Lasso The Moon

Eggs, Potatoes, and BACON in a Casserole dish.

I am not a fearful person in general.  I love heights.  I might even like heights too much, since I always have the urge to inch up right to the edge of whatever tall thing I'm standing on and imagine what it would feel like to jump off.  (Please don't analyse that...)  I like scary movies, dangerous parking-lot-carnival roller coasters, sharp power tools, and creepy-crawly creatures, to name a few.

But there is one thing that sends me in to a panic-induced cold sweat whenever I think about it.  And that is: a meal sign-up.  You know, those opportunities that we church ladies have so often to "bless a new mommy with a meal" or "bring a dish to share" or "pot luck" or "bible study snack rotation". I think I'm getting hives even typing this.

I don't know which of the variables in these situations causes the most pain.  What if they don't like the kind of food I like?  What if I burn it? What if it's undercooked? What if I make them sick? What if they had the exact same meal from three other people? What if the kids won't eat it?  What if they think I have no idea what I'm doing in the kitchen!

This series of freak-out-causing questions is why I usually avoid these situations altogether.  Or at the very least I take something I can't mess up.  How would you like some bagels and cream cheese? A pre-cut tray of veggies and dip? Could a pick up a box of cereal and milk for you?  Have a pizza delivered? I know I'm not the only one, although we casserole-phobes tend to think that we are alone in our ineptitude.  

And it is you--my fellow sign-up-avoiding sister--for whom I am writing this post.  You are not alone. You can do this.  It's time to dust off your hot pads, because I have found the perfect recipe for you.   People will like it.

 And it is really really easy.

So here it is:

Best Ever Bacon, Potato, and Egg Casserole

1 lb bacon

6 eggs, beaten

4 cups frozen hash-browns, thawed

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup of shredded swiss cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

Directions: Chop up the bacon into 1-inch pieces.  Cook until just crispy, then drain fat and set aside.  Mix eggs, potatoes, and cheese in a large bowl.  Stir in bacon.  Pour mixture into a greased 9x12 pan and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

That's it! 

In the sea of frozen lasagnas and gooey burritos, any new momma would be thrilled to accept this hearty breakfast treat.  (Wait until the baby is two months old, and cook it in a disposable pan for extra points.) 

I've tried this casserole at home, on retreats, and at a ladies' bible study brunch, and it has gone over very well in every case.  And unlike the bread-based egg casseroles that are similar, you don't have to soak this one overnight.

So it's great for forgetful procrastinators, too.

Not that I know anything about that...

::

This post is part of my 2013 resolution to get more comfortable in the kitchen.  Read about that here, and find more recipes here.  It doesn't have to be from scratch to bless your family.

A New Patchwork Top for My Old Patio Table

In the last couple of months we have done some work on our back yard.  We hadn't planned on doing any updates back there until maybe next year--after all, this year is about the inside of the house--but sometimes one thing leads to another...

After a freak late-season hail storm we had to get a new roof.  The roof to the back porch also needed to be replaced, but we didn't want to roof a porch we didn't want to keep, so Donnie replaced the old porch.  In three days!  That led to putting some stone out to extend the porch area and cover some grass-less dirt, which led to adding some grass, which led to planting some new pots to set on the new stone...

So now that our outdoor space was looking a little more inviting, we started spending more time back there.  Maybe even eating a meal outside if it wasn't too hot.

And that's what led to today's project.  We bought our outdoor table when we lived in Indiana, and when there were only three of us. 

We love our little table with its cute curly iron legs, but at 30x30 inches, it's kind of a joke now that there are six of us, and sometimes more if we have family over.  Ok, I'll be real.  It is ridiculously tiny.

On top of that, the tile top was looking a little shabby. 

This damage happened one winter when we got 10 inches of snow in a single day.  Mexican tile just wasn't made for cold weather.

I knew I wanted to work with my old table, and since I didn't want to spend any more of my home-improvement budget than I had to, I got a little creative.

I found a stack of leftover 1x4's stashed in the garage.  I think there were 5 of them.  I cut each one to 5ft long, the length of my new table top. 

But there was a good bit left over from each cut (3ft), so I used pocket holes to screw them together, end to end, to make one long board. That's where the patchwork comes in.

Then I cut those to 5ft too.  I needed 10 boards total to cover my 30-inch table with a little overhang, so I had to buy a couple new ones, but this could easily be done with all re-purposed or leftover lumber.

