Cheap DIY Wall Art

As promised, here is some cheap DIY wall art that I whipped up a few weeks ago during an especially crafty martha moment (I also made the coffee filter wreath and updated my hurricanes in the same week).  I was inspired to do this after I saw some extra fabric lying on the floor in my living room.  The colors were perfect for my dining room plus I already had some white frames lying around the house.  It took me a few days to get the initiative to tackle the project, but once I got started, it only took me about 10 minutes to have them up on the wall.

To start, I gathered the following items:

Picture frames (I had a set of 3 from Target but I only needed 2 for this purpose)
Fabric (extra scraps I had lying around) 
Scotch tape
Scissors

This really couldn't be easier.  I simply removed the existing picture from the frame, cut a piece of fabric larger than the mat opening (in this case, I chose the grayish-purple fabric for the background, which is leftover from making bench cushions for the kitchen...to be blogged about later....).  Then, I cut strips of the white fabric (which was leftover from hemming my Ikea dining room curtains) and placed them in different patterns in the frame until something looked good.  The final placement looks almost like a sail or a flag.  It is simple, but I like it.  I actually repeated the pattern in the next frame, but used more strips to change it up a little bit.  No rocket science here, just playing around until it looked decent.  Then, to secure the fabric, I just used scotch tape on each corner and sealed up the frame. 

In hindsight, I probably should have ironed the fabric before I inserted it in the frames, but I was a little too lazy for that.  Let's just say that it gives it a "rustic" feel.......

Luckily these frames already had ribbon attached to them for hanging, but if they didn't it would be easy enough to cut two pieces and tie them together in a bow at the top for some added dimension and depth on your wall. 

And finally, I had B help me measure and hang the frames on either side of the dining room windows.  I measured from the edge of the drapes to the wall (rather than from the window to the wall, since the drapes cover a few inches of the wall).

And here they are.....



It looks fairly plain, but since we have a pretty large Monet print on the left wall, I thought it would be nice to balance it out with something simple and elegant. 

Side note: now that I'm looking at the picture, it seems like they are a little too high on the wall.  What do you think???


P.S.  I'm linking up to The DIY Show-Off's 2010 DIY Recap Party, go check it out:

Your Mother Should Know

So yesterday was the 28th of December.  And after a day of dog walks and lunching out, hair cuts and hair color (for me, some of us are natural blondes) GG asked me, did we ever figure out how many years.
How many years?  A Virgo who never forgets had mislaid the date.  I thought it was the 27th yesterday.

Yes, the 28th of December and 6 years ago I invited the "new girl" in the shop over for dinner.  Though much younger and much taller than I, she seemed worth getting to know.  I made  chicken and barley soup, a green salad with ripe d'anjou pears and french feta cheese served with freshly baked bread.  And we ate and talked and talked and after she did the dishes (I was so loving this part) we made a pot of tea and moved to the couch.

Then, with the most perfect posture I have ever seen, she poured.  That did it for me, I was smitten.

Several years later the Lab moved down from Connecticut and we were complete.  

My mother was totally right on two things: it's important to stand up straight and to know how to make a good  bowl of soup.
 
Happy Anniversary GG. 
xo Jane

White House: Vermeil room & library

When visiting the White House, unless you are on official state business, you will enter from the ground floor (yes, I've shown these posts in reverse order of my visit!). Located on this floor are a number of functioning spaces so much of it is closed to the public. However, one can catch glimpses of the Library, seen above.

Before the 1902 renovation of the white house, this was the official laundry room of the building until becoming the servant's locker room. In 1935 it was turned into a library. The space is used for small meetings as well as press conferences and houses over 2700 books on American life which are added to by each president. The current furnishings are from New York, circa 1810. The walls are painted paneling from timbers which, before the Truman renovation of the White House, were the structure of the building (replaced by steel). This paneling is seen in a number of rooms on the ground floor.The paneling remained unpainted until the Boudin redecoration of the White House, seen above in 1963. I love that blue painted ceiling!

The walls of the Vermeil Room above (so called after the collection of Vermeil displayed here, donated by Margaret Thompson Biddle in 1956) are currently the same green painted paneling as in the library but here house portraits of First Ladies. The room functions as a ladies sitting room and is where the First Lady often receives her official guests. After the 1902 renovation, architect McKim created this room as a ladies lounge as it was adjacent to the ladies restroom and it has retained that purpose. Above you can see the unpainted paneling in 1960.The walls were painted blue by Boudin's redecoration with a grained finish. Originally, these ground floor rooms were staff quarters and the vermeil room was, fittingly, the silver polishing room!

The carpet in the room is beautiful, an 1860 Turkish Hereke. Only a few rooms left to go -join me tomorrow to see the ground floor dining room!

My Christmas Vaca in Pictures

I have become a picture taking addict. Some people find it annoying that I insist on documenting almost everything but they certainly thank me when they see the pictures afterward. I like to create a story in pictures sometimes, or catch people in a candid moment that can't be recreated.

I arrived home JUST in time on Christmas Eve to decorate the tree with my parents and younger sister! We were missing our older sister--she usually hangs this ornament!

This is our first ever Nativity scene; each figure hand carved from wood.

Beautifully (and realistically) wrapped presents which get sequentially handed out on Christmas morning. We don't like to break tradition.

Table Setting # 1: Christmas Eve with gorgeous raffia placemats, red table linens, and delicious tomato soup and some vino!

Tablescape #2: Christmas Dinner. I insisted on chargers and found these gorgeous red and gold ones that have barely been used in this house! Everyone had calligraphy name plates and a fun Christmas popper with toys and a tissue crown in it.

We...got some snow up here. Of course I took a ton of pictures of the fast falling snow because it was so beautiful. This tree is in our front yard.

After the blizzard let up (60 MPH winds!), it was time for clean up. Everyone up here must have a John Deere tractor, even non farmers.

Our wreath is beautiful all covered in snow.

And finally here I am shoveling snow, that, as you can see, is up to my fingertips! My father thought it was a good idea to document me shoveling snow because it was the first time it's ever happened! Harsh.

Now the hurdle of Christmas is over, sadly, but we must look forward to 2011! I have NO resolutions but a super positive attitude about the year ahead. What are your New Years Plans everyone? Do you have to work this week?

Alicia B.

Swedish Press

Hyacinth

Johanna from Finland received a Leaf cup as part of her advent prize and put it straight to good use for her Christmas hyacinth. How would you use yours?

Ham I Am

While blogland lies sleeping, there are still a few of us awake and posting.  And judging by the number of hits we get, I'm thinking there are people still reading.  And wanting more.  Hungry for more.

So today I give you a ham.  Actually I wish I could give you  a ham because I don't know what I was thinking  when I bought it.

Did I think I had a large family?  Did I think I was going to have time to cook it and serve it on Christmas Day?

Did I never want to take my rings off again? 

So far we have served cold slices on Christmas night with cheeses and pickles and pickled beets, just nice food to snack on  after a long and filling day.  Then ham and boiled eggs for breakfast yesterday.  A ham sandwich for lunch and potato soup with  with a touch of ham for dinner.

This morning GG made biscuits and a ham hash with eggs.  There is still a mountain to get through. 

The next plan is to bake it and serve it with a potato-kale gratin.  And a lot of water.  I am getting very thirsty.

  If you live locally and would like to eat locally, give us a holler.  Ham mountain awaits you.  Come on up!
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