Bedroom Redo in under $200

I previously posted here about my bedroom redo. Well, aside from curtains it's finally done! Here it is!




The pillows that inspired the change. The color is sooo beautiful in person.

Hydrangeas... my favorite

Relax...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Clear acrylic lamp from Target. Glass picture frame was a wedding gift from my mother in law. I love this metal cross my mom got me, and fresh blooms are the easiest and cheapest way to brighten up any room.


I did the whole thing in just under $200 dollars. How? TJMaxx! Seriously, I don't even think people know they sell home furnishings, but they do and they're amazing {and cheap!} I swear half the time I'm at Pier 1 Imports or West Elm I find stuff I've seen before at TJMaxx.
Seafoam throw pillows: DKNY $20. each
White bedspread: $49.
White {super soft} sheet set: $29.
Crystal sphere vases: $2.99 each
3 Mirror picture frames (not pictured): $1. each from dollar store
Clear square lamp: $25. from Target
Huge Mirror on wall: $29.
Soft throw at end of bed: $5.99 from Ross

So there you have it! I'm loving the new fresh breezy feel and Danny is a big fan of the change too! Now I better go get to that bed. Goodnight!

First Pumpkin Patch!

Today was our first trip to the pumpkin patch!
And by "our" I mean me too! I'm pretty sure picking out a pumpkin was always done from the bin at the grocery store (and I gotta admit, that's where this year's pumpkins came from) but I wanted Sam to experience an actual pumpkin patch, something I'm sure he'll appreciate more when he's a bit older. All he really cared about today were the birds... in the sky.
None the less, today was a family fun day, and this time of year just reminds me of how lucky I am to have my two handsome fellas!

Mommy's little tough guy!

Farmer Sam!

Attempting a family photo...

Bedroom Redo Preview

I redid our bedroom last night.
Yes, in one night I did a complete {simplified} overhaul.
Danny's been away for a week on business so I wanted to surprise him when he came home, so I had exactly one night to get everything pulled together.
I've come to terms with the fact that I have color ADD and can't seem to stay happy with one color scheme for too long. To solve this, I'm doing all major pieces in neutral whites, grays and tans so when I get sick of a color, or when the seasons change, all I have to do is swap out the accessories for a new room.
Anyway, back to the bedroom...It's not that the room was bad before, it was actually quite pretty. But I've always used dark and bold colors in my decor and lately I've been wanting clean whites and crisp airy colors. Next up is the living room which will incorporate the same color palate, and then the office which will be similar. I'm hoping it will give the house a fresh open feel.

Here's the "Before"... "After" pictures posted soon...

How to make Poms

I saw these adorable little things at my friend Alana's wedding (hey Alana!) and had to know where she got them. Turns out, she had made them! So I invited her over for girl time and we got to work making some and turns out they're super easy and cheap! She got hers from Martha Stewart's line but they are so much cheaper done this way. Sorry for the bad quality photos! Here's the recipe...
What you'll need:
Scissors
Craft wire (I used green floral wire- doesn't matter- you wont see it)
Pack of tissue paper

(You can also staple the center instead of using craft wire- just make sure you have room to tie the string around the base of the pom so you can hang it.)

Lay out your tissue paper pack

Cut the long sides in a rounded wave pattern

Do an accordion fold. Start on the short (straight) side. Your waves should be on the sides.

Twist wire around the middle of the accordion fold, leaving the ends about 5 inches. This is where you will hold and hang the poof.

Now pull pieces of tissue paper apart.

Repeat on other side until all sheets of tissue paper are separated.

You're done! Now get some string and hang those pretty babies!

These would be so cute in a kid's room or as decoration for a party. You can really get creative with the colors, even mix them up to your liking. 

Ball jar pincushion Tutorial

Want to make a personalized pincushion that doubles as a storage jar? It's super easy. Let's go!

Here's what you'll need:
Fabric
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Cotton balls
Cardstock in color of choice
Small mason jar

Trace the inside of the lid on the cardstock. Set aside.

Trace lid again of backside of fabric. Cut out, leaving one inch around circumference.

Layer like so... fabric right side down, cotton balls, metal lid.

Push through lid opening. Rearrange cotton balls until you get a shape you like. (The more cotton balls, the bigger the cushion.)

Hot glue the fabric poking out down to the inside of the lid. Then hot glue cardstock on top of that to give it a clean look.

You're done! In the bottom of mine I have pins and needles but if you're giving as a gift candy would be a cute idea. Anything works!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's 58th birthday! She suffered a stroke about 6 years ago so we're lucky to have her! It makes every birthday a little more special. My mom, always afraid of being a burden or imposing, insisted it was "just another day" and didn't want to do anything but we finally convinced her to let us take her to lunch at Red Lobster... real fancy right? All she wanted for her birthday was for me to make her a Christmas ribbon wreath so I've gotta get on that! I can't believe how fast Christmas is sneaking up on us this year! Yikes!

