Happy Halloween...
From While Wearing Heels.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
DIY Greenhouse Window
When I shared our 100 year old kitchen, I gave you a glimpse of my greenhouse window.
When we initially remodeled our kitchen,
We thought adding some glass shelves and filling them with plants or herbs might give us a sense of having more privacy.
So we took a look at our window. Most windows will have quarter round trim around the window. Which is exactly what ours had.
Since we were already in the throws of remodeling our kitchen, we re-framed out our window, so the trim around our window was flat.
The rest of the process was fairly easy.
You'll need some of these cabinet support clips
And some tempered glass {the kind of glass that is smooth on the edges}.
Take the measurements of the width of your window, accounting for a little wiggle room. Most framing stores or hobby stores will be able to custom cut glass for you.
Determine how many shelves you want and where you will want them placed. Carefully measure and drill your holes. You'll need 2 holes per side, a total of 4 holes per each shelf. Insert your cabinet shelves support clips into the holes.
Attach some adhesive {tape, rubber, something that give a little cushion between your shelf and your cabinet clips} to your shelf where it will rest atop of the cabinet support clip.
Set your glass shelf on top of the cabinet shelf clips
Decorate with some plants or herbs
Stand back and watch them gRow...
*Use caution in how much weight you put on your shelves. The middle of the shelves are unsupported. Putting too much weight on your shelves, in particular the middles of the shelves could cause them to bow and break.
Link Party Websites
{Sat} *Saturday Show and Tell *Saturday Showcase *Overflowing With Creativity *YOU Inspire Link Party *Be Different Act Normal * Nifty Thrifty Things * I heart naptime * The Sweet Talk Shop * Funky Junk Interiors * Twigg Studios *
When we initially remodeled our kitchen,
we had the sink moved in front where the window is located. The only problem, it left me feeling very exposed to our neighbors.
We thought adding some glass shelves and filling them with plants or herbs might give us a sense of having more privacy.
So we took a look at our window. Most windows will have quarter round trim around the window. Which is exactly what ours had.
Since we were already in the throws of remodeling our kitchen, we re-framed out our window, so the trim around our window was flat.
The rest of the process was fairly easy.
You'll need some of these cabinet support clips
And some tempered glass {the kind of glass that is smooth on the edges}.
Take the measurements of the width of your window, accounting for a little wiggle room. Most framing stores or hobby stores will be able to custom cut glass for you.
Determine how many shelves you want and where you will want them placed. Carefully measure and drill your holes. You'll need 2 holes per side, a total of 4 holes per each shelf. Insert your cabinet shelves support clips into the holes.
Attach some adhesive {tape, rubber, something that give a little cushion between your shelf and your cabinet clips} to your shelf where it will rest atop of the cabinet support clip.
Set your glass shelf on top of the cabinet shelf clips
Decorate with some plants or herbs
Stand back and watch them gRow...
*Use caution in how much weight you put on your shelves. The middle of the shelves are unsupported. Putting too much weight on your shelves, in particular the middles of the shelves could cause them to bow and break.
Link Party Websites
{M}
* Pink Hippo Party * Thrift Share Monday on The Apron Thrift Girl *Make It Pretty Mondays * Sharing Sweet Mondays * Busy Mondays at a Pinch of Joy *Made Monday at Toastie Studio * *The Cure for the Common Monday * *Polly Want a Crafter * Craftastic Link Party * Brassy Apple, Make it Monday * Made By You Mondays * Between Naps On The Porch * Skip To My Lou *
{T} * Be Inspired by Elizabeth and Co. * Tutorials and Tips on Home Stories A 2 Z * I gotta try that * Tips and Tricks Tuesday at Stringtown Home * Delicate Construction * The Winthrop Chronicles * Open Call Tuesdays on Salt Tree * Adventures of a DIY MOM * Take a look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts * Blackberry Vine Tuesday To Do Party * Coastal Charm * My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia * Tip Junkie
{W} *In Bloom Link Party *Adorned from Above * All Star Blogging Party *Well Crafted Wednesdays *What I Whipped Up Wednesdays * Homemade by You Wednesday * Whimsy Wednesdays * Blue Cricket Design * The Fun In Functional * What I learned Wednesday * Home Happy Home * Someday crafts
{TH} * Farm Girl Fest* Thursday Linky Party at Osie Moats* Taylor House ThursdayThursday's Temptation Link Party* Delightful Order* A Glimpse Inside * The Crafty Blogstalker * Made In a Day * Somewhat Simple* A Little Knick Knack* House of Hepworth's * Chic on a Shoestring * 52 Mantels *
{W} *In Bloom Link Party *Adorned from Above * All Star Blogging Party *Well Crafted Wednesdays *What I Whipped Up Wednesdays * Homemade by You Wednesday * Whimsy Wednesdays * Blue Cricket Design * The Fun In Functional * What I learned Wednesday * Home Happy Home * Someday crafts
{TH} * Farm Girl Fest* Thursday Linky Party at Osie Moats* Taylor House ThursdayThursday's Temptation Link Party* Delightful Order* A Glimpse Inside * The Crafty Blogstalker * Made In a Day * Somewhat Simple* A Little Knick Knack* House of Hepworth's * Chic on a Shoestring * 52 Mantels *
{F}* Fantabulous Friday with Little Becky Homemaker * Financial Friday Link Up with The Grant Life * Sharing Saturday
* The Chic and Crafty Party * Fab Not Drab Fridays * Shine on Fridays with One Artsy Mama * Share What YOU Did with Two Sasters * Friday Favs Party at Nap Time Crafters * French Country Cottage * At the Picket Fence * Serenity Now * Tatertots and Jello * Chic On A Shoestring * Decorating
{Sat} *Saturday Show and Tell *Saturday Showcase *Overflowing With Creativity *YOU Inspire Link Party *Be Different Act Normal * Nifty Thrifty Things * I heart naptime * The Sweet Talk Shop * Funky Junk Interiors * Twigg Studios *
Monday, October 29, 2012
Grace's Closet The Big Reveal
Grace's closet is done.
