Lamp Shade

So, if anyone has read through some of my posts you know that I've had this ongoing war with a lamp in my living room.

Here is the lamp, and my brother-in-law...

First I painted it white, and I loved it.

Do you see it in the corner? 

Please note there is no lampshade.  There hasn't been a lamp shade since I painted it.  I wanted something barrel-shaped and burlap.  So I've been looking.  I've tried to make some even.  It has never gone right.  I end up burning my fingers and getting mad and scraping the whole idea.  So there this lamp set in the corner with no shade.  Until...

It broke.

That's right.  It broke.  I don't know what happened to it.  I went to pick it up and it fell apart in my hands.  Upon further inspection--it was REALLY broke.  I have sent it to the garage for my dear husband to fix. :)  So, instead I brought up this lamp I had in the garage where I had painted and rewired it and it was waiting to go into the basement.  It also needed a lamp shade.  Desperate I bought a $10 shade at the store, but it was way too small...

So I left it because we had company coming over and I didn't really have a choice.  This week I was in my local goodwill, and I saw it.  As soon as I walked in I saw it.  From all the way across the store-there it was.  A HUGE barrel shade.  I kind of ran (seriously) over to it, and grabbed it.  $1.50! Even better.  I took my prize home.  I was so proud of myself and so excited I forgot to take pictures of it before.  I got home and ran down to the basement and immediately covered it in burlap and glued it down and put it on the lamp.  

Here is the finished product, please don't judge my endtable, it belonged to the inlaws, and I'd like to refinish it. or paint it. But doesn't my lamp look soooo much better????

And a couple other things...I'm in my last semester of nursing, and I had a study session yesterday.  I was completely fried by the time I got home and so I lay down on the sofa to watch some TV with my darling Belle.  She took the remote.  I guess it was too much TLC for her.

And lastly, I'd like to introduce you all to my baby niece.  She is due in February.  We just found out it is a girl.  Here is her latest picture-and yes, she is staring right at us.

That's all for now.  I have a test tomorrow so, I probably should go study some more. :)

Thanks! 

Stethoscope

So, as I have mentioned previously, I am a nursing student.  One of the most important tools I keep in my uniform (I will NOT share a picture-its horrible) is my stethoscope.  It is handy to keep it around my neck because it is accessible there, but the oils from your skin can break down the rubber and ruin your stethoscope...and they are not cheap.  Some of the nurses have these cool covers that are fun colors and keep the rubber safe.

One of my girlfriends gave me a TON of fabric, so I decided I was going to make one of these covers for my stethoscope.  I have a basic idea of this is going to work-so bear with me.  First thing I did is I picked out a fabric.  I used a drapery weight because I liked the pattern...I picked it out of this stack:

So I took the fabric, and found online that I needed a piece that was 36x6 inches.  The one I had was 28 x 12.  So I took my stethoscope and measured:

The key is to have the bell out, and the ear pieces out, so once I hem things up, it leaves a good amount.  So, I sewed.

When sewing, if you use pins, do NOT point them toward the machine, you WILL stick yourself...it will hurt, and you may bleed.  Fair warning.  I will be completely honest, I have played with this three times now.  The first time I sew the long end then added the elastic to one end and hemmed the other-then the second time, I did the elastic first and then the long end.  Really, I don't know what the best way to do this is-but the moral of the story is try it out and figure out what works best for you....

Also, its important to add a snap or velcro to the top end to keep things from sliding down toward the bell.  But this is my cover, and I'm very excited about it and am making a couple more for my friends at school!  One last photo of the pretty fabric-it matches our uniforms.

I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial-




p.s. I'm linking up to:


Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

aha moment: nursing.

aha moment: nursing.