be our guest | pt. i

February 28, 2020 Ally Willis

the very first birthday.

This post was originally written in early May 2017. our little boy, Greyson, turned a year old on April 27th. as is my tendency when it comes to blogging, I composed this post soon after, but never got around to publishing. when I decided to share some of my favorite hosting tips + tricks, as well as children's birthday party ideas, I thought it may be best to start at the beginning—with the very first birthday party we ever hosted. the remainder of this post will be written from my point of view nearly three years ago as we gathered to celebrate our first little boy turning one!

Our first baby turned a year old at the end of April. it was the wildest, most bittersweet thing... they always say that time goes by quickly and I knew this to be true from my experience nannying; but even still, it seems like it happened in the blink of an eye. one day, I was riding home from the hospital in the back seat next to our fresh, seven pound newborn, laughing at my overly-cautious husband. and the next, we had a spirited one-year-old, waddling through the house, giggling and getting into everything.

in this post, I want to share a few birthday party ideas. I want to remind you [and myself] that less is more. I did stress myself out over this party, but that had less to do with the actual party + preparation and more to do with us trying to install butcher block countertops + a new backsplash in five days leading up to the party. but that's another post. I would be lying if I said my hair wasn't still wet when the first guests arrived and the cake had yet to be frosted. and when my mother arrived and I informed her of this, she responded, "seriously?" naturally, I burst into tears as I bustled through the house, tweaking last-minute things. some of the stress was due to my perfectionism. some of it to realizing that my baby wasn't a baby anymore. some of it was because I am emotional by nature, and I have to think the pregnancy hormones didn't help much.

but as I rushed around, getting things ready, I couldn't help but think that the old adage is true: less is more. the party came and went. it was such a sweet time and I forgot all about the things I didn't finish. and that's one of the best parts and secrets—no one knows what you didn't do or finish or what didn't go according to plan unless you tell them. what mattered most was that all our family and friends were there to celebrate with us and the little boy who has brought us so much joy.

the theme

I am not exactly sure what one would describe the theme of this party. it had a bit of a farm feeling to it, with the animals and pops of red. the only thing I actually knew when I started brainstorming party ideas was that I wanted baby animals on the cake. I shared this idea with my incredibly gifted artist-sister and she created an [absolutely precious] original watercolor that I then had printed onto the invitations.

the menu

The party began at 10 o'clock, so naturally the menu was light. it included a fruit + cheese spread, a vegetable tray, a bowl of mixed nuts, in addition to the tried-and-true party favorites: cake and ice-cream. preparing a charcuterie board has become one of my favorite things to do when playing hostess. one thing I love about it is how beautiful and fresh it looks, but the other thing I love is how easy it is. this is a great thing to put on your party menu as it is both budget friendly and easy to assemble. I highly recommend!

For my beverage station, I served lemonade, sweet tea, and water in carafes from the Target dollar spot. two silver teacups held fresh sliced strawberries and lemons for those wanting to add a little something extra to their drink. this great beverage dispenser from Walmart held ice water and played well into the farm-party feeling. red + white paper straws have been a favorite of mine ever since our wedding reception. the ice bucket is from TJ Maxx and the old wooden box is a treasure I've gathered along the way.

And now for the details on the cake! it may sound like it was homemade since I frosted it myself, but it is actually a simple round cake from a local grocery store bakery. I asked for three plain round cakes. if I remember correctly, they cost about $9ish a layer. the lady in the bakery was hesitant to sell this to me for whatever reason; but after I assured her it was really what I wanted, she reluctantly pulled three out of the freezer and sold them to me. I let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then, as I mentioned earlier, frosted them as the guests were arriving. and yes, I suppose you could say poor time management has always been my thing.

my favorite little party detail is what I used to top the cake. I ordered a few Schleich animals from amazon and used them as my cake toppers. I made a miniature pennant banner and miniature party hats for the animals the night before the party. the miniature cake came from Hobby Lobby in the dollhouse section. I had just planned on the animals + banner at first, but it seemed odd for them to be sitting atop the cake with no dessert themselves. can you tell I overthink—I mean—put a lot of thought into this stuff?

