DIY No-Sew Toddler Tutu

Back in the day I made a zillion baby and toddler tutus and sold them on EBay and Kijiji for a little extra spending cash.  Here are some examples.  For the DIY, scroll down!

Now, I just make them for friends and family!  I still love making them.  I made this one recently for my Electricians daughter, and I thought I'd share a little DIY....

DIY toddler/baby tutu

First, you need to determine the size of tutu you are making... I've always used this chart as a guide:

NEWBORN:(0-6 months) 15-16" waist ~ 5-6" length
INFANT: (6-12 months) 16-17" waist ~ 6-7" length
TODDLER:(12-24 months)17-18" waist ~ 8-9" length
PRESCHOOL:(2T-4T) 19-20" waist ~ 9-11" length
CHILD:(4-6 YRS) 21-22" waist ~ 11-13" length

When you buy your ribbon, make sure to get at least an 1 1/2" ribbon.  You want sturdy ribbon becasue it takes a beating.  Don't use wired ribbon.  It doesn't work (just trust me on this one!!)

To measure and cut your ribbon, determine the waist size, and then add and additional 20" or so (I like to have a long bow).

Once cut - from one end, measure 10" and tie a knot, and from the other end measure 10" and tie another knot.

The space between the knots, is where you are going to tie your tulle.  The extra ribbon on either end becomes your ties for a bow.

Now, time to measure and cut your tulle.  If you are making a ton of tutus, buy your tulle online (I always bought it at bbcrafts.com.  Even with Canadian shipping, it was cheap).  You will save a ton of cash and make a tutu for next to nothing.  I haven't shopped online for tulle in about 2 years, so there may be something better out there now.

Now that I just do one by one, I buy my tulle at Michaels using my 40% off coupon you get in the weekly flyer.  If you get a deal on ribbon, your tutu will cost about $10.  For this DIY tutu, I used 50 yards.  It was for an 18 month old, and was about 10" in length.

Okay, back to cutting.  Determine the length of tutu you want, and cut your tulle at double the length.  Example, you tutu is going to be 5" in length, cut 10" pieces.  Start by cutting about 50 pieces, that's the minimum you'll need.  Cut more as needed.

I always put 2 pieces of tape on my table in the length I am cutting.  Makes it easy.

Cut away, but watch out for crazy cats.  They love tulle.

Time to tie the knots.  It's just a simple slip knot.

  Most important thing is to tie your knots tight!! I usually tie my knots in the middle of the ribbon and then slide it to the end by the knot.

(Don't get confused... I just flipped the tutu over here.  I find it easier this way.)  This pic has about 7 knots.  See how I tie in the middle, then slide to the end.

 This is after about 15 knots

 Just keep going... from one side of the ribbon to the next.

 

Keep going from one knot on your ribbon to the next.  Once you are done, use the left over ribbon on each end to tie a pretty bow.

Let me know if you make a tutu... can't wait to see it!  And, if you have any questions, leave me a comments!!

Like my new pot lights?? :)

Wait until you see my new front door.  And my new shutters, and my new roof, and my new painted portico and garage doors....ohhhhhhh.  My house is going to be the pimpest on the block.

It's all being done as we speak.... stay tuned!!

Office Reveal

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I know, I'm horrible.  I said James would get the next make over.  But, as many of you know, I am working on a little something new in my life, and need a place to study and get my work done.  So, I decided to invade Ryan's office.  Which means, it needs a make over.  I just can't work in an ugly space.

So here it was.  A few Before shots!  (The kids are playing with Ryan's $300 chess board... giggle)

 I know you love all that beautiful stained plywood, make shift, built in, wainscoting.   Worst. Molding. Ever.  Hummm, I'll just paint it.

And paint it, and paint it.  Took me 3 coats.  But it was worth it....

The AFTER pics...

After I finished the room, I felt bad for invading Ryan's space, and I decided to just give it to him.  I'll move my desk into the basement and hopefully he'll feel sorry for me and finish the basement  sooner than later.  wink!

