Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 6

I'm so excited to share my

Laundry Shelf Makeover

This has been in the works for awhile and I'm so happy to see it all done. It makes such a BIG difference in my tiny little space! I started with the standard {ugly} white wire shelf that is so common in laundry closets. It is installed way too high to be convenient...I couldn't do anything about that, but I was able to make it look a little more custom and charming!

Before:

So how did I do it?

{STEP 1}

Remember the left over fabric I was so excited about from my Ironing Board Cover?

Well, I had just enough to make two panels. I simply did a small hem around all four sides, and then turned the top under about two inches to form a casing. I threaded the two panels on to a tension spring rod and placed it behind the wire shelf rim. I do wish I had a little more fabric left over so that the curtains would be fuller, but that is okay.

{STEP 2}

I took a trip to Home Depot and bought a standard cheapy piece of trim. That was an adventure in itself! You had to cut the trim yourself, and tools and I don't get along! When I took shop in Jr. High the teacher basically created all my projects for me so I couldn't use the power tools! So, I was in the aisle sawing away with all these guys watching me and not a single one asked if I wanted help! It took me at least 10 minutes to saw through that little board!

Anyway, when I got it home I applied 2 coats of paint (I bought trim that was already primed). I used Folk Art Vintage White Acrylic Paint. Then I used really watered down brown acrylic paint as a glaze to add some definition.

{STEP 3}

I didn't want a curtain to go all the way across the front. I've never really liked that look. I wanted something that looked more like I was peeking out of a window. It looked so plain when I got the panels up, though and I felt like I need more yellow in the space. So, I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and picked up some super cute Yellow Gingham Fabric and created a little valance. I hemmed both short sides and one long size. On the un-hemmed side I did a gathering stitch. If you don't sew, you could easily use a Heat and Bond product for your hem and just pleat the valance as you attach it to the trim.

 

{STEP 4}

Using my glue gun, I attached the gathered side of the valance to the back of my trim piece.

{STEP 5}

Then came the hard part-LOL! I thought it would be so easy to hang this up, but nothing I tried worked. We are renting, so this had to be fairly easy to remove without causing damage. I tried foam double stick tape, command velcro strips and even hot glue! Finally, I stapled three pieces of ribbon to the back {on both ends and the middle} and tied it to the shelf!

{STEP 6}

I then placed some of the foam double stick tape to the little end caps to keep the trim more stationary. It's been a week and it hasn't fallen off yet!

Woo Hoo!!!

 

The final result?

 Fabulous!

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I was able to incorporate my favorite fabric print from Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane Collection into the room {since my ironing board won't fit in there} and disguise a hideous wire shelf! You can still see a couple of support brackets {that aren't centered and drive me nuts} but I'm hoping the cuteness of everything else will detract from those!

Here is the After:

I'm oh so close to being done! I just gotta get the shelf decorated on top now!

I'm taking a little day off from the laundry closet and hope to share another project I've been working on. It is purple and pink and scalloped and so totally girly! My daughter loves it and I can't wait to share it with you all! It just needs a few finishing touches.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

I linked my project to these great parties:

Blue Cricket Designs ~ Show And Tell

Someday Crafts ~ Whatever Goes

Creations By Kara ~ Look What I Made

Somewhat Simple ~ Strut Your Stuff

Fireflies and Jellybeans ~ Show Off Your Stuff

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 5

Hi everyone! Today I'm sharing the new Ironing Board Cover I made. I'm so in love with it!

But first, I wanted to Thank You all for your super duper sweet comment on my little laundry closet. They really make my day! I'm getting so close to the end and can't wait to reveal the whole room and how it has come together. Lots of you have asked if it makes doing laundry more fun.....and it totally does! Every time I open the doors it makes me smile. :0) My little closet is right off the kitchen and half the time I leave the bi-fold doors open just so I can see all the cuteness!

Secondly, I wanted to share my template with you for my "Clothesline Fresh" sign.

I know some of you have been patiently waiting for this and I thank you! It is done in pdf format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to open it. It is a free program and is very easy to download if you don't already have it. This is sized to fit a 27"x8" sign, but can easily be reduced or enlarged to fit your sign. Please know that there are three pages, so make sure you print them all and then tape them together to create one long piece. You can read the rest of the tutorial on how I created my sign HERE.

