Today I’d like to share a super quick way to perk up your bathroom! Using purchased shower curtains I made a new window valance alongwith adecorative shower curtain and valance. I spruced upa wall with a stamped item that I made 2 years ago, and I filled the room with the aroma of sweet smelling potpourri!!! My bathroom is sparkling clean, fresh smelling and just calling me to take a long, hot bath with a good magazine!!! I’ll start with the wall decor:

I made this framed item2 years ago as part of a contest being run at the Limited Supply Challenge at SCS on Labor Day weekend. When made there was a small framed piece to coordinate and several cards, but they have all since been given away. This piece has never been used, so I figured it high time it have a place of honor on a wall — and it’s place of honor is, appropriately, above the throne — LOL!!! Actually, this sits on top of the cabinet above the toilet. I made this using SU Petal Prints. You may see the SCS uploads for this piece and all the coordinates here, and here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Next I’ll show you the window valance, and if you can sew 3 straight lines, you can easily make this valance for any window in your house!!! If you can sew on a card, you CAN make this valance. Here it is:

Making this valance is Sew Simple you won’t believe. There is a tutorial at the end of this post.

Next I made a decorative shower curtain and valance. This was really hard to get a decent photo of asdue to the size/location of the shower within the bathroom I could not get far enough away to capture it all, but I hope you get the idea. I use 2 rods to accomplish this. The decorative side panels hang on a double rod. What you do not see is the shower curtain that actually pulls closed when you shower. That is hung on the inside hooks of the rod and is tucked behind the panel on the right. The decorative panels you see do not close. They are there merely for appearance sake. Then a bit above this rod I have a tension rod on which the valance is hung. Instructions will be at the end of this post. Here’s the pic:

This photo of the shower curtain reflects most accurately the true color of my bathroom walls — a very relaxing sort of seafom green. And here’s where the sweet aroma comes in:

Do you recognize the monogrammed gift bag of potpourri from this post the other day? I won’t keep the monogrammed bag of potpourri on my counter as it is a gift item, but I just displayed it here for the photo so you can see how lovely the potpourri looks when contained in clear glass — love the natural and earthy look it brings to the area. And that’s another idea if you want to add a bit more to your gift bag of potpourri — include a beautiful class container for the potpourri!!!

OK, now that’s it for my squeaky clean, sweet smelling bathroom perk me up. On to the instructions. To do my window and shower as pictured, I needed to purchase 3 shower curtains. Shower curtains work perfectly in the bathroom — they are a great weight and texture, they wash, wear and hang well, and all done in prints well suited to a bathroom!!! Your choices really are much narrower than shopping in a fabric store, and that’s a good thing — makes it easier to decide!!! Plus, by using a shower curtain, a lot of the work is already done for you, as you will see below. I got these shower curtains from Shopko. They were $35 each at full price, but I got them on a good sale, which is also a good thing!!!

My Sew Simply trick for today is how I did the window valance. Now, had I just made my curtain using 1 thickness of the shower curtain, hemmed the bottom and made my casing for the top, my curtain would have been rather *see-through*, and I don’t like that. I most often line my curtains so avoid that issue, and I make all my valances so they are self-lined. Basically, I make a tube, resulting in an automatically lined valance. Here’s how:

For the size of my bathroom window, one width of shower curtain works perfectly. Neatly cut the plastic part with the holes for hooks off the top. Measure down and cut so you have a 36″ longpiece. This is what you are working with, and see how your sides hems are aleady done for you? Very cool!!! I’m using a piece of white fabric with black stitches on my examples just so you can easily see.

Photo 1: Bring your raw edges together and sew with about a 1/2″ or 5/8″ seam, thus creating a huge tube.

Photo 2: Iron the seam down against the back side. So what is the back side? Well, on a plain piece of fabric it doesn’t matter. But on a print, you must pay close attention.When making a tube, one side will be the right way, and the other side will be upside down — look at my floral pattern. See how the flowers/stems are the right way — well,the flowers/stems are upside down on the other side.

Photo 3: Turn your tube right side out, so the seam is on the inside. Measure 3″ up from your seam line. This is the TOP of the curtain ruffle. Adjust it all nice and straight so there is a consistent 3″ from the seam line to the top of the curtain. Pin as shown so it’ll stay in place. Now, machine stitch justa hairabove the seam line, or experienced sewers or quilters would stitch-in-the-stitch. Run a second line of stitching 1 1/2″ above this line, which would also be 1 1/2″ from the top. That’s IT. Your sewing is done!!!

Photo 4: Take your valance to the ironing board and press neatly, getting a nice crispedge at the bottom (hem) and top (ruffle). Insert rod, hang, neatly adjust ruffles evenly on rod and admire!!! (That’s the fun part!!!)

Now on to the shower:

This valance was made in a more traditional fashion as I was not concerned about the sun shining through it and making it look too flimsy. There is no light coming from within my shower! To make this I needed 2 widths of the shower curtain sewn together. Start with another new shower curtain, as you won’t have enough with the one you’ve already cut in to. Again, remove the upper plastic band with holes, then cutyour piece23″ long. And cut two pieces that size. Sew them together on the short edges so you have one very long piece.

Rod Pocket and Ruffle: My tension rod is quite thick around, so I needed to make my rod pocket 2″, so I also increased my ruffle to 2″. At the ironing board press under 1/2″ along the top long edge (again, be mindful of the direction of the print pattern). Now fold the top down 4″ and pin in place. Sew down along the pressed edge, and then run another stitching line 2″ up from that, which is also 2″ down from the top. You have just created the rod pocket and top ruffle.

Hem: To hem your shower valance, press up 1/2″ at the ironing board, then turn up 2″ and stitch into place. You are now done!!!

Shower Curtain: To make the decorative side panels I merely cut the 3rd shower curtain straight up the middle and hemmed those cut edges to the same width as the factory sewn edges so they match. You will have 6 holes on top of each for hooks. Hang them up and your projectis completed!!!

I know I’ve strayed a bit from the usual card making posts, but I’ve been cleaning and sewing, so just thought I’d share. I have sewn my entire life, but much LESS so now that I’ve been making cards — LOL!!! Can’t do it all – but I surely do enjoy a small sewing project from time to time, and it is wonderful when I can combine the two!!! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend — see you soon!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop in!!! Just wish I could offer you a cup of coffee — LOL!!!