Window Mistreatments

I love the name, right off the bat you can really do no wrong... The Nester aptly titles her no sew, no fuss, window treatments as "mistreatments". The trouble is, though unconventional, they are beautiful. We like easy, inexpensive and beautiful don't we??? The other point is that these are noncommital. If you rent, change you colors often, or want to take them with you if you move...you can. No sewing machine, no needle, no thread, no lie! Here's my first go at it. It is seriously so easy. Pick out some fabric you love. This took 1 yard. You can also choose trims like fringe, beads, tassels...Buy some upholstery tacks. I got all of my supplies at Hobby Lobby. Get out your glue gun. Ready???

I just folded over the cut edge of the fabric and make a more finished edge/hem. Glued the fringe along the bottom, gathered up the sides and actually glued the tassels onto the fabric.

Used a hammer and 2 upholstery tacks to hang it into place.

I think you could probably push the tacks right into drywall without the hammer if you are strong enough.

If you happen to stop by and look for this mistreatment in my house...you'll have to go into my closet. It's where I hung this one. I was a closet mistreatment maker. I was afraid it wouldn't work out!

Another idea is to buy ready made panels/valances and embellish them with fringe, beads, fur, buttons...anything that makes them extra special and more importantly completes your space.

You can always use straight pins to add your trims, in case you want to take them off and reuse them again.

Get creative. Can't find the right fabric, what about a table cloth or sheet?

Buy plain panels and add some other fabric at the top or bottom for drama. Check out the Nester Link and the Window Mistreatment area for many other examples. Please by all means let me know if you have questions and post links to your mistreatments here!

Depression Decorating

I could start off with excuses as to where I have been and why I haven't been blogging...but what would that prove? Instead let me tell you why now I have decided to blog. I have been inspired. The economy, my last short subject, has let's say, taken a turn for the worst. We all feel it. It's unavoidable. In the mean time we wait. We sit in our McMansions worth McMuffin's and wonder...what does the future hold? What good will that do? I have decided to use this moment as a time to take an inventory of what matters. What's always mattered. There is a silver lining in this time we are living in. It's forcing us to get back to basics. What's the worse thing that can happen while we wait? We could get reaquainted with our family. We could rediscover a faith that maybe wasn't so present or needed in the good times. We could find beauty in nature and in everything that is without monetary value.

As we hopefully emerge from this long, cold midwestern winter I have been renewed by my love for creating beautiful things with what I have or what I find in my bargain hunts. I have been helping a few friends with some decorating projects. I jokingly told my friend I have a company named Depression Decorating...a non-for-profit! I have been making some changes around our home. For me its therapeutic. It lets me use some of my creative side and also operate in a role other than Mom for a bit. Soo...what I am hoping to do here is inspire you, to share ideas, and see your creations in return. I have been so inspired by The Nester's blog. I will be the first to tell you I am not dreaming all of this up. I am mostly finding ideas from others and trying them on my own. They won't all be perfect so Martha Stewart types need not check back. There will be no tests, no judgement, just a peek into my world and the world I am trying to create for my family.