another little tip I’d like to share is my source for paper products + napkins. this is by no means groundbreaking and I cannot be the only person who takes advantage of this, but I always get all my disposable serveware—plates, cups, napkins, cutlery [if I’m using plastic]—from Dollar Tree. while I do love pretty party plates and napkins, I am fairly practical [a nice change for me] when it comes to this aspect of hosting, as far as birthday parties go. for dinner parties, by all means, break out your finest [in my case: thrift store] china!

since I know all of the little plates filled with cake and ice cream remnants will be thrown away in a matter of minutes, I can’t bring myself to pay more than a couple bucks for a pack of plates or napkins. I typically buy simple white plates, but I’ve also bought red and yellow before. if you just can’t bear the thought of solid plates or napkins from Dollar Tree, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods have some great, reasonably priced options. I’d check there before going to a party supply store as they tend to be a bit pricier, in my experience.

and that about wraps up this sweet little first birthday party! I don’t have a photograph, but I parked the little red wagon Greyson had gotten for Christmas in front of our fireplace and the gifts were placed there.

and now I’m writing from the year 2020…

it’s funny [and by funny, I mean humbling] to look back and see how far we [I] have come. strictly aesthetically speaking, I’m pleased with this party overall. however, I can tell my skills as a hostess have improved, as well as my time management. all my teachers in high school would be so proud, if only they knew. I hope you enjoyed this post! maybe it will inspire you as you plan a party or serve as a reminder to have the cake put together well before your guests arrive.

stay tuned for a post about Grey’s second birthday celebration. here’s a little hint regarding the theme: it was a ball.

2019 | resolutions, habits, + dreams.

January 12, 2019 Ally Willis

Some say that they don’t believe in making new year’s resolutions. well that’s fine for them, but as a stupid ex-boyfriend of mine once said, “to each to his own.” as a list-maker, I love writing down my hopes and dreams and goals and ideas for the coming year. now, are there things that have been on my list for the last five years? well, of course. but maybe this is my year! the year I’ll make things happen. and if not, there’s always next year, right? perhaps one of the reasons I am a fan of setting goals and resolutions is because there are always areas in my life I know I can and would like to improve. some of my goals may be a little lofty, but I would say most are reasonable and attainable. for the first time in tiny white house history, I am sharing these resolutions with you!

hospitality

I find great joy in creating atmospheres that are welcoming and feel like home; but this year, I’d like to step out of my introverted comfort zone and actually invite others into our home and our lives. a novel concept, yes? this past year, I really struggled with insecurity and perfectionism and having the desire to host others, but feeling inadequate. towards the end of the year, after much prompting by the Holy Spirit, I decided to get over myself and invite the girls from my Sunday school class over for a girls’ night in. in the weeks before, I stressed myself out planning and cleaning and preparing and wishing I hadn’t mentioned the idea in the first place. but you know what? I am so glad I did. it was such a sweet time with some dear women in my life. I’m not saying the night or my hosting was perfect, but dinner was served at 6 and my guests lingered until 10pm, so it must not have been too terrible. and to think if I had let my fear of my house not being clean enough or nice enough or not being a good enough cook keep me from hosting, I would have missed out on the gift of letting others in.

I love the way Laura Bell puts it,

…both of them knew and understood the true art of simply opening their door. They weren't prideful in what they had nor were they ashamed or afraid of not having enough. Because they had that innate “southernness” about them, they understood that those who entered their home didn't actually NEED their finest china or greatest batch of sweet tea. What people needed was them. They needed their kindness, they needed someone to be family when theirs was falling apart, they needed to see and be touched by a strong marriage, they needed to be heard and not overlooked.
The Greatest gift we have been handed is an invitation to walk in life with the One who gave life to us. If we are made in His image, doesn't that make us excellent extenders of invitations?

