From Floor to Table: Easy Drop Cloth Table Runner

From Floor to Table: Easy Drop Cloth Table Runner

Posted on by Mama

drop cloth table runner

I have a larger-than-most dining room table in my home, coming in at just under eight feet long when both drop leaves are up and over three feet wide to boot. Needless to say, it can be difficult to find the right type and size of table runner for the dining room so I decided to whip up one of my own using a spare drop cloth and a few quick stitches.

Let me start by clueing you in on my inspiration for this project, other than the fact that I had all the supplies and knew it wouldn’t get much quicker or easier than this. I follow a small home and lifestyle blog called Little Farmstead and Julie is always sharing photos of her beautiful and cozy house. In one of her recent posts she showed a close-up photo of her table, complete with runner, and that’s when the light bulb went off in my head. While it looks as if her table dressing is perhaps made of linen, I had a drop cloth and so I gave it a go.

To make my little (or actually rather large) runner, I decided on a width and length for the finished piece,  used scissors to make snips and simply tore the cloth at the cuts to create the finished dimensions. With my sewing machine, I stitched two close lines about a quarter-inch from the frayed edge along the entire length of all four sides, and that was it. I used a matching thread for stitching, but I think a contrasting thread would add a cute little pop of color.

drop cloth table runner

So there you have it — my drop cloth turned table runner. It just doesn’t get much easier than that, and I gotta say I’m diggin’ it (even the hubs piped up with a compliment).

Quilting and Football

Quilting and Football

Posted on by Mama

Who says quilting and football don’t go together? It was Second Saturday Sewing at church this weekend, so I dragged out my quilt, on hiatus throughout the holidays, and began again the laborious task of quilting by hand. It’s slow going, but I’m doing it as tribute to my grandmother, Nannie, with whom I was lucky enough to quilt on occasion. I’m even using her quilting hoop for the task — somehow I just feel a bit closer to my grandma with every little (some smaller than others) stitch.

quilting and football

So I’m sure you’re wondering where football comes into all of this. . . Shortly after returning home from quilting, the Wildcard playoff games began, with my Kansas City Chiefs (notice I’m wearing red) kicking off the first of several weekend games. I do love me some football, especially when the home team is playing, but that can be three hours of accomplishing little else while the pigskin gets tossed about. So I decided to set up my quilting rack, now at hand, right in front of the TV and knock out two kinds of fun at the same time.

quilting and football

My husband gave me a hard time and called me granny more than once (maybe it was the reading glasses), but the Chiefs won (breaking a 22-year playoff win drought), so he better hope I’m up for quilting again next weekend.

“The Weight is Over” — My 2016 Weight Loss Goal

“The Weight is Over” — My 2016 Weight Loss Goal

Posted on by Mama

WeightIsOverSo here we are, almost a week into the new year, and I’m staring my weight loss goals squarely in the face. . . again. Of course, it’s the new year — a time of resolutions, promises, goal setting and thoughts of a better future — so who isn’t into making a few changes.

According to ABC News, weight loss is one of the most popular new year’s resolutions for 2016 (and every other year), which makes sense because most of us start eating about Thanksgiving and don’t stop until New Year’s Day. If you’re me, you throw in a couple of birthdays, several Christmas parties and baking for the neighbors and it’s a real recipe for packing on the pounds — about eight of them to be specific. Yes, I gained eight pounds in a month and a half, and it will probably take me twice that time to work them off.

So here we are, again, at one of my favorite lifestyle segments, The Weight is Over. While I love this catchy little phrase, I did notice that it is also the new tagline for the soon to be released movie, Kung Fu Panda 3. Make of that what you will, but I’m refusing to acknowledge any links between myself and a huge, overweight panda that enjoys eating, a lot. I’m just sayin’. . .

Okay, Panda references aside, here’s how this will hopefully work. My goal is to lose a total of 25 pounds by December 31 of this year. That’s the next New Year’s Eve and almost a year away. This should put me at a healthy yet manageable weight for my body type and height, which also happens to be my weight before I married my husband almost 13 years ago. Each week I will post my progress right here at Small Talk Mama along with a few insights, struggles and maybe even a new good recipe or two. I would love for you to follow my journey and keep me accountable throughout the year, because I’ve tried this in the past and do pretty well until I get busy and stop publishing my results. Unfortunately, it’s just too easy to back slide when no one is watching. Your suggestions and encouraging comments will be greatly appreciated along the way, and if you don’t see a “Weight is Over” post for a few weeks please feel free to call me out on it.

So here’s to my weight loss journey. May it be swift, manageable, life changing and ultimately long-lasting.

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