Once I had 10 boards cut at 5ft (60 inches) each, I laid them out how I wanted them. 

I alternated the solid boards with the patchwork boards, and I made sure that each end was also a solid board, just to make sure there wouldn't be too much stress on those joined pieces.

I made pocket holes in each of the boards to screw the whole thing together in a solid sheet.  This took a little bit of time.  Picture this: I was working around 4 kids while Donnie was out of town, so I had to stop and start A LOT.  It was like: drill holes in one board, unload the dishwasher, drill holes in one board, fold a load of laundry, feed the baby, drill holes in one board, break up a fight, etc.  It got a little crazy town at times, but it is impossible to get anything done if I'm not willing to work around the crazy.

I was also working on the living room floor so I kept having to say, "Stop running across that table top! Don't step on those boards! That is not a balance beam! No you can't pretend that board is a light saber!" Stuff like that.  I was glad when this step was finished.

After all the holes were drilled, I screwed them together.  This was the fun part, as I watched the boards become a solid piece.  Seriously the pocket hole system is really genius.

After I had made the solid top, I needed to make the frame for the old table to fit into.  I measured and traced the old top onto my new top.  I probably should have given myself an extra 1/8 inch each way, as the fit was VERY tight at the end.  But it worked even without that.

I made the frame from 1x2's.  The measurements for the 30-inch table frame were 2 boards at 30" and two cut at 31.5".  I didn't have a counter-sinking drill bit (is that even what it's called??) so I used my pocket hole drill to make gorgeous holes in the tops of the 1x2's so the screws wouldn't show at the end.  I love those bright ideas that pop into your head at exactly the moment you need them!

Once I screwed the frame together, I tried it on the table.  I'm glad I did this, because there was only one direction that it would fit.  I marked the table top so I'd know which way to turn it at the end.

I lined up the frame with the pencil marks I'd made and screwed the frame straight to the top using the same 1 1/4" screws as the rest of the project.

I know one of the whole purposes of pocket holes is that you don't have to fill them in because they are hidden under the project, but I kept picturing bugs making nests in those cozy little crevices.  So I filled them all up with spackle and let it dry.

Then it was time for the finish.  After sanding my heart out, softening the corners and making sure all the end boards were nice and flush, I wiped on a coat of Early American stain.  I did the underside too, at least on the outside of the frame, where it might show if someone bent down to pick up their dropped corn on the cob at dinner.

Then I set the tabletop in place over the old table, and brushed on a slightly-wobbly coat of white.  I followed the joined lines with my brush, leaving the tiniest bit of stained wood showing. 

I got the idea for this finish from Ashley at the Handmade Home. (In fact, when I found this, I was surprised to see that she had made a very similar table topper for her patio fire pit!) I gave it a second coat of white, and then sanded the entire thing with a super-fine-grit paper (220), just to expose a little more of the grain and make the paint feel extra smooth. 

The last step was to rub on/rub off a thin coat of stain.  (I did the same with the turquoise bench and the library shelves.)  It helped to tone down the just-painted-bright-white look, so that it blended better with the natural tones of the backyard.

I am so happy with how this turned out.  Since I used mostly what I had from other projects (paint, stain, wood), I think the entire thing cost me about $15. And this table, although it is still a fairly small table, is so much more practical.  I have already spent hours out here--reading, watching the kiddos play in the sprinklers, planning new projects, or serving lunch now that there is actually room for the people AND the food.

At least, that's how I was using it before the triple-digit heat wave finally hit.  Now I'm admiring the table through the window, from the comfort of my air-conditioned living room.  Maybe I'll be able to sit out there again in October.

 

Linking to:

Thrifty Decor Chick

I am a Sunflower

There is a field of sunflowers between my house and my friend Delinda's house.



This is the first year I've ever seen them.  I don't know whether the crop is seeds for eating, seeds for growing, or sunflower oil.  But there they are. 

I was deeply moved by the sight of this field, but I couldn't figure out why until I had seen it several times in one weekend.

I mentioned to my friend how beautiful they were.



She said, I wish you had seen them when they were in full bloom! 

But I didn't have to.  Because that's when I realized why they had incited such a response in me.




This sunflower has seen better days.  She has lost her petals.  She doesn't stand as tall as she used to.  Her vibrant yellow color has faded to a mellow green.  Every day that she has lived is evident in her withered leaves.  But I don't have to see what she used to look like to appreciate her beauty.

