Thursday, September 15, 2011

56 Things That Make You Go Hmmmm...

So for those who are trying to get to know me a little better, and how I tick, this post is exactly for you....

I am slightly impatient.  I love the feeling of getting a project done, and always SUPER motivated to get it done like yesterday.  Before I had found that "perfect" fabric for the new pin board in my office, I had ordered a couple of other options from fabric.com.  The nice thing about ordering from them, is they offer free returns, so if something doesn't work out once you receive it, you have the option to send it back.

Those fabrics hadn't even arrived yet when I found the shower curtain.  I saw the shower curtain, and I knew.  That was THE ONE!  And don't get me wrong, I heart it like crazy!


I love that it's subtle enough to blend in with the rest of the future decor in our lower level.  I love how it works with any color I put near it, like yellows, pinks, oranges and greens.  It. Is. Perfect.

But then those other fabric options arrived.... oh man, the yellow suzani print, was also perfect!


I really can't begin to express the instant love I had for this fabric.  I started to question the choice I had made.  Did I act too impulsively?

Then I glanced at the pin board again.  Nope, love it.  And no way would I be changing it.

Hmmmmm.......

Ok, laundry room needs some art.  Let's make some functioning art.

I had a jumbo embroidery hoop that you can get at craft stores for about $6.  It was originally going to be my pin board in my new office until I stumbled across the oh too perfect frame.  I was actually going to return the hoop but now I was glad I hadn't gotten to it yet.  I had to make a choice.  Return the hoop and the new fabric, or combine my love for both and put them into the laundry room.  The second option won.  I also knew that I could combine the leftover fabric from this project, along with the leftover shower curtain fabric from the pin board project, and send them to my blog bff Amanda to make some pillow covers for me {because she is AMAZING}.  Win win win.

So I cut the fabric down to the approximate size of the embroidery hoop.


Stretched it inside the hoop:


Trimmed the excess fabric and hot glued the edges down to the inside of the hoop:


And it was done in about 5 minutes!


I popped it up in the laundry room, so I could see it through the door while I work!



Super cute.  Gives the two spaces a more finished and fresh feeling.  So much more so than the pictures can give.  I promise, it makes my heart pitter patter and that's all that matters when I am stuck in the dungeon doing things like laundry and working.

But what I really love is that it can also function.  I am thinking it will be the perfect place for me to pin up the extra buttons that we receive with our clothes.  So we can always find them!



Something like this...


Anyone know where I can find those little bags?

There you go, got to learn something new about me today.  Maybe a couple of things if you really want to evaluate this post.  I am impatient and fly by the seat of my pants.  I am crrraaazzaay!

Anyone use a pin board in their laundry room?  And if so, can you elaborate for me what you love about it and how you use it?  Anyone else have a similar story of impulse with a happy ending?

56 comments:

  1. I got some little bags like that at Michaels one time. They were with the jewelry making supplies.

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  2. Depending on how many of the little bags you need - you might try www.clearbags.com. I've ordered envelopes and glassine bags from them. Hope that helps!

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  3. You should be able to find the little bags in any craft store in the bead/jewelry making section. If you wanted to go with something a little bigger, you could use snack size ziplocs. Love the art!

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  4. A lot of the extra buttons that have come with shirts that I've bought have already been in little baggies (although smaller than the ones in that picture), so if you've already thrown those out, maybe your collection could build back up in the future. :)

    I'm loving all your new creations! :)

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  5. You can find those bags at Wal-mart in the jewelry section/craft area. :) Otherwise I know Hobby Lobby and Michael's have them as well. Cute fabric choices!

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  6. I love that fabric! I'm so glad you didn't replace the fabric in the frame, but you are still able to gaze happily at the new fabric in the laundry room. I think that was the perfect compromise!

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  7. Um do we share the same brain?! I did the SAME thing for my laundry room two days ago. Although mine is a teal-ish fabric, Im loving your yellow! And pinning the buttons on to it--genius.

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  8. I've seen those little baggies at Hobby Lobby.

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  9. You could also use your pinboard to tack up missing socks still looking for their partner!

