two straight lines

A New Leaf

I mentioned last summer my fascination with all things botanical, and posted a project I did way back in 2001, inspired by a similar one in Martha Stewart Living.  I also mentioned that I had scanned the original leafprints, and would try and share them with you someday.  Well, it took me quite a while, and a surprising amount of work (I hate cleaning files off of old computers- what drudgery!), but I have them for you.  Do what them what you will, but please don't use them for profit.

There are sixteen currently available for free download here.  There is much inspiration to be found in nature.  And there are also many inspirational sources here on the internet.  Have you seen the beautiful wares created by Inleaf?  And have you read the recent post about botanical inspiration on Decor8?  Great stuff.

Please leave ideas for how these can be used in the comments, so others can be inspired too.  And do send me pics, please.  Enjoy.

PS- Let me know if there are any issues with the files right away!

Update: I have had a few emails asking about how to download the images.  I joined Lulu under my husband's email address and downloaded them just fine, so I think it is working properly.  If you "preview" the images a copyright symbol remains on them, but if you "add to cart" you should find download instructions.  It would be helpful if a few people commented that they downloaded them successfully (although Lulu stats show that many people have)

Button Love, Paint Colors and a Cat

I had about 30 minutes to kill the other day before Elliot's preschool let out, so I decided to stop by a fabric store that I rarely go to.  It is small and carries mostly apparel fabrics, so it doesn't hold a ton of interest to me.  I was chatting with the owner and mentioned that I was on my way to pick up my son from preschool, and she asked what school he goes to, and when I replied with the name, she says--"Oh, you mean right next to the Button Lady?"  And I'm like-- "what Button Lady?" before I scurry on out the door. 

I guess she meant that antique store two doors down from Elliot's preschool with the big "antique buttons" placard on it, yeah that's the one.  What the heck?  Here I've been coveting all of your vintage buttons, even sitting out on Sally's swap, whining to myself-- "poor me, I don't have a source of vintage buttons"-- unless you count the Button Lady- whose store I've passed by three times a week for the the entire school year, who travels nationally to lecture to the Button Society.  And yeah, she has buttons, more buttons than any girl check out in the 15 minutes before preschool lets out, but I managed.  So now I'm ready for a button swap... Sally...Sally?

And many of you have written me asking for paint colors-- so here goes:

All paints are from Martha Stewart's Sherwin Williams line.

Dining Room: Midlands
Front Hall, Family Room, Toy Room, Kitchen: Buckskin
Big Boy Room: Fen
Office: Draftsman Gray (that blueish room across the hall)
Master Bedroom: Patina
Nursery: Skyline

And why not finish with a shot of Clio, our boy cat with a girl's name.

Applied

Update: I applied the paper silhouettes with Mod Podge.  And just so ya know, it is just paper, not wallpaper.

Decorate-A-Long

I've had so much fun decorating Elliot's room with all of you, but I swear I'll stop soon, very soon.  I am just finishing up the last few things.  I don't know if you all have seen the animal silhouettes made of vintage wallpaper that have been floating around.  I really like the idea of this, but wanted to do something a little less, um, dramatic.  I decided to try my hand at cutting out some animal silhouettes of my own, and found a japanese silk-screened paper that I just love.  The squirrel will go above the door, the bunny down by the baseboard, and the mouse above a window.  I cut them out this morning, and now am just trying to figure out how to affix them to the wall.  Any ideas??  I don't use spraymount- that stuff is too toxic for me.  I was thinking of just trying Sobo glue (white glue).  I thought I'd test some on some scrap paper to make sure the paper did not rip or anything.

And I've FINALLY moved my studio from the guest room closet to our largely unused dining room.  Before this, I have been working in the most inefficient of ways, mainly in the kitchen and running up and down the stairs for supplies.  I also have had to clear away my projects each time we needed to eat or something.  I figure it is pretty much now or never on this since my baby is due in March, and this way I can leave things out and return to it when I get a chance.   Also, this space is across from our home office, which makes it convenient in case I need to print or copy something.  Pardon the very messy office, we're trying to get rid of some old computer equipment.

My sweet husband ran to IKEA Friday night and got me this large Expedit unit and a tall table for my sewing machine.  The Expedit unit will hold my fabric, magazine collection (mainly MSL) and other supplies.  I decided to leave my home decorating and apparel fabrics in an armoire upstairs since I don't use them as often.  I am also going to add a large tackboard above the sewing table.

So far I just took the leaves off our dining room table and moved four of the chairs to the basement, but eventually I plan to trade this table for our old kitchen table in the basement which has a painted bottom and a stainless steel top.  I actually am not hating this table here like I thought I would.  Without the leaves it looks sort of desk-like, but I am not sure it would make a very good crafting surface since it has sort of beveled edges.

I am so excited that we finally did this, I can't tell you.  I hate having rooms that sit unused, so using it as a dining room really makes no sense for us at this point.  We have used this room more in the last 24 hours than we have in the year and a half since we moved in.  It finally feels like there is life in there.

Accessorized

Here are the framed prints I just finished with the bulletin board I did ages ago, and the critter cars I found last summer.  On the dresser below is a squirrel weathervane I picked up.  Love him.  This little arrangement was pretty challenging for me since I am sort of a minimalist and have never hung a shelf for strictly decorative purposes in my life.  I think I will be happy with it, after I get used to it.

Leggy

Um yeah, I have long legs.

Snips and Snails...

...and puppies with no tails.

Here's another project that I've been working on for Elliot's room.  This is a project from Denyse Schmidt's book Quilts.  Just piece some fabrics a little larger than the clip-frame you'll be using (mine were $2 at JoAnn's- they only have 5 x 7), lay the glass on top of your patchwork and trim it to size with a rotary cutter, insert your picture and clip frame together.  That's it.  Would make a nice Valentine for less than many greeting cards.

