diy indoor clothesline

ahhhhh, the smell of clothes fresh off the line that were hung outside to dry. i love that smell. it reminds me of my omi, who whenever she can, hangs her clothes on the line in the backyard. there is nothing better than slipping into a bed covered in sheets that just came off the line - heavenly.

we live in an apartment - thus no clothesline. apartment therapy just posted a great idea on how to create your own clothesline inside your rental or apartment without too much fuss or moula. i think this is a wonderful idea. i can't stand those horrible drying racks that break and bend and take up wasted space when you aren't using them. why not have a try at hanging a line inside? may not smell like fresh air, but it will be a lot fresher than the dryer and more eco-friendly. click here for the tutorial.

diy wall art ideas

diy.com has some great ideas for wall art. i got a kick out of the idea of using wall medallions from the hardware store and painting them for wall art! click here for the link.

(via how about orange)

diy dress decor

i swear my grandma still has the exact sheets as that dress is wearing in our much loved cabin on the lake.

ohedeedoh has a fun tutorial on how to make your own dress decor using thrifted/old sheets, wood and crafting supplies, you can mount those sheets that bring back precious childhood memories on the wall and let the good vibes wash over you. click here for the how to.

wicker bench makeover

design sponge has her weekly before & after's up and this bench makeover caught my eye. i am sure everyone has seen one of these old, beat up wicker benches before. the bright red paint and cheerful, spring fabric make this bench a welcome addition to any home! this bench reminds me that i really have to get moving on my desk makeover.

make your own toy stove

croq zine has an easy way to make your own play stove with handy utensil, play dishes and food storage inside using a simple plastic storage container. what a great idea!!! click here for the how to.

make your own dust mitt & swiffer cover

image courtesy we wilsons

we wilsons has a kick ass tutorial for making your own dust mitt. we don't use any chemical cleaners in our house and make our own cleaners whenever possible. we also use antibacterial cloths for cleaning and dusting that we can simply put in the wash after using a few times so i love the idea of this dust mitt!

we wilsons also links over to this great project idea if you happen to be a swiffer lover. merwing shows you how to make your own swiffer cover and duster. you can find the tutorial here.

it seems like as soon as spring comes, the dust just seems to multiply and peek it's ugly head out from under that cloud of winter darkness. i will definitely be turning some of our old clothes into cleaners. so turn on your favorite cleaning album and let's kick some dust bunny ass!

(via craft)

a plant hanger from ball chain?

learn how to make this plant hanger from ball chain over at craft.

turn a light cover into a vase

a reader of this young house sent in her fabulous repurposing project to them on how she used old light covers for vases. what a great idea!

how to make a kitchen cupboard message center

being a mother i am constantly striving to stay organized and tidy. i find it helps us stay sane on a regular basis and we have a happier existence when we aren't living in chaos because let's face it, being a parent is chaos enough.

i saw this post over at apartment therapy for the how to on making a kitchen cupboard message center. i have alot of appreciation for those who come up with great ideas for people to hide their organization tools. i would never have known this was lurking behind those cheerful yellow cabinets. whowouladthunkit?

any of you have some great secret organization tips? share them with the mommyhood and send an email my way.

how to make an envelope book

i look forward to reading the design sponge everyday and got excited when i saw this diy today. it's tax time and low and behold my hubby is an accountant! what a great way for anyone to keep track of all those little receipts and things, plus recycle old envelopes? i don't know about you guys, but this is one of those super, simple projects that you say to yourself "why didn't i think of that?".

n.e.e.t. magazine

go on, take a little coffee break or parent break and drool over the gorgeous clothing and inspirational photography of n.e.e.t. magazine. check out the diy section for some handy little recipes for facials from ingredients in your own kitchen. hmmm, i don't think my avocado is making it into my salad tonight.

diy hanging lightbulb vase

learn how to make your own hanging light bulb vase here. i came across this handy little repurposing tutorial on the site emerging thoughts. they are:

"an online boutique filled with one of a kind pieces from our favorite independent designers. We scour the country looking for the coolest accessories, clothing and talent. Emerging Thoughts wants to promote creativity and individuality because wearing unique clothing isn't just for people with money. We started the tutorial section to show that with scissors, an old outfit, and some imagination, everyone can easier create an original piece of clothing."

what's not to love?

kids quote canvas

isn't this fun? a great way to showcase the quotes we love in our home where we can see them. you can find the how to at ohdeedoh

framing treasured picture books

do you have a book you loved as a child that is falling apart and you want to hold on to the memory? i am lucky enough to have had a mom who kept all my treasured books as a child to pass down to my kids. i was a big reader and still am. thankfully my daughter is the same way. she loves her books.

