My First Trip to IKEA!

My oldest son just closed on his first house the other week. (April 29th)  He has a few things leftover from his college apartment but needs lots more!  {Seriously this is a huge WIP!}   

So, on Saturday we took a road trip to the IKEA in Charlotte.  

And all I can say is WOW!  I thought I was going to EXPLODE!   

First off, it feels like you are walking into a freaking football stadium

 It's HUGE

Then, as they cleverly designed, you just keep walking your way through this massive creation.  

here

and here

and here

more here

He picked out a few things and we each bought $4.99 Woks.  

Broke the Bank here :)

That's a start for him.  I bought some bright colored chalk for my next chalkboard project - like  I need another one. 

He bought some dishes

What a great kid!  He just grins when I tell him there will be blog posts dedicated to his cute new house!  Hehe - little does he know... Just trying not to TOTALLY embarrass him  :)
Plus, he's moving in on his birthday this week

 Friday the 13th!  That's today!

Here is my sweet guy as a toddler

And here he is now!  Keep smiling Jacer.  I  will try promise not to embarass you  :)

Birthday cookout at his new place - can't wait to show pix soon.  

And first post and tute of his patio furniture redo.

Barn Doors

So..... Barn Doors are all the Rage now. Love love love  them and not quite sure they are all really doors to a barn    But what I DO know ............they are bigger than life and so architecturally striking to the eye.  Just looky here  

I want this as the entrance to MY office/craft room.  I'll take it however I can get it!  

from re-nest

From Beauty in the Attempt   Amazing colors here. This is where I want to have my morning coffee,  Plan my day

from Smitten Design

Love this closet door

Of course the chalkboard paint freak in me has to have this

and this  Can't help it - It's how I roll :)

But my favorite so far is this Bright yellow sunshiny happy barn door paired with a warm gray.  

I love this barn door trend mainly because I spent so many happy days at the farm where my mother and her sisters grew up.  It was in a little town called Stony Point NC and my siblings and my cousins roamed and played all over the cow pastures there!  Living in the city now but my dream is in the country!  Working my way back slowly.   I'll get there someway somehow.  And yea - That barn still stands today although it no longer belongs to our family :(

Bless my Mess Pillow!

I am so proud of myself!  I finally finished my Jute/Burlap pillow!  What - was it -  February when I started it?   Poor baby got put "on the back burner" for a while.  

So here is what I THOUGHT I was using  in my original post , Hey Jute!  And I did use the burlap jute, just not the embroidery thread only because I had a better idea!  You know how projects can evolve and change AND take on a life of their own?   That's what makes them so fun :)

I decided to try to pull out the rusty red thread to use for the embroidery.  Used the needle to pull up the thread into a small loop so I could cut it.  

Then used the needle {on the other end} to lift it up so I could get hold of that thread and pull!  Easy enough!  Threaded my embroidery needle with it {don't ask what size - I have no clue!  But the eye of this needle was large enough to handle the thread. And burlap is such an open weave that most any needle can work} Ha!

Next deal here - I originally was going to use burlap but my daughters said it was too plain.  Thanks girls. I can always count on you!

 So - we I decided to go with denim.  Perfect combination.  

Well, this is going to be an envelope pillow.  And there are pictures somewhere floating all over my computer but I just can't find them. You see, I have a new computer with Windows 7, not my old XP, and I'm having a little trouble finding my downloads to Picasa.  But I know you guys don't need me to show you how to cut out a 12" x 12" square of fabric. {For the front}  Then an 8" x 12" plus a 6" x 12 " panel for the back.  

  I did somehow find the picture of how I double folded each back piece then stitched for a clean edge.

I decided to make my own jute/burlap piping for the pillow.  So I cut the middle out of several pieces of the jute.  

Placed cotton cording in the middle and stitched it up tight using my zipper foot.  Then I pinned the cording front piece (with raw edges together) to the front of the pillow.  

This time I went ahead and stitched the cording onto the front piece first. Then took the two back pieces and, as you know, pinned the pieces together with the right sides (faces) together.  But you can certainly skip this step and just pin all the pieces together then sew away!

Since this is an envelope pillow I could stitch all the way around!  If you make it all enclosed then leave about a 2" opening so you can turn it right side out.  Then stitch the opening closed {But I just bet you already know how to do that!}

Here's my newest pillow - and yea, she is a little messy too!

In the meantime I can't thank you enough for taking the time to be here.   I am so honored to be followed and friended!  You are important to me and just let me know you are following because I will follow you back!  Because I know how special you are!

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