We used to have  a pretty standard bedskirt (also from Ikea) on our bed that you can see here, but it was much too long (see how it’s laying on the floor? Yuck) and pretty quickly got dusty, dirty, and gross past the point of no return. So, I trashed that one (trust me, it was time to put it to rest), and decided to make one that was actually tailored to our bed.

Mission one was finding some plain gray fabric, which, believe it or not, wasn’t easy. Joann, among their hundreds of selections, didn’t have a thing. I ended up driving out of my way to go to Hancock Fabrics which had a great color and it was on sale, too! I also picked up several yards of velcro (not the name brand kind, which is crazy expensive) to use to attach my bedskirt to the bed. Sound weird? Let me explain.

There’s a small (1 inch or so) space between the edge of the wood on the bed frame and the metal parts that hold the slats. Perfect for velcroing a bedskirt into place. This velcroed bedskirt won’ t require going over the slats, can be tailored to fit perfectly to the legs and space between the floor and the bed, and will show off the wood edge of the bed. A perfect solution!

I started by getting all my measurements in order, cutting the fabric, and doing one hell of a lot of pinning. Easy work, yes. Fun work, no. This took quite a bit of time and I was super glad when it was all done. You’ll notice that the velcro gets pinned to the pretty side of the fabric.

Next, I took the mattress off of the bed and pulled back the slats. Around the entire edge of the bed, I hot glued the “hook” side of the velcro strips.  I think eventually staples or another kind of adhesive might be in order for long-term durability, but for now, hot glue is fine. There was one hang up in that I didn’t realize the end of the bed had a bracket on it, but I simply loosened it and slid the bedskirt under.

Then, to the sewing machine! I sewed three individual pieces for the bed, one for each side and a short guy for the bottom. Really easy, as it was all straight lines.

I came back into the bedroom to find these shenanigans happening. Uncool, dudes!

After removing the cats from the top of the mattress, I got to work pairing up the velcro so the bed skirt could hang. Super easy to put on and to take off when it needs to be washed. I put the mattress back, and viola! It looks so much better than it did before.

The cat even came back to try out the bed, horizontally this time.

From L-R we have named them Jeb, Franklin, and Marge.

Background

Marimo is a Japanese word that literally means “ball seaweed” (mari is a bouncy ball and mo is a generic name for water plants) though you might also see them called lake balls or moss balls online. Despite the confusion the names might cause, marimo are technically neither a seaweed nor a moss; they’re actually a somewhat strange form of algae that grows in a sphere as it’s rolled along a lake bottom.

Aegagropila linnaei, as they are known in the scientific world, are fairly rare and are only found in freshwater lakes in Iceland, Scotland, Japan, and Estonia. Why so rare? A sphere is actually a very impractical shape for a plant to take, giving it a low surface-area-to-volume ratio. Additionally, marimo require very specific conditions to thrive, needing cool waters, low light, and constant movement caused by waves or currents to turn them. In many parts of the world where they occur naturally their populations are declining, even with the help of conservation efforts that have made them a protected species.

Sadly, I can’t expect my marimo to get all plump anytime soon. Even in ideal conditions, the balls grow very slowly with most packing on less than 5 mm per year. At least I won’t have to reinvest in containers for them all the time.

Giant marimo in Lake Akan (from Wikipedia)

Care

According to the instructions that came with my little guys, they’re pretty easy to care for, so hopefully I won’t kill them.

Water: Marimo can survive quite happily in tap water that has a moderate pH. Don’t use distilled water as the marimo need the minerals in natural water to survive. Some sites advise against using tap water as there is chlorine added, so perhaps rain water would be best? I really am not sure, but mine seem fine in tap water for the moment. Water must be changed every one to two weeks to keep it fresh, more often in the summer and less often in the winter.

Temp: Marimo don’t really like to be hot so you should ideally keep them in moderate temps. If you can’t keep them cool during in the summer months, stick in them in the fridge for a bit during the hottest part of the day. Just make sure they don’t get too cold, as they will not survive freezing.

Light: You might think that your marimo would love to get bright light, but that might actually kill it. Marimo are adapted to low light conditions and can get burned by the sun (you’ll see brown spots) so keep it in indirect or artificial light only.

