Hang a little bit of cheer for me...

Ahh, I've been so neglectful this week in blogging. For shame! I have maybe 5 different posts running through my head, but I won't sit down and actually do them. This week was so busy with work, and by the time I get home and eat and visit with my husband, I'm too tired to write anything inspiring down. So these next few posts will be a bit of a catch up to present day Rife activities.

I finally finished our living room curtains!! I'm so happy every time I look at them, and they frame our window so very nicely. This is the first time I've ever made curtains, so I know they aren't perfect, but they will hold a special place in my heart I think. They were super easy too...I didn't use a pattern or anything, but Landon helped me decide how large we wanted them. Here's how I went about my business.

1) Measure window. We allowed about 3-4 inches above, below, and on either side of the window frame.

2) Buy fabric. Landon and I spent a bit in JoAnn Fabrics finding some lovely printed textile fabric that went nicely with the preexisting colors of our other decor and furniture. We bought three yards at $9.99 per yard, so $30. This was a little bit more expensive than I was wanting, but these are the exact colors and print that we wanted, so it was worth a bit more.

3) Buy curtain rod. As much as we thought we wanted a nice wooden rod, we felt that it would darken and shrink the space around our window too much with the white walls, so we opted for a slim, silver metal rod instead. Target, $7.99.
Landon measured and hung the curtain rod for me, thanks babe!

4) Buy curtain rings. I was going to sew on my own fabric rings, but found some awesome clip on rings at Target!! Will this make my sewing experience less time-consuming....I think so! Sold! Target, 2 packs @ $4.99 each, $10.

5) Cut and pin fabric. I cut the fabric into two equal panels, then pinned a 1 inch flap on each side.

6) Sew! I ran a straight (well don't look too closely) seam along the pinned edges and that was that!

7) Clip the rings in equally spaced spots along the top edge of the curtains.

8) Hang and admire!

This was a great and easy sewing experience for me. While our total for curtains came to around $48 total, the satisfaction of making my own was priceless. These will last a good while and we love the colors.

Here are the pictures of the curtains, and also a yummy summer meal we made this week. Ham and cheese wraps with Sweet Vidalia Onion dressing, sweet corn, and Ugli fruit. If you've never had Ugli fruit, then you should. It's a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit and it is so refreshing and delicious!

Have a wonderful evening!

Cheers,

Leah