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Yay - I'm back - and with a new headboard!!

So - I am finally back! I took a week off to get caught up on projects and photo shoots and let me tell ya - I missed my little blog like crazy...

I was finally able to finish my headboard and we absolutely love it!

Here is a sneak peek of the finished job:


This was another really easy project (I got a little help from my Granddad) that only took an hour or so to complete.

After measuring the space where the headboard would go I had my Granddad cut a piece of MDF. I needed something besides batting to pad it so I found an old egg crate mattress pad thingy and cut it to fit the MDF. Then I just spray glued it into place! After that I attached batting by stretching it around and stapling it to the back of the MDF.


Then I wrapped the white fabric around the whole thing and stapled it in place - and voila! It turned out to be sturdy enough that I didn't have to mount it to the wall - so that was a plus!


Here is a list of the supplies I used:

MDF - cut by my Granddad but if you usually can get it cut at the place you buy it
Spray Glue
Staple Gun
padding/batting
fabric

I already had everything except the fabric which I got in the clearance section at Hancock Fabric's for $2.00!





I'll Be Back...

Hey Guys!

I've got a few emails wondering where I have been this week...Thanks for all of the kind words and concern - I have some really awesome followers! I am just taking the week off to catch up on a few projects and things. My photography business has really taken off within the past few weeks and that paired with a tough week at school I had to make a decision to take a vacation from something. Just a week long vacation though - I can't stay away any longer than that!

So keep an eye out for all the new stuff and head over to my photography website to check out all of the new stuff! wwww.hicks-photography.com

Thanks and I'll be back...


yada yada

So...we just got back from visiting my husband's mother in Michigan and I have had to do a ton of homework to catch back up and I just haven't had time to photograph any of my completed stuff (that and I haven't got anything completed this week). So I thought I would delight you with an almost finished project.

My granddad had a huge cabinet in storage that was just begging for me to rescue it. We were in desperate need for extra coat and linen storage and thought that it would be perfect.

Here is the before:


Notice how absolutely lovely it was...yucky. We had to saw part of the bottom and top off, sand it for hours, turn the doors around, put new sides on it, clean it, clean it some more, and finally prime and paint it.

This is what it currently looks like (sorry for the bad photos - I had to use a flash and they are cropped weird because of something else I am working on - for another project):


It's not quite done yet - notice the leg thingies on the bottom and the left door needs adjusting so that it will stay closed, and for some reason there is only 2 hinges on one side.

And this is what it looks like on the inside:


The reason for the close crop is because the insides of the doors are going to be revealed later on for another project feature!

It holds oodles and oodles of pillows (some really ugly ones that are about to be covered), 90% of my purses, coats, sheets, blankets, and more. Not quite gorgeous yet but definitely on its way!

Blog Swap with Simply Designing!

Hey everybody! Today I am doing a blogswap with the awesome Ashley from Simply Designing! Head on over to her blog and check out my post there!!




Hello!!  I am so excited to be guest blogging here at Made by Stephie!  I always love a good blog swap! 



Isn't this just a great blog?!  I am so honored to be here and I really hope I don't mess it up :-)



Simply Designing


I am Ashley, the face and voice behind Simply Designing!  I am fairly new to blogland but am loving every minute of it!  I am an interior designer and a floral designer.  I own my own business.  I also love to dabble in crafts, baby / child items, sewing, baking, cake decorating and a variety of other things.  I love finding ways to make my life more SIMPLE! 

I enjoy keeping busy and I have a list a mile long of "projects" I want to do.  And I love posting about my projects on my blog!

In addition, I am a wife to a wonderful husband and a mom of a 3.5 year old spunky little girl and a sweet cuddly 6 week old little boy!  So much fun!

Oh.  And in my spare time (ha!) I am attempting to open and then promote an Etsy shop.  It is a slow process for me, but I am enjoying that too.  (Go check it out if you don't mind!)

Ok.  Now.  On to the GOOD stuff! 

I am so excited to be guest posting here today.  I am actually going to show off a tutorial that has been one of my most popular tutorials!  It is so much fun!  I just love it!



I wanted to share with you my tutorial for making simple, but the best EVER, Burp Cloths!



I made similar ones to these for my daughter but also received a myriad of other burp cloths at her baby shower. These were by far the most functional and the cutest!

I recently made some in anticipation of our son’s arrival (he was born February 22nd!), so these are more “boy” oriented ones, but you can obviously use any prints you want to.

