New Bathroom Part 2 {New Floors}

Okay so the floors are next.

This did take some time, but once I gave in and used my quilting tools it became a little easier.

I decided to get peel and stick tiles just from my local hardware store. They are inexpensive and have a guaranteed life of at least 7 years. As well, if one gets damaged I can replace just that one. The box says for 100sq, but it is actually much less than that if your bathroom or kitchen isn't a perfect square because you have to cut the tile (really easy just an exacto knife and a ruler, score it and then it snaps off) so you can only use two edges because they have to be perfect to line up with the other tile edges. I had about 7 tiles left in the box... and it only cost me $41 cdn for the floor.

Before I did the floor I used TSP to make sure all the grime and crud was off the floor. If you dont do this it won't stick and you will waste a tile, money and the time cutting the tile... so take 30 minutes and do this extra step... You will thank me.

After I used the TSP on the floors and the baseboards I repainted the baseboards and bright crisp white.

Then I started to lay down the floor. I was SUPER lucky that the lino already on the floor had lines so I didn't have to mare the midsection. I just took my first tile and started to lay it down.

It did take me two days... but thats because I became frustrated and didn't want to mess up so I went to bed with a bowl of popcorn and a Greys Anatomy (the one where they sing... SOOOO GOOD... sorry off topic)

I have to admit that the flooring is easy to medium... the CAULKING MADE ME WANT TO HURT SOMEONE!!! I do not like it... I thought I would... but I don't... I don't want to do it again. But I do love love love my new floors.

New Bathroom Part 3 {The Finale}

After painting the new walls a pretty colour which I of course {LOVE} because it looks like Caramel Coffee I needed the finishing touches.

I went with a Europe theme for the pictures, replaced the mirror, dark chocolate mats and a basket for toilet paper and this room was finished.

I started on tuesday afternoon and finished on Friday, I picked hubby up from the airport on Saturday night and suprised him with not one but TWO new bathrooms { I will share next week}... I loved the look on his face... and I love knowing I did it all by myself!!!

This was also on a pretty small budget,here is the break down:
Texture Paint and Suplies: $45
Paint: $30
Flooring & supllies $60
Mirror $39
Two Pictures $50
New Towels $1 {ON SUPER SALE WITH COUPONS)
Extras $25

Total: $250 YAY!!!

Now you know why I was MIA for two weeks... one to do the bathrooms... and the other to recover!

So now I will be away for a few days as I am heading to San Francisco YAY!!! I have never been but am just so excited to go!!!

Have a good weekend!

My New Bathroom

So when we moved into this house last year I had to go in for back surgery so all the little jobs and big ones too had to wait.

Hubby had to go to Toronto for a buisness trip last week and I decided that I was going to suprise him by redoing our downstairs bathroom. There were a few issues with the bathroom:

1. It is really small and also a weird shape. when I say small it is about 40 sq ft....LOL.... TINY!

2. The walls are horrible, they are totally uneven and had holds from the previous owner, and just damaged.

3. There is an UGLY black mirror that I hate but is glued to the wall and if I take it off then there will be even more uneveness....

4. The floors are white lino and stained... I really don't know how you stain a floor in a bathroom.... BUT these are.

I hate HATE hate this bathroom... I never use it, I mean once in one whole year. But as this is suppose to be the bathroom that everyone uses on the main floor I wanted it to be beautiful, open and inviting. And something that when I come down in the moring I don't shutter!
URG.... what to do.




Well, I first the walls, I went to get wall paper but the cost was $400... okay scratch that idea. So my other option was wall texture.... have you ever seen it?
I went out and got Behr wall texture in sand ($40 cdn) and then a straw broom ($3 cdn) and then googled the Grass Cloth technique. Honestly... I LOVE IT. It is So easy and everyone who has seen it loves it. Wall issues are gone, the uneven space behind the mirror GONE! Holes covered up and GONE!!! You need to let it sit for 3+ days before you can paint it... But it looks so so so good once done. {and also looks like a textured wall paper.... but I saved $350 doing it this way!!!}

Come back tomorrow to see what I did to the floors!

GIVEAWAY FABRIC!!!! WINNERS

So have you ever entered a giveaway and went to check on the winners of that giveaway only to find that you didn't win???