As with every home improvement project, there is always something unexpected that occurs.
For this project, the custom shelves my husband labored over, considering every detail to make Grace's closet perfect, were the culprits.
The problem, he measured very accurately from wall to wall BUT he forgot to take into account the baseboards and that the that our very old plaster walls are not straight.
So, he decided to remove the baseboards...
And remove a random 2 by 4 that was attached to the middle of the wall.
And, anyone that has plaster walls can probably guess what happened...the plaster walls began to crumble.
Ah, the joys of home improvement projects.
After a week of repairing the holes and repainting, we were able to put Grace's closet back together.
Shoes were put into place.
But, let's not forget, Grace shares this closet with her dad's tee shirt collection.
Which can be found occupying every free shelf.
Believe it or not, he actually thinned out some of his collection and donated them.
He also keeps treasures in this closet, stored in an old machinist tool box we found at a flea market {that he polished up}.
To recap, Grace's closet went from this...
To this...
The closet is finally done.
And, I am now happier than a pig in, well...you know what :)
As with every home improvement project, there is always something unexpected that occurs.
For this project, the custom shelves my husband labored over, considering every detail to make Grace's closet perfect, were the culprits.
The problem, he measured very accurately from wall to wall BUT he forgot to take into account the baseboards and that the that our very old plaster walls are not straight.
So, he decided to remove the baseboards...
And remove a random 2 by 4 that was attached to the middle of the wall.
And, anyone that has plaster walls can probably guess what happened...the plaster walls began to crumble.
Ah, the joys of home improvement projects.
After a week of repairing the holes and repainting, we were able to put Grace's closet back together.
Some toys found a new home.
Shoes were put into place.
Which can be found occupying every free shelf.
Believe it or not, he actually thinned out some of his collection and donated them.
He also keeps treasures in this closet, stored in an old machinist tool box we found at a flea market {that he polished up}.
To recap, Grace's closet went from this...
To this...
From this...
to this...
The closet is finally done.
And, I am now happier than a pig in, well...you know what :)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Toilet Paper Roll Bats
Thanks to La-Dee-Da Creatations, I discovered I am a fan of bats..
.in toilet paper roll form, at least.
For a quick, easy and inexpensive craft to get you in the mood for Halloween, this project is perfect
Gather the following supplies:
Black paint
Toilet paper roll
Googly eyes
Black paper
Paint the toilet paper roll black. When it fully dries, flip the top of the roll down and over to close.
Cut some black wings out of card stock and glue on some googly eyes to finish off your bat.
Then, add your bat to your Halloween decorations.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
This Little Piggy Went Trick or Treating
If you follow While Wearing Heels on facebook, you already know panic had started to set in last week, as I rushed to complete Grace's Halloween costume.
I had a game plan, thanks to Real Simple, for the pig ears and nose.
I took some liberties with the ears. Real Simple suggested using a single piece of pink felt {and you all know I am a fan of felt crafts} BUT I wanted more structure to Grace's piggy ears.
*Instead of using felt, I used a double layer of pink flannel. I sewed around the ears, leaving the bottom open. I ironed some Heat n Bond onto the inside of the ear, turned the ear right side out and ironed the ear together. The Heat n Bond helped give the ear more structure.
For the body of the pig, I found a monkey costume at Goodwill for $3.99. Originally, I thought I would use it to trace out a pattern for the body of my pig. Instead, I decided to tack the pig fabric onto the monkey costume.
