potterybarn poinsettia pillow knockoff.

its a cozy, snowy day here in maine and i'm loving it.  we haven't had much snow this winter so i just keep looking out our windows, admiring the falling snowflakes.  snow a few days before christmas is the best kind.

this morning i finished up a pair of christmas pillows for the couch that i've been plugging away at over the past couple weeks.  for a while now i've been wanting to get some cute, christmas-y throw pillows to add to my holiday decor.  i'd looked at a few different stores but never really found what i was looking for.  so, i decided it was time to learn how to use the ole sewing machine that nick's grandmother gave me.  it's been sitting in the box now for about two and a half years ago because i've been too scared to use it.  

if you know anything about me, you know that i do whatever i can to avoid sewing.  we're talking stitch witchery and glue guns, people.  

but after a sewing lesson from a long time (and very patient!) family friend, i learned the basics.  yes, there were a few times i wanted to throw that thing out the window (last night something went wrong with my machine and i literally re-thread that sucker and messed with the bobbin at least seventy five times while trying not to curse.  nick found it highly amusing)... but with a little perserverance, youtube video tutorials and a couple glasses of wine, i conquered that little singer machine.  

here's the finished product:

what i love about making my own things is that i can get exactly what i want... i saw these potterybarn poinsettia pillows while browsing their christmas decor one day and i knew i wanted to try to make a knockoff version.

here's what i did.

materials

* fabric for pillow cover (i used a greyish, light blue)

* pillow or pillow insert

* felt for petals (i used an off-white color)

* thread

* basic sewing machine

* scissors

* paper

* pens

* glue gun (yes, i did use my glue gun for part of this!)

* mini jingle bells (i used silver)

- measure your pillow insert and cut out two pieces of your fabric that is at least an inch longer on all sides.  sew a basic pillow cover.

- take basic white paper and cut out four larger petals, four medium petals and eight smaller petals.  using pins, arrange them on a pillow to practice your layout.  you can totally skip this step, i'm just somewhat perfectionistic.

- once you have a look you like, use the paper petals as templates to cut them out of felt.  

- using your sewing machine, set the stitch to a wider setting (my machine goes from 0-4, and i set it to 4) and stitch a straight seam down the middle of your petals.  taking the bobbin thread, pull to gather and create a slight ruffling effect for your petals.

- using a glue gun, attach your petals to your pillow in the layout you previously arranged.  i didn't lay mine flat because i liked them to have some dimension to them.

- glue several jingle bells to the middle and voila!  you are done.  and probably saved about 20 big ones.

i *love* these pretty pillows.  i also love the fact that they're not super christmas-y so i can keep them out through the winter months.  thanks for the inspiration, potterybarn.

merry christmas from our snowy home to yours!

this post was linked to these *lovely* blogs:

vintage gwen

diy by design
chef in training
home by ally
knick of time
tatertots & jello
diy showoff
diana rambles
it's overflowing
at the picket fence

pillow talk.

my name is megan and i am in love. in love with my new pillow.

i know, i know. i'm being dramatic. but seriously, check this beauty out:

i saw it in another blogger's photos and i became obsessed with it. like, major pillow crush, people. i still had money left over from christmas and my birthday... and let's face it: at 28 weeks with child, i'm not really looking to buy a cute new outfit. i'd much rather save my cash for clothes i can wear when my belly doesn't look like a giant watermelon.

so, i looked it up on the urban outfitters website and there she was. amazing, right??

most of the colors were sold out, but luckily my current obsession is turquoise and that color was still in stock. it was a sign. i placed the order and it was delivered to our house just this week. the velvet fabric makes it so plush and pretty and the pintuck design is just amazing. it was definitely more than i would ever pay for a pillow. i mean, i have made most of the ones in our house from fabric i've gotten on sale at joanns. but ever have those splurges where you feel completely justified because you just love them so much?

this is mine.

i can't stop staring at it.

the other pillows i made from a no sew tutorial i found on pinterest. i'll post about those soon, i promise! happy weekend!

