Canvas Dropcloth Curtains

I know the title sounds odd but I really did make curtains for my outdoor gazebo using painters drop cloths! The price was too low to believe!

This is what my curtains look like on the outside of the gazebo.

This is the view on the inside. I have been looking for a cheap, weather friendly, option for about five summers. Every year I give up on my dream of having coffee on the deck. This year started out the same. Another failed attempt at curtains. Pinterest to the rescue! I found several posts about using conduit pipe for curtain rods and drop cloths for curtains. Hubby was very concerned about this new option. 

Here is what I bought at Home Depot
Two 10 foot conduit pipes. ($2.55 each)
Two 6x9 foot drop cloths. ($12.00 each)
Two or three packages of clips with rings ($6.99 each)

(I forgot to keep the package. I found these in the curtain/curtain rod section. I also found these at Target in the curtain section.) Here is a picture of the clips.

The last item I bought was velcro strips. 

Here is what I did with the items above.

1. Slide the packages of hooks onto the pipe. 

2. Used the Velcro to attach the 10 foot pipes to the outside of the Gazebo frame. 

3. Cliped the drop cloth onto the hooks. 

The curtain will slide along the pipe to open and close the curtains. See picture below. 

I figure I spent under $40.00 for these curtains. I was looking at over $100.00 for blackout curtains in the past. The great thing about these curtains is I can throw them in the washer if necessary and replace yearly if something goes really wrong! 

I hope you found this useful! Enjoy! 

Bobie

PS Let me know if you have questions. 

Clip board alternative

In my classroom I like to use clipboards to keep track of grading check off sheets and other lists. The problem with them is storing them when not in use. The clip is big and bulky. They don't stay stacked and I have half a dozen of them. I think I have found the solution.

As a Former Close To My Heart Consultant I bought some writing boards called Lap Boards. I like the concept but my classroom is black and white damask with accents of red. The bluish boards would not do. 

I took a broken binder apart and created this.

I covered the cardboard insert from the binder with a printed contact paper I found last fall. I cut a transparency sheet in half to create a clear pocket. I used a red sparkle "washi tape". I then added a binder clip at the top in place of the clip on a regular clip board. I used it for the last few weeks of school and really liked it! I plan to make a few more over the summer. It is easy to spot in a pile of papers but NOT bulky to store! The best of both worlds! Let me know if you have questions! 

Catch up!

A lot of things have happened in my life since my last post in December 2011!
Now that summer is here I have set a goal to start posting again!
First, my oldest son married the sweetest girl in June 2012.

Then Michelle gave birth to our fist Grandson, Boston James on January 7, 2014. Being a Grandma is a much fun as everyone told me it would be. The most difficult part is being 1500 miles away. Thank goodness for technology. We get lots of pictures and video and FaceTime!

On to some crafts!

 I started crocheting again after 25 years! I made some little animals for Boston.










First, was a lion. Then a giraffe and a monkey. There is a lot of other news too but I need to go switch the laundry! Glamours life I have!