Sam entertaining us on our way to lunch

On deck!

I'm all about the assembly line. Some days I don't feel like turning on the machine so instead I pre-cut my fabric and interfacing, iron them together, and sort them into nifty boxes by their dimensions (each product calls for different sized fabric cuts) so that when I want to sew them together I grab 'em, lay 'em out, and they look something like this:

These are what turned into the checkbook covers I made this weekend. Sometimes I find that if I have pieces pre-cut I'm more likely to choose a funky color combo that I wouldn't otherwise think to put together, but because I can see so many different fabrics next to each other it really inspires me!
Anyway, back to work cutting AND sewing more stuff tonight. Happy Monday!

Pocket Notebook Prototype

If you remember here I found these adorable little bite-sized notebooks perfect for a back pocket or purse, and I was making notebook cover prototypes for a perfect fit for the little fellows. Here is my progress so far... It fits, but I might add a button/elastic closure to it so it stays closed.

Checkbook Covers

Here's what I got accomplished this weekend. These checkbook covers will be coming with me to the TAPS lunchtime boutique at the end of November and wont be sold online. But if they get positive feedback I'll make more of the same.
The hubster has become quite the ruffle police, making sure to tell me if any ruffles are the slightest bit crooked. I've since changed the way I make my ruffles, a way the ruffle police approves of. I am the type of person who likes the quirky things that make handmade things look handmade, like a slightly crooked ruffle. But with this new way of doing them I'm afraid they're coming out pretty straight. We'll see what happens at the lunchtime boutique! I'm excited for the feedback and the experience. Until then, I'll be plugging away more hours in my Creation Station.

I ♥ New Fabric!

I'm so sew

excited because today I got some new fabric and it is seriously amazing. The photos above are just a taste. The sky's the limit with these bold colors and funky prints. I found THE best place to buy my fabric, and I don't even have to order it online! This particular fabric mecca carries all the designer bolts my little heart desires, and the best part is no shipping and handling! Score! I'm keeping my fabulous fabric find a secret for now. I don't want any Phoenix-based sewers buying up all my favorite prints!
I'm hoping today will produce lots of checkbook covers and pouches, although I haven't been as motivated with the pouches lately. They're super cute, but working out the kinks is frustrating when you're wasting zippers. I FINALLY got my checkbook covers perfected, although now I have lots of imperfect prototypes I don't know what to do with :(
For now I'll just have to keep plugging away at getting it all just right BUT I'm not cutting into this sweet new stuff unless I'm making something perfect. It's just too tasty.

How cute are these little guys?!

I was out today getting some composition notebooks for my next sewing venture: covered notebooks, when I came across these adorable little pocket versions! I don't know why these little fellows make me so happy, but I spent all night tweaking and measuring the perfect fit for them. Tomorrow will be a busy day trying out the prototypes. Stay tuned! Pictures soon!

Summer Favorites

Today I revamped my blog {again}. And in doing the banner, I chose a couple photos of my new sewn stuff, but the picture at the end is one of my all time favorites, and sort of inspired the name Whimsy Lane.

I'm from Michigan and was so happy to get the chance to go back this summer and bring hubby and Sam- both of whom have never been to the midwest! My aunt and uncle have a beach house in Ludington, which is one of my favorite cities ever. Every single house in Ludington has hydrangeas in the front, and the cutest wraparound porches and the sweetest people. It's just a really cozy town, like out of a movie.
This photo was taken on a walk to the beach. The green-lined street reminds me so much of Michigan, and I love how whimsical and beautiful the street is. Many homes in Michigan suburbs have back roads like this behind the houses, and I can remember dancing in the one behind our house growing up. It's one of my all time favorites!
This one is from the same trip. It's Danny holding Sam and I just love the look of it. It is sitting in a frame on my night stand.

This is our wedding photo! Danny's and my journey started when I was 15, but at the ripe ol age of 26 we finally got hitched. We did everything backward: had a baby, bought a house, and THEN got married. No big fancy wedding necessary- this day was about finally being his wife. We went to the courhouse with family then drove to Vegas that night with friends for what I call our "wedding weekend extravaganza". This was my favorite photo from that day. Our little family :)

Bathtime!

Sam is finally starting to like baths! We usually give him one every other night but last night he had a very messy dinner and actually asked for one! "Bas! bas!" he said, so I gave him one and he didn't want to get out! He kept squatting down into the water and tooting which he though was hilarious. Boys!

New Stuff!

I had a busy day today. Since we're on fall break I decided to use my time wisely {for once!} and get some stuff made. Today I worked on checkbook covers, tomorrow will be more pouches and I may even crack open a new prototype if I'm feeling ambitious, {and if Sam's napping allows}. Here's some of the newbies I made. My shop's not open yet- for now I'm trying to make enough inventory to show at a craft boutique hopefully slated for November. Once I get enough stuff made, I will open the shop.