Couch PIllow Slip Covers

When I see things at the store that are too good to pass up, I usually end up with them in my basket. I found three packages of curtains at Wal-mart for $5.00. Hello! You can't even get fabric for that much!

Of course when I picked them out I already had a project in mind. My couches are brown, and are covered with BROWN pillows...hello RC Willey...get some color in there...only kidding...well kind of...anyways, so I decided to make some slip covers for my couch pillows. It's really easy to do.

First lay out the curtain.

Then unpick the bottom hem and the top hem, where the rod goes, there will be two lines you will need to unpick at the top.

Then cut a square out the size of 1 inch larger than your pillow. The pillows I am covering are 19 inches, therefore my squares are 20 inches. Then cut two pieces of fabric that cover the back of the pillow. The key here is you want them to overlap by 3 inches. So, for mine, I cut one 14 inches, and then 9 inches. Cut these pieces so they are along the side edge of the curtain that is hemmed. Place the square right sides up. Then place the shorter piece with the hem in the center of the square right sides down. Then place the longer piece with the hem in the center of the square right sides down.

Here is a close up of the two pieces that make up the back. You can see here where they overlap.

Sew with a half inch seam allowance all the way around. And then I stitched with a finishing stitch along the edge.

Turn it right sides out and put it on your pillow.

Make a few more, of course in different prints, it's all about mixing it up these days, and there you have it a completely new look to your couch!

And of course I need to let you know, that these are actually going to be going on a dark green sofa. Just like the one pictures. Only it rests at my mother-in-law's house. Yes, Karen, they are headed to your house!!! Surprise!!! I hope you love them!!!

Vinyl Record Bowl

I know the blog World is saturated with tutorials about Vinyl Record bowls. But, I made these clear back during the Retro Week at So You Think You're Crafty. And then it's sat because I turned in my record purse instead. But I LOVE them too much not to post them. In fact, it's part of my Huge giveaway coming up!!!

You will need a cookie sheet and a glass bowl. Turn the bowl upside down on the center of the cookie sheet.

Place your record on the top of the bowl. Center it with the center of the bowl.

Place it in your oven. Your oven needs to be preheated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave it in the oven for 15 minutes.

When you take it out it will be slightly formed into the bowl shape.

Grab a hot pad in each hand and form it to how you want it. I just went with what each record was doing naturally. I simply finished forming pinches around the edges until it fit the bowl like a glove. You need to work fast, the record hardens quickly.

Take it off of the bowl and set it on the counter to cool completely.

Spray paint it with your underneath color.

Then spray paint it with the top color you want. Once that is dry, take fine sand paper and lightly sand the bowl. The bottom layer of paint and the record will peek through.

And there you have it. A super fun, super cute, super original bowl for your table, for your sewing supplies, for your marbles, for your keys!

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Spruce Up Your Candle Holders

I won't lie here. I love the look of candles but I don't ever use them, I stick to my Scentsy Warmers. I have a few candles that I place on my table just for decor. I have burnt them once to make them look used. They have been sitting like this for some time, but they don't really match my style.

So I grabbed my roll of jute and my hot glue gun. I covered the entire glass holders with hot glue and jute. I then took some ribbon and tied it around two of the holders. The colors aren't really coordinating right now, but once the table center piece is complete you will get the idea...so stay tuned for that post coming soon...

And just a note: DO NOT cover your candle holders if you are going to BURN your candles. This could be a major fire hazard if the candle burned low enough to ignite the jute. I cannot be responsible for any damage caused if that happens. So PLEASE only do this to decorative candle holders.

A Little Redecorating

On Friday the boys and I decided to give their room a little do-over. It was looking more like a prison cell with three beds in there. They used to be all bunked up on top of each other, but with Arizona springing into the high 80's and low 90's (jealous???) The ceiling fan wasn't reaching the lower boys and they were complaining it was too hot at night. So we took the beds apart and just left them. And what we had was literally a room full of beds. We have plenty of rooms in our house for the boys to have their own, but they choose to share. And I LOVE that. So we took there room from Prison cell to more of the Modern Day seven dwarfs style. Bed after Bed after Bed...

