Spoon & Thimble

One Architect + One Product Designer = Home Renovation

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:02:04 -0500

The Project : :

Master Bedroom

Details:

* Paint the walls & ceiling

* Remove the carpet

* Redesign Closet

* Install new pendant & reading lights

The Before shot of the room.

The first step was removing the carpet. It’s amazing how much dirt and grime comes out of 20 year old carpet! We became masters at removing staples and tack strips. All you need is a screwdriver, washcloth, pliers, and a crowbar. (*Tip - lay the washcloth on the floor under your crowbar and / or screwdriver so that you don’t scratch the wood while trying to pry the tack strips up)

Nope, he’s not taking a nap. He’s painting the trim. He just loved having his head that close to the nasty carpet.

We decided to create a chocolate brown feature wall to accentuate the headboard wall. For the rest of the space, we used a light blue paint.

The Reveal : :

For the bedroom design we wanted to create a serene, peaceful space to lay our heads. So, we focused on items that were modern and Asian inspired.

The bed frame, dresser, wall shelf, reading lights, pillows, and curtain panels are from Ikea.

The bird was hand carved and painted by Brian’s father.

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

My collection of artist necklaces. Check out more detail on them Here.

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

A little mid century flare…

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

Blue Lace Skirt

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:38:19 -0500

Shortly after I learned how to sew, my sister-in-law handed me a stack of blue fabric and asked me to turn it into something for their daughter. The fabric held a special meaning because it was used in their wedding. So, I decided to turn it into a skirt.

I wanted the skirt to have fullness so I purchased a soft tulle fabric to add layers inside the skirt. I didn’t want the tulle to irritate her waist so I made a short panel out of the blue fabric to attach the tulle to. This way, all of the fabric gathered at her waist would be the silky, smooth fabric.

I added a lace trim to finish the hem of the skirt.

The two layers were sewed together before the gathered tulle was attached to the short panel.

Add an elastic waistband and voila!

One Architect + One Product Designer = Home Renovation

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:33:46 -0500

The Project : :

Sun Porch

Details : :

This porch was an all around mess when we started. It was one of our most extensive renovations, but in the end, it became our favorite spot in the house.

* New roof, soffits & fascia board

* New sill plate

* Power wash wood panels

* New landscaping surrounding porch

* New beadboard ceiling & ceiling fan

* New screen…. everywhere!

* Paint all interior walls and ceiling

The Before Shot - very dark and dreadful.

Who would want to sit out here!

Our biggest, and somewhat appalling, discovery… the birds had obviously been nesting in the soffits for years! The amount of hay, feathers, scraps, etc. that fell from the soffits was absolutely disgusting!

And some more…

It just kept coming…

And for the big Reveal : :

Brian built the coffee table using wood salvaged from his father’s barn.

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

We didn’t want a traditional, off the shelf trellis, so Brian designed and built these modern ones. They turned out great!

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

We took a traditional rocker and painted it bright green to give it a modern edge.

(Photo by From-Me-To-You)

One Architect + One Product Designer = Home Renovation

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:50:11 -0500

The Reveal : :

Bathroom

Before:

After:

(photo by From-Me-To-You)

Look Here for the Before Photos and Process

One Architect + One Product Designer = Home Renovation

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:25:00 -0500

The Project : :

Bathroom

Details : :

* Paint the ceiling and walls

* Install exhaust fan

* Install new lighting

* Replace toilet

* Replace vanity

* Remove medicine cabinet and install new mirror

* Remove tri-panel mirror and tri-level make-up vanity counter

* Install new mirror and wooden vanity counter

* Install new flooring

* Change the swing of the door

The bathroom was one of our most extensive remodeling projects. The only remaining items were the wall tile, tub, and vanity base. The first step we did was somewhat uncommon, but improved the function and flow of the room tremendously. There is an existing niche in the hallway for the bathroom door. So, it seemed natural to change the swing of the door so that the door swings out into the hallway instead of into the restroom. The hallway flow of traffic was uninterrupted because of the niche and now, the bathroom floor space in front of the sink / vanity area is completely open allowing for both of us to be using the space at the same time without having to worry about getting knocked over by the door.

Before pic of the sink area. The feel of the space was very outdated and generic.

