but needed a middle size.  I laid the smallest cookie cutter on the fabric and traced it pretty big to get the middle flower size. 

 

Cut 6 flowers in each size. 

I cut four white and two purple then layered

two white,

one purple,

one white,

one purple,

one white.

Using a plastic bottle cap for a pattern, I cut 2 small circles from the fleece scrap. 

 

Here is everything cut with the patterns used.

I sewed the largest set of layered fabric flowers to the fleece circle. See how I just made a quick circle with the sewing machine? 

This could be done by hand, too.  The stitches are pretty close to the center of the flowers.  I want the edges to be fluffy, but don't want the bottom layers of fabric to overtake the smaller layers. 

The medium size flowers were arranged the same as the large ones. 

2 white,

1 purple

1 white

1 purple

1 white

as well as the smallest flowers.

With a regular needle and thread along with my grandmother's thimble, the layers were stitched on top along with the button.  If you want the back to be nice and tidy, hot glue the second fleece circle to the back. 

After a quick fluff, it was pinned!
 

Pretty quick and simple! 

I love it!

;-)  -Marci

What I Wore... Saturday

Saturday morning was a lot of fun.  I was invited to teach a 30 minute class for the 6th Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair.  Their website is: 

www.nwapreparednessfair.com

 

You might remember I am a member of the Benton County Master Gardener Program. 

 

Here we are at the booth, Anita, Me, and Mechel.

 

I chose to wear a leapord print dress with a taupe shrug (Dress Barn), ballet flats (Bjorn), and dark brown jewelry (my dear friend, Melissa).

 

My class was titled "Herbs...  A Place to Begin". 

 

As promised at the class, the full power point presentation will be posted on my blog and on www.nwapreparednessfair.com later this week.

 

This post will visit Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday .  Join us! 

 

;-)  -Marci

 

Tomatoes with Oregano

2 - 3 Medium Garden Fresh Tomatoes
1 sprig of Oregano, about 4 - 5 inches long
1 spring of Thyme, about 3 inches long
1 clove of Garlic
1 Teaspoon of Italian Dressing or Vinaigrette
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Finely chop herbs.  Stir in Italian Dressing or your favorite vinaigrette. 

Coarsely chop the tomatoes and toss with herb mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Chill.   

Grab a fork and enjoy!  ;-)  -Marci

Favorite Accessories

My newest accessory happens to be reading glasses.  It was humbling to notice how reading was becoming a struggle.  More light was needed, a different distance was needed....  Then the realization that maybe my vision is changing with time.  Blech!   

When visiting the optometrist, he said my eyes were healthy...  for my age.  (That's not a very nice thing to say!)  He gave me my number * 1.25 * for reading glasses.  They are surprisingly affordable.  It is wonderful to read again without trying to telescope my arm. 

So, here's my newest favorite set of accessories.  (Well, yes, of course I bought more than one pair.)

Purple Frames, Kinda Round, Sorta Cat Eye

 

Small Wire Glasses, Square



Hmmm... Yeah, well... Moving on...

Frameless

Brown Ones with a Thicker Frame

So, the whole time I was snapping pictures, Ivan was beggin' to be held.

He's the sweetest little snuggly guy. 

I know.  I know.  You don't want to talk about glasses anymore.  You'd rather talk about Ivan.

Me, too!  He is half Rat Terrier and half Chihuahua weighing about 9 pounds.  He LOVES to be held.  So, I guess Ivan is my favorite accessory! 

If you'd like to give an opinion on the glasses, though, that's cool, too!  So, what's your favorite accessory?

;-)  -Marci

Mid-August Garden Tour

As you approach our front door from the driveway,

there is a flower bed on your right

filled with sedum and crape myrtle.

These plants bloom from August until frost.

Pollinators love them,

and so do I!

I hope your August is filled with color!  ;-)  -Marci

Garden Breakfast

This meal might be for breakfast or, really, any other time of day! 

Our one acre farm has a vegetable garden and a couple of green houses. 

We also have our sweet chickens providing plenty of eggs.

So, here's a quick and tasty Garden Breakfast.  Sprinkle the eggs with a little garlic and cheese. 

This Garlic Bread sprinkle is used in all kinds of recipes around here.

Toss in a skillet with a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half.  Cook on low heat until eggs are done.

Serve with sliced bell peppers near a sunny window. 

Mmmm...  The joy of gardening!  ;-)  -Marci

T-Shirt to Tank Top Tutorial

T-Shirt to Tank Top Tutorial  
(Say that three times fast!) 

You need: 

1 Tank Top That Fits (or in my case almost fits)

1 Men's T-Shirt That's Too Big 

 (Are you familiar with those packs where there are, oh, four T's for about $10?  That's the kind of T-Shirt I'm using today.  Check out T's at thrift stores and yard sales, too!) 

Sewing Machine

Thread

Wide Ribbon

Corsage

 

Our summer heat has been too much this year. I have been looking for a simple tank top. YIKES! 

 

Are tank top designers just mean?!

 

If you've read my T-Shirt Makeovers (find them all  HERE !), you already know that I am short.  I am curvy.  I am not a size 2 and I am no longer in my 30's.  T-Shirts seldom fit me.  Then there's the tank top section.  It is so difficult for me to find a tank top.  I repeat myself...

Are tank top designers just mean?!

And so, my journey begins.  ;-)  I began with a mens T-Shirt that is too big for me and a tank top that almost fits. 

 

On this particular tank top, I like the fit on the arms, but it is too tight across the chest.  ('Story of my life!)

Anyway, I used the arms to measure where to cut the Mens T-Shirt. 

The sleeves were cut away and then the shirt was cut across the chest below the collar. 

The arms were hemmed.  Then a one inch casing was sewn across the front and back of the shirt.

 

Again...  I used the Almost Fitting Tank Top to measure elastic across the chest and back.  Then I threaded that elastic in the casing and safety pinned it.  Working with old ribbon in an effort to figure out how much to cut for the straps, I paused.   

About that time, a light bulb appeared above my head.  HEY, that looks like a pillow case dress! 

I ditched the elastic and all the safety pins.  A wide white ribbon was in my stash.  This ribbon is about 2 inches wide.  With it threaded through the casing, my tank top was almost complete. 

A purple and white corsage was sewn (tutorial here) and pinned in place. 

Done!  I've worn it to dinner with Handsome Husband, 

And Yard Sale shopping with buddies.  It's been lots of other places, but I didn't take pictures.   

 

 

When I make more colors, I'll probably seam the sides.  This one is pretty loose, but that's nice on these CRAZY HOT days we are having! 

 

Once I realized it was a pillow case dress, I had to make one for Lil Fashionista!  (Tutorial Here)

I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

 

;-)  -Marci