Master Bedroom Update {still work in progress!}

I have some great progress to share today!  I am done with part one of my master bedroom clean up project!  I am done with the "clean-up" part.  Now, comes the decorating part!  Ooh lala!  It was about a month ago that I didn't hold back and bared my messy room to the world...ok, to my blog readers who happened upon my blog that day!  But still.  I put it out there!  It was a tad embarrassing for me to do that BUT it has motivated me to stop putting off this project any longer.  We have *only* lived here for three years- you would think that is plenty of time to hang curtains!

But see, we are a military family.  We move more often than we'd like.  And I know that lots and lots of military wives/families are good about getting their new house decorated and to their liking-right away!  I am the opposite.  I always think, "why bother decorating, because we'll have to move again!"  (Great attitude, I know.) I don't want to paint any colored walls or change too much about our already bland house- because I want to sell it quickly when the time comes.  I am lazy have terrible logic, I know- I want a pretty house so people will *want* to buy it!   

Without further ado, here is the before:

~~ And here are the updates ~~

* I did not say "afters" because there is still a lot to do here.

Known problems with the above picture:  misplaced wall hangings, glass vase stuffed with packing paper on chest of drawers, need a table runner for the dresser, poster board sticking out, basket needs painted, and I really don't know about these two pieces of furniture together.  I like it but I don't think it's "correct".

Now THIS, is my $7 basket I bought at the new thrift store!  It just needs spray painted when the weather warms up.

Still need to fix here:  curtains, picture over bed, floating photos on the wall don't go there anymore, and the wall is blank.  I am picturing a small table against that wall.  I really want to find something I can paint a fun color.  Maybe I need to move my dresser back to that wall?  But I am liking the open feel right now over there.

Again, problems here: curtains (hello?), need better shams/pillows on bed, floating picture on the wall.  Oh and I just noticed the bedspread hanging out over the footboard- that is my husband's doing. He doesn't like to tuck it in.  But he makes the bed.  So I have to deal with it.  Or I could just start making the bed?

But what else?  The nightstands are actually storage cubes.  We were thinking of moving them to the blank wall and putting a cushion over them.  But we need nightstands.  It's pretty safe to say that I am on my own now with this project.  My husband helped move the stuff and declutter.  But we bought the new TV, so in his mind this room is done.  I am pinning lots of ideas here on my Master Bedroom Pinterest board.  If you have ideas to help me with this...leave me a comment...I'd love to hear/see!

{Tutorial} Stemmed Fabric Lotus Flowers

On Friday, I showcased my bouquet of handmade fabric lotus flowers. I explained why I made them- for my dear friend. She just opened up her own yoga studio and when I saw a picture of the sign that is hanging outside of her new digs I was inspired (to say the least)!!

I was inspired to create these.  Because I didn't know how to send real lotus flowers!

Of course, I combed the internet looking for a lotus flower tutorial...and maybe I don't know how to work the internet, but I couldn't find what I was looking for. I found lots of origami ideas, but I didn't want to use paper. I am a fabric girl. So, after making a few iterations of my idea, I opted for the version that was fast-enough that I would actually finish the project but pretty enough that it still takes some time to create a whole dozen.

I wanted them to look like lotus flowers.


They also sort of look like tulips.


Either way, I think they are just beautiful!


This is a SUPER gift to make for someone- a handmade bouquet of flowers!







How to make a stemmed flower to give or keep:

Supplies Needed for One Flower:
Strip of fabric, 8" x width(44")
Template (link at bottom of post)
Stem or stick (I found these green sticks in floral dept of craft store)
Hot Glue
Contrasting thread, scissors, chalk or fabric pen

1. Press 8" strip in half, wrong sides together. Lay out the fabric so the fold is the "bottom" and the raw edges are the "top".  And PRINT out this template:

2. Trace template on fabric. Place template at one end and start tracing the petals. The base of the petal is along the fold and the point of the petal is at the raw edges.  Trace along the dotted line of the template.

Keep tracing the petals until you reach the other end. There are no spaces between the petals.

When you only have room for one more petal and then some inches left, chalk a rectangle "tail" from the last petal to the edge of the fabric.  I drew a line then some wavies.

3. Cut out.  And please, cut off the white selvage. I think it is easier to cut from this side.

This reminded me that I need my scissors sharpened.  Last month I ran/cut over a pin!

TIP:  If you are making more than one flower, you can place a blank strip of fabric under the one you marked and cut them both out at the same time.

4. Sew together along the raw edge of the petals. I used a contrasting thread color.

5. Sew a gathering stitch along the bottom (folded side).

6. Start gluing the fabric to the stick. Start with the short tail part. Roll and glue about every half inch or so.  I use a lot of glue.

When it is almost finished, I pinched the base in a tiny bit as the glue cooled off.

When there is a short tail remaining, use this tail to cover the messy flower bottom.

Just roll/glue until it is neat.  After this dried, I went back and did a second round of gluing to fix anything that was sticking out. It might feel wobbly now, but it will stiffen up after it is completely dry.

TIP: I do a practice roll first, before gluing, to make sure the fabric is gathered enough/not too much and my flower will look the way I want it.

And this is what I get when I wait until Sunday night to make these...dark pictures.  Sorry.

Just look at the nice sunny ones I made a couple weeks ago instead!

Linking Here:

Lotus Flowers for my Beautiful Friend

Last week I mentioned a new craft I was working on, well, ta-da!

Stemmed Fabric Lotus Flowers.

Because I discovered it is not that easy to buy a real lotus flower.  

One of my dearest friends just opened up her very own yoga studio.  Six years ago I met her, and began taking yoga classes out of her home.  And I am so incredibly proud of her!  I wanted to send her flowers for the occasion.  I really wanted to send her lotus flowers.  You know, the real kind.

Then I googled it and found out that it would be a bit complicated to do that.  I went to bed that night with an idea of making a lotus flower.  The next day when I went to buy fabric, I loved so many that I made a dozen lotus flowers!

I just love how each one takes a different shape.  

I will post a tutorial next week if you want to make these...