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  10. Jewelry section at Michael's or Hobby Lobby for those baggies! CUTE fabric and such a great idea to use the emrboidery hoop!

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  11. Ditto...jewelry section at Hobby Lobby is where I got mine. LOVE the yellow...it's really fitting in your laundry room. Enjoy!!!

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  12. Just a thought...you might want to put a cork backer in the hoop if you plan to put a bunch of pins through it repeatedly. A relatively heavy button bag will pull down on the pin, leaving a nasty stretched out hole. :(

    As for the bags, you can order them super cheap from Fire Mountain Gems (best bead shop online, imho). They have many selections for baggies (clear, white backed, organza). Just search for "bags" and there's 352 items to choose from. I'm currently in love with these ones... especially the green one! http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?pn=H202715PK

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  13. NashvilleWraps.com is a great resource for things like those little plastic bags - and their prices are super competitive!

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  14. Dollar store, dollar store, dollar store...you can buy 50-100 (depending on how many you need ..for $1

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  15. Funny, as soon as I saw your hoop in the laundry room but before I got to the end of the post, I thought it would be great as a giant pin cushion. It's an awesome splash of color for your room.

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  16. Hello lovely,

    Just wanted to tell you I was at a local church garage sale today and a scored 2 majior funds and thought of you. I will have to tell you bout them later.

    Hope all is well. Love that someone else is like me in the sense of hmmmm about stuff sometimes

    Xoxo
    Amy

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  17. Crap, finds not funds. Friends don't let friends type tired :)

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  18. Love that pop of yellow! I actually used that same fabric to make curtains for my living room. They made me so happy!!

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  19. Love the fabric but love your studio pin board as it. I kinda want you to spray that hoop turquoise. But, I have an on going obsession with yellow, gray, and aqua right now. :)

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  20. Love that yellow fabric! You can get those bags at Wal-mart- 100 for $1! I sell Scentsy and those are what I use for my samples! They are wear the jewerly making stuff is located!

    thelongsinitaly.blogspot.com
    (my blogger is acting crazy)

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  21. There are so many amazing fabrics out there and you found two great ways to display them. Ideas that are so easy to execute and for me to steal! Thanks for sharing. iHeart you!

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  22. you can find the bags at JoAnns they have tons of different sizes

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  23. I could totally see your dilemma, both are absolutely gorgeous. I just ordered from fabric.com last week for the first time, it's nice to know that they are a recommended retailer.

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  24. Love the fabric wall art! As for the bags - I found them for a great price on Amazon. Several sizes and they are on PRIME!!!

    http://www.amazon.com/500-CLEAR-Reclosable-Zipper-Bag/dp/B002EDINF0

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  25. Love the fabric! I just got some small bags at Hobby Lobby and LOVE how versatile they are. I am finding so many uses!

    Alyssa
    www.SweetSewnStitches.com

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  26. My dad is in the jewelry business and we always had those little bags all over my house growing up.You can get them at any jewelry supply or craft store. Bead.com and Papermart.com are good options. I find papermart has really great prices for things like that. Michaels may have them but honestly, of all the craft stores I shop in I find Michaels to be the most expensive, even though I actually jump for joy when I walk in there from all the awesome crafts. Let me know if you want some more options. Good Luck , your house is looking more beautiful everyday!

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  27. I got those little bags at Walmart in the medicines section! They are for holding pills! (probably cheaper than the ones in crafts...)

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  28. I have little bags like that from Jo Ann's. You can find them in the jewelry section.

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  29. Couldn't you just push the pins through the button holes? Might be cuter than bags.

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  30. My husband got me a ton of those little bags, but he got them from a rock shop. I agree with Margot though, just pin the button straight on.

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  31. I second Walmart. I've gotten the ones that are appx. 3x4 there. I also have gotten the 1.5x2.5 ones at major craft stores (by the beads, usually).

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  32. I get little bags like that from the dollar store. and I like the pop of color too. My only dislike about embroidery hoops is that you can see the little notch at the top... maybe a bow or something to cover it??