Click on the photo below and it will take you to my box.net account where you can download the file. Be sure let me know if you have any questions/comments!

I also had a question on the font. I used CK Society, but I looked it up and it is unfortunately no longer available.

Now, on to my

IRONING BOARD COVER!

If you missed my other laundry Room Projects, you can see them HERE.

This guy is what started my whole Laundry Closet decorating! I was just going to do the cover and then when I saw all the other yummy fabrics in the Nicey Jane Collection, I knew I had to do more! The funny thing is, my closet is so small my ironing board doesn't even fit {tears}. I was able to incorporate the fabric into the closet in another way, though. It is my favorite print and I had to get it in there some how! There are surprisingly few tutorials on how to make covers out there, so I decided to show you how I made mine!

{disclaimer: I'm sorry about the quality of the photos! My soldier has been gone training for 3 weeks and when I couldn't sleep one night I got up at midnight and started on this~LOL! Midnight = No Light = Not So Great Pictures}

{STEP 1}

Pick your fabric ~ You will need 2 yards. Make sure it is 100% cotton. Using a fabric that is blended or made with something other than cotton may melt when the iron is place on it. That would be sad after all the work you put in to creating it!

Remove the old cover off your ironing board and lay it flat on your fabric. I was so excited it only took one side of my fabric. I was able to put the other half to good use later on!

{STEP 2 &3}

I wanted my cover to be a little bit bigger than the original, so I a marked 2" all the way around the cover and cut it out. If you are happy with the size of your original cover, you can probably  just do 1". This will allow you to create a casing for your string.

This is what mine looked like when it was all cut out:

{STEP 4}

Now you need to create your casing so that you can cinch the cover closed. I folded the edge under 1/4" all the way around (to hide raw edge) and then folded again 3/4" and ironed and pinned in place.

{STEP 5 }

Sew close to the edge (I think I sewed about 1/4" from the edge). The curves can be tricky. I just pleated mine slightly. Remember it doesn't have to be perfect as you won't even see it.

Here is what mine looked like all sewn down:

{STEP 6 }

Remember to leave an opening between where you started and where you ended so that you can thread your sting through the casing. This is usually done on the square end of your board.

{STEP 7}

Next attach a safety pin to the end of your cord/string of choice. You may even be able to use the cord that came with the original cover. My soldier has a ton of parachute cord laying around, so that is what I used. Remember to melt the ends with a lighter if it is made of something that will fray. Thread your cord all the way through the casing and out the other end.

{STEP 8}

Place the padding back on your board and then fit your new cover over that. It is important to make sure you put the padding back on!

{STEP 9}

Pull cord tight and tie closed. Your fancy new ironing board is all ready to use!

I just adore how this turned out and I'm soooo very excited I got the pattern centered perfectly on my board! It is the perfect addition to my laundry room {even if it doesn't fit in there}!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

I linked up to these fun parties!

Sew Can Do ~ Craftastic Monday

The Girl Creative ~ Just Something I Whipped Up

Making The World Cuter

Made By You Monday

Today's Creative Blog ~ Get Your Craft On

Sugar Bee ~ Take A Look Tuesday

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 4

I'm back with a cute little storage basket to hold all my Laundry Supplies!

If you missed the first parts of my Laundry Closet Makeover, you can view them HERE.

I've had this basket for years. I think we got it as a gift full of goodies several Christmases ago. I've always loved the shape of it and it has found a home in several different rooms of the house. After a few tweaks, it is now a perfect and functional addition to my Laundry Closet!

I toyed around with painting it white, but in the end decided that I liked the natural color and that it went perfectly with my "springy fresh" theme I am trying to create.

I loved that it has a natural inset toward the top...perfect for adding a ribbon! I could have kept this easy and just used ribbon, but remember I have all these yummy coordinating fabrics that I want to incorporate into the room:

So, I created my own fabric ribbon! First I measured the length and width of the groove on my basket. I then added 1/2" to the width to allow for a 1/4" folded hem on each side. (I wanted my ribbon to finish at 2" wide, so I cut it at 2-1/2")

Then I cut out my strip of fabric, using my fabulous Heather Bailey Nicey Jane Fabric!

