Instant Gratification!!

One of the fastest ways I like to change things up around the house or in my wardrobe is to simply switch up the color! Dyeing is such an inexpensive way to give textiles new life. For this block print tablecloth, the original white and green color way didn't work well in our new house, so it had been tucked away collecting dust.

 {The original version in our old dining room}

I still loved the pattern of the block print, but the white was looking worn out and I couldn't get pink and green out of my head!!

{Petal Pink Rit Dye}

I let the washer fill up with water, soaked the tablecloth so it got evenly wet, and poured the whole bottle of dye in for the soak/wash cycle. Since I didn't want the color to fade or lighten, I hung it up to dry and put it right on my round table. I love seeing the little bit of pink tucked in the corner!!

If you're dyeing a fabric with any color in the background, I like to make sure that it plays nicely with the new dye color.I love the combination of pink and green in all different shades, so I went for the petal pink!!

Via my Color board on Pinterest 

{Our house via A Well Collected Home}

Another fun print I've dyed is this classic blue and white Waverly toile with Teal Rit Dye.

In our old bedroom, I made "drapes" with fake pinch pleats and curtain rod clips...

The wicker chest was a white hand-me-down that I spray-painted black and updated with gold pulls from Anthropologie. 

{Our room tour featured on Little Green Notebook}

{A pillow in my mother-in-law's bedroom}

Purple is one of my favorite colors to dye, because it has so many wonderful shades to play around with. For Christmas a few years ago, I dyed strips of silk and sewed them together to create an ombre effect... 

And topped it off with silk flowers!!

Yesterday I pulled out a few of the girls' white dresses that had noticeable stains and did a quick dye bath on the stove.

{Cheap pot I bought at Wal-Mart}

 I filled the pot up with enough water to soak both dresses, then set them aside while I figured out the shade of purple I wanted... 

I love how the embroidery and gold specks turned out with the purple!! 

Perfect with Annie's little red ballet flats for Valentine's Day :)

A worn-out cream Madewell cardigan I dyed coral-- this post has lots of helpful dyeing tips!!

This summer we played around with tie-dye, which the kids loved!! We used cheap white sheets from Target for P's camp sheets in various colorways...

{Tulip Tye Dye Kit from Michael's}

This white tee had seen better days, so Lela tie-dyed it by herself and it was so cute with a simple white linen skirt!

The options are ENDLESS with dyeing, you just have to go for it!! xoxo

Nap Mat How-To

Before P started preschool, I had no idea what a nap mat was or how expensive they were. Since this is the last year she needs one, I wanted to be able to reuse it (or at least the pillows) and clean it easily. I used an old duvet cover for the fabric, bias tape for the straps, and 3 invisible zippers to insert the pillows.

Keep reading for all the details!

Maternity Jeans How-To

At 36 weeks pregnant, I couldn't justify spending $189 on white maternity jeans that I'll wear a few more weeks. I found a regular pair of inexpensive ones that would fit (unzipped) and made them into maternity jeans with a few minor adjustments...

With a seam ripper, take apart the front waist band and zipper. Then cut the waist band 1/2" from each side seam. Pin and sew the zipper and pockets down along the seam lines (cut out the pocket lining if you want less bulk.)

You need a piece of elastic the same length as the front of your jeans (they sell this by the yard) and enough knit to cover it. I bought 1/8 of a yard (the minimum) and had plenty of knit leftover. Fold the knit over the elastic and sew along the 3 edges.

Pin and sew the knit to the front of the jeans and then sew the side seams together.

Maternity jeans for $15!

I've avoided buying maternity tops this time around by wearing longer, loose-fitting styles. This black Zara blouse is cut on the bias and has gone casual or dressy depending on how I accessorize it.

I found this coral chiffon top at TJ Maxx and swapped the cheap-looking buttons for gold ones. I wear it over a nude cami and it also works great as a swimsuit cover-up. 

I borrowed this embroidered Mexican tunic from my mom's closet. I wore it today with nude flats and my gray tote and can switch those out for wedges and a clutch.

This striped pea coat and green scarf is my go-to outfit when I need to be ready in 5 minutes. A light-weight scarf (this one is Love Quotes NYC) has been perfect for layering with a bump.

Heart Bag How-To

I keep forgetting to post the directions for these heart-stamped goody bags I made for Valentine's Day. They were really simple to make and you could personalize them for any occasion. I recommend using a cotton or linen (I used unbleached muslin which you can find for less than $5/yard at any fabric store). If you're using a stamp, VersaCraft Ink Pads are great for fabrics. You also need something to cinch your bag with like twine, rope, or ribbon. I used baker's twine that was already in the pantry.

Decide how big you want your finished bag to be. Mine were approximately 5"x6" so I cut one piece of fabric 6"x 14" and folded it in half. Pin the sides together and sew. Keep the bag inside out. Cut 2 lengths of your string and knot the ends. Mine were about 26" long.

Fold over the top of the bag 1/2" and 1/2" again, with the 2 pieces of string inside the casing. Pin around the edge. Cut a small hole on either side of the bag and pull both ends of your string through each hole.

Sew around the top edge, making sure you don't sew the string.

Turn right side out and knot your ends together.

I put a piece of paper inside the bag so the stamp didn't bleed through. After it dries, iron the stamp to seal it.

Insert goodies, cinch and tie a bow!

Once you get the hang of it they go really quickly. I made a bigger one for myself to use as a jewelry pouch for traveling...