the images from the book "bow wow! meow! a first book of sounds" from the little golden book series were some of my favorites as a child. unfortunately our copy is falling apart. i have tried to fix it, but to no avail. i decided to turn it into a piece of decorative art for mackie's room instead. we took a simple wood frame from ikea and painted it to match the colors in her room. i took my fave pic out of the book (yes, it hurt me to cut it up) and popped that pretty, little sucker in a frame.

now every time i go in her room i find myself drawn to that picture and to the feeling of the fond memories that wash over me. she wakes up in the morning and has taken to carrying it around the house saying "pretty". she must agree with me. the picture reminds me of my daughter and of all those little moments when we take the time to relish in the beauty of the things around us, especially when they are brand new.

floor mat pattern

i finally got the last of my ebay fabric orders. mackenzie was so excited when she saw the alexander henry 2-d zoo print. she likes to sit and name all the animals and count them. i originally purchased the fabric with the intent of making throw pillows for her crib/room to go with the quilt i am making. but now that mackenzie has set her sights on it, she keeps asking me to lay in on the floor so she can sit and play with it.

what to do? i am thinking of turning it into a cozy, comfy mat for by her crib. she can sit and play on it, and my hubby can fall asleep on it when putting her to bed at night. both ways and i am a winner. now all i need is some idea of how to go about it. i am not gonna pretend that i am more than a beginner sewer here people, so i did what i always do and searched online. i was surprised to find a lack of patterns on this particular item. maybe it is so easy i don't need one? not too sure yet, i may go along the lines of this project at sew mama sew.


right now i am leaning towards sewing it to a fleece style material and putting batting in between? any advice for me out there? any patterns anyone knows of? let me know.

on my hunt i did come across this super, stylish nap mat for toddlers! i want one of these! you can find the free tutorial for the mat here.

fabric mobile tutorial from badskirt

stashbuster alert!
i have been all over the fat quarter month at sew mama sew. i am sad that february is almost over. badskirt has whipped up a great pdf tutorial for making mobiles from your favorite fabric! you can download it here.

if you are interested in some other mobiles, sew mama sew has some helpful links here. mobiles are addicting and a great way to use up your fabric or crafting stash. go on, get creative and hang those sweet little ornaments for our little ones to enjoy.

ikea hacker

i ran across this adorable and creative play kitchen today and had to post about it. i adore this and i know mackenzie would go crazy for it. where to buy it? you can't. but you can make it! it's constructed from a simple piece of ikea furniture and you can find the steps here.

the original piece she bought from ikea

the finished product has shelves filled with food and the oven lights up!

while reading about this project i came across a fun, hour waster of a site called ikea hacker. it's filled with, yep you guessed it, ikea furniture that people have have altered (or hacked) and submitted to this site. it has how-to's and lots of great inspirations. i know i have some ikea stuff sitting around that could be gussied up.

glass jars frames galore

glass jar frames! whowouldathunkit? do you have a bunch of glass jars kicking around like me? i can never bear to recycle them and i end up using those pretty little things for so many different functions in our house and turning them into a frame, now that's one i had not thought of. if you feel the urge to make some of these check out photojojo's tutorial.

d.i.y. fabric flower garland

i am in a project kind of mood today so here is another one for you. i think the cloud of illness may be starting to lift from our home and my mind is starting to regain it's creative energy. our poor little mackenzie got a viral infection resulting in a form of the croup. i am sure any parent out there whose child has had the croup knows how scary this can be. she is on the mend, thankfully, and the idea that i may be able to get some sleep this weekend and start to feel better is causing me to salivate.

here is a little project i ran across a week or so ago that i thought some of you may enjoy.

this tutorial for a sweet garland comes from the blog creature comforts and can be found here. i enjoy projects like these where you can let your own creativity go a little wild. choosing your own prints, materials or shape of flowers or anything else you can dream up.

i love to indulge in this blog and fantasize about all the goodies she puts up daily. i spotted this garland in her post before & after of her daughter's bedroom makeover while on the hunt for some ideas on redoing mackenzie's bedroom dresser. it's filled with d.i.y. projects and some great ways to think outside the box when decorating a child's room.

photo from creature comforts

if you make your own flower garland let me know, as always, we would love to hear from you and see your wonderful projects. have a wonderful and restful weekend.

got an old lampshade kicking around?

photo courtesy of cicada daydream

got an old lampshade kicking around? not sure what to do with the thing? well before you donate it take a look at this tutorial for a simple lamp shade from cicada daydream.

cicada daydream is the blog for cicada studio Michelle Engel Bencsk's home to a collection of fabrics that are to die for. you can find them here and also at their etsy store here. the hydrangea blue - mod squad (shown below) is my personal fave.

so find that old lampshade, get some fabric you love and get sewing.