Tufted Headboard

Hello again!

We recently moved my mother into an assisted living apartment.  Wow, was that a tough one!  We found a really beautiful place and she has a great two room apartment.  We wanted to decorate the "bedroom" really nice since you see it upon entering, but she didn't have a headboard.  Her apartment has very high ceilings (which is awesome) but the little double sized bed looked dwarfed.  So, my assignment was to make a headboard for her. 

Mom had a bench at the foot of her bed that is a light blue velvet.  It is quite old so I knew I wouldn't be able to match it.  Luckily, I found a great woven home dec fabric at JoAnn that had a light blue velvet thread through it! I waited for a sale and got it at 50% off!  Kristi with Addicted 2 Decorating has great, step-by-step instructions on her website.  Check it out, her headboard is fabulous and I'm serious when I say anyone can do this.  You can find these instructions along with a list of materials needed at http://www.addicted2decorating.com/

Here is the progression of my headboard.  Sorry I didn't snap a pic of it installed (should do that). My instructions are very general in nature.  Kristi has more detailed instructions.

It starts with a sheet of 1/2" MDF cut to the size you'll need.  Home Depot will cut it for you.  Then I curved the top corners using a jigsaw.  Next I added a 2" piece of form (cut to size at JoAnn).  This stuff isn't cheap so watch for a sale.  I got it for 50% off!

After attaching the foam to the board with spray adhesive, I made horizontal grid lines, then added diagnal lines to make the diamond shape. 

Then I cut holes whereever a button will be.  You do this so that the button will lay in the hole nicely.  I used a little drill gadget to start the holes but had the best luck just digging it out with my fingers after the hole is started.  (Kristi fashioned a tool using a pipe elbow.)  Drill a small hole through the MDF in the center of each hole.

Next you lay 2 layers of high loft batting and your fabric layer on top.  Be sure you have plenty of room all the way around, like 10-14" worked for me.

Now the fun begins.  I covered 32 buttons for my headboard (which is a double size) with the same fabric but you could do the buttons however you wish I suppose.  Start in the center hole, at the center grid line and thread the button and attach at the back using a stapler.  Use a strong cord (I found some at Hobby Lobby for less than $2 in the craft section (cheaper than in the home dec section).  Work in horizontal rows, center out first.  This is where two saw horses come in handy because you need to work the top and bottom at the same time.

It's not really pretty at this stage but keep going, it gets better.  After you do the horizontal rows, then go back and do the center holes creating the diamond shape.  That is when the magic starts!

When you have finished every button, turn it over and make sure all the threads are secure.  It will look like this on the back.

Gorgous huh?  Fold over the outer edges all the way around, making little pleats where the buttons line up and secure on back with your staple gun.  Sounds a bit confusing but the fabric really will tell you where to add the pleat.

Then voila! 

Just add some D Ring hooks and hang it on the wall!  I used a mirror hanging kit.

I hope you try this sometime.  It really is easier than you might think.  Be sure to share your project with me!

Happy Turfting!

Happy Healthy New Year - Savory Beef Stew

I'm not typically one to make New Year Resolutions.  You know why don't you?  Yup....too easy to fail and then I feel bad about it and blah, blah, blah.  Having said that, this year we decided we really needed to get in shape.  Maybe it was the milestone birthday he had and I'm soon to have, I don't know.

Here's the twist though....we engaged 5 others from our office to join us on our quest for a fit 2012!  How's that for support!  So now we embark on our 90 day challenge.  The grand prize....we lose weight and make 2012 a healthy year!

But.... before we started I made this fabulous Savory Beef Stew.  In reality it really is pretty healthy...just depends on what you serve it with.  Please forgive my photos though....I seem to forget to take the finished shot.

Let's get started....

This recipe was given to me by our dear friend Lynda...thank you Lynda!

This is what you'll need:

2 - 2 1/2 lbs of Stew Meat in 1 inch cubes

1 small Onion - sliced thin

3 medium Leeks, whites only, sliced thin

3 stalks Celery cut in diagonal pieces

6 Carrots, peeled and cut in chunks

I also like to add:

2 peeled and cut Parsnips

Fresh green beans

a handful of whole Mushrooms

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tbsp Tapioca (or flour for thickening)

1 can, 15oz V-8 juice (I usually buy the larger plastic bottle and add a bit more)

Place everything in the crock pot, adding V-8 last - cook on low for 8 - 10 hours (no peeking!)

or

Place meat in a 9 x 13 baker

Add Veggies and other ingredients - juice last

Cover with foil, seal tightly around edges

Bake at 250 degrees for 4 hours.

You can serve this yummy stew over mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, barley....anything you like.  I like it with warm French Bread or crusty bread.  Yum!

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Here we are again, just a few days before Christmas and I'm wondering where the time has gone.  I was feeling pretty good about making some of our gifts this year, that is before I realized the date and thought "ut oh". 

