31 Days: Day 30 - Metamorphosis Monday & the Giveaway!!

Welcome Friends!

I'm so excited to be participating in duel gatherings today - I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for her 2nd Monday Giveaway Party today and I'm also presenting a CUTE no-sew makeover project for Susan's Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch!!

There are only 2 days left for my 31 Day Challenge & Giveaway, so be sure and leave a comment on this or ANY/ALL of my 31 Day posts for a chance to win!! You can enter as often as you like until midnight US Central Time Tuesday 6/9/09 - that's when my 31 Days culminates into my 4 Year Blog Birthday!!

Here are a few photos of the giveaway goodies....and Met Monday fans, hang in there, the makeover photos are right after that!!

I'm giving away three of my vintage repurposed pieces (see closeups below) , a vintage mirrored dresser tray, vintage doily, two vintage embroidered linens, four vintage linen cut work napkins, a fancy soap that I crafted, a vintage friendship book, a set of 10 notecards from one of my original illustrations, and two of my original 2009 calendars (I know half the year is over, but there are still 6 more months of illustrations to enjoy :o)

Here is the handpainted pedestal basket I crafted from an old wire basket and a wooden candlestick...

I repurposed a vintage aqua plate and cream/gold teacup into this wall art with a creamy rose and gorgeous satin bow accented with a vintage earring....

I combined a small orphaned glass dish with a glass candleholder to create this pedestal soapdish (or it could be a sweet pedestal goody dish as well)...

I wish you all the best of luck with this and all the giveaways at Cindy's Giveaway Party!! Thanks Cindy for being such a gracious hostess!!

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And now for my Metamorphosis Monday project...

As some of you know, in February my husband and I downsized from a 1500 sq. ft. home to a paid-for 1000 sq. foot mobile home (I'm calling it our mobile country cottage now) after I was outsourced and left my corporate training job to pursue illustration full time. We did a ton of restoration and remodeling work to get the place in good enough condition to move in, but we have been continually upgrading and tweaking and decorating since moving in. This has provided LOTS of metamorphosis projects, and I am having fun sharing them week to week here!

This is another no-sew window valance project - this time for our kitchen window (you can see my other no-sew valance project for my living room here!) I have included step-by-step photos as well as the before and after.

This is the *lovely* circa 1982 window treatment as it looked in January when we started the remodel...

BEFORE

...and here is the completed cheery cherry no-sew valance! (keep scrolling down to see full the how-to photos)

AFTER

I started with a $1.50 thrifted red gingham valance that was unhemmed - perfect for what I wanted to do... I also picked up 2 yards of red pom-pom fringe, 2 packs of medium white rick rack, green fabric-covered floral wire, wide green polka dot ribbon, narrow green ribbon, and fusible hem tape...

I cut 21 pom-poms off the fringe to make 7 sets of cherries...

I cut three wire segments for each cherry set...

I found the metal ring at the center of the pom-pom...

...then pushed the wire segment into the center of the pom-pom ring, and pulled up the end of the wire to make a hook - I then crimped the wire hook closed - the end is then pretty much hidden in the pom-pom... (it's OK if the fabric that covers the wire pushes away from the end)...

I combined 3 cherries for a set...

...and used a segment of wire to tightly wrap the three cherry wire ends together and snipped off the excess...

To make a "leaf", I simply tied a segment of green ribbon over the end of the wire...

...then snipped the ends of the ribbon into points to look more like leafs...

Here is the bunch I made...I ended up making a 7th set to complete the project...

Then I started work on the valance itself. I used fusible hem tape (Heat 'n Bond or Stitch Witchery will work)...


Then I used the same fusible tape to adhere the wide green ribbon...

I then used Tacky glue to adhere the rickrack. (NOTE - if you want this to be washable, you will need to use a glue that can be washed like E-6000...according to it's packaging...or of course you can stitch it on...)

Finally I figured out the spacing that I wanted for each cherry set then glued them in place with Tacky glue. (once again, if you want this to be washable, you would probably want to attach these with tiny Velcro dots or snaps so they would be removable)

Then I put it on a regular curtain rod and *Voila!* An inexpensive, easy, no-sew one of a kind window covering!!

I love how it coordinated with my cherry plate...

I have lots of ideas for more uses for these little cherries in and around my kitchen...plus they would be fun to use in gift wrapping and any number of crafts... I had a BLAST making this project!! Thank you so much for following along with the steps!! I hope you'll give it a try - if you do, feel free to let me know if you have any questions...

And many thanks again to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch - be sure and head over there for MANY more makeover projects - and TONS of inspiration!!

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Last but certainly not least, this is my next-to-the-last posting of my 31 Day Challenge where I read a Chapter of Proverbs every day then share my favorite verse from that day's reading here on the blog. This is my favorite passage from Proverbs 30 - it makes a lot of sense to me, especially this day and age, and I echo the author and offer it to the Lord as a short prayer...
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"O God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may become content without God. And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name." Proverbs 30:7-9 (The Living Bible)

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Whew!! You made it all the way to the end of the post!!! And if you have been following along with me daily - wow - we've almost made it to the end!! I hope you will come back tomorrow...it's going to be a GREAT final post for my 4th Blog Birthday, featuring Proverbs 31 - one of my all time favorite chapters in the Bible!! Plus there will be lots of other fun stuff - you don't want to miss it!!! I will do the drawing for the giveaway on Wednesday morning and post the winner soon thereafter! Be sure to comment for your chance to win!!!

HUGS to all of you!! Thank you so much for coming by today!! See you tomorrow!!