Well to the 7 ladies that entered: YOU ALL WIN!!! YUP thats right.... whats the point to go to random.org and pick a winner when really you all are.... so I will just take the fabric and split it 7 ways. {YAY}

I just need your addresses: I will mail them out on Wed March 16th, 2011, so if I do not have your address by that date you will miss out!

Please send your address to katepixleydesign@hotmail.ca!!! CONGRATS Ladies!!! oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Wendymo!


By the way guys my new wedding line "Morning Doll" debuts today so keep checking in so you can see all the pictures!!!

St. Patty's day arts, crafts and recipes-Rainbow Streamers

Bring the rainbow inside with these fun and colorful streamers. Have a parade, put on some Irish dance music, or just enjoy the bright colors flowing in the breeze.

What you'll need:
1 paper plate
Paper streamers or wide ribbon in rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)
Scissors
White craft glue
Piece of ribbon for hanging
How to make it:
Cut a large circle out of the center of the paper plate. You will end up with just the rim of the plate.
Cut 1 streamer or ribbon of each color about 18" long.
Glue each streamer to the bottom half of the circle.
Poke a small hole at the top of the circle and thread a piece of ribbon through it. Tie a loop in the ribbon and hang up the streamers.
Tips:

Use a pencil or pen and pressing firmly on the paper plate, draw the circle to cut out. Pressing down firmly will make a deep indent making it easier to cut out.
If you like, cut the ribbon or streamers twice the length, then drape through the circle and glue at the center. This will give you double the hanging streamers and you can display from either side.
Foam plates are nicer for this craft than paper as they have a smooth outer edge.

GIVEAWAY FABRIC!!!!

So I have been busy, I have moved my studio, set up my website and really taken off with the new lines {YAY}.... well I need to de-clutter... I have purchased SO much fabric and really I have no need for all of it {cough... two bins full... cough} So I will have a few winners... I really want you all to enter... {I really miss the comments}

This is open to US and Canada {sorry everyone eles the shipping will kill me} All you have to do it enter you comment here. {YOU HAVE TO BE A FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG}

I really would love for you to check out my new website and tell me what you think of it... I would love some feedback.

You can also check me out on facebook and twitter for extra entries!!! I am having this Giveaway for my Blogfriends {you}!!!

So free fabric to play with? UM... YEAH!!!

*** Oh let me make this clear, this is not for little strips of fabric... this is for remnants, some as big as 4 yards... so not just my dingy cut offs... but usefull stuff!!!

I will draw the winner Friday March 11th, 2011!!! Tell your friends peeps!

St. Patty's day arts, crafts and recipes- My Little Pot o' Gold

My Little Pot o'Gold
This project developed out of the tradition in some families of setting a Leprechaun Trap... where you decorate a the bottom of a shoebox and set it up on a stick to trap a Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day. If you catch one, he's supposed to leave you some "gold." We decided to make these little pots for him to put the "gold" into.

What You'll Need:
2 Heavy paper plates
1 - 12 inch black chenille stem
Black paint
Scissors
Paint brush
Stapler
What to Do:
1. Put the two plates together with the eating surfaces facing each other. Cut the top third of the paper plates off and discard.

Cut two little notches in the sides and round one side to make a pot shape. Take a look at the picture if my directions are confusing. (It's a little hard to explain!)

If you're making these in a class, you may want to just create a template and have the kids trace the pot onto each plate and then cut them out.

2. Staple the plates together around the rounded part... don't staple the notches yet.

3. Bend the black chenille slightly to make a handle and staple each end into the notch as you staple the notched edges together.

4. Paint the plates black and let dry completely.

Now each child has their own pot to put their gold into!

You can put gold chocolate coins in the pot to surprise children with. If you're planning on "catching" a Leprechaun, he can buy back his freedom by putting some gold chocolate coins into the pot.

New line YAY! & website & free advertising!

So I have been busy with amazing projects ones that I am so excited to share with you guys finally!!!

Project one: I made my website and it went live last week!!! {YAY} www.katepixleydesigns.com is ALIVE! It has taken so long to pick the header and get eveything worked out the way that I wanted it to. It is a free site, www.weebly.com, which is awesome if you are looking at making your own site.