I really hope I can keep these guys going until they get nice and big! It’s said that taking good care of a marimo will make all your wishes come true

Marimos chillin. They are in the light for photo purposes only!

Fun stuff

• During the 1920′s in Japan, it was cool to gather marimo from Lake Akan and display them in the home, and many, many people harvested marimo from the wild. The added stress of a hydroelectric dam upriver from the lake  caused them to start dying off in great numbers. An appeal was made to the Japanese people to return their marimo to the lake in an attempt to help the marimo recover. An enormous amount of people responded, and in 1950 the first marimo festival was held at Lake Akan to commemorate this outpouring of support.
• One of the coolest things I’ve noticed about my marimo is that they can rise and sink. When I first got them they were mostly floating, probably from being packed in a dark envelope for several days. Once they started getting light, they sunk back down to the bottom. It’s strange to think of a plant being able to move in this way, but they really do! Some websites say marimo can also roll themselves, repositioning for better light and to shake off sediment.
• Marimo is known as the “love plant” in Japan because of an old myth that tells of a chief’s daughter who fell in love with a commoner. Since their love could never be in their human forms, they changed into marimo and lived happily ever after at the bottom of a lake.
• Marimo balls in their natural habitat break apart when they get too large.  The inert algae in the center is able to start photosynthesizing on its own within 4 to 6 hours of coming into contact with light and immediately starts making a new marimo.
• There is a popular character in Japan called the Marimokkori. Marimo for the algae balls and mokkori for erection. See below for a link to a picture of one of these hilarious guys.

I wish my marimo were this big. Image from Nancy O. on Flickr.

Reference

Want to learn more? Check out these great sites and shops!

Marimo Balls.com: Great reference and place to buy marimo.

Marimo Wiki: All the basics about marimo.

Video of marimos hanging out in a tank (they don’t look real!): This is just kind interesting.

Info about wild marimo in Lake Akan: Learn more about how marimo grow in the wild.

Marimo Company with adorable marimo cartoons: This Korean company has all kinds of little marimo characters. They also seem to sell marimo, but I have a feeling the little guys wouldn’t survive a trip that long.

Marimokkori!: So dirty!

Wendiland and eGardenStudio both carry marimo on Etsy: Go for it! They’re so cute!

1. Hawthorne Threads: Many people commented on my original post that they couldn’t believe I hadn’t included this site on my list. After checking it out, I can’t believe I didn’t either! They have an amazing selection of fabrics and offer flat rate shipping. Thanks for the heads up!
2. Fabric Alley: As a couple of readers noted, the site for this online store needs to be updated (it’s no longer 2011 guys!), but they do carry a lot of fabrics that would be great for home decor and upholstery projects.
3. Thousands of Bolts: Quilters are sure to love this site! I’m a big fan of how they have the fabrics organized by color, which makes it easy to find something that will coordinate with any project.
4. Harts Fabric: Harts carries a great collection of designer fabrics (think Marc Jacobs, Missoni) so if you’re in the market for some fancy threads, this site might be one of your best bets.
5. The Fabric Co.: I am pretty sure that this site is geared towards interior designers, but even us amateurs could probably find a few heavy-duty fabrics worth making into pillows or slipcovers.
6. Shabby Fabrics: If pretty, girly fabrics are your thing, you will think you have died and gone to heaven with this online retailer. They also have a good assortment of seasonal and quilt-worthy patterns as well.
7. True Up: This site isn’t a place to buy fabric so much as a blog that you shouldn’t buy fabric without first consulting. You’ll find updates on sales and posts about the latest awesome fabrics.
8. Crafty Mamas: A bit confusing to navigate (that sidebar is NUTS), this site nonetheless is a super awesome place to find fun and youthful prints that the little ones, or let’s be honest, you, will adore.
9. Jubilee Fabric: I have to admit that a lot of what this store carries is not so much my style, but for those who quilt or who appreciate more rustic-looking fabrics, their selection is pretty great.
10. Connecting Threads: This site is pretty darn cool! Not only do they have a great selection, they also offer free shipping over $50 and no-hassle returns. You can’t beat that.
11. Fabric Hound: They carry some really interesting fabrics on Fabric Hound, including a number of very cute Japanese imports. Love the cute buttons and iron ons as well.
12. Crafty Planet: They’ve got a lot of the big names in fabric here, like Amy Butler, Kokka, and Alexander Henry, as well as a pretty solid selection of other prints as well.
13. The Fabric Fairy: There are a whole lot of great fabrics to be found here, including those from big designers and a number that are perfect for kids. Where else are you going to get fabric with otters snuggling?