Anyway, What do you think???  I love how it turned out.  Such a huge difference!  The Gray on the walls is Elephant Skin by Behr.  And the white is CIL Crisp Linen (but colour matched to Behr paint & primer).

Still have to fix the moldings around the window, but I'll do that in a while.  I have to re do the front door as well, so that'll be a project for the winter.  And, I think I'll make some faux roman shades.

Scored the light fixture from Home Sense for just $70 bucks.  That's also where I picked up the lacquered box and the file folder.

I'm planning on mounting the guitars along the wall.  That's a DIY project I'm tackling this week.

Hope you like it!

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Plate make over!

Now that my electricians put new pot lights in my family room, it was looking dull and screaming for some attention.  I plan on painting it soon, but first I had to get it some new, fresh furniture.  I've been streaming kijiji and my local thrift shop for a new coffee table, but nothing has caught my eye (nothing within a reasonable amount of money any way...hello, it's kijiji, not some estate sale.  Hate that).  Anyway, I went to good 'ol ikea and bought the $39.99 lack coffee table.  I plan on hacking it some how in the near future.  But for now, it needed a little table top camouflage. 

I wanted to get a nice tray or something to put on top, but I am so damn cheap, I couldn't find anything.  Then, as I was tidying my "shop" in the basement, and I found this plate that my mom bought for me for my 2nd Burlington home way back on McCurdy crt.

Perfect size, perfect texture, but man, is it ugly!!! What were we thinking??

Poor plate just needed a little help.

So I coated it with some old beige paint I had from the farm.

Let it dry over night and then added 2 coats of my handy CIL Crisp Linen

Let that dry for about 6 hours and the attacked it with my Dremel tool.

I wish I had some crackle paint on hand, because I think that would have aged it a lot better, but it was a holiday and all the stores were closed.  And when I am feeling crafty, I'm feeling crafty.  No waiting and gatta work with what I have!!

I like how it turned out.  Can't wait to hack my coffee table.  Just have to think of a way to hack it. 

New Pot Lights & ATI Electric customer review

When we purchased this house, the wiring was half aluminum and half copper.  We thought, no biggie, we had it inspected and as long as it's safe, we can put off rewiring the place for a few years.  But, as we started replacing light fixtures, we came across a number of burnt wires in the ceiling and that was it.  We better get the wiring updated sooner than later.  Better safe than sorry.

So we hired ATI Electric based out of Burlington.  These guys have been amazing.  Very professional.  They have been in our house for over 2 weeks now, and I'm expecting them for another week.  It's always awkward when you have strangers in your home for days upon days, but having these guys around hasn't been bothersome at all.  They are respectful of my space, they clean up after themselves each night, and they communicate with me every morning.  Their work is detailed and meticulous. 

Check out my new pot lights....

Living room view 1

Living room view 2

Family room view 1

Family room view 2

We are also getting some new pot lights outside.  Ohhhhh, they are going to look amazing.  Can't wait until they are done!

All in all, a great experience with these guys and would recommend them in a heart beat!

Chair Make Over

Scooooores!!

Scored these awesome chairs at the Salvation Army a few weeks ago for just $7.50 a piece.  I had driven by the night before and saw 6 of them, but, stupidly waited until the next morning to go pick them up and only got 2.  'Tiss okay!  I am in love with the two I got!!!

Like my new "project" room?!?!?

I painted them with some left over CIL "Crisp Linen" and covered them with Ragg Tagg frabric from Tonic Living.

I'll be using these in the new office. Yea, sorry Ryan - no longer "Ryan's office".  It's now called "The Office".  I'm moving in!!

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DIY Decorative Balls with Paint Chips

Sometimes I like to get a little crafty.  What can I say. 

I saw this post on Pinterest from Did Someone Say Party Site

And thought it would be a good way to get rid of some of my paint samples (I think I have over a thousand!!)  So, here's my version.

I bought some Styrofoam balls from Walmart for a buck and a Martha Stewart flower punch for about $10 bucks.  Busted out the massive collection of paint chips and went to town.

Start punching.  (Grace helped me)

Put 2 together and stuck in a pin. 

Then started decorating my balls.

And ta da