The flooring was peel n’ stick tile. This had to go. Notice a theme to the house with the flesh tone wall color that appears again in this room!

The mirror and make-up vanity were about 30 years out of date. The fastener heads on the mirror had plastic flower embellishments… yikes!

In this area we removed the mirror, counter top and light fixture.

Laying the tile backer.

We rented a wet saw from Home Depot for the day.

Brian laid out all the tiles to create his pattern before installing them.

Time for the tough work.. . climbing into the attic to remove one light fixture, install two smaller ones, and install an exhaust fan.

Unfortunately, this is the area of the roof where the slope terminates so he had to do all this work on his stomach (hence the hard hat).

New light are installed!

The patching and prep work for this wall are done. We decided to modernize the diffusers and light switches (laying on the make-up counter). A small step with a nice impact.

The amount of patching needed was absurd!

Brian installing the new sink and vanity.

Check out the Reveal photos Here!

Forest & Branch Necklace Behind The Scenes

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:07:00 -0500

EVRT Studio’s Forest and Branch necklaces made their debut this week. The timing seems perfect as we are in the midst of a beautifully blooming spring. The bold, vibrant, pops of color pay tribute the beauty that is spring.

The idea for this series of necklaces was conceived last fall on a walk in the park. The green hues of summer were giving way to the bright oranges, golds, and reds of the fall. The contrast of color against the subdued tree bark was beautiful and inspiring.

It reminded us of why we love the Spring and Fall in the Midwest. The landscape is magic.

The necklaces can be purchased here:

EVRT Studio Shop

The inspiration…

We went through a few rounds of prototypes to come up with the perfect material, size, and placement of branches.

Some light sanding and they are ready to be wrapped!

This project reminded me of why I love embroidery floss and all of its wonderful colors!

The final touch, stringing the necklaces with sterling silver chains.

The photo shoot was a lot of fun. We had a beautiful model, beautiful weather, and a beautiful setting.

So excited to launch these today. We have been working on them...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:43:46 -0500

So excited to launch these today. We have been working on them for a long time!

evrtstudio:

Branch & Forest Necklace

Now up in the shop!

The concepts for the Branch & Forest necklaces were created during a walk through the park in the fall of 2011. The beauty of the Midwest is at its peak in both the fall and spring. The landscape begins to transform from the green hues of summer and brown hues of winter to the bold, vibrant pops of color that emerge in both fall and spring. This is the idea that we wanted to capture with the Forest and the Branch necklaces.

With this new series we also wanted to create a bolder graphic or iconic statement than what you normally find in jewelry by having an over-sized pendant at five inches wide. Laser cut wood or plastic with hand wrapped embroidery floss in multiple colors. Hangs on a sterling silver 16” chain with sterling silver lobster clasp. Comes in a nifty little box for protection.

Wholesale

This is also the first product beyond canvas prints that EVRT Studio is offering for wholesale, which is very exciting for us. For more information please contact us through the info page.

Embroidery Love

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:02:06 -0600

Cupcake Embroidery

Embroidery For Beginners, A Tutorial

Embroidered Geography Love Pillow

Baby Name Embroidery

Anniversary Love Hoop

Typographic Stitching

No source

Embroider Your Child’s Artwork

Organizing A Craft Room: Inspiration

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:00:05 -0600

Compact Storage

Built In Shelving With A Pop Of Color

Make Your Own Fabric Bolts

Card Catalog Craft Storage

Button Pins

Make Your Own Saw Horse Table

Knitting Needle Storage

Embroidery Hoop Storage Pockets

Canning Jar Yarn Storage

Glass Jar Yarn Storage

Organize Embroidery Floss

Picture Frame Thread Storage

Jar Storage and Pin Cushion

Chalkboard Wall Calendar

Repurpose Soup Cans

Card Catalog Storage

Dress Fabric Storage

Fabric Scrap Storage In A Cute Bowl

Ikea Storage Unit

Fabric Storage

Store Fabric In A Vintage Suitcase

Jar Storage

Make Your Own Fabric Bolts

Fancy Nancy Inspired Dress

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:20:12 -0600

I made this dress as a Christmas gift for a special little girly girl that loves Fancy Nancy books. I did some research to better understand Nancy and her fancy ways and came across this beautiful purple dress. I have never worked with ruffles before but I figured, why not just jump right in! This dress is actually quite simple. The base fabric is a rectangle turned into a tube with an elastic band at the top to create an A-line appearance.