I've finished my shopping, except food for Christmas Eve dinner.  I've sent out my cards and packages.  I've hung the tinsel and garland but I'm realizing that I haven't finished all those little holiday projects I'd planned.  Well, maybe I'll just finish them up after Christmas that way I'll be ahead of the game for next year!  Yeah!

Anyway,  I wish you all a very Happy Holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas!

Maggie's First Christmas!

Estate Sale Treasure!

I have a moto:  "it's not what it is but what it can be".  I apply this moto every time I venture through a yard sale or estate sale.  It was an Estate Sale that caught my attention last week in our neighborhood.  A professional company was running the sale so I figured I might find some good treasures!  Boy did I! 

I dug through books and kitchen items but really scored when I discovered a closet full of sewing items!  Lots of fabric, yarns, patterns, etc....but the real treasure was a shoebox full of lace scraps!  I'm always on the look out for lace scraps, especially vintage laces.  I snatched up that box and headed to "checkout" with my other discoveries. 

It wasn't until I got home that I realized what a treasure I had found.  That box of vintage lace scraps, turned out to be vintage lace collars!  All appear to be handstitched or tatted!  Some have closures on them, some are missing the closure but all are in wonderful condition!

I'll have to decide if I can use these in my work or if I can part with some through my etsy shop.  Hmmmm... have to think about that one for a while.   Aren't they just beautiful?

Thanksgiving Recipes/Traditions

Every year, as Thanksgiving approaches, I start to panic that I won't be able to find all the recipes for our traditional family dinner.  Maybe you do the same.  You see, my husband (Mr. D) and I host our family's Thanksgiving celebration.  It's our tradition.  We have family join us from California to Virginia.  We even have guests of the four-legged variety!
So much fun!

Well, this year, I decided to eliminate the panic and gather all my recipes together into one book, Traditions!  Best of all, everything I used came from my "stash"!

Start with a chipboard book, although you could use anything; an old book or even paper bags!   Then pick out several different scrapbook papers and magazine pages to fit your theme and cut them to fit the pages of your book (8 x 8 in my case)

Using glue, gel medium or what have you, attach the papers to the book pages. 

I used Traci Bautista's Collage Pauge.

I also used a brayer to get all the bubbles out of the pages.  This was most effective with the pages from the magazines since they were thinner papers.
Instead of gluing the front and back papers, I tucked them into sheet protectors then
used a heavy duty double stick tape to attach them to the covers.
That way the covers are protected
in case I set the book in a messy or wet spot while cooking.

Once all the pages were covered, let the book dry completely.  Then the real fun begins!  

Gather your recipes, print them out on whatever paper you'd like or even 

handwrite them on recipe cards.

Now, embellish, embellish, embellish......have fun with it, there are no rules here!

After embellishing the pages, tie ribbons around the spine of the book and knot.
I used a different ribbon,string and seam binding ribbon around each page.

Finally, you'll need to fashion some type of closure to hold all the goodies in!   

I fashioned a closure using a rubber button and some twine.

I sewed the button onto the front cover with twine then tied the end of a long length of twine so it could wrap around and "close" the book.

That's it!  Voila!  I have a few more recipes to add, although they are locked in Mr. D's head right now....I may just be taking notes while he is cooking on Thanksgiving morning.

Mr. D suggested I make another for our Christmas traditions and Easter traditions.  Hmm good idea. If you have family favorite and traditional recipes, put them in a book!   Not only will it save you from panic each year, but it will be a treasure to pass down to the next family member to take over the tradition.

Share your creations!  I'd love to see them.

Happy Halloween!

BOO Y'ALL!

Hi!  Maggie here!  This is my pumpkin!  Yup it's mine!

This is my first Halloween and I'm really excited!

Ok, thank you Maggie!   I'll take it from here....

Happy Halloween all!  We've carved Maggie's pumpkin in preparation for tonight.  It had been a very long time since I carved a pumpkin.  I bought one of those little double edged saws at the grocery store.  It works alright but was pretty bent up by the time I was finished.  

I drew a pattern and taped it to the pumpkin, then punched little holes to outline the pattern....very Martha Stewart!  The pattern started off looking a little like Maggie but I think it ended up looking like a cat.  That's ok, we'll take it.

Happy Halloween!

It's a New Day!

A new day, new beginning, right?  

This photo was taken with my Canon EOS Rebel @ 6:25 am on Sept 4, 2011

Well sort of.

This new blog isn't completely a new beginning, more like an addition.  Sort of a way to organize my thoughts.  I'd like for Pumpkinhead Patch to be a place where I can share more domestic ideas.  Anything from crafts and sewing to decorating and cooking, and of course life in general.

 

So now, you can find me at both 
www.pumpkinheadstudio.blogspot.com

and here at http://www.pumpkinheadpatch.blogspot.com/

Wish me luck as we embark on this new journey.