Because what use is a sunflower if it blooms forever and never changes?  The real purpose of the plant is to create seeds that will be used for sustenance and make more sunflowers.  In order to meet her full potential, this flower must age, fade, and die.

I am this sunflower. 

My body bears the scars of childbirth, age, and imperfect diet...my soul bears the scars of heartbreak, regret, and loss.   I may be broken and bruised, but I am that much closer to the real me--the person God made me to be.  If I let Him, He'll use every scar and heartache to teach me more about Himself.  To draw me closer to Him.  To lead others to Him.

If I can die to the world's idea of beauty and perfection, to my own selfishness and pride, and spend my time and energy seeking God's perfect will for my life, I can actually be useful to the Kingdom of God.  I can fill the role He made me to fill.

Imagine that each of these flowers is someone like me.  Someone broken and tired, someone the world sees as imperfect and unlovely.  Someone who desperately needs to know she is valued and loved.

Imagine that each of these flowers is someone who God has gathered to Himself.  And each one is being comforted and loved by Him.  He is healing their wounds, showing them His purposes, and giving them Life. 

Imagine that each of these flowers is someone who has accepted the life that Christ paid for through the cross. 

This is the Body of Christ.  God takes broken hearts, tired souls, withered bodies and gives them new life, renewed purpose, the promise of eternity.

Imagine what it will be like one day, to be standing at foot of the throne, crowded shoulder to shoulder, one redeemed soul after another, possibly still showing some of the scars of this life, but possessing hearts fully healed and perfected through the salvation of Jesus, row after row after row, bowing our heads in reverence to our Creator...

Worshipping God by the hundreds.



Thousands.

Millions.




I am a sunflower.

So are you.

A Pop of PVC

I come from a creative family.  My grandpa paints, makes puppets, and has sewn more bridesmaids dresses than I can count.  My mom cooks without recipes, has a wedding flower business, and makes tile mosaics.  My dad is a painter.  My sister makes prints.  Several of my brothers write music and play multiple instruments...

I married into it, too! Donnie's dad made these planters for several of us last Christmas.  They are giant pvc pipes, cut to size.

The bottoms are filled with concrete.  To keep the concrete from falling out when it dried, he made a wire support system in the bottom, poked into the insides of the pipe, to hold the concrete in place.  I wish I had taken a picture of that part. 

He even left a little hole for drainage.

This week I finally got around to painting them and putting them to use.



The color is "lagoon."  I love this color! I have to be careful, or my whole house is going to be aqua and teal.

First coat.

Second coat.  I didn't prep the pots in any way before I started painting.  I figure if they flake a little, it will just add character.  I'll let you know how they hold up.

Don't forget to paint the insides a few inches from the top.

I was so excited to finally use these that I stole plants from other places in the yard to fill it.  I don't remember what the purple one is called, but it seems to really like this sunny spot. 

I also added some basil, thyme, and sweet potato vines.  Sweet potato vines are my go-to plant around here.  They are pretty much the only thing I can consistently grow without killing them.  They aren't supposed to be winter-hardy, but these ones popped back up from last year's roots early this summer.  I think they look perfect with the teal spray paint.

I love my new planters.  They are out on the new stone patio, keeping our pot-bellied chiminea company. 

Many thanks to Donnie's dad, JB, for these awesome PVC planters.  Such a cool idea.  I love when ordinary things are repurposed to be useful and beautiful.   And it's nice to have family-made items around to remind us of each other.

::

I'll try not to kill the plants.

 

Not-From-Scratch Cherry Pie

 

I used to love to bake from scratch. 

My mom had a gorgeous kitchen with a wide island in the middle that was perfect for piling up ingredients and bowls and pans. 

There were six kids at home, so there was always someone eager to try my newest creation.  At one point I was obsessed with finding the perfect hand-rolled pie crust.  Week after week I rolled them out, but this one was too bland, and that was a little dry.  One day I was pressed for time, so I thawed out a pre-made frozen pie crust, and hoped no one would notice.

My dad took a big bite and proclaimed, "Anna! You've done it! This is the best crust I've ever tasted!"  I thanked him, did not let on my secret, and silently celebrated the fact that I'd never have to roll out another crust again.  And I haven't!

