A Trio of Projects

As my husband knows well, I cannot go very long without finding a new project to work on.  This past weekend I had to go to a location of the IL Secretary of State to renew my drivers license.  Unfortunately my notification got stalled at the bottom of a pile and I missed the time frame to do it online--darn. My Mr. graciously called and offered me the free ticket to stay out and enjoy myself for a while after I finished the lovely waiting line and beautiful new license picture.  When I told him I'd like to go to the fabric store, he was concerned that I was "running errands" and not doing something fun for me.  Ha!  Can you believe that? 

So...the first of my trio starts back with our January trip to Florida.

I guess sometimes I'm just a grown-up kid because I still love to collect shells.  After scrambling all over the beach while my dad entertained my son by the waves, I brought my goods home to IL.  I used them to make the wreath to remember my little guy's first big vacation/beach trip.  I bleached the shells, broken sand dollars, and other interesting beach pieces because...WOW!  What a smell.  Then they were stored for several months while I got sidetracked with other projects.  Recently I picked up a styrofoam disc for a couple of dollars and used a straight edge to cut out the middle for a wreath shape.  I used my hot glue gun to adhere the collection to the shape base and wrapped an old piece of linen fabric around the wreath to hang it up. 

  Earlier this month, I made the jute "vase" you see in the above photo.  I wanted something to pull in the color of our couches on that wall, but also maintain a vintage beach cottage style as well.  So I started with the orange juice container we had just finished, some jute rope, Mod Podge, a foam brush, hot glue sticks and the glue gun, and a straight edge.  

I started wrapping the jute around the base of the container, using Mod Podge and a foam brush.

As the shape of the container began to change, I switched to the hot glue gun since I needed the extra hold around those tricky curves.  I continued wrapping and gluing all the way to the top.

I also changed my dining room board from the farmhouse toile below

to a more clean, simple background.  I removed the stapes and fabric from the canvas and stretched out the new white fabric across the frame.  When the new fabric was stapled to the canvas frame, I pressed in upholstery tacks to the canvas around the border.  I changed out some of the decor for summer as well.

I find myself shifting with the seasons and craving new colors as each season rolls around.  However, I want to be careful not to be too caught up in the acquisition of stuff just to satisfy my desire for new eye candy at home.  In order to be wise with what we've been given, I do a lot of recycling with old materials and items.  I like to shift the decor around from room to room, rearrange vignettes, purchase a new piece of fabric on sale for a few dollars, use my craft supplies to make something new, or hit up a flea market or thrift shop with a bargain or two to bring home.  I'm striving to be more careful about purchases in general, and to donate items we will not be using any longer.

I'm a woman who loves color, style, and design.  I'm not proud of this, but it can be particularly hard for me to exercise restraint with both clothes and home decor.  This past year the word "discipline" has popped up for me quite frequently so I've been challenged in this area.  I don't believe that means I should never buy anything or never spend any time working on my home, but I am learning to live more creatively and carefully with the blessings God has provided for us.

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
 Proverbs 31:27