— The Art of Inviting

another thing I’d like to do this year that falls in the category of hospitality is to meet our neighbors. I mean, we’ve met them; but I want to get to know them, to bake them cookies, invite them over for dinner. I want to share more than a friendly wave when we pass each other. this is another thing that makes me nervous and I’ve already overanalyzed and considered every possible scenario… they’ll be allergic to the cookies, they’ll decline a dinner invitation, etc. but my mother said I should offer anyway. she said they should be gracious enough to accept the cookies and then throw them away if it’s not something they like. so, I guess I’ll take my mom’s advice and just do it.

writing letters + sending cards

do you remember how exciting it was as a child to find a letter in the mail addressed to you? not a bill or anything of that sort, but a card or letter with your name on it. I suppose snail mail could be considered a lost art, which is such a shame. I’ve always thought it such a thoughtful gesture. I want to send more mail this year. on birthdays and special occasions would be nice, but what about sending a card to someone for no reason at all? I know that would mean a lot to me, so I want to try to do more of that.

getting back in the kitchen + weekly family dinner(s)

another revolutionary idea, I know. this one is kind of weird [and maybe pathetic?] because I actually enjoy cooking, but don’t do it as often as I’d like or should. I plan to make more of an effort in the kitchen this year. I’m open to trying new recipes; but more than that, I want to gather around the table with my family and share a meal. we do this occasionally at home; but more often than not, our meals are shared on the living room floor—or kitchen, if it’s spaghetti night. a lot of the time, my husband and I will feed the boys, do bath time, tuck them in, and then enjoy our meal—whether home-cooked or takeout—once the house is quiet. I actually love this kind of dinner, but I want to learn to love sitting down to supper with all three of my boys and hearing about each others’ day and dining together like civilized-ish humans—you know, that kind of thing. my goal is to have family dinner at the table once a week. I realize I am setting the bar very low, but this is more often than we do now, so I’m good with it.

projects + home improvement

if you’ve been following the blog for any length of time, you know I love a good project. and while I don’t believe this is our “forever home,” (which is such a silly term to me. there’s really no such thing, but that’s another post for another day.), there is still much I’d like to do to this house before our time here is done. ironically, my husband thinks it’s kind of pointless to do a lot of projects if we don’t plan to stick around longterm. and I see it from the exact opposite point of view… if we aren’t going to be here forever, I’d like to get to work now and do the things I want to do, so we can enjoy them while we live here before our time here is complete. and it’s nothing too major… our home renovation knocked all the big tasks off the to-do list. it’s small(er) projects like making over the friends’ entry to our home, planting an herb garden, landscaping the front yard, finishing up the laundry room remodel, that kind of thing. I’m sure my husband is not thrilled if he’s reading this, but none of this is news to him. I submitted these work orders a long time go. time to get to work!

taking photos + having them printed

almost five years ago, I bought my first DSLR camera. though I have no desire to be a photographer, I have certainly enjoyed my camera and “gotten my money’s worth.” I don’t struggle so much with actually taking photos as I do with promptly editing and ordering prints. I have maybe a handful of printed photos of our family, and that’s being generous. this year I want to be intentional about printing photos for framing, but also to fill photo albums. I’d love to have something that isn’t a screen that we can use to reflect on memories, as well as something tangible to share with our children. I’ve had plans to create a gallery wall of black + white family photos in our stairwell for some time now, so accomplishing this will kill two birds with one stone.

blogging

this little blog of mine is certainly a hobby and creative outlet for me. I can’t believe it’s been nearly five years since it was created! in 2019, I’d like to share on the blog more frequently and maybe figure out the business side of blogging. this, along with most of the “resolutions” mentioned above, has been on my to-do list for awhile now. I’ve been researching how to monetize your blog for some time now, and let me tell you, the internet is hard. but really and truly, I’d love to be able contribute financially to my family, so I’m hoping to make real progress on this front in 2019.

I suppose these are more than simply goals or resolutions… these are habits that I want to create and make long-lasting, and I think 2019 is just the year to make it happen.

your turn! do you set new year’s resolutions? if so, what’s on your list? if not, why?

Drew.

