Note to Self...

In case you forget to tell your husband that you took the waterproof sheet off your toddler's bed and he puts her to sleep without a diaper on, know that you can get the pee smell out of the mattress by using pet urine odor remover.  It worked great and came out smelling like roses!  Well, vanilla actually, but still way better than pee.  Now I'm as happy as this...

If It Doesn't Exist, Make It!

I am currently working on updating a friend's master bedroom.  My design includes a lot of white and neutrals with pops of color that can be mixed in and out as her mood changes.  She has a traditional style but every time I show her something a little more contemporary she loves that too, so I decided to give her both.

I found these sheets at Walmart and knew immediately that they were exactly what I wanted.

They were perfect!  A traditional damask but bolder and they were beige and white.  What could be better?  My only problem was that I didn't want patterned sheets.  So, after about 30 seconds of debating, I decided that I would make a duvet cover out of them.

I have toyed with this idea before and thought that now would be a perfect opportunity to try it out.  It was fairly easy and would have taken me less time if I didn't have a toddler pestering entertaining me while I worked.

I started by taking the stitching out of the corners of the fitted sheet so it would lay flat.  Then I laid the flat sheet and the fitted sheet on top of each other right sides together with the comforter in between. I sewed three sides but left the bottom open so that the comforter could go in and out.  I folded the unsewn side of each sheet over to make a little pocket for the comforter to hide in and added some no-sew velcro to make sure everything stayed together.
 

Pocket flap and velcro closures

A couple of hours and $40 later, I have a custom duvet that looks awesome.  Who would guess that its life began as sheets?


Finished duvet modeled on my bed

Have any of you made something that started out as something else?

Let's Get Goin'

Okay, so I don't have a white picket fence but I love the idea of quiet, friendly neighborhoods where kids play in the streets, dogs bark in the yards, you actually know your neighbors and the smell of apple pie is always in the air.  I think your house should be a place where you go to escape from the world, your own little piece of heaven.  So shouldn't you love your home everytime you walk in? (this is a trick question, the answer is not only yes, but heck yeah!)

This is where I come in.  I want this blog to be for the everyday person.  The one who wants to live in a beautiful home but can't afford all the trendy stuff in the magazines.  I will try to show you how to get the designer look on a diy budget.  I will give tips and advice and show you projects that I am working on for clients and for my own home.  I'm sure there will be lots of other fun random stuff too, so keep reading because this is only the beginning.