14. Marshall Dry Goods Co: Check out this online store if you’re looking for some quilting basics!
15. Delta Patchwork: There’s a little something for everyone at this online store. From high-end designers to basic solids to strange prints of sea turtles, they’ve got it. I should note that I am crazy about all of those Melody Miller fabrics they carry. So amazing.
16. Pink Castle Fabrics: Not only can you buy fabric by the yard on this Etsy shop, but you can also get packs of pre-matched smaller squares that are perfect for quilting.
17. Spoonflower: This is another site that I can’t believe I didn’t include originally. You can make your own fabric. Yes, that’s right. It’s custom printed and it’s so amazing. I really, really want to try this.
18. Nature’s Fabrics: Nature’s Fabrics is another place to check with for organic fabrics. They’ve got bamboo, cotton, hemp, and wool.
19. Aspen Fabrics: This adorable Etsy shop has a great selection of pattern and fabrics as well as some other cute things like stationary and trims.
20. Calico Corners: There are a number of really interesting prints on here, though I would say most are for upholstery. If you don’t want to do the work yourself, you can also order bedding and furniture in the pattern of your choice.
21. Emma One Sock: Here you’ll find a somewhat strange assortment of fabrics (lurex anyone?) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I swear!
22. Down Shadow Lane: This Etsy store carries a pretty impressive collection of bold and beautiful prints (and some really, really cute ones too).
23. Fabric Guru: There are lots of fabrics to choose from on Fabric Guru but the real bonus may be that they charge only a flat rate of $5 for shipping no matter how much fabric you order.
24. eQuilter.com: As the name might lead you to believe, this site caters to quilters, though anyone working on a sewing project can probably find a thing or two they wouldn’t mind having.
25. Payless Fabric: Just like Payless Shoes, Payless Fabric offers budget-friendly prices on many fabrics. They also carry some big names, too, if that’s what you’re looking for.
26. Beverly’s: If you’re looking for cute on a budget, be sure to check out this site. They offer a selection of fabrics at a substantial discount every day.
27. Tonic Living: On Tonic Living, the prints may be retro-inspired, but they still feel fresh and exciting. There are a few chevrons on there that I really feel like I need.
28. J & O Fabrics: J & O is another great place to look for fabric basics. They carry just about everything and offer free shipping over $75.
29. Warm Biscuit: One of the coolest things you can get on Warm Biscuit are vintage and retro fabrics! I’m particularly fond of this one.

30. Retro Age Vintage Fabrics: They don’t lie when they say they carry retro fabrics. Some are impossibly cheesy, but many more are sooo cool you’ll just have to have them. I should note that it’s an Australian shop, so prices and shipping may be a concern for American buyers.
31. Sew Modern: There are so many bold and beautiful prints on this site, it makes me want to go on a fabric shopping spree. I’ll refrain, but you shouldn’t! Good for embroidery fans (like me) as well.
32. Bobbin’s Nest: Not only can you get super cute fabrics here, but they also sell supplies for knitting, crocheting, and quilting!
33. Pins & Needles: You’ll find just about every amazing designer fabric you could want on this site, from Liberty of London to Heather Ross.
34. Monaluna: For those who appreciate eco-conscious fabrics but still want to be stylish, you can’t do much better than this site. I desperately want to make a dress out of one of the blossoms pattern.
35. FinnStyle: It’s a smorgasboard of Marimekko, Artek, and other Finnish brands! Some at serious discounts.

A lot has happened in the past few months, including a wedding! So for my first post back I thought I’d share some of my favorite wedding projects on here, cramming them into one very long post.

The most talked about element of our wedding decor had to be our wedding portrait, handmade by moi. I have to admit that neither of the drawings looks exactly like us, but close enough to get the gist anyway! I think it came out cute and hope it lasts; pastels aren’t the most durable medium.

