Christmas Craftiness { part 2 }

I have had a long list of crafts I have been wanting to try out for Morgan. Since she is a GIRL I knew I could incorporate my love of sewing and gift giving to her. I'm not crafty enough to sew for boys or to do a lot but an apron was definitely something I knew I could pull off.

With the extra time on my hands after having Ryker {I can only clean and organize my home so many times} I decided this year was the perfect time to make her her very own apron. It was appropriate for her age. She loves dressing up. I just knew she would love it.

So we headed to JoAnne's and picked out some fabric. The fabric choices were adorable. Morgan loved it and so did I :)

After I started cutting {making apron without a pattern} I realized this was a little harder than I imagined it would be. I used two different ideas and neither of them were actually simple enough for me. I can sew a square. No seriously. A square. So pulling off a rounded bottom would have led to a catastrophe and I was limited on time. I knew I could do ruffles. I also knew I could sew a square pocket. But seriously...a rounded out pocket HA. Not going to happen :)

The pinspiration:

cute little apron from sew-much-ado

and

I used another pin for connecting the apron to the piece of fabric at the top but I couldn't find it. So until I do...

So I took my time and eased myself into this apron. I actually ended up making not one but two. The second one is still being crafted at this moment in time but I will definitely post the result later :)

So, after 2 long weeks of procrastinating, sewing, getting tired, procrastinating and sewing some more - here is our little square apron!

Cute right?!

I'm kind of proud yes. Morgan loves it and wears it in her underwear, half-dressed,  and sometimes if we are lucky...over clothes that she already has on!




~ The Shank Family

House Projects 2014 {in progress}

Wall Repairs

So our last post about the house projects found here - had a ton of holes in the walls and unfinished projects from a few years ago that were never completed. In between having a new baby (Morgan), a new business (photography) and our investment project (Ruston) things just never got completed. Well, here is what is going on downstairs!

It's a disaster. Just a warning. Stuff is everywhere. Its daunting to live day in and day out with so much going on but we are slowly wrapping things up.

 

 

 You can see in the photo above where that hole was patched. We also decided to go ahead and patch anything else that was even barely visible. I mean afterall, we are about to paint our entire downstairs. We might as well make it all right before moving forward to the painting phase.

 

We also found that we had more repairs in the kitchen too! I mean seriously, plaster walls ARE the worst! But, after ripping out a few sections and replacing them with drywall  - our kitchen will also be ready and good to go for paint. All the X's that you see are places where the wall is so uneven Kale will have to cut out and patch as well. I mean these projects are seriously taking its toll on us! You would DIE if you saw all the X's Kale has put all over the walls in our downstairs...Um..scary!

The repairs extend from Colten's room, the office/guest room, family room, kitchen and dining room! Oh boy do we have our hands full.

But we will be so happy once we paint and finish this HUGE project!

The "added" project:  The downstairs bathroom

We've already started on this project but I was able to get in and take before photos. As you can see, this bathroom is just looking rough! Fingerprints and smudges everywhere, old paint, nothing pretty, nothing organized. This is seriously one really boring bathroom! There is no color! It's been on my mind for a while. So we threw it in the mix!

 

My plans:

A good neutral color on walls, new towels, bath rug, shower curtain, and lots of organization for the closet! I plan on doing something like the following photos (from pinterest of course) to complete this bathroom.

I love the back of the bathroom door. As you can see above, our boys really just wad up the towels on the hook. This is terrible and one of my pet peeves! They need a place to hang each of their towels since we have two sharing this one bathroom.

I LOVE the idea of baskets for organizing. Each night before bed, it's a requirement to have their clothes put out for the following day. I'm thinking a basket for each of the boys to put their school clothes for the next day :) Currently, they put the clothes on top of the bathroom counter.

Just simple and beautiful

I've also yearned for a pretty item for this bathroom. I love bath and body works and was thinking about buying a small plant, a few aromatherapy lotions and having a cute display. Cute right!?

We've got two boys who are constantly rummaging through the baskets in the closet. I need a way to keep them both organized and want to freshen up this bathroom for them but at the same time making it a cute place for our guests. I'm so excited about the bathroom remodel its killing me! I can't wait to get done so I can go shopping and decorate :)

~ The Shank Family

A Cool Room for a Pre-teen {the demo begins}

Kale and Colten started the demo on his bedroom. First thing to go: the nasty carpet! After being lived on by two children and two dogs for 4 years...it was ready to be trashed.

They had to remove all the carpet, remove the tacking strips and sweep/vacuum all the staples off the floor.

We can't have our floors refinished until after all projects are complete so this is as good as its going to get for now.

Next step:

Fixing any cracks or holes in walls and painting the entire room!

Fun? ha! Hardly :)

I am starting to get the feeling this is a much bigger project than expected. The people who owned the home before us had repaired the walls incorrectly and now the entire wall (first photo above) has to come down completely and be drywalled instead. Kale is going to have fun with that!

So onto a larger demo than expected! Here is what an original plaster wall looks like when there is NO plaster!!

Scary right?

Kale and Colten have been working hard today. They have a lot of work to do before we can begin the fun part of this project!

I can't wait to post more about this crazy but fun project. Oh boy...the things Kale and I get ourselves into!

