Vintage Fresh Pillowcases

So, I was browsing eBay today to fill my linen closet. You see, there is nothing better than the long ago worn in softness of vintage pillowcases. My addiction started with the piles of 1960's sheets we were raised on in the '90s. I bought my own vintage pillowcases a few years ago at an antique mall, and keep going back for more. I found a few sets to buy, but am even more excited about this fantastic pattern for sale by basketwearhouse here: rick-rack applique pillowcase pattern. These look so fun to make! I am going to dig through my supplies today, thanks to my great-grandmother, I have piles of 1950's era rick-rack and hand tatted laced. 

Laundry room makeover!

Well, here it is! I got teeth pulled on Monday and painted on Wednesday... I know, I'm crazy. Miss Audrey, aged 3, helped with the painting. Sorry about the awful pictures, my camera battery is dead and charger is MIA with the living room renovations. The first picture is my favorite detail, my housewife pinups! The floor is the same aqua as the towels, so the room really pops. I will post better pictures when I can, but I had to show it off. 

Comfort on a rainy day

I hurt today...tooth pulled, no fun at all. Add in the tornado warnings and hailstorm, and it's a lovely day. Actually, it's not so bad. Soup, snuggling in bed listening to the rain, and hot and cold comfort. Cup of tea, a nice soft ice pack, and a warmer for the back. 

To make your own ice pack, I suggest cheating :) I put a a cup or two of frozen corn or peas inside a baggie, seal tightly, and place inside a pocket sewn out of a square of flannel and a square of cotton. You can throw the veggies back in the freezer to reuse next time (just don't eat!), and the flannel helps keep your hand from freezing. 

To make a rice warmer, take two pieces of pretty cotton fabric (double up if it's flimsy) and sew three sides. I made mine about 10 by 6 inches, so it's good for the back or wherever. If you are primarily using it for the neck, then make it about 5 by 14. Fill the pocket with a bag of rice, the round brown rice works well. Add a few spoonfuls of dried lavender, and sew the opening shut. Microwave for a minute and half to two minutes, and enjoy the comfort! 

Spring and Summer wardrobe

Ahh, the beauty. There is nothing better than a sundress. From modcloth.com. stopstaringclothing.com, and BetseyJohnson.com. From April on, I buy a new dress at least once every two weeks! It's a necessary habit for a properly attired girl!

Fun stuff for the laundry room

Fun stuff for the walls. I think I am going to drive the soon-to-be husband crazy and start tearing down wallpaper tonight. I will run and get paint tomorrow, spend the afternoon painting, and order my signs. I'll update when done! 

Laundry room that might get used

I need to tear down three horrid layers of wallpaper. Then I can paint the laundry room something fabulous, put up some fun vintage signs, and tackle the 8 loads of laundry I have waiting. You have to understand, I can't do laundry with that god-awful black floral wallpaper starring at me! I love the yellow to the left, since there are no windows in there, and the floor is the same color, a great old pattern. I have a shelf like that too, but no where near as much space! 

Salsa Garden

So, once upon a time, someone came up with the idea to plant a salsa garden. This was a fabulous idea, as those of us who love flavor are always running to the store to buy fresh ingredients. The best part? Tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and the like are easy to grow, even if you have no space at all. I don't think I am going to do a traditional garden (digging up the grass seems like an awful lot of work), but will probably invest in a few cute planters and set it all on the patio. There is plenty of sun, and this way I won't forget to water it, as I will see it all day long. I've grown cilantro before, and we buy a bunch at least once a week, so I'm excited to have fresh on hand again. Tomatoes don't really like me for some reason, though everyone else in the world seems to have piles of nice ripe tomatoes in their garden. I've never grown onions before, so this will be new. 

I'm also going to throw in some cucumber seeds, but this obviously needs more room. That will go on the side of the porch. In my opinion, it looks like a bunch of weeds anyway. 

Home sweet home

So, it's Sunday afternoon, all is quiet on the home front. I am planning my garden for later in the season. We have this ugly wire farm-style fence, so I feel the need to cover it up with something beautiful. As of now, I'm going with Heavenly Blue Morning Glory, which is a flowering vine that grows like crazy. Good, becasue I don't exactly have a green thumb. The basic jist is buy some seeds, till the soil (I think one of those is floating in the garage somewhere?), soak seeds overnight in water, dig little holes, plant 6 inches apart, water a bit, and watch 'em grow! I don't think I need to do anything fancy to the dirt, which is good becasue I lose interest if it's too messy. 

I'll post pictures of the planting process, and the final result (hopefully pretty!) I have visions of lounging in my new patio lounge chair (still need to find the one I envision), sipping lemonade and enjoying the summer.