Sarah: A Monday Afternoon

I had the day off on Monday and I was feeling pretty inspired. So I decided to make a little somethin' somethin'...

Just used paint samples from Lowe's, some old sheet music, and a few old photos I had laying around. It's super not perfect, but that's how I like things. Now I just need to figure out where to hang it!

Inspiration from here, here, & here

Sarah: I'm Back

Guys. Let's just ignore the 4+ month hiatus, ok? Let's pretend it never happened.


Here's something I've been doing lately:

These are all images from the monthly anthropologie catalog and I cut them out, print something on it, and hang it in my apartment or put it in my journal.

Easy art.

(the third image inspiration from here)

Back in the Saddle

Around August of last year, I started to get really tired of my sewing machine. I have a Singer Inspiration machine. I didn't do a lot of research before I got it and now I totally regret it. It is not a simple machine to maneuver and I'm constantly bringing out my handbook to figure out what the heck is wrong with it. So I took a break from sewing. Which sucks because I love sewing (I'm not all that good at it yet, but I still love it).

But the other day, I was feeling kind of down because I haven't sewed in almost a year. And even though just the thought of using my (awful) sewing machine makes me frustrated even before I take it out, I was desperate to sew. I decided what I wanted to make, gathered my materials, and took out the demonic machine.

Here's how to make a fabric garland:

What you'll need: Various kinds of fabric, scissors, sewing pins, sewing machine, colorful thread, & a hand-made stencil.

1). Pick the fabric you want. I chose some fabric that isn't matchy-matchy, but slightly coordinated.

If you're like me, you have to choose from a lot of fabric.

Final Choices

2). Iron all the fabric that you've chosen.

3). There are probably multiple other ways to do this, but I made a stencil so that each triangle is exactly the same size. So, cut a stencil from a heavy paper-product (I used part of a box). If your fabric has a print, face the printed side down and write on the non-printed side (that way, when you sew the triangles together, you won't see the marks!). Remember that for every 2 triangles you trace, you will actually get one finished triangle. So if you want 4 triangles of one color, trace 8. Start tracing!

4). Cut out all of your triangles. This is one of the longest steps, but you can do it! Then, if you want, pin the triangles together to make sewing them easier. That's what I did (but I forgot to take a picture of it). Be sure to pin the non-print sides of the fabric together, so that both sides of the triangle will be pretty! Don't worry if your triangles don't line up perfectly, you can fix it later!

Cut out Triangles

5). Take out your (non-demonic) sewing machine, choose a thread (I chose a bright orange that will show up on the triangles to add character), and thread your bobbin/machine. Start sewing your triangles together!

6). Once the triangles are sewn together, if they don't line up, then take your scissors and trim 'em up!

My trimmed, finished triangles.

7). Now you need to make the trim (I don't actually know what its called. But I'm referring to the string that holds all the triangles together). For this step, there are many possibilities. I chose to use long fabric that I already have, but you could purchase thick ribbon as well. So I just cut a long, thin piece of fabric from some awesome African fabric that Kels brought back for me from UG. 

8). Then I ironed in both sides, so that it doesn't fray and so it looks nice. Next, fold the whole thin piece of fabric in half and ironed that.

Sides are folded in and ironed

Then fold the whole strip down the middle and iron.

9). Figure out the order of which you want the triangles. Mine are in random order, but you can do a pattern if you want. Then stick the triangles individually in the center of the trim and pin them there, one at a time. Pins are required in this step, because the triangles won't stay in the center of the trim otherwise. Space them out as you like. Mine are kind of close together.

10). Sew it all together.

Just keep sewing, just keep sewing...

The finished product!

Voila! You have garland! Tell me if you make any--I'd love to see the final product!

-Sar

Project Makeover

Have any of you ever sanded anything by hand before? I have not. But when I got this old fashioned sewing box for Christmas from my mom, I knew it needed a makeover.

This is the said (ugly) sewing box turned planter.

However, I was unsure what exactly I was going to do with it. Seven months later, I knew that I wanted to spray paint it white. Have you noticed that white furniture is popping (I accidentally wrote pooping instead of popping. haha) up everywhere? I have, and that's where I got my inspiration. BUT...I have no idea how to sand anything, or how to do it well. So I googled "how to spray paint wooden furniture" and I got some ideas. So I headed to good 'ole Walmart to get medium-grain sandpaper, wood primer, and spray paint.

Necessary Materials

I headed to my apartment complex's backyard, crossed my fingers, and began the long process of sanding. 

One down, three to go

Is this what properly sanded wood is supposed to look like?
I still have no idea if I did it correctly...

Then it was time to prime. Priming apparently allows the paint to show up more vibrantly or something? I'm not sure of the details, haha. I just wing it. I added several coats of the primer and waited for the coats to dry before I started spray painting.

All primed and ready to go.

I forgot my hair-tie in the apartment, and it was hot outside. So I figured out a way to use my sunglasses to keep my hair up.

Now comes the part that I actually know how to do. Point the spray can at the thing you want to paint, press down, and spray. I didn't want to get paint all over the grass (because I know someone will complain about it), so I tried to contain the paint in the tub while I sprayed.

If you don't get paint all over your hands, then
you're not doing it right.

I waited overnight and then added two more coats the next day to get the finished product!

Done!

For my first time sanding something to completely transform it, I'm rather proud of the way it turned out.

Stay cool, people! I really mean stay cold. But stay cool, too.

-Sar