October 10, 2018 Ally Willis

I am not one to boast, especially on social media; however, his birthday seemed like just the occasion to honor and introduce you to the man behind the tiny white house. he’s the one who makes it all happen, the one who brings my vision to life.

image by Emily Green

My husband Drew is one of the kindest souls I've ever known. he always gives the benefit of the doubt and sees the best in people. if ever I am venting about another human, he is quick to suggest what they may have been thinking or where they may have been coming from. it is so irritating. he never assumes the worst in situations or of others. in fact, we often refer to him as "Defender of the Weak/Week." he has always been this way, ever since we became friends when he was sixteen years old. of the two of us, he is definitely "the nice one."

minutes after we welcomed our first child to the world

Another cool/annoying thing about Drew is that he is brilliant. let me put this into perspective for you: he scored a 32 on his ACT. for those unfamiliar with the ACT, it is an entrance exam used by most colleges to make admissions decisions, with a test score range of 1-36. according to the statistics, a score of 32 places him in the 98th percentile. I, who am a little older and much wiser [I do have more life experience, after all], did not make a 32. I will not be disclosing my score, but suffice it to say: I was accepted into college and that alone was my goal.

he's kind of a know-it-all. well, he used to be. he still knows a lot, but I "helped" him to possess his knowledge in a more humble way. for any other know-it-alls reading this, the first thing you need to know [or should already if you do, in fact, know everything] is that know-it-alls are obnoxious. if someone informs you of something, almost anything is a better response than, "I know." Drew would say this phrase so often, driving me mad, that I created a little exercise for him. if I told him something and he responded with, "I know," whether he knew or not, I would make him recite the phrase: "I don't know everything." repeatedly. because you know what? it's true. nobody knows everything. and you know what else? he has learned to respond more humbly with an "oh really?" or "that's interesting."

image by Emily Green

In addition to his intelligence, Drew is an incredible musician. I know it seems like I'm biased, but really and truly, he is completely gifted. his first love is the drums. he began playing when he was just four years old. (he learned from his dad, a fellow drummer). as a teen, he learned to play the acoustic guitar. as a twentysomething, he conquered the bass and electric; and finally, the piano. he doesn't sing often, or in public anyway, but he also has a nice voice. we enjoy making music together, though all I bring to the table is my voice and sick dance moves. since he was thirteen years old, he has served in our church in some musical capacity. the neatest thing about Drew and his talent is that he is completely humble. if I was a rock star and played forty-seven instruments like him, you better believe I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. Drew is not this way. where he once lacked humility as a former know-it-all, he has never lacked anything as a musician.

moments before the birth of our second child

We make quite a pair for many reasons. I am a dreamer; he is a realist. I like to create, whether it's drawing or painting or building. simply put, he does not. but he does it anyway for me. he's a numbers guy and majored in accounting. I don't do numbers. like ever, at all. I once said that if the wires in my brain to compute mathematics do, in fact, exist, they are not connected. not even close. Drew says that he sees + thinks in numbers and that I see + think in colors. the most ironic thing? Drew is colorblind. we are literally speaking completely different languages. we are opposite in so many ways, but have the important things in common... our beliefs, our goals, our dreams, our faith.

his life has not always been easy—by my standards. he's weathered divorce, the loss of his mother, and losing his home + virtually all his earthly possessions in a flood, all before he was even twenty-four years old. but he's so full of joy and hope, you'd never guess it.

image by Allison Moix

It's fun being married to him. he's loving and spoils me in unconventional ways, like a coffee cup filled with ice cream before bed. it's the darnedest thing, but it just tastes better when he fixes it. he dances with me in the kitchen, the way my father always has, and he makes me laugh like you wouldn't believe. he's an amazing father and loyal friend. he loves our boys and they are crazy about him. he’s a hard worker, and very rarely, if ever, does he complain. every time I observe this quality of his, I make a point to be more like him. I'm still working on it, obviously. he never asks for anything and doesn't want much… except a nice guitar and set of drums and to move to the country.

I’m so grateful that the Lord saw fit for us to be together and that He chose me for Drew. he loved + pursued me despite my being a young, insecure girl who didn’t know who she was, and he helped me to find myself + follow my dreams. a true picture of the gospel. I’m still not certain why our parents let us get married since we were just a couple of dumb kids, but I sure am glad they did.

happy birthday to my man. you are so worth celebrating.

image by Allison Moix

images by:

Emily Green of Emily Green Photography
Allison Moix of Stellar Propeller Studio
my personal collection

the nursery | pt. iii

August 21, 2018 Ally Willis

a nursery for two.