    I'm also thinking that hoop might be a good place for a sock that's looking for it's mate!

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  33. I love this! Super simple and super cute. Feel free to link up on my DIY post this weekend. :)

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  34. It's like a big old sun beaming at you from the laundry room!!!

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  35. The dollar store is the perfect place to find those little bags :)

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  36. Thanks everyone for the resources! I can't believe I didn't think of half of those places! I knew I had seen them around, just couldn't put my finger on it!

    I had tried to just pin the button, but it wasn't sturdy enough and looked funny. I am thinking of reinforcing the back... LOVE the lost sock idea too! I will keep you all updated as the utilizing of the embroidery hoop unfolds!

    xoxo,
    Jen

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  37. I just love the look. There are spots in my house that I have planned just to have a glimpse of something that I love to look at. Love your creative ideas!

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  38. I love both projects. I actually used embroidary hoops with fabric in my daughter's nursery. I saw the idea on another blog. So easy and cool!

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  39. Jen!!! I love you! :) Your posts make me so happy. Everything looks great!

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  40. I hear your blog. It is my dream for...everything. I'm not going to tell my husband I found you, though, because he already thinks I have OCD. Love love love.

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  41. No. I HEART your blog. Stupid old keyboard.

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  42. Hi Jen,
    What a clever stylish and simple project. Bravo! I have a question for you. If your original intention was to create a cork board using the fabric with the embroidery hoop, to what would you have affixed the cork? Or, more generally, how would you create the cork board using a loop frame that didn't have a back? I'm very curious about this and would like to try it. Any info you're willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

    I greatly enjoy your blog; you share great ideas.
    Thanks,

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  43. Sometimes impulsion is a good thing. Great thinking I really like it there.

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  44. what a cute idea! I never know what to do with those buttons. I adore both of these fabrics...I'm off to fabric.com now to scope some out...

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  45. Hi, I just started reading your blog and you have such creative ideas! I aspire to be as organized as you!

    When I first read your post about picking the fabric, I thought, Oh no, she didn’t go with the yellow fabric! I LOVED the yellow fabric and was hoping you would go with it initially…. But then when you finished the frame and added that yellow “dream” to the desk, I felt that the yellow in that dream was JUST perfect… maybe the yellow pinboard would’ve been too much and too loud for the space… So yay! Your decision was perfect! And plus the yellow looks great in the laundry room! Can’t wait to see what else you do with that fabric!

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  46. You can find the small bags at Michaels in the jewelry section. My daughter uses them to sort her beads.

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  47. What is the color in the laundry room? I love it! cyndy3jake@hotmail.com
    I am excited to see you on Nate!

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  48. Jen--I was thrifting today at our town's Trade Days and as I was rummaging through junk, I came upon a box of frames. One wooden frame caught my eye and I casually asked the gentleman how much it was. He said "I'll take $5 for it." Such a nice man he was. ;) I handed over the $5 and brought it home. Then, I remembered your post about your frame. So, I'm reading the post and I look at your frame, look over at my frame, look at your frame again and it's! the! same! frame! Haha! I just need to paint mine and decide where to hang it. ;) Thanks for the inspiration! Your blog is my very favorite and I can't wait to see you on the Nate show. :)

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  49. The Container Store (which IHeart) carries plastic bags of all sizes in the travel section. I got some of those small plastic bags to keep my earrings from getting lost in my makeup bag. Not sure this will be the least expensive source for this item, but any excuse to go to the Container Store, right? ;)

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  50. Oh how you comtinually amaze me with your ideas!! If they are just little zip lock bags I have billions! I buy them in bulk from ebay. I would be more than happy to send you some of mine though :)

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  51. I have that exact fabric on some pillows in my living room :) Love what you did with it!

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  52. Jen I am not sure if you will see this comment but I wanted to share this with you..there is many colors!!! I need one now:) xo

    http://www.target.com/p/Canary-Storage-Bench-Robin/-/A-11935766

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  53. You can buy 500 for $3 at Amazon!

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  54. That's cute. I'll use fruits pattern and some magnets to stick that embroidery hoop on my fridge.

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