Using What I Have

Since I've spent so much time at home lately, I've been looking for ways to make small tweaks to some spaces around our home.  And since I've been trying to reduce the waste we produce and all the stuff we consume, I've been using things I already have to spruce things up.  My latest target was my laundry room. 

The first thing I did was repaint the generic canvas that was hung up to cover the water hook-ups.  At first I was going to try to find some different artwork or order a canvas photograph, but then I decided I could just use what I already have!  I have plenty of acrylic paints leftover from other projects, so I pulled a few colors that went well together.  EttaVee was my inspiration (though what I ended up with is nowhere near her gorgeous artwork!) so I picked some bright happy colors like pink, orange and yellow.  I also pulled in colors that coordinated with the wall color like teal and navy.  I didn't really know what I was doing, so I just squirted globs of paint on the canvas and swirled it around with a paintbrush.  The final project is bright and happy and makes me smile.  Plus, it was free! 

Next, I took down the blinds.  I've decided I just don't care for blinds.  They collect dust and prevent the maximum amount of sunshine from coming in, even when they're open.  So I took those suckers down.  I left the window naked for a few weeks before deciding my next move.  Since the window is crammed in the corner of the room, I decided I needed some sort of window treatment that fit within the window frame.  I considered making a Roman shade, like I did in the kitchen.  But I decided I didn't really need a functioning shade since I wouldn't be opening and closing it each day.  That's when I decided a little valance would do the trick.  

I wanted something that was fun and had a little whimsy.  (I need all the happiness I can get when doing laundry!)  So I started looking for valances online and saw some cute ones with pom poms and tassels.  I almost bought one, but I looked a little closer and realized I had everything I needed to just make one myself.  After a little searching, I found a handy video that showed me how to make tassels.  I decided to go with teal and navy tassels, to pick up some of the colors from my painting. 

Once my tassels were made, I set about making the valance.  I decided to go with simple white.  I ended up using some curtain lining leftover from my Roman shades.  It was pretty sheer, so I doubled up the layers to make it less see-through.  I wanted my final curtain length to be about a foot long, so I added 3 inches to allow for the hanging process.  The width inside my window became the width of the curtain, but I added an inch to allow for a half inch seam allowance on each side.  I folded the two layers in half and sewed the sides shut.  So the bottom ended up being folded and the top was open, like a pillowcase.  I flipped it inside out and ironed out all the wrinkles at this point.  

Now it was time to add the tassels.  I ended up using a large upholstery needle to sew on my tassels.  I needed a larger eye for my embroidery thread to fit through and an upholstery needle did the trick.  I sewed the tassels on the bottom of the curtain (the folded part) and tied the knots to secure them inside the curtain.  And I used the ol' eyeballing it method to decide how far apart to space each tassel.  (Don't tell Adam.)    

Next, I moved onto figuring out how to hang it up, again, using what we already had on hand.  I decided to use a similar method that we used when installing the Roman shades.  I had Adam cut down a 1x2 to the width of the curtain.  I wrapped it in the same white fabric and stapled the fabric on, much like you would wrap a present.  Just use staples instead of tape.  Then I stapled the top of the curtain (the open side) to the top of the board.  I didn't worry about finishing the top of the curtain since it will never be seen sandwiched between the board and the top of the window trim.   

  

Finally, I held it in place inside the window frame, while Adam screwed it into the top of the window frame from the bottom of the 1x2.  We made sure to pre-drill the holes first so the drill wouldn't bunch up the fabric.    

It turned out adorable!  The curtain helps finish off the window and adds a little fun to the space.  It also helps tie in the painting.  

These scrappy DIY projects are always my favorite.  There really is something to be said about making something yourself.  I tend to enjoy them long after I've finished making them and they bring about a sense of pride.  And isn't that what your home should be all about?  Your home should definitely be a place you're proud to call home and a space you enjoy being in.