Let me tell you, that was easier said than done.
I kept hearing Tim Gunn's voice encouraging me to "make it work" as I struggled transforming a monkey into a pig.
Somehow, I was able to 'make it work'...right down to the curly piggy tail...
I'd hope, if my monkey turned pig design walked the runway, Heidi Klum would be distracted enough with my model that I wouldn't hear her say, 'Amy, you are out'.
And, now this little piggy is ready to go trick or treating.
Until tomorrow...auf wiedersehen :)
I had a game plan, thanks to Real Simple, for the pig ears and nose.
I took some liberties with the ears. Real Simple suggested using a single piece of pink felt {and you all know I am a fan of felt crafts} BUT I wanted more structure to Grace's piggy ears.
*Instead of using felt, I used a double layer of pink flannel. I sewed around the ears, leaving the bottom open. I ironed some Heat n Bond onto the inside of the ear, turned the ear right side out and ironed the ear together. The Heat n Bond helped give the ear more structure.
For the body of the pig, I found a monkey costume at Goodwill for $3.99. Originally, I thought I would use it to trace out a pattern for the body of my pig. Instead, I decided to tack the pig fabric onto the monkey costume.
Let me tell you, that was easier said than done.
I kept hearing Tim Gunn's voice encouraging me to "make it work" as I struggled transforming a monkey into a pig.
Somehow, I was able to 'make it work'...right down to the curly piggy tail...
I'd hope, if my monkey turned pig design walked the runway, Heidi Klum would be distracted enough with my model that I wouldn't hear her say, 'Amy, you are out'.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Fall Party Goodie Bags - Part 2
The fall themed goodie bags for Grace's preschool fall party are done.
Interested in seeing what's inside?
I included some stickers, 2 jelly bracelets, Snoopy temporary tattoos, a pumpkin straw, homemade play dough, a bag of goldfish {in lieu of candy}.
The key is to find things sold as sets. Sticker books can be found at dollar stores or Michaels for as little as $1-$3. Instead of keeping the sticker book whole, rip out the pages or cut the sheets in half to add to each goodie bag. The rubber bracelets came as a set from the dollar store. The straws I found at a local grocery store 8 straws for $1. The splurge item, the Snoopy tattoos, were from another local grocery store. They were a set of 20 and were $4.
I made the playdough from scratch, the supplies I had on hand, so I considered this a no cost bonus goodie to add to the bag.
And, my favorite, a take home fall scavenger hunt {inspired by Carla from The River}. I created this doing a google search for free clip art. Using PicMonkey collage, I created the template for the scavenger hunt and uploaded the clip art images. Printed out, I fit 2 to a page.
16 bags were made and filled for less than $16.
Did I mention, I've also volunteered to be a room mom for the Thanksgiving party?
Interested in seeing what's inside?
I included some stickers, 2 jelly bracelets, Snoopy temporary tattoos, a pumpkin straw, homemade play dough, a bag of goldfish {in lieu of candy}.
The key is to find things sold as sets. Sticker books can be found at dollar stores or Michaels for as little as $1-$3. Instead of keeping the sticker book whole, rip out the pages or cut the sheets in half to add to each goodie bag. The rubber bracelets came as a set from the dollar store. The straws I found at a local grocery store 8 straws for $1. The splurge item, the Snoopy tattoos, were from another local grocery store. They were a set of 20 and were $4.
I made the playdough from scratch, the supplies I had on hand, so I considered this a no cost bonus goodie to add to the bag.
And, my favorite, a take home fall scavenger hunt {inspired by Carla from The River}. I created this doing a google search for free clip art. Using PicMonkey collage, I created the template for the scavenger hunt and uploaded the clip art images. Printed out, I fit 2 to a page.
16 bags were made and filled for less than $16.
Did I mention, I've also volunteered to be a room mom for the Thanksgiving party?
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Something To Wine About
This past weekend, my husband's siblings, and their wonderful spouses {yep, that would include me}, went wine tasting and on a tour of several vineyards in Michigan.
Though there were reasons to whine...
Like the chartered bus we reserved never showed up SO we ended up having to take a short yellow school bus to our tastings.
Those bumps in the road {which are felt even more intensely while riding in a school bus} only added to the adventure.
Things may not always work out like you plan
but life is what you make of it.
So here is a toast, to all those moments in life that you could whine about...
Sometimes, it just a matter of seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.
Though there were reasons to whine...
Like the chartered bus we reserved never showed up SO we ended up having to take a short yellow school bus to our tastings.
And that the bus' windows would not close.
Or that it rained ALL day long.
Those bumps in the road {which are felt even more intensely while riding in a school bus} only added to the adventure.
but life is what you make of it.
So here is a toast, to all those moments in life that you could whine about...
Sometimes, it just a matter of seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.
