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Vintage Suitcase Shelves {Young and Crafty}

Courtney Carmean — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:00:59 +0000

I’m so excited to be over here on Courtney’s blog today while she gets settled in! My name is Hannah and I blog over at Young and Crafty. I love to craft, build things and just create in general. I’m in my last year of grad school doing my internship and creating keeps me sane! I’d love for you to pop over and visit

I cannot begin to tell you how much I’m in love with these suitcase shelves. Every time I pass by them I smile a little. All three of these suitcases came from my husbands grandmother who recently passed away. They were perfectly worn, as well as smelly.

I originally planned to stack these and make an end table. However, the left and right suitcases were almost exactly the same size so it just didn’t look right. I started browsing Pinterest for ideas and found the suitcase shelf idea. However, I could not find a good tutorial.

This project was totally spur of the moment. My husband and I were sitting in the garage chatting and bored and just went for it. He, of course, thought I was nuts.

So here is a tutorial for how we made our suitcase shelves.

Open them up and check out the beautiful, yet stinky lining. You have two choices, Febreeze the heck-o-la out of it or rip it out. I chose option number two. I think taking the lining out would probably help the blade go through smoother but I can’t say for sure because we didn’t try to cut it with the lining in.

Measure the size you want your suitcase and start cutting it in half on a circular saw. This part is only slightly terrifying. I thought more than once that I was ruining a perfectly beautiful vintage suitcase.

As you can see, the blade did not cut all the way through the bottom layer. You can either take a jigsaw and cut the rest of the way or do what we did. We tilted the suitcase vertical and lined up the circular saw to cut through the rest. Worked like a charm.

Now flip it over and cut the other side. Make sure your cuts line up! So now you’ve got your shelf and now it needs a way to be hung on the wall.

Take a piece of board and cut it to fit inside the suitcase on the BOTTOM piece of suitcase. Then use a nail gun and nail the board in place around the bottom and both sides. As you can see in the right picture, you can see the nail holes but they are soooo tiny that nobody will notice. This was super close and they are hard to see!

Sorry this picture is such poor quality. I was trying to help hold it up while taking a picture of how to do it! We screwed the piece of wood straight into the studs. Notice that the top is not on? The tops are removable and now the suitcase doubles as storage too! Love that.

I’m still working on the styling part, but I love the direction they are headed.

The one on the right is my favorite. Or the one in the middle. The green one is just ok.

The lantern on the left also came from Wyatt’s grandmothers and got a paint job. On the center suitcase, the teacup was my great grandmothers. The other stuff is just for looks

Here’s how they look from the doorway. Find the no sew drop cloth curtain tutorial HERE. Want to see what used to be on the suitcase wall? Go HERE. Wow, this is about a zillion times better.

Oh and the gigantic box underneath them is staying. Wyatt and his dad made it and it holds all of our snow skiing gear. I may eventually make a cushion for it. The only problem is that thing is massive. I’m talking coffin size. Maybe even a double coffin. You get my drift. HUGE, I tell ya.

I love that they are unique and can still be sentimental.

Be sure to hop on over to Young and Crafty to see MANY more projects!

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Thank you thank you Hannah for that wonderful post! I absolutely LOVE those Suitcase Shelves. LOVE.

I highly suggest you hop on over to Young and Crafty and check out all that Hannah is up to. I promise you won’t be disappointed!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Cupcake Hotpad Tutorial {The Princess & Her Cowboys}

Courtney Carmean — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 07:00:10 +0000

Hi all!, I’m Britney from The Princess & Her Cowboys where I blog about crafts, recipes and everyday living. I’m excited to share with you this fun hot pad tutorial!

What you’ll need:

2 different kinds of fabrics (this uses very little so if you have scraps or just want to get 1/4 yard, that should work)

Batting

Ribbon

I made my own pattern out of a thicker cardstock and then just traced around it. I made the back look like the silhouette of a cupcake and then made the “frosting” with scallops.

