I don’t know about you, but I enjoy dreaming about summer projects! Somehow things are a bit more relaxed during this time of year, the days are longer, and it is fun to have enjoyable projects to anticipate!
Whether you are learning a new hobby like beading, painting another room in the house, or refurbishing a piece of furniture, planning it out and having an idea in mind brings so much enjoyment!
Sewing Projects
Years ago my grandmother taught me how to sew and gave me a love for fabric! I often say if I was going to start another business, it might have to be a fabric store – it is just so beautiful and inspiring!
I’ve shared about the braided rug I completed last year. Using the fabric prepacks that have the coordinating fabrics is one of my favorite things to make a project with. I love the way that the fabric is precut so you can just jump right in to the project! I’m not the fastest with sewing, so having the cutting done for me is a nice treat!
Southern Fabric (https://southernfabric.com/) is one of my favorite emails to get. They have the best pictures of the prettiest fabrics – it can be dangerous! I really enjoy browsing their fabrics and dreaming of new patterns to try!
A quick online search will often supply you with a variety of options and patterns to use the precuts of your choice.
Painting Your Walls
Summer is the perfect time to paint your walls! With a bit of planning, you could probably even get a room freshly painted over the weekend. Or if you’re like me, try bribing your sister to help – then you both should for sure be able to get it done! There’s something so nice about freshly painted walls.
One neat idea that I learned about deciding on paint colors was that if you are painting a bedroom and bathroom that are connected, make the colors coordinate. Lighter colors bring in more light and make the room appear larger. Darker colors add to the coziness factor. It’s all in what your goals are.
Often, colors appear more intense on the wall then on the paint chip. Benjamin Moore has a nice range of historic colors to choose from. I like to keep wall colors more neutral or classic. But the lovely fact of the matter is, if you don’t end up liking the color, you can always paint over it! And there is a lot of freedom in realizing that!
Refurbishing a Piece of Furniture
Sometimes all a dilapidated piece of furniture needs is a bit of wood glue and some fresh paint. It amazes me how something so simple can refresh furniture so dramatically!
When painting furniture, be sure to sand over it before you paint and as you get a coat or two of paint on it. Depending on the desired finished result, you can sand it one last time to expose hints of wood and give it a lightly worn effect, or you can let a final coat of paint be your last step.
Do a bit of research and learn from others who have done projects of their own, and then have fun with it! It might sound funny, but there is something so relaxing and enjoyable about using a paintbrush.
Summer Projects
What summer projects do you dream of doing? Maybe you’re want to plant flowers or learn a new craft. Look for things that you find interesting and then create little pockets of time and opportunity to pursue them! It’s so enjoyable to learn new hobbies and create things of beauty!
Until Next Time!
Jessy.
PS. Check out the braided rug I made here: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2022/10/12/how-to-make-a-braided-rug/