"D" is for Desk #4

Paint: desk refinished

This Pottery Barn desk went from dark to light:

I used Benjamin Moore soft chamois high gloss enamel:

A school friend had this Pottery Barn desk in rustic chestnut finish, previously in her son's bedroom:

But she recently moved to a new home and wanted to use the desk in her daughter's bedroom.
I stripped, primed and painted it to match her other bedroom furniture pieces.

Here's how I refinished the desk:

1. Strip off finish with Kwik Strip stripper:

Then sand, sand, sand.

All stripped:

2. Prime with Zinsser cover stain oil based primer.

Sand.

Paint two coats BM soft chamois high gloss enamel in 

(Color to match existing bedroom furniture.)

I used a combination of brush, smaller roller and sprayer, sanding in between coats.

I'm linking up to:

Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane

SAS @ Funky Junk

Sister Sunday @ Sisters of the Wild West

Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative

DIY Fall Festival @ The DIY Showoff

Nifty Thrifty @ Coastal Charm

Tuesday Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tutorials & Tips Tuesday @ Home Stories A to Z

Good Life @ A Beach Cottage

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple

Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue

Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

SAS @ Just a Girl

Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage

Remodelaholics Anonymous @ Remodelaholic

inspiration board @ Carolyns Homework
All Things Furniture @ Perfectly Imperfect
Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
POWW @ Primitive & Proper

"B" is for Bunk Beds #4

Build: doll bunk beds

A special order for a school friend, this time painted in white with purple patchwork bedding:

I used Ana White's plans here.

The build is fairly simple, just a lot of pieces, I definitely recommend going the pocket hole route with the Kreg jig since it keeps the joins square.

Then prime and painted two coats semi gloss white.

The mattresses are 1" foam wrapped in quilt batting then covered in white cotton sewn shut:

The quilts are 3" squares quilted on the diagonal:

And altogether you have a very fun present for a young girl:

I'm linking up to:

Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane

SAS @ Funky Junk

Sister Sunday @ Sisters of the Wild West

Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative

DIY Fall Festival @ The DIY Showoff

Nifty Thrifty @ Coastal Charm

Tuesday Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tutorials & Tips Tuesday @ Home Stories A to Z

Good Life @ A Beach Cottage

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple

Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue

Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

SAS @ Just a Girl

Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage

Remodelaholics Anonymous @ Remodelaholic

inspiration board @ Carolyns Homework
All Things Furniture @ Perfectly Imperfect
Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
POWW @ Primitive & Proper

"D" is for Dress #6

Sew: First Holy Communion dress

Girl #1 will be making her First Holy Communion soon so I made her dress:

A simple off-white satin tank style dress with a gathered skirt and an extra special waistband made from the jacket portion of my sister's wedding dress.

My sister, Aunt Eleni to my kids, generously offered the unused jacket portion of her wedding dress:

And I cut out the heavily beaded lace and embroidered portions to make this waistband:

I'll show you how I did it down below,

but first some more beauty shots.

The dress fits like a glove.

And the waistband is tied in a bow in the back:

Here are my girls (on the left and right) and their cousin (in the middle) at Aunt Eleni's wedding 2 years ago:

My girl #1 is over the moon to have part of her Aunt's wedding dress incorporated into her First Communion dress, such a special treat.

And yes we are missing the tights and veil but we're saving those for the big day.

Here's how I made the dress and waistband:

1. Construct the dress using Simplicity pattern #9497 view E.

I used off white satin fully lined with off white lining and a 16"white invisible zipper.

2. Clip off all the useable pieces from the wedding dress jacket:

3. To make the waistband stiff cut a 2.5" strip of heavy weight interfacing,

then cut 6" wide strip of satin.

(On the far right is 3" ribbon x 3 yards long.)

4. Wrap interfacing with satin, folding in raw edges and stitch closed:

5. Find center of ribbon and layout decorative pieces:

6. Pin in place, working one piece at a time and tack stitch from back:

7. Fill ribbon with embellishment then place on top of satin covered interfacing and straight stitch at back on top and bottom edges:

8. Apply snaps to back of waistband and on dress to keep in place:

Ready to wear:

A lovely way to make a one of a kind First Holy Communion dress.

Thank you Aunt Eleni!

I'm linking up to:

Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane

SAS @ Funky Junk

Weekend Wrap Up @ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop @ I Heart Naptime

Sister Sunday @ Sisters of the Wild West

Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table & Dreaming

Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative

DIY Project Parade @ The DIY Showoff

Made by You Mondays @ Skip to My Lou

Making the World Cuter @ Making the World Cuter

Nifty Thrifty @ Coastal Charm

Tuesday Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tutorials & Tips Tuesday @ Home Stories A to Z

Good Life @ A Beach Cottage

Delightfully Inspiring @ Delightful Order

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple

Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue

Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Tickled Pink @ 504 Main

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

SAS @ Just a Girl

Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage

Remodelaholics Anonymous @ Remodelaholic

inspiration board @ Carolyns Homework
Textiles @ Freckled Laundry

"G" is for Garland

Craft: Cinco de Mayo flower garland

Pink plastic tablecloth covering made into pleated flowers with paper umbrellas for the centers:

Girl #1 will be making her First Holy Communion this Spring and it happens to fall on May 5th - Cinco de Mayo - so her party will be a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Here's how I made the garland:

1. Use plastic tablecloth cover (I had leftover from a previous party).

Cut 6" wide strips:

2. Fold the strip fan style - back and forth:

3. Secure one end with a binder clip and trim the other end to a point:

4. Remove the binder clip and using a needle with carpet thread go through all the folds:

5. Tie a secure knot in the thread:

6. Repeat the process and make a lot of flowers:

7. Use double stick tape and secure the two open ends.

Cut a 2" cardboard circle and punch a hole in the center:

8. Hot glue cardboard circle to the back:

9. Open the paper umbrella:

10. Stick the umbrella through front of flower and down through hole in cardboard circle:

11. Use a dab of hot glue on the umbrella stick, once dry break off the excess stick:

12. Using clear monofilament line make a sandwich with two flowers and hot glue the line in between the cardboard circle, keep the line in the upper third of the circles in order for the flowers to hang down with gravity:

13. Apply small command hooks in the corner:

Knot the line and hang your garland:

The view from the back is completely different because of the light:

Let the fiesta begin!

I'm linking up to:

DIY Talent Parade @ Pretty Handy Girl

Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane

SAS @ Funky Junk

Weekend Wrap Up @ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop @ I Heart Naptime

Sister Sunday @ Sisters of the Wild West

Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table & Dreaming

Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative

DIY Project Parade @ The DIY Showoff

Made by You Mondays @ Skip to My Lou

Making the World Cuter @ Making the World Cuter

Nifty Thrifty @ Coastal Charm

Tuesday Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Tutorials & Tips Tuesday @ Home Stories A to Z

Good Life @ A Beach Cottage

Delightfully Inspiring @ Delightful Order

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple

Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue

Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring

Tickled Pink @ 504 Main

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

SAS @ Just a Girl

Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage

Remodelaholics Anonymous @ Remodelaholic

inspiration board @ Carolyns Homework