2011 Project Wrap-up

Before I start making my lists of all the projects I want to get done in 2012 (I know, you all already did that- I'm a little slow...)
I thought I should hurry and post a few projects that I actually finished in 2011, and just hadn't gotten around to posting.
So, my new couch came with these pillows that I thought were hideous:
So I made new ones: I actually used the old pillows as inserts for the new ones. The big one in the middle has cording piping around it. I was kinda proud of myself for figuring that one out.
(Project #35)



I also finished this Roman Shade window/door covering for my daughter's room. (Project #36) The lucky girl has her own balcony, but the builder did not include the doors when we got blinds put in through out the house.
She wanted orange. I had a hard time with that until we found this pretty fabric. You can't see in the picture, but it actually has little sparkles all over it. I thought if I gathered it for some rousing, (or is it ruching?) it would look like a fancy dress. Much more feminine than all the other orange fabric she was trying to talk me into.
I lined it with black-out fabric for privacy, and so her room won't bake in our hot sunshine.
Confession: I pulled the strings up to take a picture of the shade when it is up. I broke the string. I haven't told my daughter yet. I will fix it when I get around to making a coordinating window treatment for the other window in her room.

Lockers Project #34

Before the Big Move last year, we had been searching for a new dresser for my son. An evening spent at all 5 of the furniture stores in the town we lived showed us that:
1. There was no dresser for sale for less than $500.
2. All the dressers for sale were cheap, with hard to open drawers.
3. We didn't see 1 dresser for sale made out of real wood.
4. Maybe we didn't really want a new dresser after all?

Then I talked to my friend, Aubrey, about it, and she had seen pictures on a blog of a locker in a boys bedroom.

hmmm... a locker? I started calling 2nd hand stores, and was sent to the flea market. By word of mouth, I found a guy who said he had some in a storage unit. He said if I came back that Saturday, he'd have some.

Well, they were pretty beat-up, with lots of spider webs. But, I wouldn't be a project-a-holic if I wasn't cursed with that ability to see the potential in something like that. $30 for a section with 6 lockers. I had to at least try.

Then I got pregnant, we moved, blah, blah, blah....

My husband finally painted them when he had some time off. We bought a paint zoom paint sprayer, and he loved it. Can't wait to try it on some other projects.
I'm really disappointed that I can't find the before pictures. They were bad. Picture that weird not-quite-brown, but not-quite-gray color with lots of rust.

We moved it into the hallway, and since I don't have a mud room, this is where everyone gets to hang their backpacks, jackets, and keep their soccer and dance gear. It's great.

Colors: black and Valspar Martian Green. It probably glows in the dark, but I haven't tried that out yet. I think if you're doing something metal- go with a bold color.

Magnet Boards re-done (project #33)

Continuing my 2011 project wrap-up, I remembered these magnet boards. We just hung them on the wall. in my daughters room. Soon I will post her bedroom when it's all finished.
These were some red magnet boards I had in the kitchen of my old home. They didn't work in my new home. I almost sent them to Good Will, but then thought that they might work in my daughter's room- if they were repainted first.
So, I taped them and then turned the project entirely over to my daughter. Our tastes could not be more different. I'm pretty conservative. She likes bold, bright, and Bling-in! (Although her style is definitely growing on me!)

One lime green... and one hot pink.

Nursing Cover- Project #31

So 2012 is well upon us, and I am still scrambling to finish posting all of my 2011 projects. That's actually probably a good thing- it means I got some stuff done!!!
So, just before Christmas I made this gift for my expectant sister-n-law (doesn't expectant sound more sophisticated than pregnant?
I had made one for myself about a year ago, but never really loved the fabric that I chose. That can be a big issue, because it really becomes part of your daily apparel. So, this time around I chose a much better fabric.

I did the strap in a coordinating fabric. Just to made it more interesting. Making these nursing covers was the first time I ever used corset boning. That stuff is cool. I think there's a lot you can do with it.
I also added a ruffle to the bottom (I'm really hoping she gets a girl- that's part of why we're going all frilly- but if not, she's the one wearing it, right?)
Oh, and I added a pocket to the inside, so she can put nursing pads, pacifiers, loose change, whatever she wants in it.
And since I have an embroidery machine- I sort of have this rule- everything gets a name. Ya, it didn't need it, it's just my rule.

Confession: I was hurrying to finish this and get it in the mail so it would get there by Christmas. I couldn't find the camera, so I asked my sis-n-law to take pictures. Glad I did because she is such a better photographer than I am!
PLUS- I get a cute picture of my adorable nephew wearing it!!!
Oh, ya, and I sewed him a little batman/superman cape (with name- of course), so let's call that Project #32!