23 October 2011

Getting it all together

So, I thought that life would get back to normal after the wedding.

Ha. "Normal" got a lot more busy than I remember.

There is so much to do, I can’t even map out my thoughts to tell you about it! But this is what I know:
        I have three costumes to finish by Saturday night (one of which requires a yarn wig made from a knit hat, which I’m making).
        I need to get 3 baby shower gifts together over the next three weeks. Setting the bar with baby diaper cupcakes was such a bad idea.
        There are two product parties coming, with stuff I really, really want and can’t have, unless I find a job.
        If I don’t deal with the large pile of linens I have left over from the wedding, the will “magically appear” outside on trash day.
        Thank you cards need to go out, like, yesterday.
        The kid and Ricklet have to have a lunch every morning, and the Kid has to be picked up 4 days a week from football.

I need more coffee in my life.

I have managed to get a project together to share.

~~~
Side Tables with Runners

If you’re anything like me, you have very little space and keep a lot of stuff next to your bed. The best fix I found was a 31” shelf-in-a-box on each side of the bed: perfect height and plenty of shelves. The problem is the either have loud doors (not good at 3a.m. when your significant other is sleeping) or they are open for all your crap to spill out on the floor, not to mention being an eye-sore.

They have pop-out fabric drawers that you can put in them. But I have two issues with those: 1. They look a little young and messy. 2. It is way too easy to turn that in to yet another junk drawer. So now we need a cover, and it needs to be a cover that is sleek, easy to get under, easy to clean, and (Ricklet’s special request) won’t slide around the top. So… Runners win.

Before I get in to the (very easy) “How To”, here is what I’m getting at:


Go from BEFORE                   to AFTER    
~~~

WARNING: This explanation is for those who don’t currently know how to sew.

For a 31” shelf you will need:

Fabric – at least 13”x44” (try craft fabric - about $2 at A.C. Moore)
Fabric pins
Sewing needle
Thread that matches your fabric
An iron
A pencil

Start by hemming the long sides. You will fold it over ½ an inch and pin it down every few inches. Iron it down. Repeat so it is now 3-ply for ½ inch on each side. Yes, iron twice! Stitch hem ¼ inch from edge.


Now, on one of the short sides follow the same steps, only instead of a ½ inch, go with ¼ inch or as small as you can. This part won’t show, so don’t fret too much. Just try to make it square.

Now, you are going to sew the pencil in to the other end to help weight it down and keep it from flapping around. Fold the fabric over once about ¼ inch, pin and iron. Roll the pencil in fabric once, and pin it like you did the hem. Slip out the pencil and iron. Sew the hem without the pencil in it, making sure not to sew the ends shut. You should be able to slip the pencil in and out easily for cleaning.

This is how it looks with the pencil inside.
Now fit it to your shelf by tacking the non-pencil end to the back, making sure it stays straight down the front. You can also use Velcro in the front to tighten the top, just be sure to stitch it to the fabric.

Yay, done!

~~~

I also managed to work out that baking bug a bit, too. Check it out:

Yummy Banana Pudding with a double layer of vanilla wafers (because that is totally the best part)
Excellent Ovaltine Chocolate Cupcakes dusted with powdered sugar, espresso powder, and Ovaltine. They just didn’t need frosting, especially since mine turned to butter.






P.S. Check out our new "About Us" page, posted on Thursday.

3 comments:

Nicole @ orwhateveryoudo said...

Oh no! Your Ovaltine frosting turned to butter? Bummer! The cupcakes look great. I've never had that particular frosting break down before. I'll have to retest the recipe to make sure its accurate! Great post!

Chole said...

Oh no, I should have clarified. I didn't have powdered sugar, so I tried to make a mousse for the frosting. That turned to butter. I'll be trying your frosting now that I've gone to the grocery again.

Nicole @ OrWhateverYouDo said...

Ahhhh...gotcha! I think you will love it! I've never tried to do a mousse for frosting. It sounds delicious.

Sorry your computer died! We went mac a year or so ago, and they'll have to pry this thing out of my cold, dead hands. I LOVE it. Now I'm hooked. iMacs are great, and you can get refurbs from the apple site for a pretty substantial discount.