What? It's only been 6 months since my last post...  Okay, yeah it's been awhile.  Mostly it's because I became the only person in my office at work and got super busy.  And also I'm lazy.

I actually got a case of social media overload too.  I've recently deleted Facebook from my phone which has helped me be more present at home (sad to say).  Sad that I wasn't more present before not that I have to be present now. LOL  Anyway, I recommend it.  Positive change, personal growth, yay!  Daniel (hubby) was very shocked and excited that I deleted Candy Crush also. 

Last progress blog post (titled "6 Months Later..." fitting) I was writing about my Master Bath improvements and posted some "before" pics.  I will take pictures tonight, I promise!  We painted, did our baseboards, and hung curtains and a valance.  There are 2 pieces of art I still need to hang but you'll get the idea.  ;)  I love it.  Didn't spend a ton of money either which is a nice bonus.

Still have yet to do our kitchen backsplash and recently started landscaping our front yard which has been a dirt lot for the past few months.  To say we have project A.D.D. is an understatement. Haha

Here's a "before" pic of the yard back in all it's grassy glory *sigh*:


And here is the current state:


 It's hard to tell from the pictures but there were Hydrangeas in front of the porch but they kept getting scorched to death.  So we pulled those out awhile ago and put 3 rose bushes in instead.  Which yield these beauties:


Anyhoo, that is basically what's been going on with us.  I'll post again sooner rather than later next time.

Ta-ta for now!
♥ Holly ♥ 

Okay, maybe "revolutionary" is an overstatement... But! I haven't seen one on Pinterest done this way.  I've seen several posts for DIY Pelmet boxes or Cornice boxes, whatever you wanna call it.  It's for the window and it looks pretty, okay?  Anyway, I've seen some using boards and even some using foam core, but I've never seen anyone use cardboard!

Bam!

And just to be clear, that is cardboard covered with batting and fabric.  Here's how it went down.

Big, beautiful pieces of cardboard that I snagged from work. They were scheduled to be destroyed. ;)

Most of my supplies.  I added duct tape and Krazy Glue later.

You're probably aware that I try to spend the least amount of money or no money if possible on my projects.  Our budget just won't allow for spending on frivolous things like home decor.  So I've been forced to scour Pinterest for hours on end looking for DIY projects to tackle and coming up with a few of my own.  This particular project cost me ZERO dollars.  Of course some of these things, like the spray adhesive, batting and the Velcro, were purchased at some point over the past two years, but who's counting that.

First off, I had to measure the existing plastic window casings.  That thing at the top...

Don't you love my "apartment style" blinds. :P They came with the house.  They originally had these gawd-awful white lace curtains over them.

So I measured that, front and sides, totaled it up and went to measure out a piece of my cardboard to that length.

Marked it with a sharpie.

Then used my handy dandy box cutter to cut the line.

Used my first piece as a template to cut the other two.

I have 3 windows that size and two more larger windows.  I'll have to really rig the bigger ones but I'll do those later this week and post an update later.  I over cut these pieces just to be sure I had enough.  Then I put the pieces up to the window to double check the fit.

It's tough doing projects by your self. lol  Luckily I had this clip.  I put it up to check that I liked the scale of it.

Then I marked where my first bend would go.

I put the level on the line so I would get a nice straight bend.  I also lightly scored it with the box cutter so it would bend more easily.

After that I put it back up to check the other side, mark it and cut off the excess cardboard.

Voila!  Cardboard Pelmet box.

Next step was to cover it with batting, then the fabric.  I was probably a little impatient on these steps because I just couldn't wait to see the finished product.  I'll show you what I did but note that I have a better idea for the future boxes.  I forgot that I have this super sticky double sided tape that I will employ instead of the spray adhesive and duct tape.  Man the back of this sucker is ugly! lol  Luckily you don't see that when it's up.

I used the spray adhesive to attach the batting.  I just sprayed the whole front of the cardboard and stuck it on.

Then I laid it on the fabric and sprayed only the pieces of the fabric that would touch the back of the cardboard.  I didn't want the adhesive to show through like I've had on other projects.  It doesn't just dry it looks wet even months later.

While waiting for the glue to dry I attached the sticky backed Velcro to the window.

Then I thought that the adhesive wasn't enough so out came the duct tape.  Classy, right?  You can see the strips of the other side of Velcro attached to the folding parts.  Those pieces don't come with sticky back so I used Krazy Glue to attach them.

Then I popped that baby up there!

Ah, much better. :D

You probably can't tell from the photos but the sides wanted to... not pop off, but kind of fly out if you will, so I took it off and folded the bent parts in towards the back of the cardboard and left some weights on it over night so they would stay put.  Worked much better this morning.

I am soooo happy with the results this morning!

I love it and you cannot beat free decor!  You could add trim to these or a stenciled design or ribbon edge or whatever, the sky is the limit.  Tracy (whom I had to text pics to immediately for her opinion of course) suggested a sheer curtain below or something.  My initial idea was and still may be to remove the blinds and add a plain rolling shade or maybe a bamboo shade beneath.  Something inexpensive of course. ;)



I'm just so happy that my house is starting to look like someone lives there and cares about what it looks like! lol  One day soon I'll have to scan some old pics from when we moved in 8 years ago.  It looks sooooo different.  Keep an eye out for an update soon once I've finished all the windows.

Hope you like my little project!
Love
Holly

P.S. Here's an updated pic after I finished my second one using two sided tape.  MUCH prettier (even thought it doesn't matter anyway...) and easier/less wait time. :D

Hello everybody!
     I hope y'all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend.  I sure did.

Last week I got the urge to try some pallet art.  Thank you, Pinterest.  Luckily for me, my work uses pallets and we just happened to have a few out back that were damaged so they let me take one.  Score!  The one I chose had 5 usable boards, which were a pain in the ankle to take apart.  I say pain in the ankle because that's what was injured in the board removal process.  Dan was hammering the boards to get them off the pallet and I was bracing it from the other side... in flip flops... and bam! the board flew off and got me right in the ankle.  You can't say I don't suffer for my art, I've got the bruises to prove it. ;)  Anyhoo, he finally got all the boards off.


I did a light sand with our electric sander because these guys were quite splintery let me tell ya.  Then I slapped on some white paint to give it a white-washed look.


Easy peasy.  I like the nail holes, I think it gives it character.  So then I hand wrote out the phrase I wanted, which of course, I got from Pinterest.  I wrote it with a grey sharpie because I figured it was light enough to paint over if I messed up... which I did. lol  After that I painted over the sharpie with the same navy blue paint I painted our front door with.

Happened to have a small, long board on our side yard which Daniel cut into two pieces to attach the boards together.

I stole these picture hangers from a frame we had that we don't hang. Yay free hardware!

Here's the space before my art was hung...

Big ol' blank wall.

Drum roll please......

Tada!

I'm in looooove with it!  Not only was it free, but I get the supreme satisfaction and pride knowing that I made it.  What did we do before Pinterest I ask you?  I love DIY projects.  My living room/dining room are decorated mostly with things I made or re did.  All the framed photos we have are ones I took as well. 


I'm sure Daniel was expecting that pallet to live in our garage for months like so many projects I have waiting in the wings.  I have a medicine cabinet in the back of my car that I picked up for free from the RE-Store.  Not sure what I'm gonna do with that just yet.  So I'm especially glad that I knocked this project right out. ;)  

Can't wait to paint that piano...  But I'm thinking that'll be a surprise project when Daniel's outta town for work. That project won't be free either since I have to buy paint and some new brushes.

Have a great week!
Holly