Backyard Happy Places

                !~!~!~!  Hello Hippy Friends  ~!~!~!

I have been busy in the backyard this summer... Our poor yard has taken a beating with this long, terrible drought. A beatin' with a long, dead, dry stick.... New Mexico is experiencing the worst drought in the entire USA right now. After two years of little rain, we are really feeling the "heat" and my poor yard is reflecting the experience.

I have decided that the backyard is in need of a little { long, over-due } TLC.  But I can honestly say I have felt overwhelmed bc our yard is BIG, SAD, and DEAD.

In trying to take this task on... I at first felt daunted... like it was insurmountable... and then I realized that there is only one way to "eat an elephant"....

I thought that starting w/ making small, "HAPPY PLACES" within this unconquerable badland would be at least do~able. I began to think of ways to create little fun, colorful  areas within the scheme of the desolation.  A friend that is working on her own yard { they are building a new home } has encouraged me by her own skills of making happy, little, fun places on her patio and around her trees ... Her own yard is HUGE... so.... watching her gave me creative spark.

Thx Butterfly ~!~!

One day this week, I looked at my tired, dejected glider. Faded... droopy.... and miserable. Now, I'm no Martha Stewart... I don't pretend to know how to sew the best... and I have never taken painting lessons but I had an idea of starting w/ this little sad~sack ....(the glider..... not Paco ~!~!) 

I found a large panel of fencing in our garage. It has been there for more than ten years.... I talked hubby into dragging it out and he made a brace and screwed it to the fence. { Thx hubby !!! U know sometimes that I'm in need of your 'manly, man-skills' . }

Off to Wal~Mart and Lowes. Black and Pink kept popping into my head and right away I found some material that I thought bright and cheerful.

The material is "ducking". I do not know how well this will hold up thru the heat that we have. But it cost me less than $20 to cover.. and so much cheaper than brand new cushions. I can change them next year very easily.

I spray painted the glider "Watermelon Pink" {Krylon} and gave the faded cushion a new cover. I didn't try to cover it exact. I made a large " pillow~case" type of cover and slipped the old cushion inside. My aunt helped out a great deal by covering the pillow and bringing an old couch cushion out of the garage to cover. I then made ties to "tie" it to the glider bc the pillows are what fly all over the yard when the wind blows. And we get horrible winds here.

Lowes has "sample" paints that are great for small projects. I purchased white, Berry Blush, and Iced Berry.  I had left over grey-black.

They cost about $2 each... (and I used very little paint ~!)

After doodling on scratch paper, I began with a pencil to stencil out what I could actually do on the fence. ... I did not use a purchased stencil. It is all done out of my own head... which means it is not perfect... But I do not aim for perfection in my projects.

I was very pleased with how this little "sitting area" turned out ~!~! It is shaded in the morning and a perfect place to sit and have my morning java and play the ukulele.
 A perfect little HaPpY pLaCe ~!~!~

                                           ~~~ Happy DIYing ~~~  

Aprons Out of Men's Shirts

Apron Made Out of a Man's Shirt

Repurposed Men's Shirts

This project is easy and fun. I like easy and fun... it's a great combo! My father passed more than two years ago and Mom gave me some of his dress shirts. A friend passed on a simple idea of making an apron out of a man's shirt. Dad wore a 2x tall-man and I knew this would be ideal... bc I need a large apron to cover up all the messes I make while cooking! I'm one sloppy cook! I knew this would be a great way to preserve memories and times of happiness w/ my dad bc this was his favorite shirt. We saw him wear it many times through the years.

Very cute and simple apron~!~!

How To...

Cut off the sleeves, and the back of the shirt. Be sure to leave about

and inch or more next to the seam because this will be tucked and sewn down

on top of the side seam that is already there.

From the collar, shoulder seam, measure 2 inches and mark with a pencil or

marking pen.

Measure from the mark to the bottom of the arm pit and draw

a straight line. Cut on that line.

You will need to iron (hippies always use irons and pins when they sew)

the seam making a "french hem" (sometimes called a shirt tale hem). Iron and then pin

into place as you go. Do this all around the apron: up both sides and to the collar and around the collar.

This hippie is the Queen of Zig-Zag. Begin zig-zagging close to one side of the

hem and then make another zig-zag stitch right next to it. This will ensure

that the hem is held into place and will not come unraveled during the wash.

I also like the "look" of this finish. I resembles a surger... I

don't have one .... so this comes close to making that stitch (in my

novice opinion).

For the ties, Cut out two long strips from the remnants. Make them 2 inches

wide. Press a center fold and then fold both edges inward.... keeping the folded edges

on the outside....Press and pin.

Zig-Zag stitch, tie knots in the ends and sew onto the apron...

Easy ~!~! Fun ~!~! And a wonderful memory of my Dad ~!~!

More men's shirts w/ potholders to match...