I bought a page of Corgi drawings many years ago on Ebay, and never used them for anything.  I just scanned them in and separated them into six drawings, printed them and cut them to size.  They remind me of the vintage prints that many places sell for more than I'm willing to pay.  For the record, we have two crazy corgis, Maddie and Basil, who are terribly neglected here on my blog.

Click for larger view.

Here are a few "in progress" shots-- sorry bad lighting.

Big Boy Style- Part I

Over the past few weeks, between non-napping and playing, I've been adding the finishing touches to Elliot's "Big Boy" room.  This room has been painted and furnished since we moved in a year ago last August, but I never really added much decoration since he still sleeps in the nursery which is attached to our bedroom.  He seems quite happy with his new space, even asking "Mama, wanna play in my Big Boy room?" as soon as he opened his eyes this morning.

The window treatments are from my "Simple Blinds" pattern, and are made of some fabric leftover from IKEA curtains I used in the playroom in my last house.  I reversed the pattern so that the print wasn't as bright.  They are backed with IKEA linen, and the loops are linen as well.

I also finally got around to making the cross pillow from the Last Minute Fabric Gifts book.  I must have screwed up my calculations slightly (I was using a smaller pillow insert), because the cross is much skinnier than I intended.  I kept hoping that it would look more like the picture when I sewed it on, but no luck.  I am no math genius, and even my Hello Kitty calculator failed me on this one.

The bugle lamp was made for my Husband by my Father-in-Law from the bugle he won during boarding school.  I just updated the shade, but have further plans to embellish the shade with an idea from the book Photocraft. (idea shown at that link)

Here's a corner with a little chair Elliot got for his birthday, and a few of his friends.  He loves to look at this eeBoo map to see where he was born, and where he and his relatives live.  I considered making a little throw or pillow for this chair, but it reality, his is always jumping all over it, and it would most likely be laying on the floor most of the time.

This wall is confirmation for all of you who have dragged objects you love from place to place hoping that someday you'll find a use for them.  The clock and pull-toy on the wall were purchased by my Mom at an gallery of artist made items back in the 80's, and I took them when she died, but never used them until now.  She would be very happy that these are smiling down on us.  And the adorable little stool?  That belonged to my grandparents and I've always loved it.  Yesterday it suddenly occurred to me that it was just sitting in the basement, and that it would make the perfect perch for an adult.  Anyone know it's intended purpose?  I think it was in their kitchen (they purchased a pristine fully furnished bungalow when I was younger, which they've since sold), but for some reason I'm thinking it was for record albums.  It has a maple interior with slotted storage.  These handed down treasures make this space even more special.

I have a few more projects for this room in progress right now, so I'll update you shortly.  On an unrelated note-- I never reduce the size of my photos when I post them here...I sort of assumed the upload tool did that for you.  Do my photos take forever to load or anything?  Are you all cursing me?

Remaining Open To Possibilities

Happy New Year to all of you.  What does 2007 hold for all of us?  I guess that remains to be seen, but this past year has been a great one, and I have even greater hope for what's to come.  One year ago today, I did not know this little corner of the world existed, and did not know the inspiration that a group of complete strangers from all around the world could bring to me.  When I get a chance to check the statistics for my site, I am constantly amazed that people are checking in on my little life from Norway, Turkey, and Duluth.  I am so grateful for all of you, and every single one of your comments...really...REALLY.  I can't say how much this little place has come to mean to me, in some ways changing the way I view my life.  I feel there are so many possibilities now, if you are only open to them.

I don't talk about myself on a really personal level too much, but I-- like many of you I think-- have sort of traveled through the world not really relating too people too much, I just have always felt different.  I look very much like any person on the street (do you even know what I look like?  don't you always wonder what bloggers look like?), but my interests have always been different enough from those around me that I have felt separate.  Those in the craft blog world are really the first people (besides a really rare few in real life) who care about the same things I do, who "get it."  For that I thank you, friends.

We are feeling very refreshed after over a week of absolutely no obligations.  We decided not to travel to visit my family this year, and although I was sad not to see all of them, it was just what we needed.  I feel like I took a big wool blanket and wrapped it around our family for a week.  It was great.  Elliot has been going through some typical difficult 3-year-old behavior, and last night as we were readying him for bed, he was happy and relaxed with his cherubic red curls fresh from the bath, and I knew that we had given him what he had needed over the last week.  Uninterrupted, unrushed time with those who love him the very most.  And watching my husband transform from playmate to caretaker has been really special too.  Is there anything more magical than seeing your spouse truly engaged with your child?

We rang in the new year perfectly last night, with Garrison Keillor and Emmylou Harris on TV, my husband brought me fancy root beer in a wine glass just as the clock rung 12.  We had lounged for the evening, me with some light crafting, Scott fiddling on the laptop.  It feels great to be with the right person, doing the right thing at the right time.  Wouldn't have changed a thing.

Above is my light crafting.  I made this little bib to accompany a very belated baby gift.  It just feels good to have a little something handmade in there, even if there isn't time for making an entire gift.  I used the pattern found here (Bib B), and at first I wondered why the tabs were asymmetrical, but when snapped it looks nice.  My best friend sent me the animal fabric a few months ago and I am just crazy for it, but I decided to use part of it when seeing that there is still enough left to make a little something for Elliot from the remainder.  What I'd really love to do is bring each one of these critters to life in stuffed form.  They have such cute details.  And why is one of the bib's tabs tipped with measuring tape fabric?  I didn't like my craftsmanship on that tab, so I cut it off and made a new one, just attaching it to the rest of the bib.  Remain open to the possibilities...you just may end up with something more interesting than you'd planned.