So…. drum roll please….. Here comes the tutorial!

Supplies:

1 to 2 yards of base fabric (varies based on chest measurement)

1 roll of 6” tulle (I found mine in the wedding section of JoAnn’s)

1” elastic

Small scrap of felt

Hair clip

1. Take the chest measurement and double it. This will be the width of your dress.

2. Take the length measurement from under the armpits to the ankles (or wherever you would like the dress to fall). Add approximately 2” for seam allowances. I based the final length of the dress on the tulle layers. I wanted the tulle to cover the entire dress, only leaving 1 1/2” at the top for the elastic. I would recommend planning this out before making your final cut, working in tulle height increments.

3. Cut your base fabric into a rectangle based on the measurements you’ve taken.

4. Sew a zigzag stitch (or serge) the bottom and top edges of your rectangle.

5. Take the bottom edge and fold over 1/2”, press, and sew to create your bottom hem.

6. Take the measurement for the width of the dress and double it. This is the measurement for the tulle strips. Note: you may wish to triple the measurement of the tulle to get even more ruffles.

7. Cut your strips of tulle to the length you’ve just determined. You will need to lay the tulle on the rectangle dress piece and estimate how many strips you will need to cover the dress. I allowed for about a 1/2” overlap between my strips. You will also need to allow space for the 1 1/2” casing at the top of the dress.

8. Ruffle time! Use a ruffle foot on your machine OR place your machine on the longest stitch length. Create the ruffles by running the fabric through the machine on a straight stitch (do NOT do a backstitch at the beginning or end of your work). Now, take your fabric and pull on the bottom thread. This will begin to pull the ruffle. Some feel that it is best to do two sewn lines spaced closely together, allowing you to pull from two places to get a more even ruffle. Practice this on spare fabric and choose whichever method works for you.

9. Once you have the first ruffle layer complete (ruffled to match the width of the dress), pin the ruffle in place and sew it onto the base fabric.

10. Continue this step until you have all of your layers sewn onto the rectangle.

11. Pin the two ends of the dress together (width of the dress), with the wrong side facing out (the ruffles are all hidden inside). Sew a 1/2” seam. Now you have a tube!

12. Now you will create a casing for your elastic. Fold over the top edge 1 1/2”, press, and sew next to your zigzagged (serged) edge leaving a 1” to 2” opening at the back of the dress for the elastic. The seam for your dress will be centered at the back. Create the opening at this spot.

Next it’s time to create the straps. Cut a strip from the base fabric that is 4” wide by the desired strap length. Allow plenty of room to tie a bow. Cut the ends off at a diagonal to create the angled tips of the straps. Fold the fabric over, right sides together. Pin, press, and sew to create a 1/4” seam. Leave a 1” to 2” gap. Pull the fabric right side out through the gap that you’ve created. You will need to use a pointer of some sort to get smooth, crisp edges (a knitting needle or chopstick will work great). Hand sew the gap closed.

Pin the strap to the inside of the dress as shown above to the front side of the dress (The seam of the dress should be in the back), aligning the bottom of the strap with the bottom edge of the casing. Sew the strap onto the dress along the same line used to the casing.

Cut your elastic to fit snugly around the chest. Attach safety pins to both ends and pull it through the gap of the casing. Now pull the elastic ends tight and push the fabric back away from the elastic ends. Pin the elastic ends together (I like to overlap the elastic) and sew to create a tube.

Now, it’s time to close up the casing opening. You can use your machine to top stitch or, for a cleaner look, hand sew this closed.

The dress is finished!!

Birdcage Veil

The first step is deciding how large you want the flower. Use scrap fabric from the dress that is slightly larger than the desired circle circumference.

There are many great tutorials out there for creating fabric flowers.

Try this one here…

Use the base of a cup, dish, lid, etc. to ease the process of tracing the circles.

The next step is completing the veil. Take excess tulle from the dress cut to your desired length. Run a gathering stitch along one long end. Pull to gather and shape into a circle. Hand stitch the tulle onto a felt circle sized slightly smaller than your fabric circle. Gather the two short ends of the tulle and take a few stitches to secure the ends discretely under the felt circle.