Next, I folded both long sides under 1/4" and ironed and sewed them down. As long as you iron, you probably don't need to sew this down, but I love the finished look that stitching brings to a piece.

When done sewing, my piece looked like this:

Then using my trusty glue gun, I started gluing my fabric ribbon onto my basket, starting in the middle.

When done gluing, it looked like this.

To cover the part where my ribbon overlaps {and to bring more color and excitement to the basket} I glued on a silk flower. I didn't like the center of the flower, and I didn't have any buttons that matched, so I covered a large button I had with another coordinating fabric and glued it to the center of the flower.

Last time I ran to the store they didn't have the detergent that I normally get, so I grabbed this smaller bottle and it ended up working perfectly because now my iron fits in the basket, too!

I was so excited to find this Bloom sign on sale for 70% off last week! I had been stalking it at Stein Mart, waiting for it to go on sale. I LOVE it!! I originally got it to go in my hall bathroom, but I think it will find its home in the laundry closet!

....and here is a sneak peak of what I will be revealing next!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous Friday!!

I linked up with these great parties!

Finger Prints On The Fridge~Feature Yourself Friday

Somewhat Simple~Strut Your Stuff

Crystals Craft Spot~Feature Friday

The Shabby Nest~Frugal Friday

Finding Fabulous~Frugalicious Friday

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 3

Welcome to The Laundry Closet Makeover~Part 3! If you missed the first two parts, you can see them HERE.

This post will be highlighting the shabby "Clothesline Fresh" sign. This sign was a toughy for me and I'm so excited that it turned out exactly how I had imagined! Those that know me well, know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to crafts. I can't just freehand something or throw it together and call it good. I need things to be straight and lined up and well....perfect!

This sign intimidated me at first, but if I can do it and love it, then you can, too! So this is my tutorial on how to make a shabby chic sign the pefectionist's way!

Step 1: Ready Board and Stencil

I found a board in the garage that I already had. I think mine measures 7" x 28" long. It was already painted a sage green, so I went over it with Folk Art Antique White acrylic paint. Then I created my wording stencil on my computer and printed it out (the perfectionist in me couldn't just free-hand it). Because it was longer than an avarage size piece of paper, I had to print it in 3 parts and tape together.

Step 2: Transfer Stencil

I went back to my grade school days to transfer my stencil on to my board. I turned my stencil over and scribbled over the back with a lead pencil. Make sure that you get good coverage, and use a firm hand.

Next I centered and taped my stencil onto my board. I then used a pen to trace around each letter. The lead I scribbled on the back will act as carbon paper and I when I remove my stencil, I will have this:

(sorry about poor picture quality..I was working on this after the Princess went to bed)

 

Step 3: Paint

I created and transfered the flowers onto my board the same way that I did my quote. Then, using a small brush I painted. This surprisingly didn't take as long as I thought it would. I used these acryllic paints:

Craftsmart Lime Green

Craftsmart Pale Blue

Folk Art Sunny Yellow.

At this point, it looks like I stenciled it and you can see some of the pencil marks from my transfer. I just used my sanding block and lightly sanded all edges and the surface. Then I mixed my Chocolate Brown Acrylic Paint with lots of water to make a glaze. I brushed it on my sign and then wiped it off with a damp rag. When using acrylic paint as a glaze, you have to work fast because it dries fast.

This is what it looks like with all the painting, sanding and glazing.

Since this is my laundry room where there will be lots of dust, I sprayed it with my Krylon Satin Finish.

I'm so in love with my sign and I'm so glad that I decided to give it a try. It is the perfect addition to my laundry room!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that I have inspired you to try something that you have been too intimidated to start. Have a great day!

I've linked up with these great parties:

Blue Cricket Designs~Show and Tell

Domestically Speaking~Power of Paint

Someday Crafts ~ Whatever Goes

Somewhat Simple~Strut Your Stuff

Fireflies & Jellybeans~Show Off Your Stuff

Home Is Where My Story Begins