Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Inspired by Pinterest

It all started innocently enough with images like this...







And then I came across this post by Miss Mustard Seed on using dropcloths (of all things!) to make slipcovers!  

My sweet, patient husband, who goes along with most of my endeavors, took me to several home improvement-type stores so I could find just the right dropcloth.  I wanted one that was a nice texture and color, and preferably with no seams.  

We ended up purchasing an 8oz dropcloth that was 4' x 13' from Lowes that was a nice light color and washed up beautifully.  It did have a seam in it, but the fabric was so nice and soft after washing and bleaching it that I didn't really care.

Once I finished washing/bleaching it I laid it out on our long table and it hit me... all I needed to do was cut it in half and I'd have a super-easy table runner~ perfect for painting some sweet French-style pinstripes on!

So I cut the dropcloth in half lengthwise, serged the raw edge to finish it and used blue painter's tape to mask off the area that I wanted to paint.


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To paint fabric, all you need is plain-ol' acrylic paint~ I used the brand Apple Barrel and for best results it is good to add some fabric medium to the paint to "set" it.

I was really happy with how it turned out!

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Now I'm itchin' to try out some glass etching like this:



and create some glass hurricane candle-holders similar to this to put on my beautiful new table runner:


I think that will be so pretty and fun to customize for different seasons too!

That just got me started though....

I think that I mentioned that I am back on crutches again, trying to get another femoral neck stress fracture (in my hip) to heal up.  I am on week 2 of trying to be totally non-weightbearing.  sigh.  So I can't run or bike right now, but I have been swimming~ a lot, and I am gradually improving.  I actually swam 2.4 miles last Saturday~ without stopping~ all in about 1hr 20 min!  Wow! I was *so* excited!  Last June it was a struggle for me to get to the other end of the pool.  So all that to say, persistance does pay off.  I may not be fast, but I am persistant!

Anyway, I digress.... Tom and I decided that it would be best for me to go ahead and have this hip "pinned" like I had to do with my right hip last fall.  That pretty much means that my orthopedic doctor will put three screws in my femoral neck (that's the top part of my femur, the narrow part where it turns and goes into your hip).  That way, even though I am dealing with osteopenia (and I do have some new research to share here on building bone density... soon, I promise!) I should be "good to go" for running and doing some longer-distance triathlon events next year.

So Monday, Oct. 31, I'll be having my left hip pinned.  It wasn't very fun last fall, so I'm not really looking forward to the surgery, but I'm really looking forward to getting past these fracture issues and back to running with my sweet family.  I *hate* missing out on all of the beautiful autumn runs they have been going on!

I'll still be on crutches for another 6 weeks after surgery and one of the things that is most frustrating to me about being on crutches is that I can't carry anything.  Last week I decided that what I needed was a messenger-type bag to carry my "stuff" around the house in.

After looking at lots of bag ideas I came up with this:  (using dropcloth fabric, of course!)

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I'm really happy with how it turned out... more info about that project soon!

Have a great day, my friends!

ps- if you want to follow my Pinterest boards....  here they are!

7 comments:

  1. Your table runner is great. Isn't it so fun to DIY!

    You look great with your cute little bag. Love it!

    Sorry to hear you have to get more pins :-/ Atleast from here on out it will be healing, healing and all HEALED, right!?

    I am praying all goes well for you.

    ~Cinnamon

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  2. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your table runner! VERY creative and GREAT looking!!! I am about to start on a new bedspread for us - made from drop cloth! That stuff rocks! :)

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  3. The drop cloth turned table runner looks great!

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  4. Awesome! And you look great Susan. (Despite the church snacks! lol!)

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  5. Your table runner would look wonderful on my table. I've been thinking about what to put on ours, and there's nothing ready-made in the stores that would be nearly long enough, and making something seemed like too much work right now. But yours looks doable. I like your bag solution, too. Very clever and pretty, too.
    Praying that your surgery goes well, and that recovery is quick.

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  6. Love your table runner!

    Hope the surgery and the healing goes well (and quickly).

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  7. ~Cinnamon, yep! I'm so glad that I only have two hips! LOL! Now surely I'll be "good to go" once I have this one pinned!

    ~Jenn, Thanks! Pretty please share what you do with your drop cloth for your bed~ I'm *very* intrigued!

    ~Thanks Taylor!

    ~Pam, you crack me up! Funny!


    ~Carmen,

    I totally know about the problem it is to find long enough table runners etc! And we actually have at least 6 more leaves that we add to that table when extended family and friends eat with us!

    Thanks for praying about my surgery too~ I am dreading surgery more than I care to admit. I think having already "done that" last fall makes me even less eager to go through it. sigh. It'll be done soon though!

    ~Thanks Tammy!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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