Now, take a hair clip and attach to felt circle (I stitched mine onto the felt). Lastly, attach your fabric flower on top of the tulle.

That’s it!

Below shows a picture of how a traditional birdcage veil is supposed to be worn, tilted to one side.

(image from fashpages.com)

Roundup of Free Baby Knitting Patterns : : Toys

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Ribbit

Lil’ Monster (free pattern on the right hand column)

Chubby Chirp (free pattern on the right hand column)

Bunny (free pattern on the right hand column)

Reversible Duck To Bunny

Toddler & Baby Refashion Roundup

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Baby Leggings

Adult T to Toddler T Refashion

Adult T to Toddler Dress

Sweater to Baby Dress

Sweater Dress

Dress Shirt to Toddler Pants

Mens Pants to Toddler Pants

Adult T to Toddler Pants

Adult Dress Shirt to Girls Dress

Polo Shirt to Girls Skirt

Men’s Tie to Girls Headband

Pillowcase to Dress

Sweater Pants

Adult T to Girls Ruffle Dress

Baby Gown T-Shirt Refashion

Tutu Dress

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:10:00 -0600

Every little girl needs a tutu dress in her closet! For the crafter in the family, it’s a quick and easy way to make a “twirly” dress for hours of play and imagination.

If you do not have a sewing machine, you could make this into a no sew project by using ribbon. Simply take the chest measurement and tie a knot at each end of the ribbon marking off the measurement (leave excess ribbon on the ends beyond the knots for tying a bow). Tie the tulle around the ribbon, and easy peasy, you are done! Wrap the dress around your little one and tie it off in a big bow. If the dress is too loose you can loop another ribbon at the front of the dress to create a halter strap that ties behind the neck.

Tutu Dress Tutorial

Supplies:

* 3 to 5 rolls of 6” tulle (I found mine in the wedding section of JoAnn’s)

* 1” elastic

* Flower for embellishment (optional, use one with a strap on the back intended for a headband and it becomes a cinch to attach)

* Ribbon (optional, for halter strap)

* Foamcore Board or Cardboard (optional)

To make the tulle cutting process quick and simple find a flat sturdy piece of cardboard or foamcore that is cut to the length of the dress. My dress was made for a 4 year old and a standard size foamcore board was the perfect size already. Wrap the tulle around and around. When the roll runs out, take scissors and cut one end of the tulle. Now you have several strips of tulle that are twice the necessary dress length.

Next, take your elastic and cut it to fit snugly around the chest (allow 1/2” extra to account for the seam). Sew your elastic ends together to form a circle.

Place the elastic loop around your thigh and you are ready to tie and attach the strips of tulle.

Take one strip of tulle and fold it in half. Slide it under the elastic loop and prepare to make a slip knot.

Fold over the top of the loop and pull the tails through the loop.

Pull tightly, tugging the tails back towards you. Make sure that the elastic does not fold over.

Your first slip knot is done! Now repeat this step over and over until your loop is full.

The knots formed from creating the slip knots should end up on the inside of the dress, hidden from view. If yours are on the outside, simply turn the dress inside out.

Optional: To add the flower - pull a piece of tulle through the loop on the back of flower and tie your slip knot. That’s it!

Winter Knits Roundup! Free Patterns

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

One Architect + One Designer = Home Renovation

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

The Project : :

Dining Room

The Details : :

* Paint the ceiling and walls

* Replace the sliding glass door

* Replace the light fixture

The Reveal : :

Dining Room

(Image by FromMeToYou )

Sweet Potato Fries

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Once you go sweet potato … You never go back!

Sweet potato fries are a delicious and nutritious alternative to regular old french fries. This version is seasoned and baked in the oven. Once I tried these I became a french fry snob!

The best part, they are only 89 calories per serving!

The recipe and tips on preparing them are located after the pics …

Tip #1 : For fries that are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, flip the fries halfway through cooking. This way they get an even cook on both sides.

Tip #2 : We use ancho chile powder. It’s got a perfect flavor for this recipe

Tip #3 : Try the turkey burgers listed in this recipe. They are delicious!

Recipe

Grilled Cheese with Prosciutto, Basil, and Dates

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:00 -0600

With the holidays behind us now, I have to say that I have had my fill of turkey, mashed potatoes, and casseroles. It’s time for something different!