If you've been following the tiny white house for any length of time, you know I have shared before about the nursery. this room is ever-changing and has quite evolved since the need for a nursery arose nearly three years ago. the first, original nursery flooded, along with our house, in the spring of 2016. we set up a second nursery when we moved in with my parents temporarily. you can read about that nursery here. the nursery changed again when we bought our first home, spent months renovating it, and moved in in March 2017. click here to read more about the nursery pt. ii.

some of the changes made were subtle. other changes were more noticeable, such as furniture placement. last summer, a not-so-subtle change took place—not only in our nursery, but also in our family—as we welcomed another baby into the world.

in November 2016, days before Grey turned seven months old, we found out our little family was growing. this certainly came as a surprise, but has turned out to be the best thing, better than anything we could ever have planned. apparently God really does know what He's doing. I wanted the babies to share a room, regardless of the gender [we continued with the element of surprise and didn't find out]. and on July 20th, 2017, we welcomed our second baby, a little boy named Rhett. the sweet nursery for our first child became a nursery for two.

here's a flashback of how the nursery used to look:

and here is how it looks today...

Something we realized about halfway through my second pregnancy is that we would have to purchase another crib. for some reason, it took awhile for this thought to register. you see, when we bought the sweet Jenny Lind crib that our firstborn sleeps in, I assumed that would be the very crib that all of our children would sleep in. turns out when you have babies nearly fifteen months apart, you may need more than one crib. when I sat down to order a second Jenny Lind crib, this message flashed across the top of the screen: "you already purchased this in February 2016." yeah, I know, Amazon. thank you for the reminder.

I loved Grey's original bedding. I chose a simple blue ticking for the fabric and my husband's precious grandmother sewed a darling crib skirt with a box pleat. after we found out we were expecting again and I began to daydream about nurseries, I realized I would have to get another crib skirt made to match. she is the sweetest woman and I know she would happily have done it, but I hated to ask this of her. after thinking on it, I decided to do away with the idea of crib skirt completely. I would just buy matching crib sheets. after all, less is more.

one day, I googled "toile crib sheets" and that's how I happened upon the crib sheets I ended up ordering and using. the brand is Sweet Jojo Designs and I purchased them online from Bed Bath and Beyond. toile has always been a favorite pattern of mine, so the thought of getting to use it in the nursery thrilled me.

Since the very first nursery, a potting bench has served as our changing table. this is one of the first pieces of furniture I bought for our home. I found it at a garage sale for $40 a few months before Drew + I married. in the original tiny white house, it sat in our living room as our entertainment center. it has been in the nursery ever since. the boys absolutely love it. they like to climb onto the lower shelf to sit and play. I think I'm ready to transition it outside to use it as an actual potting bench, but I'm hesitant. I've loved this piece in the boys' room and I know taking it away won't be popular with them.

The window treatment didn't necessarily need updating, but since I was in a sprucing mood... my husband built a cornice board. I actually used the same window panels as before, I just added the cornice board for a little something extra. as most of our projects do, it took much longer than it should to complete; even still, I love how it turned out.

We had to rearrange some furniture to make room for a second crib, obviously. but all things considered, I am just tickled with the finished product. in fact, I love this space so much, which is good since we spend much of our time in it. I originally composed this post in May 2017, few months before our second baby arrived. the closing line read: I can't wait to bring home another precious baby and for all the memories that will be made in this sweet shared nursery. and now, more than a year later, that second baby is a one-year-old and I am finally getting around to publishing it. I will forever cherish the memories being made by the sweet brothers that share this room. it is the joy of my life raising two little boys, watching them grow + become friends, and waking up every morning to their laughter [and let's be real—some days tears]. sometimes I can't believe this is my life.

