The Puppy Ate My Slippers...

Well, not completely. He started to eat them and I caught him in the act. He did manage to chew the buttonhole off one strap. I love these snuggly slippers and being the cheapskate that I am these days (plus trying to get better about recycling, reusing, re-whatevering), I decided to try and salvage them instead of tossing and buying a new pair. I am also a big packrat. I have a hard time throwing or giving things away. The  advantage to this is that when I decide to take on a project, I usually have the needed supplies on-hand. Last year, I did a craft supply reorganization and, luckily, most of my supplies are organized in plastic bins with labels so I can quickly find what I need.

Here are the chewed up slippers that need some help:

First, I started looking at my stash of ribbon thinking I would make ends from some ribbon and then sew in a buttonhole. Nothing matched. Probably a good thing, since this would have been more work and equipment than I felt like dealing with today while nursing a cold. Then I noticed the large stack of felt I got from Freecycle a while back. I have big plans for that stack of felt, but a couple little pieces for a slipper fixer upper won't matter.

I decided on the same end pieces and buttonholes that I was going to do with ribbon, but was much happier with this new plan because the felt would be soooo much easier to work with because the edges wouldn't ravel. BUT! I needed to know how to do a nice decorative edge since I haven't done much sewing with felt. A quick search on the Interweb landed me on Futuregirl.com and an AWESOME tutorial about blanket and whip stitching. That, in turn, led me to another most fabulous tutorial on how to tie the perfect knot...something I have struggled with for years. Check out HELLOmynameisHeather and learn to tie perfect little knots!

With the plan in mind and the new skills researched, it was time to get busy. I used the good strap and made a pattern for a little slipcover to go over the ends of both straps.  Each slipcover takes two pieces.

 

I was so excited that I was actually being crafty and creative (AND sick), that I didn't take any more photos until the project was complete. Basically, I just sandwiched the damaged strap ends between two pieces of felt and did a blanket stitch around the edges. Next, I cut a slit for the buttonhole and did a blanket stitch around the edges of that. Done!

Here are my good-as-new slippers!

Close up pic of the new felt ends:

I think I have a couple more chewed up slippers that I couldn't bear to part with, so I might be doing this project again ;) Oh, and another good thing about this project...it was the first chance I've gotten to really try out my new chair! It was a great place to sit and do some hand sewing :)

Spring Storm

The forecasts have been  teasing us with reports of up to two feet of snow. So far, all we've gotten here is a bunch of icky, slushy mush. The girls were hoping for one more big dumping of snow and some good sledding. We still have tomorrow to get through, so who knows. It's Spring in Colorado.

I was watching the slush come down earlier today and noticed a squirrel poking his nose out of one of our birdhouses in the backyard. I ran to get the camera and was lucky enough to catch him still peering out when I returned...

Thrifty Chair Re-do

When I  rearranged my office, I really wanted to make room for a comfy chair. A chair for visitors, a chair for me, a place to sit in my office besides at the desk. As the saying goes...I have champagne taste and a beer purse. Therefore, I've been, ahem, ~sitting~ on this project for a while.

I was at the thrift store the other day and spotted a sad little pink chair for only $6.99. Now, I have lots of these types of projects around here...you know, pick it up cheap, have all kinds of plans, never get around to the plans. I knew if I got the chair, I was going to have to do something with it fast or Mr. NeverBored would give it the old heave ho. So, long story short, I got the chair and within a week the project is complete! I believe this may be a new record for me.

This project consisted of: 1 sad pink velour chair ($6.99 thrift store purchase), 1 black satin sheet set ($6.00 thrift store purchase), 1 roll of pink organza wired ribbon ($4.00 ~ half off! ~ at Hobby Lobby), some safety pins (about $1 at Wal-Mart), old beat up throw pillow ($0), and one pair of old silver cherub earrings ($0) = $17.99

Basically, I just draped first one sheet and then the other and tucked and pinned until the fit was just right. For the pillow, I stuffed the old throw pillow into the satin pillowcase, folded over the top, pinned in place, tied a pink bow around the whole thing and that was it!

Check out my $17.99 Thrift Chair Re-do!

BEFORE...

AFTER!

I do think it looks better in person. It's difficult to photograph black satin in a dark, downstairs OfficeCave. Oh, looking at this photo, I see that one of my next projects needs to be to tackle all that junk on the bookcase behind the chair ;)

Here is a close-up photo of the organza bow with little cherub earring decoration. I really wanted some big, gaudy rhinestone brooches in the bow centers, but didn't have any on hand.

Has my creative funk lifted? I sure hope so...

Sick Kids...Creative Funk...

Not much going on besides sick kids and my creativity being in a funk.  I did manage to ~finally~ get this blog into a 3-column layout. I have hundreds of projects I want to try, a screen printing machine to figure out, dolls to play with, more redecoration projects for the office....but, it seems nothing is getting accomplished. I hope this funk will lift soon...

LISTEN!

Brother JB wants me to blog, so blog, Brother JB, I will ;) I <3 our local radio station...KRFC. I listen quite a bit, but almost always try to make time for Damaged Hearing with Louis Fowler on Tuesdays from 1pm to 3pm MT and The Rock & Roll Clubhouse with Brother JB on Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm MT. Louis makes me giggle (not to mention, what a hot genius he is ;) and Brother JB brings on the ROCK! Both guys make radio worth listening to! During the shows, we have a little party on FaceBook and that makes listening even more fun.

Check it out!  http://krfcfm.org/listen.php

Number, please?

Someone is ~always~ asking me for a phone number. Someone ~always~ expects me to drop whatever it is I am doing and find the number they want RIGHT NOW. Every time someone does this, I tell myself, "Make that phone list and slap it on the fridge!" Today, I decided to make that phone list. I spent too much time looking for a cute printable phone list on the web and came up with zilch. I decided to make my own. Feel free to print it out and end your someone's demands. I would love a little credit, if you decide to share it ;)

Click the photo above to download the PDF file.

April Fools!

This year, I was prepared to pull some April Fool pranks on the girls ;) I decided to add some fun to their school lunches. I cut an apple in half, cut out a "bite" and made a small hole. I stuck a couple gummy worms in the hole and one near the bite mark...

Next, I removed a granola bar from it's wrapper, put in a carrot and sealed it back with double sided tape.

I had also planned to make Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast, but forgot that Thing 2 had Student Council and had to be at school extra early. Maybe I'll do breakfast for dinner.

Happy April Fool's Day!