Next is pinning the fabric to the batting. I turned the fabric right sides together and then pinned the batting on back. I used a minimal amount of batting on the frosting but put a thicker amount for the cupcake body. It’s better to have the batting out a little bit from the edge to make sure that all parts have it, like this:

Next I just used a straight stitch and sewed 1/4″ all the way around, leaving a hole at the top of the rounded edge to turn right-side out.

Trim off excess batting.

I didn’t take pictures of the next two steps but they are relatively easy. Top stitch the square section of the cupcake going around the curve about an inch or so. Then turn your stitch to zig zag and make as many lines as you want to give it the characteristic of a muffin paper. I liked doing three.

Next, I switched to red thread (I have a ton of white thread and so I used that on the insides). Top stitch the scallops of the frosting. You do not need to go all the way to the edge-this part will be sewn in the next step.

Next pin the body and frosting together, making sure to pin well around the two openings at the top. Also add a piece of ribbon the size you want and pin it securely to the middle. Begin stitching at the height of the first scallop like this:

By starting in a little bit, this gives a more secure hold on the hand and won’t slip off as easily.

And, here is the finished product!

Good luck and stop on by to show me how you made them!

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Thank you so much Britney!!!

If you would like to see more from Britney, hope on over to The Princess & Her Cowboys to see more recipes, crafts, and tips!!!

Have a great weekend y’all!!!

DIY Polka Dot Pillow {Like A Saturday}

Courtney Carmean — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 03:52:42 +0000

Happy Friday, y’all! I’m Rachel from Like a Saturday, and I’m so excited to be here with you today! My husband and I bought our home a few years ago during our 5 1/2 month engagement {because we are crazy people}. Since we’ve been married and moved in, we’ve been working hard to make this house a home through DIY, frugal finds, and working with what we have.

One of my favorite finds as of late is the wall o’ pillow covers at Hobby Lobby. I did a little happy dance when I stumbled upon this glorious section of the store. I have a slight obsession with throw pillows, and I like to change them up with the season {or my mood}; but this can get to be a bit pricey. Most of the Hob Lob pillow covers range from $4.99-$6.99 {a steal!} and there is a great variety for any style. You can use the cases for your existing throw pillows or new inserts. I get my down pillow inserts from Ikea for only $6.99 a pop!

Earlier in the year I bought the blue/grey chevron pillows for the living room, and we’re still loving them!

The last time I was checking out the selection of pillow covers, I saw these canvas covers and thought they would be perfect for a quick DIY project. The fabric of these particular covers are very similar to the drop cloth material. If you don’t have a Hobby Lobby near you, you could easily sew similar pillows by using drop cloths as your fabric.

My pattern of choice these days has been good old-fashioned polka dots. I’ve been finding any excuse to stick them on anything, like my bathroom trash cans, and now….a pillow!

First things first, you’ll want to wash and iron your pillow covers. If you’re a lazy crafter like me, you’ll be tempted to skip this step….but it is oh so important! You will also need to slide in a piece of cardboard or thick newspaper so the paint doesn’t bleed through to the other side.

My game plan was to stencil on the polka dots with white craft paint. You can turn any acrylic paint into fabric paint by adding textile medium. You’ll mix 1 part medium to 2 parts paint. This ensures that you can wash painted fabric without losing any of your hard work.

I didn’t find a stencil at the craft store that was the size/spacing that I wanted, so I cut a template for myself with the Cricut machine and a stencil sheet. I simply used my template to help me create a {mostly} round dot in the right size. You could also use a paper punch or Exacto knife to create your own design. I started stenciling at the center of the fabric and then worked outward from there, repeating the pattern. I didn’t want or need my pattern to be perfect, so I mostly just eyeballed it. If you’re looking for a more precise pattern, you should use a full stencil sheet instead of an individual template.

When stenciling, start from the outer edge and paint towards the center to prevent too much bleeding. Again, I wasn’t going for perfection here, so I allowed for a little bit of wonkiness {that is a technical term }. In this case, I think it adds to the whimsy of the polka dots.