I was lucky and found my fabric on a 50% off sale! Then I had a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase, even sale items. So, I figured my cost was 80 cents per burp cloth! (Plus the thread costs, but since we didn’t need to buy new thread…).

So not only are they the best burp cloths, they are also the cheapest!

Here is what you will need:



• Brown paper grocery store bag to make a pattern with (or, if you don't want to make your own template, go here to purchase a template!)

• Ruler

• Pencil/Pen

• Scissors for paper

Fabric Pins

Fabric scissors

• 1/3 yard flannel fabric per burp cloth (44”-45” wide fabric) (Flannel is the key here, so don’t buy cotton fabric. Spit up will just run off of cotton burp cloths and/or soak through to your clothes. Ew. The flannel fabric will absorb the spit up and they actually work better after each washing!)

• Matching or contrasting thread (4 spools of each color)

• A serger, or someone who loves you who owns a serger and is willing to sew a bit for you



Step 1: Prewash your fabrics



I know it is not a lot of fun, and I accidently left my flannels in the dryer too long and they became entangled and wrinkly (Yes, I then had to iron them before I could cut them out…don’t make that mistake!), but prewash your flannel fabrics. You will be SO happy you did this!



If you don’t, they will shrink and cause the edges of your burp cloths to become wavy and then your burp cloths will not look nearly as good and, if you are like me, you will want to iron your burp cloths, which really is a ridiculous thing to have to do.



So please, avoid the heartache and prewash all your flannels before you get started!



Step 2: Create your Pattern!



(or skip this step and buy one)



Use the following dimensions and photograph to sketch out your burp cloth pattern on to an open brown paper grocery bag.



This does not have to be perfect, but try to get it as symmetrical as possible. However, remember that you will be serging around these so that will make up for some discrepancy in this step.



Once you have the pattern sketches on the bag, cut it out.



Length: 19.5"

Width middle:  7.25"

Width (widest point):  10.5"







Step 3: Cut the burp cloths



Fold your fabric in half. You will be cutting two burp cloth sides at a time. These burp cloths are double sided and made with 2 pieces of flannel each. (1/3 yard fabric yields 2 burp cloths sides).



If you are really adventurous, you can put two, folded fabric pieces together and cut four sides at a time. However, if you try this, be sure to pay attention that the pattern fits in all directions on all fabric layers otherwise you may end up with a short burp cloth in there. Oops.



Pin the pattern to both thicknesses of flannel and cut!



I like to cut all my burp cloths at the same time before moving on.



Step 4: Decisions, decisions, decisions…pair your burp cloths



Decide how to pair your fabrics. You will use two flannel pieces to make one burp cloth. You can, of course, use the same pattern for both sides of the burp cloth, but I like to mix mine up!



You get 2 flannel sides out of 1/3 of fabric. So, if you choose 2 different fabrics, you will have 4 sides which means you can use one fabric for the front and one fabric for the back and you would have 2 matching burp cloths. (does that makes senses?)



Once you have figured out your pairing, place both sides, right-side out together.





Step 5: Serge



Ok, well I fall into the group who does not own a serger (but I have one I am eyeing so hopefully soon!). But I do know someone to owns a serger so I enlisted help for the final step of this project: serging the edges together!



With wrong sides together (right sides out), serge around the outside edge in either a matching, complementing, or contrasting color of thread, your choice!



(You can also finish these off using binding, sewing wrong sides together and flipping right side out or any other way you can imagine!  I just like the look and the simplicity of doing a serged edge!)




Step 6: Use and Wash…or give away!



Use these burp cloths often and wash them to death! They will absorb better after each wash!  Or make to give away as baby gifts!




And that's how it's done wonderful Made by Stephie readers!  Simple, but the best EVER, burp cloths!



Stop by my place if you have a moment and check out my blog.  I love to get new visitors and new followers!  And, you can check out Stephie's blog swap post there too!







Thank you so much for letting me come by and share my tutorial with you! 



Happy Designing!

Ashley

Apothecary Spice Jars

I don't know if I should classify this under DIY or so easy a cave man could do it...? I am addicted to Apothecary jars or all shapes and sizes - but I am especially drawn to the "candy dish" sized. Every time I go to Goodwill I come home with at least one. After most of them sat around for weeks collecting dust I finally decided that I needed to do something with them. SO - I turned them in to spice jars!





I doesn't get much easier than this!

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