Now that I'm a mother of four, I almost never bake.  Our kitchen literally has eight linear feet of counter space.  The kids love dessert, but I'm the one who is usually faced with the temptation hour after hour while I'm at home with them.  So I just don't do it.  But occasionally, I break out the pie plates and get to work.

Sort of.

The prep for this pretty cherry pie was about 5 minutes.

I used a pre-made pie crust AND canned pie filling.  The secret is in the presentation.

1. Place the bottom crust in the pie plate.  Pour in two cans of cherry pie filling.

2. For the top crust, use a pizza cutter to cut into 1-inch strips.  Using every other strip, lay the vertical stripes 1 inch apart on top of the filling.  Then, starting at the middle of the pie, fold back every other strip half-way, and lay down a horizontal strip to form a lattice.  Fold those strips back down and fold up the others before adding a new horizontal strip.  Repeat to finish one side, then do the same on the other side.

3. Trim off the edge of the crust and crimp with a fork or your fingers.  Flatten a small bit of the leftover crust and cut two hearts out.  You can use a cookie cutter, but I just free-handed with a knife.  Finding the right cutter might have doubled my prep time!  Place the hearts in the center of the lattice.

4. Right before you put the pie in the oven, wash the top with a beaten egg and sprinkle on some clear sugar sprinkles.  I add these to almost every cake I make. They look sparkly and have an excellent crunch.

5. Bake pie according to the directions on the can of filling.

Seriously. It's so easy to make someone feel special without killing yourself or buying store-bought.  I love to be creative in the kitchen, but in this season of life, I just don't have the energy or time to bake from scratch.  I know many of you are in the same boat.

::

And speaking of not having time, take a few moments to read my essay, The Bible Study Guilt Trip, on my other blog.  It's something the Lord put on my heart to share with the the other end-of-my-rope mommas out there.

 

Emma's Secret Library Shelves

 

As soon as Emma could read fluently, she started reading constantly.  She reads anything she can get her hands on.  During the school year, when her teacher required 20 minutes of fun reading per night, it was all I could do to keep books around that she hadn't already read.

While the love of books is awesome, the storage of books can be problematic.  Emma's room is about 10'x11' with a tiny closet.  There's not any room for a big bookshelf, and now that baby brother has moved in, the space is tighter than ever.

There are of course a few non-storage solutions for the avid reader.  The library is great, because you can give them back.  We also like to pass books on to friends who love to read.  And while Half Price Books gives almost nothing in exchange for them, I get a rush from taking in a huge box of books we don't want, and coming back with one or two that I actually do want.  Gain some space, get a great new book.

But what about the favorites?  The books that we want to keep forever, the books that are next on the must-read list, and the books she wants to re-read still need a place to hang out til their time has come.

Emma and I have been stashing them wherever we can.

The closet is piled high.

This box used to hold Esther's diapers and wipes.  Now it holds books.  And other crap.

Aunt Elizabeth sent a box of classics in the mail, and instead of putting them away, we added more books to the box.

That was the last straw.

But where can you store books when there is just no space to spare?

I walked around and around the room, and that's when I spotted it.

That spot between the bedroom door and the closet door!

I turned to the Ana White website, and it turns out (of course) she had the perfect plans just waiting for me there.

Her shelves are 24 inches wide, but I wanted to make the most of the space, so I lengthened mine to 26 1/2 inches.

The trickiest step is cutting the end caps.  You have to use a jigsaw, but I thought that was fun.  I love seeing identical handmade objects in rows or stacks.

The rest of the shelves were so simple to put together.

I think the total assembly time was about an hour for all four shelves.  I used pocket holes and had to change the order the boards were attached to make sure all the holes would be hidden in the end.  (Attach the back of the shelf last.)

After sanding them to soften the lumber's crisp corners, I painted them with a coat of "Honey Bear" from Behr.

Emma's walls are aqua, and I love the vintage look that comes from the unexpected combo of aqua and golden yellow.

After the paint had fully dried, I scuffed up the corners again with a fine grit sandpaper, and rubbed wood stain over the entire surface.  This is the same finish I used on the entryway bench, and I love how it makes it look a bit time-worn.

Ready to see the secret library?

I still can't believe there's a whole library wall behind this door.

A close-up of the stain-rubbed paint finish.

This 27-inch stretch of wall space is finally pulling it's own weight.  I can't wait to make the rest of the room work this well for us.

