Decorative Throw Pillows

I sure do go in blogging spurts. It seems like I am on for awhile and then off for awhile. My middle will be starting kindergarten in the Fall, so I have been trying to enjoy every little bit that I have with him still as a "baby" at home.

Recently, we took a plunge and bought a new sectional for our living room. I wasn't too keen on getting a sectional, but I wanted it to still be something wipe-able like we had, and to match better than our previous couches did. My husband picked out the sectional, and then I decorated it with some "new" to us pillows.

I used previous pillows I had here, as well as three larger ones that my sister in law passed on to us. I picked up a sheet at the thrift store and a pillowcase, but everything else I had, I used here. I think this entire project cost me out of pocket 5 dollars at the very most because of using my resources and supplies.

I got a couple of ideas off of pinterest: Make it and Love It for the gathered pillow, an idea similar to this pillow at E Tells Tales, saw some great ideas with monogram and burlap too, but then after that, each one, I kind of made up as I went along. I wanted texture, ruffles, buttons, burlap, linen and paint. I did freezer paper stencil directly on the burlap, and vintage lace trim.

(Recognize the bird from my sister's bridal shower?)

(The T is freezer paper stenciled onto linen)

(Vintage lace trim, a rufflle pillow and a burlap pillow with two types of burlap ribbon and buttons sewn on)

On the back, I did the envelope type pillow cover, so they are also easy to remove and wash.

I love how they all coordinate together and make up something that reflects who we are as a family. (The ottoman is the one my husband and father in law built, my how our living room has changed!)

I love how the pillows are all different but still coordinate together. It seems like such a true reflection of our family.

Next up is my bedroom pillows! I spent a little more on the fabric for these, but I can not wait to get them all made up! 

Pin It

little girl shorts

I am thinking of doing a tutorial for these. I think they are so cute paired with a coordinating top and there's so many ways to embellish them! My little one loves pockets, so I did two little pockets on the front.





If I did a tutorial, I would shorten the length a bit and the rise of the top of the shorts. And they really are all nice and straight and even, I just have a little wiggle worm that its impossible to take a picture of without everything looking like its sewn crooked! :)

Pin It

Tooth fairy pillow

Our oldest lost his first tooth this morning while eating cereal. We knew it was coming, (I think it was loose for two weeks?) and so I had been looking for ideas for a tooth fairy pillow. Trying to find a microscopic tooth under a pillow with two boys who sleep super close together in loft beds just didnt seem too appealing to me.


After seeing so many super cute ideas on pinterest, I went ahead and sketched out a tooth freehand, cut two pieces out of felt, made a felt pocket from the mouth added eyes and cheeks and a ribbon to hang, then stuffed it and sewed it shut. He's excited for tonight, and I am excited to not have to tooth hunt in the dark hanging on a ladder!



Why do kids have to grow up so fast?



Pin It

Newborn Frame

When I had my first baby, I was selling Stampin' Up! and big into paper crafts. I think paper crafting will always be my first love.

I had a very difficult labor that resulted in an emergency c-section with him. I was very out of it and at the time wasn't thinking clear enough to get those great pictures you see everywhere these days of people's newborns still in the hospital, not that I could have if I wanted to. He was definitely my most difficult birth, and it was hard on both of us.

So a month or so after I had him, I saw an idea in one of the many portrait studio ads we were being bombarded with, and thought, "hey, I could do that with one of our hospital photos!"  As I looked through our photos, I realized how few shots we got of our sweet baby boy. Of course, as new parents, we got a lot, but not exactly what I was needing.

The more I thought about it though, I came to the conclusion that the "quality of the picture" wasn't as important as the "memory" of the picture, resulting in this sweet picture of our baby boy, fresh into the world.

This was down with a Stampin' Up! hand print stamped on matboard. I then printed out his name and birth year on vellum and attached with black eyelets. I glued on his picture straight to the matboard and placed in the frame. 

Then when we had our second, I did the same, alternating the hand print. Now that we have three, I wish I had kept all of the hands going the same direction.

And then when we had our daughter, I did a pink hand, but everything else, including the font stayed the same.

The pictures might not be the most spectacular, but the events and the babies that they capture sure are!

Pin It

Ruffle Shower Curtain

Have you seen the adorable ruffle shower curtains all over pinterest? So many fun colors and ideas with them!

I thought I would make my own. Since I am more of an eyeballer and put into action kind of girl, I didn't do a tutorial or follow one, but here is a great one you can check out!

What I used:

• I purchased 4-5 white sheets from the thrift store, about 10-12 dollars. I believe I used 3 of them.
• Extra large grommets (I needed 12, they come in a pack of ten, so I bought the kit plus the refill, and its good to have some extras in case you mess one or two up. Guilty!)
• LOTS of coordinating thread. A lot.
• DEFINITELY recommend a shirring/gathering foot. I do not recommend a ruffler foot on this project. After spending an hour in frustration, I realized the fabric as just too thick for the ruffler foot and got out my gathering one. Brilliantly easier. 

Another tip, draw on your lines onto your base where you are sewing your ruffles on. I also assembly line all the steps, it makes it go much smoother.

My bathroom in our room is on the small side, and we have a curved shower rod that needs to be rehung, but I was really happy with how straight they were sewn on and how much brighter it is in the bathroom (there was red before).

and some phone pictures of it at night:

Pin It