Insta-Life / April

I'm pretty sure someone hit the fast forward button without me knowing.  April was great and exhausting, but May... May has been amazing so far.  Summer of 2012 is starting to gain momentum as it often does in Michigan and I'm winded but hitting a stride in this new job and schedule, which are agreeing with me more and more.  Plus, I'm plowing through audio books on this new commute. (The Book Thief and A Fault in Our Stars were like back to back five-star reads!)

Happy Mother's Day

It is only fitting that for Mother's Day I made a dessert that my mom has made my entire life, rhubarb crunch.  (Super secret family recipe at the bottom of the post!)  Rhubarb crunch was also the first subject matter I documented with my new camera, a Sony NEX-5N.  I'm quite excited with the photos it has taken thus far and really need to invest some more time in refining the settings and whatnot.  Any tips from readers on the camera? Or variations on rhubarb crunch? 

Nothing goes better with warm rhubarb crunch
than the first iced coffee of the season.

---

• 1 Cup Oatmeal
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 3 Cup of Rhubarb
• 1/2 Cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 3 cups of rhubarb with 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1 TBSP water.

Combine oats, brown sugar, softened butter and flour to make crumble. Grease 8" x 8" pan, and press 1/2 the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Put the sugared rhubarb in next then top with the remaining crumbs. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Random Fact About Me

I don't have a hand-held mirror, so I check if my hair is ok in the back by taking photos with my phone or my web cam.

I don't wear my bow enough.

Better late than never... March Insta-Life

I know it's been a little quiet over here lately and for good reason!  I've pulled a little switch-a-roo with my full time job and have embarked on a new opportunity with a great little marketing and design firm, Harrington Communications.  Get ready world, this girl isn't just design product anymore!

I've been neglecting my blog, but I did take a whole lot of photos with my iphone... Maybe that is because the weather was so incredibly nice for March in Michigan.  Fingers crossed for an April to match.

30x30 Excitement

Yesterday I exhibited alongside dozens of talented artists at the 30x30 fundraiser event at the Ann Arbor Art Center.  I'm headed out in a couple of hours to check out what is remaining after the frenzy that ensued as people scoured the walls, hummed and hawed over the 1000+ pieces of original art available for only $40 and snatched up some killer work!  Here are some less than stellar photos I was able to take over a few hours with my phone (yes I'm still without a functioning camera, but hopefully not for much longer).  More photos of my purchases to come soon!

#8 on my past 101 in 1001 was to participate in a gallery show, still crossing things off the list two years later!


You can see a full photo album of all of my 30 pieces at my Two if by Sea Studios Facebook Page.  Click here to like my page and check it out!

Insta-Life / February

Weekend Project #2 - Ottoman

We've had this Ikea Klubbo coffee table for about 6 years, and while it's definitely serving it's purpose, survived 3 moves and still "goes" with our decor for the most part, I'm tired of it.  I've always wanted an ottoman to put my feet up on and often gush over bold patterned ones in West Elm, HomeGoods and Urban Outfitters.  As soon as I saw this tutorial on Design*Sponge I knew it was meant to be. VERY beginner friendly with all the photos and step-by-step instructions!  Thanks again to Young House Love for inspiring Pinterest Challenges that I can get on board!

Fast forward to President's Day sale at JoAnns = 50% off foam and fabric! I swear I had already spent 5 hours online looking at fabrics and couldn't decide.  Then I walked in that Sunday and found this Peony Coral outdoor upholstery fabric by DwellStudio in the perfect color and bold pattern.  Let's say love at first sight just to dramatize the oohing and ahhing that occurred in the fabric aisle...


Pinspiration for my project:

 Design*Sponge // Apartment Therapy //  Simply Kelly

Supplies:  2 yds of fabric, 4in foam, 8 yds 5/32" welt cord, hi-loft batting, coordinating thread, spray adhesive, staple gun, staples, yardstick or t-square, pins, scissors and sewing machine.

The total for the supplies was about $80.  Not including the coffee table.  (I'm telling you, that foam is expensive and alone would have cost me $64.00 if it hadn't been 50% off that day I went into JoAnns!)


Here's the general process.  Be sure to check out that Design*Sponge tutorial for the details!

Before, Ikea Klubbo Coffee Table:

Took off the legs and used spray adhesive to stick 4 inch thick foam onto the top.  The lady at the cutting counter at JoAnns was super nice and cut it right to the size I needed!

We don't have saw horses or anything fancy like that at our house... two chairs propped up the top so I could put the batting over the foam to cut it to size.  I stapled that down at the bottom of the sides.

Then I cut out the fabric pieces for the top and sides and created the cording.  I got by without changing the foot on my sewing machine, but I'm sure a welt cording foot would make it a bit easier!

I pinned and sewed the cording onto the top...

...And then pinned and sewed the sides onto the cording/top.

Then I slipped the completed cover over the batting covered foam tabletop.

Next, I flipped it over and stapled the fabric to the bottom of the table.

I skipped the last step of adding the additional line of cording around the bottom of the table's edge before putting it back on it's legs.  I didn't have quite enough to go all the way around and my staple gun was a little finicky so it was going to be really challenging to get the cording just right along the edge. But I really like the results anyhow.

And here is the revived coffee table/ottoman in it's new home:

I'm super excited to start my next upholstery project - a desk chair that I scored some really pretty seafoam-y, sage-ish colored fabric for $4.50 a yard!  Better let my sewing machine cool off for a few days and get back to 30x30.