It didn’t take long at all to cover the entire pillow with white spots. Let it sit for a while until the paint is completely dry {see the directions on your paint bottle for exact dry times}.

Now, you’re ready to pop that puppy onto a pillow {say that 5 times fast!} and find her new home.

This polka dotted cutie found her way to our guest bed. We have a lot of color and pattern happening in this room, so the new pillow fits right in. Don’t be afraid to mix colors, patterns, and textures! It will help make your space come alive!

Thank you so much, Courtney, for having me today! I hope y’all will stop on by my place and say hello!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Thank you so much Rachel for sharing your adorable pillow with my readers!!! I absolutely love it!!!

If you want to see more from Rachel at Like A Saturday, hope on over to her blog and check out all of her great creations!!!

Paper Origami Flowers {The Pin Junkie}

Courtney Carmean — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 07:00:21 +0000

Hi! I’m Bonnie a.k.a. The Pin Junkie. I blog about the crafts, recipes
and home improvement projects I do that are inspired by Pinterest. I’m
so happy to be guest posting for Courtney today!

I’d like to show you how to make beautiful origami flowers. These flowers look like they’re difficult to make but they’re really not complicated at all! This would even be a great project for
kids to do. Once you know how to make the basic fold, you just repeat
it five times to make a whole flower. I used plain printer paper and cut it to make a square, but you can use scrapbook paper. Just make sure the paper you choose isn’t too thick or it will be difficult to fold.

Materials you will need:

paper, cut to make a square

invisible or matte tape (not glossy)

wood skewers.

1. Start with a square piece of paper and fold it in half diagonally.

2. Fold each corner up.

3. Fold each triangle in half so the tip points out.

4. Fold the tips of the triangles down.

5. Unfold. With one hand, hold the triangle closed. With the other hand refold on the existing fold lines. Repeat for the opposite side.

6. It should look like this.

7. Fold the tips down again.

8. Fold the corners in.

9. Roll and tape closed. This is the first petal for your flower. You will need to do this four more times to make a total of five petals.

10. Now tape each petal together. Keep taping each petal together until you have a five petal flower. It’s best to use invisible or matte tape so you won’t be able to see it. Glossy tape will show and won’t look as nice.

11. Tape the petals together on the back.

(I used a blue flower so you can see the tape.)

12. Poke a wooden skewer into the flower for the stem.

It should look like this when you’re all finished.

You can stop at one flower or make a whole bouquet. You can also change the size of the flower by using different sizes of paper. Small squares of paper will make small flowers and large squares of paper will make large flowers. You can also tape several flowers together to make a cluster or ball that you can hang. I made several flowers to make a bouquet. It’s not difficult, but it does take awhile!

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Thank you so much Bonnie for guest posting at ADitS today!!! It was a pleasure having you visit!!!

Head over to The Pin Junkie for tons of great projects and recipes!!!

Vintage Window Gone Nautical {An Extraordinary Day}

Courtney Carmean — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 07:00:49 +0000

It’s Guest Post day!!

Please welcome Diane from An Extraordinary Day!!!

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One of my favorite things to decorate in my home is a vintage window.

It hangs like a piece of art on my wall.

The beauty of a vintage window is that it’s a wonderful blank canvas for giving your room some seasonal decor.

Its shabbiness provides a textural contrast in more traditional or contemporary decor.
It’s fun to be creative with ideas in just a small space.
It can change with the season or your whim.
It’s great for whimsical paper-crafting projects that just don’t ‘work’ elsewhere.

Last November my friend gifted me with a lovely window. It’s perfectly imperfect. And hung sideways it was just the right proportion for that big blank wall over my sofa. Win! Win!

Since then, my window has gone through several iterations from Christmas to Valentine’s Day to Spring to the Fourth of July and now she’s giving a nod to the nautical. The perfect look for summertime!

This nod to nautical look is simple and uncluttered and fresh for hot summer living.