These shelves are shallow, but they really do hold quite a few books.  I probably could have fit one more, but I like how there's plenty of space for some tall books or other flat items.  We were able to empty the two boxes of books, and still have room to spare.  The closet books are still in the closet, but this creative space making thing is a process. I have a couple other ideas up my sleeve for those guys.

The total cost for the shelves was about $30--including the finish.  I looked up similar shelves on Pottery Barn's website, and they cost $39 each!! And they're not as long as mine, and only come in black or white.  I feel like I just saved myself $130 by building my own.

Now I'm looking behind every door in the house, brainstorming what kind of shelves I can stash there.  I've already started some for Ethan's room.

One tip to remember, before you make your own shelves for behind the door, hold a 1x4 perpendicular to the wall to make sure the door will freely open after they are up.

Do you have a creative space-making tip to share?  Leave it in the comments!  Links are welcome!

And if you don't already follow me on pinterest, I'm always pinning new fun ideas on this subject.  Plus, I'm really close to 800 followers--maybe you could get me there!

Follow here.  And just hover over any of the photos on this post to pin them to your own boards.

Till next time!

Anna

::

Linking to:

Thrifty Decor Chick

The Road to Crazytown

In the last month, Donnie was out of town 24 days.  TWENTY-FOUR DAYS.  He's a youth pastor.  It's summer. That's just how it goes.

Since this is my first summer with the little guy, I didn't expect to get much done during this month.  We hunkered down in the air conditioned house, made a few trips to the library, and mostly just hibernated and waited it out.  But no matter how hard I try to make our times without him uneventful, I always end up about a mile from Crazytown by the time he makes it back to us.

Here are a couple facebook status examples of what I mean:

June 19

"Esther busted her lip, pinched her finger, and banged her head. I carried her to make her feel better, but then Elijah started to scream bloody murder, so I put her down to pick him up. Which made Esther scream HER head off. Finally Eli calmed down so I put him down and picked up Esther again. Then my milk leaked through my shirt.

In other words, we went to Walmart."

(That fun trip to Walmart was when we picked up the fabric for Elijah's new sheets.  The crazy thing is, this list is only about HALF of what went wrong during the trip.)

June 15

"DO NOT PAINT WITH POOP ON YOUR SISTER'S BEDROOM WALLS.
DO NOT TOUCH YOUR BROTHER'S HANDS AFTER YOU HAVE PAINTED WITH POOP.
DO NOT BRUSH YOUR HAIR FROM YOUR EYES WHILE MOMMY IS STILL RUNNING IN CIRCLES AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO CLEAN UP FIRST AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR HANDS.

--Some new house rules"

This literally happened just hours after Donnie left for his first trip of the summer.  I sent him a picture text that went like this:

Me: Esther painted you a mural for father's day.

Him: What IS that?!

Me: The medium or the picture?  The medium is poop.  I think the picture looks like a face.

::Warning! These next pictures are explicit, but several of you asked for them.::

See the face?

I threw her in the tub and left her there while I cleaned up and got my temper under control.

She didn't seem to feel guilty in the least.

July 3

"I had a dream about zombies. They were kids, but they didn't look scary. They looked sweet and had their arms held out for hugs and comfort. But when you hugged them, they'd bite into your face and either eat you or turn you into a zombie too.

Some dreams need interpreting. Not this one."

(My kids turned me into a zombie.)

On top of everything else, I got a fishhook stuck in my finger (I wasn't fishing!), I accidentally spread spackle on my bagel, I ran smack into a bunk bed in the middle of the night, and the air conditioner in our house went out.

I don't know why things start to fall apart as soon as Donnie hits the road, but I am always so relieved when he gets back. 

We are currently smack dab in the middle of 8 glorious days at home with him.  We have been vegging like never before--watching family movies, going to the park, pigging out on ice cream, and hanging out with grandparents to name a few.  I can't get enough of this time with him, and neither can our children.  Earlier today he was laying on the floor with them--all four kids within arms reach.  Heaven on earth.

I know he'll go back to work next week, and a couple weeks after that he'll be out of town again, but I'm choosing not to think about that until I have to.  Today, Crazytown is only a spec on the horizon.  Daddy's home.

::

It seems I always feel the need to write on this subject sometime during our summer.  You can find other examples here and here.