The second I am TRILLED about!!! I launched my wedding line: Morning Doll by Kate Pixley features exclusive one-of-a-kind wedding veils, ring bearer pillows, garders, ties, and much much more! I was picked up by a local wedding boutique and we did the shoot on friday {it was the best working day of my life.} My website has a new blog with exclusive behind the sence pictures of friday and some of my new products!!! Go over and check it out!!!

So on my new website I have a new blog, it will have a lot of fun stuff, I really want to support the handmade commutnity, I know how important it is! So while we are all starting out I wanted to offer some free advertising to anyone who has a handmade business.

SO..... here is the deal if you have a shop or blog and you either are currently adverstising, or you haven't taken the plunge and would like to please send me an e-mail: katepixleydesign@hotmail.ca and tell me who you are, what is your store, and what do you sell. I will have a few spots open and they will be free, I would suggest a giveaway during the month, but really at this time it is optional. Your badge will be in the corner of my new blog for one month and then I will give someone eles the chance for free advertising. You will need to write a blog post and show us your stuff, and let us know who you are!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!!! {please come over and take a look at my new website and tell me what you think}

xoxo K

How to: Quit your day job... Hopefully!

Ruffles, Lace and Feathers OH MY! I have been working hard behind the scenes here getting ready to launch my new line on Friday, and open up my website.

URG... websites. Have any of you opened your own yet? I was going to hire someone but the cost was so high that I posted on facebook for some reccomendations. I got a lot, some suggested Etsy (which I have), others Bigcartel (have you heard of that?), some suggested the free "make your own website sites".... like www.weebly.com, I chose to actually blend the two, and once I realized that you can actually link the pages together {I am really dense when it comes to computers} I was super happy. Actually if you chose to sell on Bigcartel or Etsy you can link the pages to your site which is awesome because you don't loose your clients {or buisness cards don't have to be destroyed... YAY.}

This has been such a learning curve for me, I have literally either been sewing or reading up articles {Etsy, Socialnomics-Book, On-line resorces} to try and take myself to another level. I spoke to my dad and told him where I was at {UM IT IS CALLED A FUNK}, and he actually got me phone numbers of people in my area that could mentor me. I think that having a mentor is very important mainly because it offers you someone you can bounce your ideas off of, and someone who can tell you where you are either wasting your time or other contacts you can go to.


These are some of the steps that I have taken to Quit My Day Job:
1. Went to the bank and got a bank card for all of my {k.p.d} purchases
2. Took hubby to the bank so that we could find out where we are and how much we can afford to put away as our {saftey net}, as you all know I have two babies, and we own our house so I want to make sure that when I make my {leap of faith} that should I fall I have a little landing.
3. I have sat down and eliminated items I was really not feeling the groove in and then focused on items that I love to make over and over and over again. {hopefully}
4. I went to the library and got books out on small buisnesses, searched and web and most importantly found others that had similar companies as mine and guess what I E-MAILED THEM!! Asked their opinions!
5. Looked at pricing, how much is my time worth? Design item, make pattern, buy fabric, take pictures, edit pictures, upload to {shop} and then create the description, tags etc, sell item, package item and put stamps on it, then go to the post office. Obviously I don't want to do all that for one $5 item... So I sat down and reviewed the process.

This is just the beginning for me, and for you too... I love the handmade buisness, it is full of wonderful sweet and lushious items and all made by really wonderful people. I hope that this helps even just one of you.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments please leave them I love to hear from you all and I miss you so very much!!!

XOXO Kate

Nursey Decor and Design

So if you follow {k.p.d} on facebook then you know that the girl bedding design was the winner in my newest baby bedding line. SO I thought I would do a little post with some of the newest trends in the "baby decor" department....

I have to admit, that vintage, and shabby chic are my favorites for little girls. The are so sweet and simply delightful. When you sit holding your sweet baby in the antique rocking chair and have the lace curtains casting small shadows I can't help but let out a small {sigh}.

{source}

Now on the other hand... mod always interests me, I love the clean neutral look, the white walls and punches of colour.

{source}I love the textures, and the plushness (is that even a word) of todays nursery decor, it isn't the same crib, change table dresser. It is reporposed dressers which double as change tables and decor that has been passed down generations.

