Masters of Curtains and Playing with Bleach

Our house still feels so unfinished and I blame it on the master bedroom. So, today I'm trying to figure out some window treatment ideas that won't cost me a dime, but I need some help.

It's embarrassing sometimes but I am never one to turn down free things. As a result I have five canvas window panels (two short, two long, and one way different) that a college roommate gave to me two years ago. I'm not a fan of boring curtains. I've kept these pieces around thinking that one day I'd have a need for them or I'd pass them along to someone else with a need for them. 

I know the picture is hard to see because I took it with my IPhone. Sorry. We have a black curtain rod from ikea. I just pinned up the curtains so you can see what they look like right now. This is just one of the canvas panels and one large panel of an IKEA mosquito net curtain that I plan to cut in half to make two adding center pieces. The goal isn't to darken the room, just to make the windows look treated. 

1. I want to dye the curtains or bleach them. I'm worried the canvas bleached might turn them yellow and if I dye them they might feel rough. Have any advice? 

2. I want them to have a pattern. I know it's easy to stencil a pattern on them and use fabric paint, but I can't decide whether I want to paint a stencil or sew ribbon in a trellis pattern.

HOMEMADE BY JILL

I'd love to have some feedback. Have you done this before? What should I avoid doing? What do you think I should do? Help me out!

Sunshine and Fresh Linens

We are right on the edge of my favorite season, Spring! I love "Spring Cleaning". My mom is a teacher so when we were kids spring break was a huge deal to her. It was her one week to catch up around the house on laundry and heavy cleaning she didn’t have time to deal with from Fall to Summer. She would open the curtains throughout the house and let the sun shine in as the house smelled of all my favorite cleaning aromas (Windex, Pledge, Pine Sol, and even a little bleach). She would clean out all of our toys and clothes and our first week back to school would feel so fresh. I might need to see a psychologist, but I can’t help loving spring cleaning.

I’m starting early this year because I just interviewed for a job and hopefully will only have this week left to work on the house. For the past four years my spring cleaning has consisted of few things, my closet, baseboards, kitchen cabinets, common area restructuring, car cleaning, etc. because I’ve lived in a dorm or a small apartment. This year it’s so much better! I have six closets to clean out, a whole house full of baseboards, five large windows, two mattresses to scrub and flip, four dressers to clean out, a whole kitchen of cupboards to clean, and couches to scrub. I am in heaven and I have a complete empty week to bask in it- this might not ever happen again. 

At the end of spring cleaning I always have things to toss and things to sell. I would love to have a yard sale this year so that I could use the extra money for more cute things for the house. However, we live in a townhouse. I don’t see throwing up a table in the middle of our parking lot as a great way to sell my junk. I also don’t think the neighborhood would be too pleased. Adam suggested selling everything on Craigslist, but I have some pretty random stuff. I’ve only ever sold furniture on the site. 

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice that can help me get a little cash for all of my little junk? 

Here's Martha Stuart's printable Spring Cleaning list (I love it!): Spring Cleaning

Hot Glue Gun Scars and Weddings

I made everything for our wedding. Well, almost everything. My sister in law is such a gem and made a good bit of what we had at the ceremony and there is no way I would have survived without her. I will also give my mom a shout out for being so crafty as well. It was easier for us to spend so much money on the venue when we made our own: 

Garter 

Bouquets

Corsages

Boutonnieres

Centerpieces

Place cards and holders

Table Numbers

Cocktail hour centerpieces

Cocktail hour entertainment  (crossword, question and answer books)

Favors

Stickered matchboxes attached to sparklers (exit)

Wedding party bouquet vases

Decorated votive candles

Starfish ceremony chair hangers

Starfish baby’s breath ceremony vases

Unity candle set

Bridesmaids gifts

Thank you notes

Invitations

I’m sure I’m missing something here. I’m looking forward to sharing with you how we managed to do all of this, besides the fact that I didn’t work for a semester and just focused on classes and wedding planning. It took careful planning and several trips to Micheal’s, Hobby Lobby, and JoAnn’s- oh - and IKEA, and Target.  And serious facebook vents. My advice to all brides: Delete your facebook while engaged or you were surely embarrass yourself with a “I hate trying to find a venue..” or “I can’t believe people sent me blank RSVP card” vents. 

My first wedding craft was my worst craft, but it was fun to do. I gave each of my pending bridesmaids a glass and wrote their names, "Will you be my bridesmaid", and a quote I fell in love with on them with a "painters pen" ($3 at Micheal's). I found the glasses at Ross, none were more than a dollar. Then I decorated the gift bags with matching tags. I also wrote each of them a letter on handmade stationary explaining to them why I wanted them to be a part of our big day. The tags were made out of thank you notes I already had. It was a cute idea, but they didn't look as good as I wanted them to. My girlfriends enjoyed them though!

The quote: "There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women."