Inspired By a Gown

While trying to zero in on a style that my daughters would be happy with for a dress, I ran across a white, cotton,  summer gown that I fell in love with.    I've been working on my vow renewal dress and finally finished it.  The gown inspired me to make one from some scraps that I had left over from a shower curtain and some sheets.  

Here it is with my beautiful model....

I hand dyed the shower curtain and sheets to match my dress so that I could use pieces of it.  The embroidered lace with the scallops are what I used and had all of this left over.

I made it for me, so that's why it's so big on her...but it looks so cute frumpy.  I see a photo shoot soon in a field of flowers!

The sheer, gauzey fabric was sewn in on the side...it gave some pretty detail.

You can see the button holes for the shower hooks here on the pockets.  I want to find some pretty ribbon and tie blousey bows to them.  

I'm pretty happy with how this little piece turned out....just like I saw in my head!

I have more fun making slipcovers and such rather than clothes...but I could do this type of clothing any day!

Cleaning Windows

Some days are the absolute pits.  When those days come, I find myself working to keep my mind from dwelling on the negative.  I definitely talk to God the whole time too. 

We just recently got some news last week that wasn't what I wanted to hear.  Our youngest had some blood work done to test her for Celiac Disease and Diabetes.  Thankfully her sugar was normal but her celiac test came back fairly high and her endo said it pretty much confirms it.  But the only way that it can be 100% confirmed  is either by another blood test that tells if she has the predisposition gene or a biopsy of her small intestines.  She decided that she didn't want that and I have to agree.  She would have to eat foods with gluten before the biopsy could be done.  She feels horrible when she eats gluten, so there is no way I'm putting her through anymore.  Either way, she needs to be on a gluten free diet to feel better.  I'm still learning, so if any of you have this disease, I would love to hear your tale and what foods you eat.

So this is what I have been doing to drive the blues away!

Remember I told you all that I would figure out something else for this door?  Well, I did and am kinda proud of it!  I used some shutter closet doors that I took down to fill in the glass on the french doors.  This side of the door is stationary.  I also moved out the clunky chest of drawers too.

There's quite a bit of room at the foot of the bed.  Having the chest gone gives lots more of it! 

For awhile now, I have been wanting to try my hand at painting diamonds on a floor with pink and white.  This room used to have yellow walls and black and white furniture.  When we got the carpet, I picked it out to go with that color pallette.   The cutout was a dark wood linoleum.  It has been painted several times since I've went to pastels.  

My diamonds are free hand...not taped or drawn, so they are imperfect.  

But now I am in love!

This is a high traffic area, so I keep a rug down to catch muddy shoes and dirt.

Some day in the very near future, I am going to rip out this carpet and paint the floors!  I think pretty rugs would be perfect with this type of painted floor.

Then I added this old window to give a little division.  I love this even more!

This is where the cleaning windows part comes in.  I spent some time cleaning each pane of glass on this window wall.  Not an easy chore with keeping streaks at bay.  But it definitely kept my mind busy.

I added another window to our window wall too.

Now it goes all of the way to the ceiling.  I'm planning on adding some crown moulding to the top to finish it off and hide that the window wasn't quite straight.

I really am liking it!

It helps with the size of the large chair.

This is my chair now...I've since retired the other chair to the rest of the family, lol.  This chair fits my back and rump perfectly!

Today, as the sun shined, I sat and looked at how beautiful our home truly is.  The pastel colors, the brightness of it even when the sun is hiding and how warm and cozy it is.  It truly makes me feel comforted.  That's what a home is supposed to be...a comfort away from the rest of the cold, harsh world.  I feel God here...I've said many many prayers...I've cried many tears...but most importantly, I've felt love more.  I guess why I decorate the way I do, I am trying to convey that outwardly.  That's how shabby chic makes me feel....loved and at peace.  And who doesn't need that?!

Have a blessed Sunday and the rest of the week!

Always Something New

There is always something new going on here at our home....some hair brained idea I get in the middle of the night it seems.  My husband really loves it when I come up with something new to do.

(that was sarcasm)

Look closely and you'll see the doors that lead out to a bedroom/sitting room.  I always had to make room for the door to swing open and shut which drove me nuts...so much wasted space!

Well, I wanted to do a sliding barn door but after finding out how much the hardware cost, I came up with a cheap version.  Let's just say, I saved hundreds!

I bought a sliding door track kit and we made the existing door into a slider....it was so easy and cost around $30.  

I filled in the holes from the hardware with wood filler and used some door pulls to fill in the handle hole.  Leaving up the cornice hid the track perfectly!  I painted the glass so guests would have privacy since I couldn't put the curtains back up with it sliding now.

See the difference?  Now I have so much more room!

I used a cabinet I had to store our trash can and trash bags since the trash can used to be behind the china cabinet in the corner.   I had to rip out two bottom shelves to make room, but I still ended up with more storage!  If you haven't noticed by now, I have a fetish with hiding the not so pretty things.

To make the doors look different in the back room, I added this post.  It wasn't quite tall enough, so I added a block of wood underneath it.  I love the added charm!

The other side got some sheers and ruffled panels.  I wish I had one more pink shade like I made for the 6 windows a few years back.  It would make this look like window number 7!

But for now, it'll do until I come up with something else.  At least privacy is still offered, lol.

Remember when I redid the stairwell?  Well, we had some spindles and a hand rail left over.  So once again, I came up with how to use them. (nothing goes to waste) 

We still have to build the rest of it, but this facing the yard, looks beautiful  It needed something and this did the trick!  Once the flowers start blooming, it'll be even more beautiful!

Now, to this little pup....she has stolen out hearts!  She's growing like a weed and is soooo SMART!

This is the first time she saw herself in a mirror...just look at her studying herself.  I think she thought she looked pretty, don't you?

She loves to play fetch.  Over and over and over but most of all, she loves to be right by our sides, in our laps and being loved on.  And something that is wonderful....Louis loves her!  They romp and play so well together....now how's that for a dog and a cat being best friends?!  

He's the cat's meow!

I hope everyone is doing well.  I sure have been doing a lot of praying these past few weeks....more than normal.  Seems like so many are going through so much.  I do know one thing though....give it to God and He'll do the rest.