Also, I have caught the building bug.  It's intense.  Since the bench, I have been sawing, building, painting, or installing things almost every day.  I'm working on sharing all of the projects with you over the next couple of weeks, but if you'd like a sneak peek, make sure you are a fan of my facebook page.  I've created an "in progress" album that is full of sneaky peeks of what is coming soon to the blog.  Check it out!

Elijah's Tree Top Mobile :: Tutorial

Hey, friends!  Remember the other day when we made some new sheets for Eli's crib?  Since he's going to spend a little more time in this corner, I threw together a mobile for him to watch using stuff we already had around the house.

1. The first step is to make the leaves.  Starting with the smallest layer, stack it onto the next layer and sew around the edge with even whip stitches.  For each leaf, I stacked 3-5 pieces of felt, ending with a dark green each time.

These leaves used up tons of felt and embroidery floss scraps.  (I LOVE using up supplies.)

2. While you are sewing, send the kids outside to find a variety of sticks.  My kids found me about 15 sticks, and I ended up only using 6-7 of them.  Pick your favorites and paint them.  I chose my favorite color scheme--blue, greens, and orange.

By the way, have you seen all those great craft supply organizing ideas on pinterest?  Awesome.  But my paint stash looks like this.

It probably always will. 

3. Start assembling your mobile.  The trick to making a balanced mobile is to start at the bottom and work your way up.  Start with the bottom stick, sew or tie some leaves to each end, and then balance that stick on your finger.  It probably will balance a little off center--that's what you want.

When you find your balancing point, mark it with a pen.  Tie a piece of twine (12 inches or so) at the balance point, and hold it from the string.  If it still looks balanced, secure with a dot of hot glue.

Repeat this process a couple more times.  Then add one or two of these balanced sticks to the ends of another stick.  Find it's balance point and use twine and glue to hold it together.

4. Hang your pretty mobile for a little one to enjoy.

I think he likes it!

Want to see some of the other mobiles we've had hanging around?

Here are some links!

For the Love of Birds

Esther's Paper Birds

Esther's Paper Birds -- Mobile Pattern

 

Daddy's Home!

Donnie is home finally after being gone on youth trips for the better part of the last month.  I'll be back with projects, stories, ideas, and another giveaway, just as soon as we do some catching up. 

Until then, feel free to look around the archives, explore the blog a little, or check out the fabric sale that I've decided to extend through Friday.  Be sure to leave me a note in the comments to let me know you were here!

XOXO, Anna

Sew Your Own Crib Sheets

 

Elijah is two months old now, and it's time for him to spend a little more time in his crib.  And a little less time in my bed.  This transition is always a gradual one in our house.  I like to put him in there for a couple naps a day, maybe some awake time, and add in some night sleeps after a little while. Pretty soon he'll feel comforted by the crib, and I'll leave him in there over night.

After I cleaned out all the junk that had piled into the unused crib since Esther moved out of it, I wanted to make him something a little more special than the plain white sheet that had been in there before.  I'm not using bumber pads this time, so the sheets needed to add some color to his new bed.

I found these two seersucker ginghams at Walmart.  (We have one of the last remaining fabric departments at our Walmart.  It's nice, until you need someone to cut for you...I waited 20 minutes with two screaming kids for this fabric!!)

After I washed and dried the fabric to preshrink, (never skip this step!!) I cut each one into a rectangle measuring 68 x 45 inches.

Then I folded it into quarters (four layers), lined up the corners, and cut an 8-inch square from each corner.

Now each corner has an L-shaped cut in it.

Bring the legs of each L together to form a point.  This will make my corner.  Sew using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

After all the corners were sewn, I finished all the raw edges with a zigzag stitch.  I could have pulled out my serger, but a zigzag works just fine.

I folded over outer edge of the sheet and sewed a 1/2 inch casing around the perimeter.  Then I threaded through 80 inches of 1/4 inch elastic.  I tied the two ends together, sewed the casing shut, and it was finished!

This is an easy sewing project for anyone.  The fabric cost me $4.50 a yard, so each sheet was $9.  A little more than a plain white sheet, but these ones make the bed look just right for a little boy.  Which he needs, because just two feet away from his bed it looks like this:

This is the only corner of the room without giant flowers painted on it, so this corner is all about Eli.

Come back next time, and I'll show you what he's looking at.

::

And check out this post to see how I made the big flowers on the wall.