A table from a wire planter

Before I left for DC, I reposted this post from last year. I'm joining Transformation Thursday, Show and Tell Friday, Frugalious Friday' and Frugal Friday.

Make sure to visit Finding Fabulous and My Romantic Home and the Shabby Nest, and the Shabby Chic Cottage. I had to leave everyone's party picture off as the laptop I'm edited on does not have LIVE WRITER.

Rhonda at Blue Creek Home graciously allowed me to copy one of her fabulous REPURPOSING idea.

I was struggling to find a narrow table to go under the Trumeau mirror. There is not a lot of walking space between the big fluffy bed and the wall the mirror hangs on.

I’ve had this 25 yard bolt of white European linen for over a year, waiting to be made into something. Ordered from Fabric.com. It was $12.98 a yard a year ago, still the same price. I used 17 ft of this, cost was roughly around $70.00 for the linen for this project. I just needed to find a wrought iron window box planter, which was very easy. These babies are everywhere. I bought a 40 “ long by 14” depth. $24.00 at a local garden shop. It was already off white. I sanded it lightly to let some of the dark show through.

I used 5 mollies and long screws, goofed the first attempt to get them level but that was an easy fix. The planter was very snug, secure, and doesn’t tip.

One of the mollies that had to redone.

On to the linen and sewing. I decided to make my skirt ruffled. Rhonda did pleats on hers, which I think is more difficult. Because this European linen is rather heavy, I bought double shirring tape, $.27 a yard at Wal-Mart. I cut a solid 17 foot length of the linen. This particular bolt of linen is 58” wide. I used this as my height, floor to table top. Less cutting and less sewing that way.

I used the selvage edges as the bottom of the skirt and the top where I installed the shirring tape. I attached the tape 5 inches down. This gave me an extra ruffle at the top. The tape has to be stitched on both edges for security. Starting pulling the heaving strings within the tape. This takes a bit of time.

I did double seam and stitched the 2 ends but left the selvage edges for top and bottom. You can see the top selvage edge here.

The gathers have to be continually pushed down to the other end. When it finally was the right length to fit within the planter, I decided to use hot glue.

Rhonda hand stitched hers. I took the lazy girl route, and just dotted the glue along the upper rim, after turning over the ruffle. Very simple, very lazy, very me....

Next came the top. I took a piece of foam board, used the top interior of the planter and drew a template. I actually did this first before box was on the wall. I contemplated having a piece of mirror, wood, or glass cut from this foam board template. I can always do this later on. But to keep the cost down and get this project finished using what I had, I chose to cover the foam in the same linen.

Then I hot glued the material to the bottom side.

With the linen foam board on top, hot glued a little braided trim that cost about $2.00. I manipulated the hot glue so that the top was glued to the wrought iron as well as placing trim on.

The curly wavy wrought iron is perfect for the total over all effect I’m trying to achieve in this room.

Remember, no sewing for the hem, since I used the selvage edge. Just poofed it over, or under!

This is such a great idea for a beautiful table, dressing table for a little girl, or just a random dose of loveliness that could be done in so many different ways. I’m sure it could be made without any sewing for those that don’t sew or have a machine.

Total cost to make this was way less then $100.00. It could be sooo much less expensive, depending on your choice of fabric. I wanted to use this linen to keep within the room's theme of materials that I'm set on using....I'll post more on this later....

And I think it took no more than a total of 4 hours. I work from project to project, always have, always will. So it's difficult to get a total estimate of time for the table.

I had to hang the mirror higher since the table needed to be high. That’s why the bed is not imaged in the mirror any longer. I think it looks better since it’s almost to crown molding. Really brings the eye up.

This room, daughter’s old room, is now a guestroom. It has been undergoing an amazing transformation. It’s almost done. You wouldn't believe what it looked like before. I’ll do a complete make over post soon. I really kept all costs down by reusing things from my house. See, no window treatments? I’m debating…

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder….

Yes, I have been absent when it comes to blogging. A MONTH of absence! And I have missed ya’ll! This past month has been a whirlwind of cleaning up the yard and having repair work & painting done to outside of my home. We experienced the longest coldest winter temps ever. Everything in my yard that was subtropical was dead! So sad and so much clean up work to do. And I’m so glad it’s finally over.

I have not even attempted to work on any of my never ending slipcovers and other indoor projects. As soon as I get back from vacation in two weeks, I promise I’ll be a sewing DIVA! For me, stepping away from projects and then returning to them is therapeutic. When I’m on vacation this coming week, I’ll be dreaming of white slipcovers. Yes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

And of course being absent from my children makes me miss them so much! So we will be spend next week with Liz and Dave at the fabulous National Harbor.

We have rented a condo at ONE HABOR PLACE.

On Wednesday night, my birthday, Liz and Dave are treating us to the Lexus Presidents seats at Nationals Park for the game against the Colorado Rockies. We will take the water taxi from National Harbor, up the Potomac, directly to the stadium.

While the boys will be playing golf most days, Liz and I will be mostly shopping and planning for their new home that just bought in the DC/MD area. Yes, joy of all joys, they will be moving out of their tiny hotel type room in the Mologne House at Walter Reed. Their first home to be:

When I reminisce back this past year since Dave’s accident in Afghanistan, I overwhelmed by all that they have gone through. I’m amazed and so proud of all that they have accomplished. They have a wonderful future ahead of them. I miss them every day and can’t to spend a wonderful week with them having fun!

One other fun thing I want to do in DC is go to the 2010 DC Design House. I’m ready for some fabulous inspiration and want to come home with dozens of creative ideas floating in my head.

I missed you. And I hope my absence made your heart grow fonder… for me!