See!  Now, for the life of my I cannot find the link that had the quick instructions to make this, but I'll try to explain as best I can :)

Edited to add:  I found it!  Here is where I got the inspiration (and instructions):
http://hawkeyejlp.blogspot.com/2011/01/conversation-skirt.html 

1) sew the ties together from the end (V) to the top, slightly overlapping right over left and topstitching

2) determine the desired length of your skirt (I made Brylie's 11 1/2 inches knowing we'd wear things like tights and leggings underneath - make sure if you're making an elastic casing that you add those measurements to the length!) and cut

3) you can finish this off a couple of different ways - I chose to sew the first and last ties together as I did the rest of the skirt and then just sew a casing for elastic at the top.  You can also sew in a zipper between the first and last ties and finish the top of using the skinny end of another tie.

Okay, so I'm no sewing teacher, but I hope that all makes sense :)  If not feel free to give me a holler and I'll do my best to help you out!

I used 11 ties for Brylie's skirt (she wears a 5T) and it was perfect.  After posting these images on facebook I found out that the ties belonged to a good friend's father who passed away last fall - she had just taken a boat load of them to the thrift store just a few days before I went in and got them!  hehe

Anyway, I'm finding more and more things you can make with old ties, but this is by far my favorite!  I think I'll look for some black and gold ties (our local school colors), make a longer skirt and not sew them all the way down so that they're "flappy" and have some movement!  Fun!

I'm linking up to..........
















Thanks for visiting!

This project was done out of necessity.  You see, the previous owners installed this really ugly, nasty AC unit INTO the wall (I don't just mean set in there - like we'll have to tear the wall apart to get the dumb thing out, ugh).  It's not functional anymore, but I really don't like looking at it.  When I redid the family room, I moved the piano to that wall, but knew I needed something to conceal that eye sore.  I eyed this huge frame (all but the length of the piano) for weeks at the thrift store before I finally gave in.  I put a piece of backing from a bookshelf (cut to fit) in and spray painted it all.  Then I created a "book wreath" from music pages (also from the thrift) instead of book pages and hung it in the middle!  I set it up on the piano and wahlah!

PS - my leaning candle is sitting on a candle holder I made from a candle stick holder and some pretty ashtrays!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Lisa's {Cutlery Caddy} over at {Recaptured Charm}:

So when I spotted a silverware caddy like this at a sale last fall I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do with it!

source

All it took was some Dover White spray paint and a little sandpaper to spiff it up!  I had a drawer pull that I'd picked up years ago - gorgeous rust on it even!  I put it on with a printed silverware label and here's what she looks like now!




Not only is it super simple to just tote to the table or set out if we're doing buffet style, but it also freed up a kitchen drawer!

Another fun accessory I did just recently for the kitchen was a new paper towel holder.  I can't find where I saw this at (please message me if you know so that I can give proper credit!) but it pretty much just required an old 60s/70s lamp, the kind with the big colored glass bowl thingies that are sitting on a metal base.  Simply take the lamp apart, slide your paper towels on!  Depending on how your lamp is, sometimes you can use the nice finial on the top - I just took the mid part of the lamp and used it:

I fell in love with farmhouse tables, and my love for them only grew as I saw ladies transforming them with dark stain on top and white(ish) painted legs and apron that have been distressed.  So I started my hunt for the perfect table at the perfect price.  It wasn't too long when I came across this on craigslist:

That was the picture on the ad.  And guess what she wanted for it?!?!?!  $25!!!!  Just my kind of deal!  The top was REALLY rough - paint, glitter glue, and spills amongst other stains and damage.  But you know me, I don't want things that look new, so it was perfect!

Let me tell you, this things is HEAVY!!!  Even just carrying around one of the legs is HEAVY.  It's solid oak - it'll be around for a loooooong time!

And here she is, just as I envisioned her:

I am SO excited to share this one with you!

I fell in love with Hoosier cabinets last summer and asked my parents to keep their eyes open for one at auctions.  It was looking pretty grim though - they're rarely found in these parts, and if they are, they're $$$.  I started looking for other cabinets to fill the niche in my dining room, but none of them fit the bill - until I saw this beauty on the online classifieds -- a Hoosier, for $70!!!:

Okay, it wasn't quite so beautiful - yet!  I saw all of it's awesome potential - even though she had been cut in two.  The top had been hung on the shed wall (with peeling paint and warped oak veneer), the bottom had received a new "top" of shelves, which I liked, even though they were not original.  The drawers were, for the most part, in great shape - even the tin drawer that had been used to store flour in her glory days.  Overall the pull out enamel "counter" was good too! 

