Window Bling

*Monday with J, guest post.

The playhouse. Oh, how I love this cozy little house out back. I remember securing this treasure like it was yesterday.

I grew up with an adorable little custom playhouse in the backyard of my childhood home. Mom & Dad moved it in and built and created all the fixings for the inside. We entered a different world as we stepped across that threshold.

I wanted to share that memory with my own babes. After looking for plans and pricing out materials for a playhouse, I remembered we had nobody to build it. Hmm. Square one.

Not spending one ounce of thought on how one would move a structure; I hit Craigslist in search of one. I was sure there had to be a tiny home that had seen better days, filled with the chatter and laughter of the children it raised, and longed to fill that role once more.

Bingo.

I stated my case, and then restated it a few more times (a skill I perfected as a child while lobbying for trips to Valley Fair, sure I would be a lawyer) and convinced my parental co-pilot to go take a look.

There it was…an adorable little home, sitting lonely on the corner of a farm down south.  Its children had since traded their time playing kitchen and house, for team sports and sleepovers. It sat empty collecting dust while the spiders covered it in cobwebs.

It begged us to love it. Okay, it begged me to love it.

He negotiated the price and it was ours. One problem. It was built like a brick you-know-what, to real live home standards, with a loft, and therefore weighed a ton -possibly literally. Long story short, we had a connection and it would be delivered.

I was over 6 months pregnant and got a call that the house would arrive, by flatbed truck (?!) that afternoon. I researched a proper foundation, packed up my little man toddler, and hit up Home Depot. I purchased the supplies and was home digging-in 2x4’s in quick time. Very pregnant, in the heat of summer, I gave the land a run for its money. Foundation? Check. I was really quite proud of that moment.

We were finishing up out back when I heard it…the rumble of the 40-foot flatbed that was parked in front of our modest rambler. And it was bigger. They carefully backed the trailer down the hill to the backyard and lifted the house onto my freshly secured foundation with the Bobcat that they brought along. It was a really big trailer.

Little Man’s eyes were wide and took in every step! It was so glorious.

I can remember feeling like a real grown-up in that moment. My parents were dream chasers and magic makers. I watched them do things like this all the time throughout my childhood, making big meaningful things happen with little resources. I had arrived.

Today, our playhouse serves as a secret fort, hunting shanty, spy headquarters, fairy home, snack shack, and domestic, mama-in-the-making dolly haven. The powers of imagination are magnified within the four walls of this snug house. Each year I add something to it. Last year I hung antique wooden fruit crates on the wall as shelves.

This year…custom window valances.

I’ll call this project…Window Bling

Supplies:

Sticks (can you believe we have any left - lots of nature projects lately)

Felt – I chose various shades of green for leaves

Glue Gun

Scrap Paper (for patterns)

Pins / Scissors

Hanging Hardware (measuring tape/drill/nails)

The custom valance my mama helped me make for my very first baby nursery inspired this project. The room was jungle theme and I wanted big, layered leaves as a valance over sheer cotton curtains. She nudged my ideas to grander places adding padding for texture and wire for shaping. It was the finishing touch that sealed the deal for me in that design. They still hang in the room that Little Lady has since taken over, tying memories together in my heart.

This week, as I was repositioning the valance in her bedroom after an all-afternoon rager with a 4-year-old girlfriend (play date), it came to me; I would recreate them in simple form for the playhouse.

I started by measuring the width of the windows, frame-to-frame. Little Man was an excellent assistant and took the job very seriously. His voice seems to drop an octave in these situations.

With sticks on the brain (last two weeks worth of projects) we had a suitable curtain rod. Find sticks that are relatively straight, somewhat sturdy (doesn’t require a lot of weight), and long enough to overlap the frame a bit. Take a rock in your hand and sand the surface of the stick a little to remove loose bark or debris.

I chose three shades of green for my leaves to provide texture and dimension. I freehanded a few leaf shapes on copy paper to make a pattern. Cut leaves, estimating the number you’ll need based on the width of the window and length of the stick. Fold the felt in half, doubling it up to cut two at once, speeding up the process. I found it helpful to pin the pattern in place before cutting.

Find the position in which the stick lays the flattest against the window frame and mark the ‘FRONTS’ of the stick with tape. Layer the leaves along the front of the stick making sure they wrap over the top and around the back of the stick a little to hide the edges. When you are happy with your layout, glue them in place at the very top of the leaf with a glue gun. You are only tacking them in place – no need to overdo it.

There are many options for hanging the sticks (rods) and your hardware store will have them on hand. Our windows had wood frames and I decided to attach the sticks directly to the frame with a thin nail.

Little Man helped me pre-drill a small hole through the stick and then we just nailed them up in place. God, I love that kid. I made sure the nail was long enough to go through the stick and enter the frame deep enough to remain sturdy. 

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house…let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.   ~Mother Theresa

Cheers!
J

Visit J at http://livingfromthisdayforward.blogspot.com 

*I'm J...a single mama of two, who hit a big bump in the road, navigating my way down an unexpected new path one day at a time. My babes are my light and my lens to see the best in everything. We play, we create, we explore, we laugh, we love. The laundry is a little backed up, and dinner may be less than impressive, but our hearts are full and we'll sleep well tonight. Grab your munchkins and join us for some fun...this is what we're up to today!

