Friday, March 5, 2010

martha tells me how to organize

A properly folded towel has a neat, fluffy appearance and hidden edges.

Fold towel in thirds lengthwise. (If towel will be hung, transfer to rod; the monogram, if any, will be centered and visible.)

Fold towel into a rectangle, as shown. Keep sets of guest towels together, bound with twill tape or ribbon. When visitors arrive, just transfer a stack from linen closet to guest bedroom.

Put soap shards and leftover hotel soap bars to good use. Use a utility knife to slice into the center of a natural sea sponge. Then insert soap and lather up. Every last bubble will be surrendered. The soap will stay in place as it shrinks, adhering to the fibers of the sponge.

Keep bathroom items neat and accessible with cubbyhole shelves for large items and surgical jars for small toiletries and accessories. The jars, available at medical-supply stores, have easy-to-grab stainless-steel lids. Each of the shelves is made from five pieces of 3/4-inch-thick plywood. The top, bottom, and two sides are each 12 inches by 9 inches; the back is a 12-inch square. The top, bottom, and sides are mitered along the ends, glued together, and secured with 1 1/2-inch finishing nails. If carpentry isn't your cup of tea, you may want to avoid mitering. Instead, have the lumberyard cut the boards for the box's top and bottom to be 10 1/2 inches by 9 inches, and the sides 12 inches by 9 inches. Glue the ends of the bottom and top boards to the inside edges of the side boards, and secure with finishing nails. Glue on the back, and secure with more finishing nails. Sand, prime, and paint the wood. Screw the finished shelves right into the wall through the back (centering them on a stud), and cover the screws with paint.

Few bathrooms have enough places to hang towels. Stacking towel bars behind closed doors is a great way to remedy the shortage and use space efficiently. A flat or single-paneled door provides a crisp frame for three bars; furthermore, it's easier to affix them to a wooden door (as most are) than to a wallboard or a plaster wall. Hang the hardware according to package instructions, evenly spacing the bars along the length of the door.

Orphaned teacups and saucers are perfect vessels for sorting jewelry, and, when arranged in a velvet-lined drawer, they give you an easy-to-scan bird's-eye view of your bijoux. To set it up, measure the height of the drawer's side (not the front), then gather dishware that's slightly shorter. Line the drawer with velvet or felt to prevent rattling and sliding, then position the porcelain. Hook drop earrings on rims of cups, nestle necklaces within them, and stash chunkier beads and bangles on individual saucers.

Eliminate the tangle of unused extension cords by storing each one in a piece of pipe insulation -- foam tubing with a slit along one side. Using a utility knife, cut insulation to desired length (about 13 inches for each 6 feet of cord). Fold the cord to size, insert it, and label the foam to indicate the length of cord enclosed.

It takes too long to find remote controls in their usual hiding spot, between cushions on the sofa. If you're looking for a more convenient place to keep them, put a wide-mouth vase or other good-looking container on your side table and put all of your remotes inside.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

How to Sow Seeds Indoors



Things You'll Need:

  1. Step1

    Consider your timing. Some plants need to be planted as much as 12 weeks before your region's last average frost date, while others do best when started just two weeks before.

  2. Step2

    Choose your seed-starting container. Nearly any container with drainage will do, but good candidates include milk carton bottoms, egg cartons, plastic produce boxes, peat pots and special seed-starting flats. (Punch drain holes into containers that need them.)

  3. Step3

    Plant seeds in sterile seed starting mix. It has no soil to cause disease problems and is lightweight - perfect for baby plants to get off to a good start. Sprinkle vermiculite over seeds that require covering. Its lighter color helps you see just what you've covered.

  4. Step4

    Follow seed package directions about the depth of planting. As a rough rule, the larger the seed, the deeper it's planted. Some very small seeds are just scattered directly on the soil and not covered up at all.

  5. Step5

    Water gently. Either set the container in 1 to 2 inches of warm water and allow the water to wick up to the soil surface, water gently from above with a special bulb-type hand sprinkler, or dribble water from your hand.

  6. Step6

    Slip the container into a clear plastic bag to minimize drafts and conserve moisture. Twist the end shut.

  7. Step7

    Put the seeds in a spot with the correct temperature. (Check the seed packet.) Keep the seeds out of direct sunlight or risk fatally overheating them. Seeds usually need either cool temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees F or warm temperatures of 70 to 85 degrees F. Find an especially warm or cool spot by checking with a thermometer in different locations in your house.

  8. Step8

    Check the seeds daily. If water drops form inside the bag, open the end to vent it. Once the seeds germinate, remove the plastic and put the seedlings in the brightest indoor spot possible.

  9. Step9

    Put the new seedlings in a sunny, unobstructed south-facing window. Or set them a few inches below a shop light equipped with one warm and one cool fluorescent light. Use an inexpensive light timer to automatically keep the lights on 14 to 16 hours a day

found on ehow

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Whale


I want to make a stenciled whale and make this pillow in a different style. Something other than the "beach house" look. I just wish I could get some more time.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Anthropologie's Pearly Pins

Anthropologie's Pearly Pins

  • Completed Project: Anthropologie's Pearly Pins Picture #1

Anthropologie's Pearly pins

I am a HUGE anthropologie fan. However, if you are like me, some of their things are just too expensive to afford. I found these pearl pins at the store and I knew that I could make them for much cheaper. So here you are.


  1. Step 1

    Step 1

    Plug if your hot glue gun and separate your bobby pins.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2

    Sort through your pearls and glue one pearl at a time to the back of the bobby pin. (try not to go overboard with the glue)

    You can keep it simple with just one or two pearls, or you can make a flower pattern gluing the pearls around the middle pearl.


  3. Step 3

    Step 3

    Wait for the glue to dry and there you have it!

    These make a perfect subtle addition to any outfit.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Monster Christmas ornament

Christmas Monster

  • Completed Project: Christmas Monster Picture #1

Christmas Monster Ornament

My friends like to have tree trimming parties where we make one another ornaments. This was a quick little monster that I whipped up before heading out to the party. It is such a simple gift!

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  1. Step 1

    Step 1

    First fold your felt once over and trace out your own little monster pattern.

    It can be whatever you like. I kept mine simple so that I could whip it up real quick.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2

    Cut your pattern out so that you have 2 identical pieces of felt.


  3. Step 3

    Step 3

    Take your 2 buttons and some contrasting thread and sew on two eyes.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4

    Take more contrasting thread (preferably embroidery) and sew a mouth.


  5. Step 5

    Step 5

    Take the two pattern pieces and flip them over so that the right sides are facing in.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6

    sew around the edges leaving a small space which will allow you to flip it back right side out.

  7. Step 7

    Step 7

    Turn the monster right side out and start to your stuffing

  8. Step 8

    Step 8

    Sew the stuffing opening shut.

  9. Step 9

    Step 9

    Now we must start to form the hat. Fold your red felt on the corner and cut.

  10. Step 10

    Step 10

    sew the opening

  11. Step 11

    Step 11

    Flip the hat inside out. Glue a strip of whit felt around the bottom and glue a part of stuffing on the top of the hat.

  12. Step 12

    Step 12

    Use your white felt to cut out a pair of fangs

  13. Step 13

    Step 13

    Glue fangs on, attach a string to hold ornament on the tree and you are good to go!

    A perfect gift!