This was a piece that had been dearly loved by several generations, but it was time for a new family - and that starts with me!  My dad happened to be driving by the town that this was located (1 1/2 hours away) and asked if I wanted to hitch a ride and get it - um, duh!  hehe!  Mom and Dad also contributed to the cost of it for my birthday and I cannot think of a present I would have rather had! {as I'm typing this and recalling the events I'm getting all giddy again!}  We had a wonderful time visiting with the owner's daughter (she was cleaning out her parents' home) and all of us "junk lovers" had a great time digging in the attic (you should see the banister and spindles I got out of there!  another post..........) and imagining what things could be.

Needless to say we loaded this baby up and we were off!  I knew immediately that the veneer was too damaged to repair (and I know nothing about replacing veneer) so I decided I would sand and repaint it.  Knowing I'd be removing the panels that had the veneer on them, I tossed around a few ideas of putting in chicken wire or bead board, but the suggestion was made to use some hail screen.  Just so happened my grandpa had some he wasn't using anymore, and sent it back home with my dad -- it was PERFECT!!!  I did have to add bead board to the back of the top section, however, as the back that was on there was all but dust.

The bottom didn't take much work at all - just some sanding to get off the loose paint and then the entire piece got a few coats of Cashmere (Kilz) paint.  After all was painted I brought it inside and aged the piece (I wouldn't want it to look too shiny and new!).  Using my palm sander I roughed up the edges and hardware, then did some spot applications of a dark walnut stain to bring out the rough parts (you can see on the top section where the previous green peeks through a bit - love it!).  You can click on any image to enlarge it.



I could not be happier with my dear Hoosier!  I love playing with the accessories in it, and just simply seeing the transformation.  Renee, I hope seeing it's new home warms your heart :)  I truly love it!

I'm playing catch-up today, posting some projects that I did a few months ago but hadn't photographed or shared yet :)

In late summer I came across a pile of windows where some gentlemen were replacing every.single.window in a home.  After passing it twice, I decided to stop and ask if I could have them, and they quickly gave me all ELEVEN windows!!!  I was SO excited (and Mike was NOT happy, lol)!  This particular window has a small ledge on it, perfect for accessorizing!  I've been trying to figure out something to put on this wall in the dining room that didn't stick out too far and this was PERFECT!

All I did was wash it up a bit (not too much - I wanted the gruff-ness to still be there!) and use the Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot software to cut the script from my favorite fonts!

We screwed it into a stud on one side and used a good anchor on the other side - that baby's not going anywhere!

I decided early last week that (with the exception of a few purchased gifts at Christmas) I wanted all of the gifts we give this year to be handmade.  (Shhhhh, this gives me an excuse to craft!)  Anyway, so when our youngest got invited to a birthday party this week I was all on it!

Using tutorials from {Twelve Crafts Till Christmas} HERE and HERE and the cute flower puffs from {Trey and Lucy}  (via {Ucreate}) I made these two adorable headbands!

And since this little girl is such a girly girl, I made her a sweet little necklace from THIS tutorial on {The Idea Room}.  I just love how simple and cute these necklaces are (and personal too!).

A friend of mine, Jill, served this recipe at a Mom's Night Out gift exchange we had in December, and I was instantly hooked!  SO EASY and quite addictive, it's probably best doubled ;)  I enjoy it with WheatThins but plan to try it with cubes of {Beer Bread} next time!

I love the idea of this plate shared by {My Repurposed Life}:

Wonder who I'll "Make It Forward" to first? ;)

That is my word for 2011...........intentional..........I'm ready to live life on purpose. I'm starting with making a daily docket from {Money Saving Mom} that includes a reminder to drink my water & exercise, a place for the day's menu, chores that need to be done that day, and more!  I've also purchased the e-book {Tell Your Time:  How to Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Fulfilled} .  Michelle Connolly (the Get Organized Wizard) is also offering a free download of her {2011 Goals & Priorities Diary} just for "liking" her Facebook page!

New year.......new blog.........new projects........2011 is going to be a GREAT year! I hope you'll ride along with me!