full disclosure: because I want to be transparent and not create the illusion that my house and children are always clean + perfect, I want you to know that this precious nursery very rarely looks this nice. after all, there are two busy, little boys living in it. the boxwood wreaths hanging on the cribs, though idyllic, are a safety hazard I'm sure and the boys have been known to rip leaves from them by the handful. I threw them up for the photoshoot and took them down immediately after. the books and other accessories pictured do belong in the nursery, but are used less for reading and aesthetics and more for throwing and playing. but I have learned [read: am learning] that this is okay. I want my children to be free to play and make messes and not be afraid to touch the things that make their room, and our home, the special place that it is. I once heard it said, "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." isn't that the truth?

sources

Jenny Lind Crib | Amazon
toile crib sheet | Sweet Jojo Designs via Bed Bath and Beyond
Sutton Glider in Linen | Best Chair

dressing up the windows.

May 1, 2018 Ally Willis

this post was actually written in June 2017. as is my tendency when it comes to blogging, I composed it rather quickly, but took months to complete a photoshoot to go along with it. I have been asked about our window treatments a few times, so I figured now would be a good time to [finally] share about it on the blog. the remainder of this post will be written from my point of view ten months ago, when I was 33 weeks pregnant, just having finished the DIY renovation of our home, merely weeks away from the arrival of our second baby, as that is when it was originally written.

You know how when you move into a new place, there are a million things to do? and some of it's fun, and some of it's not. I think most would agree that unpacking isn't considered fun. on the other hand, many would say that decorating and adding your own personal touch to make it a home can be pretty fun. I have so enjoyed this part of moving into a new home. whatever your feelings on the matter, I think we can all agree that it is a process. from the actual moving to the unpacking to the organizing to the decorating and hanging pictures and curtains... it's a lot of work and it takes time.

I had to come to grips with this when we moved into this house. I had to learn to be okay with not having everything done or finished or just so. at times, this was a struggle. but as we completed [or mostly completed] projects on the extensive to-do list, my husband and I both got comfortable and kind of took a break. I mean, the house was livable and we had already made so much progress and we were tired and we have a one year old and we've got another one on the way, so a break from the renovations and house projects sounded nice. but then a few weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and realized: if we aren't getting things done now, why should I think they will get done after we bring another baby home in a few short months? and that was all the motivation we needed! within weeks, the rest of the quarter round was installed, my husband built more shelving for my closet, the butcher block countertops were finally complete, all the new exterior doorknobs and locks were installed. we were on a roll.

one of the things halfway marked off the list was window treatments. they were done in about half the rooms; and I'd started on them in the other half, but then took a break. after that 3am epiphany, I got my act together and set out to work on completing the window treatments.

here's what I knew:

I wanted something simple and linen-like
I wanted to hang my rods high
I wanted my curtains to puddle
I had four large windows [ 72" + a 10" transom] to dress up

I had seen some gorgeous ready-made panels at a local fabric store while helping a client months earlier. I remembered them being on the pricey side, but I reasoned that if they were what I wanted and were ready to go, it may be worth splurging. so, to the fabric store I went! as I looked at these panels again, I realized even the longest length wasn't long enough for my windows. also, they were $150 a pop. yes, you read that right. one hundred fifty dollars per window panel. if I did two panels per window, I was looking at $300. if I wanted all my windows done, in the master + living, which I did, I was looking at spending $1200, plus tax. on curtains. having done design work for a contractor and renovated our own home, I am well aware that things for the home can be costly, but that just wasn't going to cut the mustard.

so after a little brainstorming, I decided that canvas drop cloths were the best, most cost-effective option. perhaps you've heard of this. it's become a popular go-to thanks to Pinterest—and for good reason! canvas drop cloths are versatile and can be used in all sorts of DIY projects. in regards to window treatments, they can be used as-is, meaning right from the package, sew or no-sew, and hang. in fact, I currently have drop cloth curtains in the nursery.