The portrait was part of a larger art wall Rob and I worked on together. He made some drawings of animals and I had drawings of fungi! I also made the little pennant that went over it out of scrapbooking paper and yarn.

For our wedding favors, we handed out little test tubes of tea. I got the test tubes from American Science and Surplus and the teas were a coconut green and a classic (but organic) Earl Grey, both from Tea Gschwendner. I added a little bow and button to make them pretty and put on a label that we printed at home.

I was also responsible for the table decor, which, in classic “me” style, was composed of terrariums, mercury glass and other woodsy stuff. There’s a wide shot of the space, called West Loop Studio, and some closer shots of the individual arrangements as well.

There are no chairs at the tables, as they are set up for the ceremony and were moved over later.

To add a little something to our bigger tables, I made these burlap table runners with our initials on them. It was time-consuming (and a little smelly, burlap smells weird), but very easy. All you need is burlap, lots of StichWitchery and some fabric paint. I have one of the runners on our dining room table right now! I also used the burlap, along with some pretty fabric, to cover up the pots of some of the plants — a really easy and pretty way to jazz them up if you don’t want to put them in another pot.

I also made this pretty little bar menu with some free fonts on the web and a cool sticker from Martha Stewart. You can see a couple of the burlap covered pots here.

We also made our own flowers, and by we, I mean me (with a little help from my family), of course. I chose a simple arrangement of hydrangeas (purchased at Chicago Flower Company, where the salesperson seemed pretty put off by the fact that I was making my own floral arrangements, but helpful nonetheless) for my bouquet, which didn’t really need much else. Just wrapped a gray ribbon around the stems and added a vintage bow pin with a blue stone as my “something blue.”

The ladies’ flowers were from an autumn bouquet, courtesy of Trader Joe’s. My mom and sister put those together.

The bountineers were made of dried billy balls (or craspedia, as they are otherwise known) that I ordered online a few little springs of greenery. A little floral tape and ribbon, and instant cuteness. Seriously, they were so easy to put together! Anyone could do it.

I posted a bit about our guestbook before, but here it is in action. We had a mini instant camera so people could take pictures and leave us messages! It came out so cute.

As a final note, here are some shots of my wedding day fashiony choices.

Red shoes from Kate Spade.

Vintage bracelet ordered on Etsy.

Loved my birdcage veil! I took the veil off after the ceremony and just wore the hair comb.

Detail of the beading on my dress.

All in all, it was a wonderful, unforgettable day! I wouldn’t change a thing.

I screwed up the RSVP by not leaving a line for people to write their names, but it wasn’t the end of the world as we figured out who they were from eventually.

I have to confess that I cribbed a part of this invitation from one we saw online that we loved, so I can’t take complete credit for it. The original didn’t quite fit our purposes though (and I’m pretty sure it was letterpress), so I modified the layout to fit our event and added a few elements to help it better adhere to our woodsy theme. I loved the way it came out, though it was A TON of work since I was not especially familiar with design programs (though now I’m an old pro. No teacher like experience, right?) so I don’t recommend trying to do it over a single weekend if you decide to design your own (unless, you are in fact, a pro).

The whole package, tied with baker’s twine. Looks cute, but actually a bit greasy. Not sure I would recommend it but too late to change now.

All the paper and envelopes are from Paper Source. We printed them at home with a photo printer (Canon Pixma, best purchase ever) so no expensive printing either. Overall, I think they cost under $150 (including postage) so if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease, you can do some nice invites on a budget.

Here is the original.

Printed and put in album.

Whole package.

I was hoping to have time to paint a wedding portrait for us, but with the wedding only weeks away, that might not happen.

I recently picked up a type case at a flea market for only a few dollars. Covered in spider webs and chipped up, it’s a bit rough-looking to say the least but that’s the way cheap finds usually work.

Originally, this tray and ones like it would have housed the various letters and symbols a printer would need to load into a printing press to create a newspaper, book or poster. The slots are varied sizes reflecting the space different letters would have taken up. There are still places where old-fashioned methods of printing like these are used, but for the most part, type cases are much more readily found being used as display cases or serving other decorative functions.

