Martha Stewart For a Day

Ironing my new curtains

I'm pretending I'm Martha, just for the day.  For some unexplained reason, I got into this mood to do a bit of home decor upgrading, and so I'm being creative and crafty.  Martha and I could be best friends.  Today only.   (I don't like her wardrobe.)

It all started about a week ago when I decided to change out my bedroom and eliminate its winter look.  I wanted something way more happy looking, lighter and brighter.  So, I put away the heavy dark purple comforter and curtains.

At TJ Maxx I scored a great deal on a new bedspread and two shams.  For some reason I always find great bargains there on bedding items.  I also found some coordinating placemats there in a very bright green for the dressers and nightstands.  Several days later I found curtains at Wal-mart in the same green.

So, today I am ironing the curtains and putting the new look together.

For some reason, I've just never been one to do much ironing.  I've become a master at "fluffing" all those ironables in the dryer, then hanging them.  There are very few items that I feel compelled to iron, but new curtains out of the package - yes, definitely them.  I like my curtains to look crisply pressed.

As I ironed those four curtain panels, I got to thinking about my trusty iron.  That little appliance is almost 36 years old now, as it was a wedding gift to me that many years ago.  I don't even know if that brand (Jewel) is still manufactured today, but this little gem sure has served me well for many years.

My ironing board, too, is almost the same age.  It's two years younger, and that is because the first apartment we lived in after getting married had one of those little closets with a hidden pull down ironing board.  We purchased a stand alone board when we moved into our home.

Although I don't iron many things, I do use the iron and board a lot when I sew.  My grandmother taught me to sew when I was a teenager, and I clearly remember her telling me that if I wanted the things I sewed to look professionally made, I should iron before and after every step of the process.

So yeah, that ironing board has seen quite a few projects over the years.  In fact, the cover on the board is pretty much disintegrating and is stained from all the steam ironing over the years.  I should probably replace it one of these days.

The ironing done, I proceeded to create my new spring-ish bedroom look. Curtains are hung, the bedspread and pillow shams are on, and placemats are in place on the table tops.  Walking in there now gives me an uplifting, happy feeling.  Lots of light and nice bright colors.

I even added an old painting, done by my grandfather many years ago, of a fisherman on a lake.  It makes me smile and think of him when I see it.

Then later, I visited with another old friend - my ancient sewing machine, another gift many years ago.  My parents presented it to me upon my college graduation.  At the time, it was a state of the art piece.

However, it had been so long since I'd done any sewing that I was almost wondering if I'd even remember how to thread the machine.  I guess it's kinda like riding a bike, though - it always comes back to you.

After another few minutes I had a cute little valance to install in my upstairs bathroom.  Again, using my newest favorite color - bright green.

After such a long winter, I seem to want everything bright and happy around me, and as far as bathrooms go, this one definitely is.

My sewing machine and iron will get some more action tomorrow, as I'll be working on curtains for a number of the windows at our new lodge.

Martha Stewart would be so happy.