The wall color is Sherwin William's Wool Skein. this was in the original tiny white house and it's one of my go-to paint colors. I know grays are super in right now, but I've never been a big fan myself. they feel too cold for my taste. at the same time, I didn't want to paint everything white. I loved Wool Skein in our old house, so we decided to use it as our wall color throughout in this house. I love it, still; but it matches the natural color of canvas drop cloths almost exactly. I wanted there to be some contrast between my walls + drapes; so after doing some research, I decided to bleach mine to lighten and soften them. they say this gives them more of a linen look + feel, as well. so, I bought lots of bleach and got to work.

for this project, I used a 9x12 drop cloth. I'm not great with numbers; but I figured that if I cut it in half twice, I could have four 9x3 panels. this would be enough for the master bedroom, allowing two panels per window. however, once I got the drop cloth out of the packaging, I noticed the seam ran long ways, down the 12' length. I didn't want a seam running across them horizontally, so I split them in half, along the seam, and hemmed the raw edge. then the bleaching process began.

this was the trickiest part of all. it was kind of like a science experiment. I read a few blog tutorials on how-to. there are several different recipes on bleaching drop cloths, and I kind of mixed a few together. but the gist of it is this: take your drop cloth, place it in a top loader washing machine, start a normal wash cycle, fill washer with water + 8 cups of bleach. after the washer fills and before the cycle actually begins, stop it. let it soak 3-4 hours. turn the washer back on to complete the cycle/drain the bleach + water mixture. once that's done, restart the washer on a normal cycle and add detergent. do this once more. in one of these last two cycles using detergent, I added a cup of hydrogen peroxide. I read this neutralizes the bleach and keeps it from breaking down the fibers. throw it in the dryer. and voila! bleached drop cloths.

I only did one drop cloth at a time so it would be completely submerged and that's what made it so difficult. I had to follow the exact recipe for each canvas. the first time around, I soaked the drop cloth in the bleach + water mix in my washing machine for three hours. then I followed the above recipe. but on the next go-round, I started the three hour bleaching process and then left the house to go run errands. I didn't return home to finish it until four hours later. it was kind of a happy accident, though, because that extra hour made a dramatic difference and I ended up following that recipe for the rest.

then it was time for the fun part. dressing up the windows! my handymen [read: father and husband] hung my rods high + wide. this creates the allusion of higher ceilings + bigger windows. in my case, the ceilings really are higher and the windows are a good size. I love this about my house. next, I placed my ring clips onto my panels and inserted the ring clips + panels onto the rod and hung them. I squealed at the finished product. my husband squealed at the finished product. shh—don't tell his friends! okay, maybe he didn't squeal, but he was very complimentary and a little too excited. but for good reason! you see, we live at the end and on the corner of our street so the streetlights beam right into our bedroom at night, even through our temporary curtains. we've mostly gotten used to it, but he had asked more than once when we would have "real curtains" in our bedroom. bless his heart—real for him means painters' drop cloths.

below is a breakdown of the cost:

9x12 canvas drop cloth - $21.98
3.78 quarts of bleach - $4.72
hydrogen peroxide - 98¢
drapery rod - $15
ring clips - $4.74 [I used 2.5 packs per window]

that comes out to be less than $55/window for "fabric" material, hardware, and supplies, bringing the grand total to $220 for four 130" curtain panels.

I am thrilled with the finished product. they lighten our living room and master bedroom with their natural, mild color, while softening it at the same time as they puddle onto the floor. and honestly, the way the curtains are hung so high, I'd venture to say they make me feel fancy.

This will seem like too much work to some and too homemade to others, and that's okay. DIYing isn't for everyone, in the same way that paying a fortune for custom drapes isn't for everyone. there are a lot of things going on in my heart lately and I have been realizing that interior design + decorating is not my "dream" anymore. while I enjoy it, it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life, or at least to the extent that I thought I did. I love to create + work with my hands. I feel most like myself when I am doing these things, but I am beginning to think that this will look differently than what I envisioned even a few months ago. I don't exactly know what this means or what it will look like. I'm still figuring that out myself. but if you stick around, maybe we can find out together.

and now here we are, nearly a year later, and I'm still not certain about certain things [who am I kidding? that should read "most"], in regards to design or work or what I'm doing. however, I am certain that I still love the way these bleached drop cloth curtains turned out and I am certainly trying to enjoy the journey and make the most of every opportunity I am given.