Jan 10, 2014

A baby, a simple dress, a bathroom floor, and roman shades!

What do all of these have in common, and why are they all addressed in this one post?  Well, its a recap of what I have been doing the past week and a half.

First, and foremost, I am one lucky grandma!  I was able to head to a sunnier climate to visit this cute family...


...who just welcomed this sweet new addition.


  

Yep, I certainly feel lucky!

In preparation for my little "vacation," I decided to do a quick refashion that would work well in the warmer weather.



I started with a size 18W dress that was purchased for $2.50.  


I really liked the black and white pattern.  Plus, the top portion was t-shirt knit, and the bottom was a lightweight cotton.  Perfect for warmer weather.  This was really a simple alteration to make it wearable, but here's a few photos to show you the steps.


I detached the waist on both sides to allow for my new side seams.


I pinned the new side seams, making sure that the top would still fit over my head...I didn't want to mess with a zipper!


Trim and finish the edge.


Now its time to reattach the skirt.



And that's it!  Just add a belt and you have a super simple, super comfy dress!


I really like the fullness of the skirt.


It even has pockets...a bonus!


My vacation time was spent approximately as follows:

Countless hours of this...


It just doesn't get much better than this!

I also had fun watching her talented mother doing her photo shoot...






 And then there was some roman shades that had been put on the back burner about a year ago.  My daughter had already measured them, cut the fabric, and began construction, but then got a little overwhelmed. I figured it was something that I could tackle while I was there.


And, last, but not least, an unsightly concrete bathroom floor that was in desperate need of an update.  So, with grinder in hand, I sealed off the bathroom door with tape (to keep the dust away from the rest of the house), placed a fan in the window, donned a mask and went to work grinding and leveling the floor. Let me say, it was one VERY dusty job!  I have to say that I started on the floor before my hard-working son-in-law got home from work.   When he got home, he kept knocking on the door wanting to take over, but I figured there was no need for both of us to be covered in dust!


Once the floor was level, tiles were put in place.


Then the first step of grouting.


And finally, grout clean-up, baseboards, new toilet (installed by my son-in-law), and the transition piece between floors.  Much better!


I also had enough time to make curtains for my granddaughters' bedroom windows, but forgot to take a photo.  Also board games, xbox, laundry, dishes, organizing, movies, doctor appointments, and just hanging out with family.  It was a great vacation!

I like to link to these great parties!




15 comments:

  1. You are one busy lady! Glad you could spend some time with your daughter and help them finish up a few projects! Love the curtains.

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    1. Thanks! It was fun "work." Now if I could only get motivated to get some of the work done at my house....

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  2. WOW!!! You achieved a lot on your vacation and I bet the family appreciated it. The black and white dress looks lovely.

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    1. Thanks, Pam! The whole family was appreciative and I was "paid" well with lots of hugs!

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  3. Those photos are super lovely, especially that dress! It came out so well.

    -Keik
    The Loquacious Square

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Keik! The dress was a simple fix, but I'm really happy with it!

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  4. Sounds like the busiest "vacation" ever! :) Love your refashioned dress! Turned out so cute. Your grandbaby is so precious (and awesome photos!!). Love the roman shades and tile job. Would love to know how you made the roman shades. You are one talented woman!
    Shannon

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    1. Thanks, Shannon! It was a busy, but very rewarding vacation. As for the roman shades, it would be hard to explain in this reply. Maybe someday I will do a tutorial. In the meantime, the internet is full of great tutorials of various ways to make them. They really aren't that hard, just a lot of measuring. I do prefer using a cord lock that allows you to raise and lower the shade like a blind. Also, these shades were backed with a light-blocking fabric to block some of the hot sun in the summertime. Good luck!

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  5. love your dress! and wow, busy busy, you have some energy!

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    1. Thank you! Fortunately, it was sunny while I visited, and I always have more energy on a sunny day!

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  6. You have been busy! Congratulations - that baby is so sweet! Your dress transformation is amazing!

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    1. Thank you, Holly! We feel very blessed to have this sweet little granddaughter in our family!

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  7. What a sweet baby girl, and beautiful photos of her - her mama is talented with the camera!

    You are a human dynamo; I need a nap just reading about everything you did :)

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  8. Love your posts...I would take the border off this dress for porportion ,,,just saying
    JOYce

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    1. Thanks for the suggestion! When I refashioned the dress, I kept the border because I really like it, but I can see how the proportion would be better if the dress were shorter. Maybe I'll compromise and cut away a portion of the border. Thanks!

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Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate the feedback and always look forward to reading what you have to say! Susan