GO PATRIOTS.

burlap covered frames.

so i've been spending most of my free time these days finishing up little projects here and there in our living room/dining room/kitchen area before i tackle our bedrooms. it's the area of our house that most people see, so i've been anxious to get it spruced up as soon as possible.

in our living room sits a wingback chair that belonged to my parents. mom told me it was given to her and dad from my grandparents as a wedding gift, so i love the sentiment that brings... especially these days. any tangible reminder that i have of my dad is such a blessing. i'd love to get it recovered someday, but thankfully it's cream colored and for now fits in with our living room decor very well. i made some cute little throw pillows for it the other day with some fabric i found on sale at joanns this summer. i love the color they add to our chair.

(i also found a little bird bath/garden accessory at tj maxx this summer that i love. i put it beside the chair because it's just too pretty to have outside! it completes the space for me and i love how vintage-y and shabby chic it looks. the lamp on the other side of the chair is an old antique brass one that belonged to my grandparents.)

the wall space above our chair was a bit awkward, but it looked so empty i needed to figure out something. one of the issues was the thermostat--a blaring silver knob that was just in the way. oh well. i don't think it would make sense to get rid of it and compromise our heating in the name of decorating... especially in maine... although i may have been tempted.

i found an old gold-ish frame and used a mat and photo that i already had on hand to create an art piece for the wall. i needed something to balance the wall space so i began to scour our house. as i was fishing around through what i had on hand, i found the brown picture frames i had above our old couch in our apartment in dallas. and then i remembered i had some burlap in my fabric stash. perfect.

i cut the burlap into strips and using my trusty glue gun, i wrapped two frames with it. i love the textured, natural look of the frames and their neutral shade against the colorful pop of the throw pillows.

and best of all?
they
were
free.

i love re-purposing items i already have on hand and just giving them a different look. fabric, spray paint, scrapbook paper and modpodge are great tools to help in the process. such an inexpensive way to decorate aaaaand you can be creative in what you do. even if it seems weird. you can afford to take risks because even if they fail, you're using things you already have anyway. no big loss. i'll be posting a few other re-purposing projects i've been working on soon :)

happy saturday!

crafts are not just for old ladies.

yes, i said it. and i believe it: crafts are not just for old ladies (although i did just turn 30... so maybe some people would consider me to be an old lady...)

when i was little, i always had creative projects going on. always. i cross-stitched. i colored and drew. i loved to bake. and i had multiple notebooks that i would write stories in... i wanted to be an author (which, by the way, is something i've been thinking more about lately. i mean, apparently all you need to do is write a book about vampires falling in love for a bunch of teenaged girls and you are set for life. LIFE.)

over the years, i became guarded and self-conscious. i didn't want to create things unless i knew that i was going to be good at it... ahhhhh, perfectionism. such a kill-joy.

perhaps one of the greatest challanges to me since becoming a stay-at-home mom is finding ways to not lose my identity and sense of who i am. i always want to be growing, creating, and finding new ways to enjoy life and evolve in the woman i am. not just the important ways (growing more in my love for and knowledge of jesus, finding ways to minister to others, becoming a better wife, growing as a mom, etc) but in little ways too.

so... i decided to bite the bullet and, in turn, i got bitten...by the craft bug.

{yes, craft bugs do exist}

when christmas was coming around the corner, nick&i looked over our finances and decided we would need to be real creative with christmas gifts this year. so, i decided to make things. and it was really fun. and i think it was special to those that recieved our handmade gifts (again: i think so).

here are a few of my creations...

- flower hair clips!

some organza ones...



and some felt ones...




- a picture frame (with an organza flower, covered button and some rosettes... don't be fooled: that's NOT bel and me in the frame. just wanted to clear up any confusion.)

- a cake plate stand (i forgot to take a picture of the one i made, but this is what it looked like; minus the crystal knob in the center)

- hand-stitched felt pillows for my nephews

a texas rangers one for wyatt...

and an owl one for jude...

bella's naptimes became very productive for me... although not so productive for my chores around the house. oh well. i'm hoping to perfect these creations soon and add others so i can start an online botique with my sis! we've already made some really *cool* jewelry and we're trying to build up an inventory to "open" in time for christmas shopping next fall. jude&bella coming soon... you will SO want to shop there.