~ The Shank Family

A Cool Room for a Pre-teen {Dallas Cowboys Inspired}

Colten's Bedroom Remodel:

Budget: $500

Things Needed:

New Bed

New Mattresses

New Dresser

Curtains

Bedside Lamp

New Bedding

Wall Decor

This is going to be a really hard task for under $500. I think we may be able to do it! With a new baby on the way, we better be able to pull this off :)

The inspiration from Colten himself:

Dallas Cowboys anything goes! As long as it's blue...its a go!

He wants a big bed. No more twin bed or bunks.

He wants Dallas Cowboys curtains.

Colten's wish list: Room Decor:

I know we won't be able to purchase the dallas cowboys bedding set within our budget but we've decided that this will end up being a Christmas gift. I will have to think of something similar or see about purchasing an appliqué? Not sure but we are going to have fun with this :) Even just a dark blue comforter would be great for now.

He also wishes to have a big white star painted on his wall. I'm no artist but I may be able to pull this one off. I'm thinking about a wall decal...I guess we will have to see how much these cost!

Can you tell that he is a HUGE cowboys fan??

I'm really looking forward to this room remodel!

~ The Shank Family

Home Projects { 2014 }

Before Baby Arrives List 

I am not sure what my deal is...but...I have a thing about crunching a million projects into the few short months before I have a baby!

It's actually comical now that I am doing it again - AND realizing it this time :)

Our home is definitely lived in. We have a ton of repairs, remodels, painting and sewing to do.

The official list of things we KNOW we can take care of before we have an infant in the house...

Remodeling Colten's Bedroom - 

Now that Colten is a pre-teen, his room was in need of a BIG change. While he was gone with his dad in Texas, his room quickly became the storage room! It was full of all of my sewing stuff, newborn props for my business, filing cabinet, storage boxes and all sorts of miscellaneous items. The dogs also got put in this room quite a bit..hence the stains...

We have decided to go full remodel on this bedroom.

We knew this was coming. This was a big deal. Colten...12 years old? Wowza!

We cleaned out his room completely. Now to get started on the demo. We seriously can't wait to start this long and over due remodel.

Wall Repairs -

We have an OLD home. Full of plaster walls. I really really dislike plaster. But, unfortunately, it would be a ton of work and way too expensive to tear out the plaster and switch all the walls to drywall. Secretly, if I could I would. So, what do we have? Tons of cracks...a few holes by our 8 year old...our home is in great need of some wall repairs!

A FEW OF OUR OBVIOUS REPAIRS:

ugh! Plaster....

Started but never finished.

Fresh Paint -

Up until around a year ago, I would use the leftover paint from when the contractors painted our home. It's gone. I used every last bit of it painting here and there and covering fingerprints. Our home is also in need of a fresh paint job! I really can't wait to have a new fresh color up on the walls!

Obviously...someone...colored on our walls. Thankfully it was done behind the kitchen table so it's been concealed since our little artist decided to color us a wall mural :)

And believe it or not - this was the paint I chose while pregnant with Morgan. I stopped the project because I absolutely hated the way the satin paint looked on our walls. We never got around to choosing a new color or using the same color with a different sheen.

Ladybug and Little Man -

They will be sharing the same room. My newest task now that we know baby Shank's gender is to remodel Morgan's room to suite both genders. I have tons of ideas and thankfully was able to connect with my sister in law from Ohio about the material I could use for bedding and curtains. She gave me a few sites to search through and I found one I just fell in love with!

BEFORE:

All girl right here! The goal: to have a gender neutral or color/pattern coordinating theme that suites both kids. We also have the task of getting Morgan to sleep in a toddler bed :) 

I can't wait to get these projects underway! I'm thrilled to have a new looking home with fresh paint , remodeled teen room and a combined nursery for Little Man and Morgan!

~ The Shank Family

Morgan's First Birthday ( the inspiration )

Morgan's First Birthday is coming rather rapidly. Up until about a week ago...it seemed as if it was months away. Kale and I were having a conversation and out of nowhere he asks, "You do realize that her birthday is just two weeks away right?" I freaked. I mean freaked!

If is was an already hosted party somewhere like Chuck E Cheese or somewhere that only involves bringing a cake and buying pizza than I think I would still be in the safe zone. But nooooo...little miss crafty crafter DIY'er has to go all out and get crazy with it.

So... I did. I got a little crazy. All of these photos were pulled off Pinterest (of course)!

Here is a small sampling of the ideas I have been eyeing for at least 6 months now!

( the link for this image goes no where from pinterst )

This table is more or less the inspiration. Along with about 1200 other Soiree inspired tables I have chosen from Pinterest. This is so beautiful. I just can't stand it!

( Tutorial Here )

So cute and thankfully Tyler loves the IZZY Clementine pop drinks from Starbucks.

( Tutorial Here )

These look so delicious. I can't wait to make these and then eat them all up before daddy Kale gets them! I want to make these minus the stripes and sprinkles. I'm thinking edible glitter.

( Tutorial Here )

These look so good too. Can you see a pattern yet? Yes. Pink everything.

I can't remember where I scored this photo. It must have been off Pinterest. I am thinking pink and silver instead. I love the glitter. It could be overwhelming if I go too crazy but at this point I think it will be alright.

( Tutorial Here )

These are adorable. I love the little flags and the polka dots. I definitely am loving these polka dots!

I think you guys get the point. This is going to be so much fun to create. I can't wait to get started on all of these fun projects. First...I must go SHOP!!

Love,

The Shank Family

( and your crafty little crafter DIY'er ME )