Nature Mobile

*Monday with J, guest post.

Still blending the natural with the brilliant around here. We’re on a roll, judging by the last couple of project posts. The Adventure Sticks served us well on our nature hike last week; locking our keys in the car at the nature park and one babe plunging into the river head first, not so much. After said event, I considered revising the sticks to include a hook-end for such incidents. On the upside, we were rescued, had a great hike, connected with Grampa Walt on a celebration day (address: heaven), and the kids witnessed the beauty and humor in one of life’s greatest lessons: Water Off A Duck’s Back…or your sister’s, whatevs.

Perhaps it is the lack of spring and extra dousing of snow we received in the past week that has left us craving the signs of new beginnings from nature. We decided to bring it indoors.

Alongside Little Lady’s Happiness Gallery we created earlier this year, this project found the perfect home.  This little girl’s room screams whimsy, as does her soul.

I’ll call this project… Nature Mobile  (see also variations below for home décor)

Supplies:

Large interesting stick/branch

Yarn / Twine String

Tacky Glue

Scissors

Tinfoil

Decorative Napkins or Magazine Clippings

ModPodge (bonding/sealing medium)

Small sponge brush

Search outside for an interesting looking stick. I chose one that was large, a little crooked, and offered a forked branch for interest and dimension. Our dangles will hang from the branch to create a mobile effect.

Choose a fave color of yarn to wrap the branch. For a finished look, add a thin line of glue at the end of the branch and tack a small tail of yarn in place. Begin to wrap the yarn over that tail and around the branch until fully covered. I like to use a light strip of glue down the whole length of the branch while wrapping, for added security. 

The finished branch will look something like this...

The branch alone would make a really cool conversation piece for your home. I’m going to wrap some and gather them in a bunch near my fireplace or bookshelf.

To make the Dangles:

We played with tinfoil to create shapes (as the base) of different creatures including butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. It’s easy to mold/shape and remains lightweight. You really just have to let your imagination guide you as you manipulate the tinfoil – there is no formula!

For butterflies and dragonflies, I used one section of tinfoil for the wings, pinched it together in the middle, and shaped a wing on each side. Then I took a smaller scrap of foil and scrunched it into a long stick shape. I bent it in half and folded it around the center of the wings (where you pinched them together) to create the body of the butterfly. Add a bit of Tacky Glue to keep them bonded. Don’t get hung up on symmetry – this is art!

I can’t begin to describe exactly how we constructed the bird…again, just start at one end of the foil and begin to shape one end of the creature, like the head. Shape an extension for the beak and work your way down the body. If you need to add more foil just scrunch or pinch it together with your existing structure. You could also add a spot of glue to bond them. I created the body separate from the wings.

For the wings, I took a small sheet of foil and scrunched it together in the center, like I did for the butterfly wings, and pressed that spot onto the bird’s belly. Wrap the sides around the bird body until you reach the area in which the wings belong. Shape them flat from there and add a spot of glue.

That’s a whole lot of words to explain: play with the foil, make shapes. Understand? There is no science to this.

Stringing Your Creations:

While you are adding the stick body to the butterfly or other creature, slip the end of a string in before pinching it tightly shut. Tie a double knot at that point for security and then cut the string, leaving a long tail for securing to the branch with proper dangle.

Decorating Your Creatures:

I used leftover party napkins with interesting patterns or color, as well as colorful clippings from magazines, to cover the tinfoil base of your creations. Crepe paper, think party streamers, works well too.

Work in small sections by brushing a little ModPodge onto the object and pressing on little pieces of print until covered. Add one final light coat of ModPodge when finished, to seal it in place. Let it dry. It can get a little messy (which is ok, and fun – try it!) so place wax paper or a coated paper plate under your work.   

If crafting your own creatures isn’t your thing…head to the craft store, purchase pre-made butterflies and birdies, and tie those babies on. It’s all good!

To Hang Mobile:

I tied a twine string near the center point of the branch, at two spots, for hanging. Little Lady already had a hook installed in the ceiling from the gauzy canopy that used to drape at the head of her crib. Please allow me a moment…sniff.

You could use an Eye Hook for hanging as well. They are sturdy when installed correctly, but also removable.

* Important note: please make sure your finished mobile is well out of reach of small children (far above), and securely fastened to avoid tangling or accident. This won’t support Tarzan.

Lie on your back, gaze into the space above, and dream. Your imagination is your soul, your passion, speaking to you. Listen carefully.     ~Mama

What's on your mind? Leave a comment or share a thought below – I love to connect.

Cheers!

J

Visit J at http://livingfromthisdayforward.blogspot.com 

*I'm J...a single mama of two, who hit a big bump in the road, navigating my way down an unexpected new path one day at a time. My babes are my light and my lens to see the best in everything. We play, we create, we explore, we laugh, we love. The laundry is a little backed up, and dinner may be less than impressive, but our hearts are full and we'll sleep well tonight. Grab your munchkins and join us for some fun...this is what we're up to today!