How about a grilled cheese with a twist …

We were a little leery of mixing all these ingredients together, but the combination of flavors was fantastic! It’s also a great way to get power packed nutritional dates into your diet.

You can find the recipe Here

One Architect + One Designer = Home Renovation

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:04:00 -0600

The Reveal : :

Kitchen

(image by From Me To You )

Check out the Before Pics and Process Here

One Architect + One Designer = Home Renovation

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:39:00 -0600

The Project : :

Kitchen

Details : :

* Paint Ceiling and Wood Beams

* Paint Walls

* Replace Ceiling Fan

* Remove Upper Cabinet Cornice

* Refinish Mid Century door bell

* Remove the half door leading to the stairs

The kitchen was an interesting project. We had a tight budget for this space so we knew that replacing the cabinets and flooring was out of the question. Instead, we went for simple, inexpensive, aesthetic changes. The first thing to go was the upper cabinet cornice. This was a HUGE eyesore and did not have any context to the style of the home.

Brian was very excited about having to get up on a ladder again to paint the ceiling and beams!

I wouldn’t recommend painting like this. Not the safest of moves, but it got the job done. The insides of the cabinets were a bare wood. So, we painted all of the interiors with a white to match the exterior. This was an easy step to bring the cabinets up to date and begin our time in them with a fresh, clean start.

The ceiling fan was very traditional and lacked in design so we replaced it with a more modern twin fan. This turned the ceiling fan from an eye sore to a feature in the kitchen.

By removing the cornice, the upper cabinet immediately transformed. We were able to achieve the look we wanted while salvaging the cabinet.

We wanted an “appetizing” color for the kitchen - one that would be bright, bold, and complement the color palette for the rest of the house. We chose a sassy green reminiscent of a tasty, tart granny smith apple! The color also pairs well with the bright orange wall in the living room. This was an important aspect because the vantage point from the front door allows you to see both colors at the same time.

Mini Project: : The Mid Century Door Bell Renovation

We didn’t manage to take a “before” photo of our door bell, but the above 1950s / 60s Nutone door bell is spot on to what we had. We loved the retro lines of the door bell, but knew it needed some updating. So, Brian went to work on it. He found a cheap perforated metal tray and cut a rectangular piece to replace the brass mesh. Then, he painted the bell a matte white finish.

It looks fantastic! It became one of our favorite little treasures in the house!

As always, our favorite time in a room reno… adding the artwork. (Artwork above is EVRT Studio)

Check out the After Photos Here

Pretty Girl Tutu Tutorial

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:31:00 -0600

What little girl doesn’t love to twirl around in a tutu! This is a very easy gift and can be made in one evening while sitting in front of the TV (watching a Christmas movie!). There is very little to no sewing required.

For the sew version, you can use elastic for the waistband. Sewing together the elastic to form a loop is the only sewing required. I generally take the waist measurement and subtract 1/2” for the final sewn elastic measurement (remember to add in your seam allowance when you cut the elastic).

For a no sew version, you can use ribbon instead of elastic. Measure the waist, tie knots in the ribbon to mark the waist measurement. You will attach the tulle between the two knots. The left over ribbon (beyond the knots) will be used to tie a bow.

There are lots of tutorials online for completing this project. I’ve seen some where they tie a double knot and others which tie a slip knot. I tried both and feel that the slip knot looks cleaner. Depending on how you tie the knots you may need to flip your tutu inside out when completed so that the knots are hidden on the interior of the skirt (this is what I had to do). Look for tips and the tutorial after the pics …

Tips for making the tutu:

UPDATE:

Here is a tutorial for tying the slip knots…

1. To ease the process of cutting the tulle I purchased 6” rolls (found at JoAnn Fabrics in the wedding section). This eliminates the need to cut the tulle width wise because 6” is the perfect width to use.

2. To cut the length I found a book that was the appropriate length, wrapped the tulle around the book and cut one end. This allowed me to cut multiple strips at one time. You can also use a piece of cardboard or foam core board.

3. Slide your leg through the elastic loop until it rests on your thigh (like a garter). Then, begin to tie the tulle around the loop. This makes it very easy to tie on strips of tulle.

Enjoy!