So now I ask... what is your favorite style? How would you decorate it???

Ruffle Back Shoes

So my girlfriend just had a baby and I wanted to make a pair of shoes for her to wear.... AND we all know how I love me some {ruffles}.... and flowers...so here is what I came up with.


I love the addition of the flower, so pretty and feminine. These make me smile.

Linking to:

Indie Buisness 3.0 and MORE

It has been almost a year since I started blogging, it has been only 8 months since I started sewing and really still getting the hang of it all. But if you are like me, and wanting to start your own buisness, either a sewing, crafting, photography or a like type of company then you will want to sign up for Indie Buisness 3.0...we can be classmates AND the teachers are amazing.... go and check it out!

In the last few months I have been really struggling to try and find out better ways to make KPD my only form of income. I am currently reading two books which I highly recomend: Socianomics and Sociable, both teach you how to use your computer as you marketing tool. (I in no way was paid to endorse this I simply really found them interesting and helpful...)

So not sure how many of you this might help but I know I needed someone to help me, and I would love some company on this journey!!!

xoxox Kati

Please Vote Boy or Girl

Okay so I have been so super buys with KPD that I have had very little time to play with new ideas BUT that is changing as I have slotted in so "free time" sewing so that I can keep my sanity!! LOL... So I really really want to do some baby bedding... But I don't have an order or a friend to do it for so I am leaving it up to you guys.... and my facebook peeps (if you don't already like it please stop by and take a look... I post daily on there and am always adding new pictures.) to vote on either Boy bedding or Girl bedding. I have two sample charts that have 4 fabric selections, you are voting for the COMBINATION not and individual fabric. So let me know... Boy or Girl???

Q&A Kate Pixley

Jill from Creating My Way to Success sent me a Q&A a few weeks ago... I was finally able to return it to her. Here is her post. Thanks Jill!!!

Featuring My Favorites Friday is Back!!!

Hi Guys I am back, I have been so busy with all that is 2 jobs, and being a mom on top of that, that I honestly needed a break... So for about a month I just simplified my life... took days off to just play with my babies... I feel much more refreshed and ready to come back... I was looking around and found these WONDERFUL ideas... I actually had a dream I was making the Love wreath.... HMMM... I think my crafting Mojo is back!!! Thanks for hanging in there. February marks one year on the blog so I am thinking a Giveaway.

Valentines Day Wreath from Lil' Luna


Supersized Subway Art- Tutorial from Tatertots and Jello


Valentines Day Pillow by Dittle Dattle


Vintage Beanie Hat by Bubbly Nature



And one of my girlfriends was so crafty she made this.... it did take some time, but SO CUTE!!!

Nyra Leanne Pare Januray 18th, 2011 6lbs 9oz Congrats Michelle and Travis!!!



If you were featured feel free to grab a button! <a <br /><center><a href="http://dragonflyfeathers.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab154/mommyoverload/9586510615_wsn5T.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>/><center></center></center>

Car Seat Cover and GIVEAWAY!!!

So I had a baby shower to go to, and my girlfriend knows she is having a girl, however, has not announced the name... So a name pillow wasn't going to work. As well... I moved my studio and to be honest have lost my flow because it hasn't grown on me yet... I liked my old space... (hubby did not.)

So this was my first project in the new year. As it rains here a lot, and can just generally have an "stepped out of the shower" cold feel I thought this would be awesome... something to keep her little lady warm and I think the minky makes it so it would be a little more quite when the little one wants to sleep.

This is a really fun and easy project... okay well if you have a spare infant carseat hanging around they are.

I have two posted... this pink damask one is flannel, there is a black and white polka dot one with hot pink minky... this is the one I originally blogged about but my uploader was down... and today when I went to upload it... hubby had accidentally lost it. SUPER... oh well you get the idea.

To see more stuff head over to my facebook page... not only will you see my day to day studio uploads you can also win some prizes. The GIVEAWAY ends tomorrow at midnight, "like" my page and change your fb status to I want to win a Kate Pixley Designs Giveaway and then tell me on my wall or in comments and you are entered!!!

The winners will receive one of these:
1. Make-up Bag
2.Coffee Cozy
3.Baby Headband (these are new to the shop)

So go on over and check it out.