Image from Librarienne's Flickr Feed

As for my own type case, I haven’t quite decided how I’m going to use it. Right now it’s home to some small tchotchkes but little else. I’m hoping I’ll get inspired by some of these other cases to make mine into something special, but at the moment I think I like it just as it is.

1. Boxwood Cottage: This is one massive tray! It does provide a great home for all kinds of small items that might otherwise end up in a drawer.
2. The Design Tabloid: This ReCreate design is pretty cool. I would never have thought to make the tray into a storage cabinet. There are so many different ways this could be used around the house.
3. Dolorix: My old rock collection is gathering dust in the closet. Perhaps it could get a new life on the wall with the help of a tray like this one?
4. BluebirdHeaven: With a few adaptations, this Etsy seller made this tray into an awesome storage solution for jewelry.
5. Hilde C.: Ah, to have a sewing room. I can see how this would be a great place to store small stuff so it’s right out where you can see it.
6. Jill Ruth: Another cute way to use a tray in a sewing room.
7. Mondo Cherry: This printer’s tray has a fun use: storing Legos! Totally cute.
8. Please Note: I would love to own half the cute stuff being displayed in this tray.
9. ReCreate: While most trays seem to be filled with random items, this project demonstrates that they’re great for showcasing a unified collection as well.
10. Rosenatti: A nice piece of glass could turn this coffee table into something special.
11. Vintiquities: I have to say, the trays look great painted white. A contrasting color on the back would also be a great addition.

Image from McKayVB

Yet turning a musty old attic into a livable space doesn’t appear to be the easiest thing in the world to do. First, it’s dark up there! Most attics, at least in Chicago, only have one small window so skylights or additional windows would be in order– something that I would never want to attempt to do on my own (I’ll give most DIY a go, but not projects that involve cutting holes in outer walls or roofs.)

Secondly, most attics have pretty restrictive access, either through a pull-down ladder or a really tiny, narrow staircase. Neither of these scenarios bode well for getting drywall or larger furniture up there. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way and I’d have a heck of a will to get that attic finished so perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as I’m imaging it.

For now, my dream attic space is still just that– a dream. Until we’re ready to invest in a home and some serious renovation I’ll have to live out my attic space fantasies through the homes of others, like these drool-worthy examples.

1. House to Home UK: Could this little room be any more perfect? Light, bright and oh, so cozy.
2. Interior Design Ideas: I would not have thought to put a bathroom in an attic but this is fabulous. Forget about the office, I’ll work from the tub.
3. Country Living Magazine: Love the antiques and the exposed beams. Hardly feels like an attic at all.
4. Elle Decor: This is a feature on a Divine Design redo. It is so incredibly amazing. I know I would never be able to copy something like this, but it’s a dream attic!
5.  The Decorista: The built ins in this office cannot be beat.
6.  Emily Ann Interiors: I’m not a huge fan of the frou-frou lamps, but I like the blue and the wall gallery.
7. Country Living Magazine: That round window is to die for.
8. My Little Apartment: I’m pretty sure this is a barn, but I don’t care. Still a perfect, dreamy attic space. Can’t you just imagine it on a sunny day, sipping lemonade and reading a book?
9. Memi the Rainbow: This is the only one that looks like a real, lived-in office.  Still just lovely, despite the clutter.

On a flower

My rings on a fern!

Manly ring on a fern.

On the ring pillow from my parent's wedding. Dang shiny ring shows the camera (and me) in a reflection. Ugh.

On a succulent.

On bottles.

In some moss.

Gettin' mossy.

Can’t wait until I get to wear mine all the time!

I started with a hand-drawn version on paper done in pencil and Prismacolor marker then scanned that  version into the computer. Using Gimp (I can’t afford any fancy Photoshop), I filled in the color and cleaned up any lines that needed it. It took an obscenely long amount of time and in all honesty it probably would have been easier to draw it on the computer in the first place. However, I’m  not sure that it would have kept its hand-drawn charm that way. This is the final result:

Since we’re doing a bit of a woodland theme, we went with green envelopes and I made a pretty mushroom seal with some clip art.

All in all, I think it turned out pretty cute. Now I just have to tackle making the invitations!