It reminds me of summers growing up on Lake Michigan. Gosh I miss that big lake!

An arrangement of three elements is most always pleasing to the eye:

The window:
a gift that keeps giving
A lifesaving ring:
recycled from a Fourth of July wreath with the addition of some blue fabric and rope
And an old paddle:
originally a blonde natural wood tone, painted and distressed for a more striking nautical look

It’s great if our home decor can have some special meaning.

This nautical window certainly does as the paddle has a wonderful story from my childhood….

You see when I was about nine years old, I was a bit independent and ignored my parents’ direction. That resulted in a fall with a severely fractured arm. That same summer my parents were putting in a pool. And with that heavy full-arm cast there was no way I was going to be able to enjoy swimming in the new pool. But, my kind and loving dad came up with a creative solution. He bought a plastic boat and a paddle for me to paddle around the pool. He certainly didn’t need to do that, but what a great example of grace and compassion that has stuck with me my whole life. Plus, he ended up with a much more obedient child thereafter.

The paddle you see here was the first paddle he purchased. It was too long for me to use with my plaster cast, so he bought another short one. The boat was given away the following summer…but not the paddles. I don’t know why, but the paddles always hung in the garage. A number of years ago I noticed them and decided that I needed to hang the paddles in my garage as a sweet remembrance of my father’s very loving gesture.

Project Details

I wasn’t sure at first how I was going to hang the paddle across the window. Thankfully, I discovered I had a package of industrial-strength Velcro. It’s perfect as it can hold the weight of the paddle and be positioned close to the window frame. Plus, the Velcro isn’t visible when you look at the window vignette. Happy Day!

Originally I had planned to make a nautical pennant banner for this window.

But, after I added the life ring and the paddle it seemed finished. I really liked the simplicity. Less is more in the summertime. However, I thought I’d get my husband’s opinion on the window. He made the most amazing suggestion. He reminded me that I had a box of photos from a trip to Maine that were eager to get out of their drug store envelopes….and that I could hang them on the window too.

What a clever and creative man I married!! That was a fabulous suggestion. Actually….perfect!! Now I can enjoy a few of my photos and the window has gone from a nod to nautical to truly coastal!!

Armed with a roll of double stick tape, I attached a small strip to the center of each photo and simply stuck them to the front of the window glass…centering them as best I could…using the ol’ eyeball leveling method. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

What a great way to relive one of the best vacations ever….a drive down Highway 1…stopping at every lighthouse, walking the craggy coast and sandy shorelines, and breathing in the most wonderful fresh air. This just might be my favorite iteration for this vintage window yet.

Right now I follow a zero spending budget for craft projects and home decor. It’s rare for me to spend money as I usually shop my stash for supplies or pick up treasures along the road. I’ve been living this way for a few years and I’m here to tell you, a little goes a long way. And the challenge has forced some latent creativity. Yay!! This project was a bit different. I actually spent some money…about $3.50 on supplies….the first dollars and cents in many, many months. But, what’s a gal to do when her craft paints are drying up and she can’t find the right piece of rope?

By now, you’ve noticed…I’m not Courtney! [wink]

I’m Diane! I write, DIY, decorate, celebrate nature’s beauty, and attempt to inspire you to live a full and beautiful, joy-filled life over at An Extraordinary Day! My motto is “Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary.” I’d love for you to come over for a visit. My latest project has been a laundry room makeover….on a dime. Pop on over and pick up a few easy ideas for your laundry room, too.

Courtney, I cannot imagine your excitement in purchasing your home, having your husband return, and all the craziness of moving across the country. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you make this exciting transition. May God’s blessing and peace be yours in abundance in your new home. And may you create many extraordinary memories along the journey.

Thanks Courtney for inviting me to share one of my favorite things here at A Diamond in the Stuff.

This vintage window has surely been a diamond in my stuff….giving me lots of opportunities for creating something new and fresh with one gifted window.

Wishing you all An Extraordinary Day!