Tuesday, January 27, 2009

This & That

Day one was a day of nesting and clearing clutter as well as cleaning! I told David I was going to avoid crafting until I got things caught up around here - and somehow ended up making new valances for the kitchen. When I confessed, he said that wasn't crafting but homekeeping. I am glad they are done and love how they turned out!

My kitchen windows really just needed to grow up a little bit. For five years, I've had no valances or anything in them and just a few feathery butterflies hanging in them. These were finally beyond my dusting abilities and I decided it was time for them to go.

Then, I found some valances at Goodwill which I was not sure would match or not. I put them up before Christmas and no, they did not work for me. Yesterday I took them down. And, took The Nester's mistreatment idea to heart.

I found this wonderful sage and brown toile at Joann's in Colorado and the pom fringe at Hobby Lobby.

All I did was fold the fabric to desired length. Trim remaining three edges. Iron. Hot glue pom trim on and hang with thumb tacks. I love it!

I also rearranged the pretties on my windowsill and added the lamp to the counter space. I found this lamp at a thrift store in Kansas City last week for less than $3. I took a shade I already had and hot glued the fabric and trim on to remake it. The keys just added a great touch, I thought - a gift from my friend Melissa.

Anyway, I'm feeling good about the one half of the kitchen I've worked on so far, there is so much to do - I have to take my victories where they are!

Two other things to share -

For those who asked, you can find the Virtuous Woman cross stitch sampler pattern here for $3.99.

I got a note from my blog friend, Sarah, sharing the following. I've already voted, if you have a minute, please hop over here and vote for her little Noah!

My son Noah was born on December 30th and I was able to enter him in a contest that TurboTax is offering for the Cutest Last Minute Tax Deduction.

The baby had to be born in December to qualify. They had over 300 entries and they narrowed it down to 5 finalist and my son is one of those. The winner gets a $5,000 savings bond that matures to $10,000. He just needs the most votes to win. The voting is very easy just go to www.cutesttaxdeduction.com and vote, no registering.

Here is a brief bio on Noah that my husband wrote:

Our son Noah was born Dec. 30, and was quickly taken to the NICU with respiratory distress. The next day, they discovered he had a pneumothorax (or hole) in each lung, resulting in an air leak.

So, Noah had to get two chest tubes inserted — one on each side. The chest tubes removed the air that had gathered outside his lungs, thus allowing his lungs to expand and to heal. He spent six nights in NICU before we were able to bring him home on Jan. 5.

The Lord was most gracious to us in healing little Noah. A friend of my wife's works in an NICU at a different hospital, and she said it's not uncommon for this kind of situation to require a much lengthier stay.

So, we're so grateful to the Lord for healing Noah as quickly as he did. God is indeed good.


Have a great day everyone!

26 comments:

Deanna said...

Good morning Monica,
I truly loved the new valance. The window looks wonderful. I've been cleaning out my own nest and oh how I keep stopping my work to look at momentos and such but I have to keep telling myself about making a haven for my husband and I keep going. I was thinking of it as just 'labor' but it really has become a labor of love for me.

Have a wonderful day!
Deanna :)

Mary Ann said...

Cute little valance! What your husband said sounds just like mine.:-) I know you're enjoying being home and making it a haven once again.

Katy said...

Monica! I absolutely LOVE the valance! Beautiful job with it! Your hubby is right...it IS homemaking!!!! :) And the window sill looks wonderful as well! :)

Sarah E. said...

Thanks you so much for the plug!

By the way, I love the toile fabric.

Anonymous said...

Your valance looks GREAT!!! Welcome home too!!!tammyp --what a great comment from your husband about homemaking-wonderful good!!

jen said...

The valance is great! & your husband is a wise man.=0)

Brie said...

Nice job on the valance! I'm sure you're glad to be home :)

Wendi said...

Everything in the window looks great! I am still in the fluffing, declutter mode myself. I know exactly what you mean about taking your victories where they are. Happy nesting!!

Amy said...

Your valance looks great! I need to get a valance so I can decorate it in my kitchen :) I think you did a wonderful job and I love the pom pom trim!! So cute!

Elise said...

Just voted!!
Love, love, love your new valance!! How funny for David to call it homekeeping!! He seems so nice.
Elise

Sadie said...

I have a question about the Vituous Woman sampler - I can't quite tell from the description, but is it already made? Or is it just the design so that you can make it yourself? TIA!

Anonymous said...

Your windowsill and the new valance look so pretty! (And I love your husband's comment, too :-) I am sure that made you smile.) I'm happy to vote for your friend's baby, since I have a little Noah too :-) Hope she wins!

Andrea said...

Beautiful. Looks like home. When I'm traveling I always miss messy cooking and puttering :)

Monica Wilkinson said...

The Virtuous Woman sampler is just a pattern for doing the cross stitch yourself. It would be a big job - but isn't it cute?!

DairyQueen said...

your valance is great! I love a mistreatment!

I love your lamp, and the covered books that it's on...what a great idea!

your home is looking beautiful!

Becky said...

I absolutely loved your new valance!! It looks amazing and to think you did that with hot glue, iron and tacks! I never would have thought of that. You are too crafty for words!!

I wanted to let you know that I voted for Noah to win!! Please keep us posted on if you do!

Anonymous said...

Pretty valance and lamp -- I know they lift your spirits! Love and miss you, Mom

Ruth said...

I love the new valances. You find such wonderful things at the thrift store. I need to go and see if I can find any treasures.
Ruth

Anonymous said...

Hi Monica,
I adore the window valance! I am going to "borrow" the idea! My sewing maching is not working and using hot glue never crossed my mind, but I've been wanting to update my kitchen window treatment for a while. If it ever stops snowing this week, I'll be heading to Joann's for some great material and cool edging - and some more glue sticks!

Me said...

I LOVE the valances, Monica! And, the lampshade idea plus keys is great! You're such a great homemaker. :)

I think that the Nutrimill has been around for many years and is a good mill. You are so right on God's timing and planning. :)

Jenn said...

Thanks for inspiring me to do something about my living room windows. We've been here 18 mos. now and the windows in that room are bare other than those miniblinds....eventhough we don't know how long we can keep renting this house, while it's ours I'm going to make it ours.

Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide said...

Cute Valance & I happily voted for your little Noah.

Jennifer @ Her Southern Charm said...

I voted!!! And those keys on the lamp are too cute!

Me said...

Hi Monica,

Had another thought. I checked out The Nester's site where she put fabric up to cover up under her craft table. She also used hot glue. My experience with it is that whatever is glued together can pop apart quite easily. I could just imagine this happening with fabric, especially with the weight of it, for instance, glued to the wooden table...?

Bridgett said...

What a cute pic. of Noah. He just looked like a lil doll! My first was born Dec.6 & was 5 weeks earlier... so we know NICU well! :)

Sarah E. said...

Thanks for all the votes. Noah won!