Window Mistreatment

Blogger's acting wonky, so let's try this one more time!

The Nesting Place is hosting a Window Mistreatment Party. Wonder what window mistreatment is? Here are her definitions:

Mistreatment: (n). covering for a window that is quick, cheap and pretty. may or may not need hardware does not require sewing. a real designer's worst nightmare.

Mistreating: (v). the act of treating a window with dignity and respect without use of the following: hundreds of dollars, sewing, time, crying, divorce, child neglect...

Here's a window mistreatment of my own. It's just an (unironed) old tablecloth and a couple lengths of grosgrain from my stash, hung over an existing rod. And now it's the only window in my house with a curtain. (In the ugly bathroom at that!) But with all the great ideas I got at the party, that's about to change!

A Day in My Life-August

This month I'm joining Little Jenny Wren's "Day in My Life." A bit late, but still...


Billy was out of town for the night and I'm sick, so we slept in this morning till almost 8. I woke with Sarah, my darling 3-year-old, snuggled in my bed and Baby Grace's blue eyes peeking at me over the edge of the co-sleeper. What a great way to start the morning!

Otherwise, my whole morning felt off-kilter since I felt so bad that I pretty much just fell into bed last night without making usual preparations for the next day. No one had clothes laid out, I didn't know what to fix for breakfast, and everything seemed to take twice as long as usual.

Finally everyone was clothed, beds were made, and Elizabeth had practiced her piano. I made old-fashioned oatmeal. My kids love this with cane syrup, which is sort of like Molasses. Mmmm...I love it too.


Normally Elizabeth starts her school work after breakfast, but it's rained a lot lately and the kids haven't been able to spend much time outside, so I let them play this morning. It's a beautiful day. We'll do lessons later, when it's too hot to be outside. Elizabeth showed me the "spear" she made, she says for spearing flounder. A friend told her how they used to spear flounder at night, and it has captured her imagination.

While they played outside, I began my housework. I felt flustered and scattered and realized that I hadn't yet spent time with God this morning. I've been hanging out in Proverbs 31, which tells about the ideal wife. I think I needed the encouragement and inspiration of this hard-working lady. I usually feel completely overwhelmed by all there is to do to run a household, homeschool, maintain friendships, and reach out to others, as well as keeping a strong marriage with my sweet husband. I know I don't need to be superwoman, but there is a way to get it all done, somehow.

In addition to housecleaning and nursing sweet baby, I washed a few of my "hand wash only" skirts, and hung them out to dry. I do "big" laundry every other day, and special things like this in between.






I made a quick batch of cookies and fed the kids lunch. Afterward I put the littles down for quiet time, cleaned the kitchen and did school work with Elizabeth. And snuggled and fed the baby. So sweet.



Late afternoon: I tidied the bedroom area of the house and worked on preparations for our coming homeschool year while the kids played outside.

I had promised Elizabeth pancakes for supper, but I really didn't have the time to make them, so I asked her if she wanted to. Of course my little cook said yes. She was so proud and I made sure that I praised her efforts. Let's just say that I'll give a little more assistance next time.

Billy got home as I was bathing the kids. It was so good to have him home, even after just one night. After we put the kids to bed we visited for a little while and watched the last episode of 24: Season 5 and then we turned in ourselves.

And obviously I didn't get this posted last night. So here it is this morning!

Frugal No-Sew Pillow Hack

Several years ago we ditched our delapidated old couch for a Freecycle futon. I saved the old couch's original pillows, though, and re-covered them in some upholstery fabric someone gave me.

They've gotten kind of grungy, being used for naps, forts, and pillow fights.

When I re-covered them, I made 2 of them reversible by putting different fabric on the opposite side. Since I rarely display this side, they are still looking pretty good.

With the 3rd pillow (which didn't have a reversible side), I used a piece of dollar a yard cotton from my stash and wrapped it like a gift. Safety pins in back.

I could have sewn it, but I didn't have time.

I finished it off with a length of grosgrain ribbon--a dollar for a big roll at Big Lots--also from my stash.

I also had this pillow, which I think is really cute. I especially love the color combination. But I don't really have an appropriate place to display something that says "Mommy Time Out."

A scrap of cotton someone gave me and a scrap of ribbon from a gift...

Fold, wrap around the middle, and pin...

Here's the front.

Tied with lavender.

Voila! So much lighter and brighter! If I count materials I actually bought, the total cost is less than $3. But I don't usually count the cost of stuff that's been in my stash for a long time.

And time? Ten minutes, tops.