I put 12 inch squares of vinyl all over the wall. There is no pattern. And believe it or not, the entire time I had to think about not making a pattern. It was harder to do it at random than I thought!

And then I mimicked the bunk bed headboard and put it on the middle bed, which we don't have a frame for. The two bunk beds posts are in the garage. I will find them this week...(my garage is a scary place...) And then I hung their name signs above their beds.

On the other wall, which isn't very much room, I placed a tower shelf, meant for a bathroom. Each one of the boys gets a shelf to store their stuff, which they LOVE, and I LOVE because it isn't stashed under their beds, in their pillow cases, etc. Then the top shelf has the music for the night and the stories we are reading. The two pictures on the side and then tractors on the shelf were made and picked out by my husband for my oldest son's nursery when he was born. So they are the perfect touch to their room. Oh and the reason the colors are what they are, is they are a favorite of each of the boys. And if we had spare change, that middle bed would be changed to yellow and brown to match. But when you are married to a grad student, you get used to waiting and penny pinching!

(You can purchase any of the vinyl I used above through my Vinyl Etsy Shop. If you are interested and it isn't listed please send me a convo and I will create the perfect listing for you! If you mention this post in your convo you will receive ten percent off your total order.)

Food For Thought

create.

"As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness,
you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you"

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Thanks to the Creative Crate for sharing that awesome quote from one awesome man (He's definately one of my favorite church leaders...)

And stay tuned for multiple projects that are currently in the works...and the giveaway...I've just about got it all pulled together, and an incredible craft blogger interview!!! Thanks everyone for your support! You ladies conntinue to amaze and inspire me!!!

Ruffle Sleeve T-Shirt

I have a plain blue t-shirt that I love the fit of, but I just never wear it, because I't's too plain. When it comes to my house I am a minimalist I like it plain with a pop of color, but when it comes to my clothes. Let all chaos break loose...

So I grabbed my statsh of lace from when I was making temple bags... I then pinned a layer of lace around the very edges of the sleeves.

I then sewed on the first layer. And then I repeated this until the lace covered the entire underarm side of the t-shirt. For my shirt it was 5 layers.

I then cut and sewed on strips of lace one on top of the other until I reached the top of the sleeve. Just follow along the seam of the sleeve to know where to start and stop sewing.

And then I took a piece of lace, started sewing it in the middle of the underarm side of sleeve and then followed the seam of the sleeve up to the top and back down to the underarm where I overlapped it with the other end about 1/2 inch and cut it off. This gives the ruffles a finished look.

And there you have it. Simple. Easy. Fast.

And it gives a fun flirty look to a plain old shirt.

I would LOVE to see if you add ruffles to your sleeves! If you do, come back and drop me a link in my comments!!!

From Halter Sun Dress to A Skirt to Wear In The Sun

Wow. I've been super productive today! Look at me go. LOL. I am just home with sick kids...no where to go... and they're just crashed in front of the TV...so I am taking advantage of this time...

As most of you know I am a Member Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. And because of my decision in that aspect I also choose to dress 'modestly'. I bought a skirt from Tilly's in December that was a halter top. It was $4.00, I couldn't pass it up. I LOVED the print. But it was too short to wear it as is, and I hate having to wear a shade shirt under everything. I've worn it to church a few weeks, and have just tucked in the halter part and worn it as a skirt. I finally decided to pull it out of my closet and fix it for real this time. It was super easy. So grab your halter dress and let's go...

First using a seam ripper or small scissors unpick the halter seam.

I had to unpick the waist band a little to get the front completely off.

And then I laid the dress flat and pinned across the front of the skirt, to hold the lining to the skirt front.

I then cut out the elastic from the back of the halter.

And then I tucked the lining and the backing in just like the front, and pinned it together.

I then headed to my sewing machine and sewed the sides together.

(You know you are jealous of that nail polish) In the back I then sewed with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, just along the back to make a casing.

Take your elastic and sew one end to one side using a box stitch and then the other end to the other side.

Then sew along the top of the back and the front of the skirt.

And there you have it! A fun skirt. (And a picture of you that you had to majorly suck in your gut to even get to look decent...but ti's okay I am losing weight...you can follow my journey on my life blog above if you are interested...)

And of course you better save the top and the tie of that halter. I'll be crafting with it soon too!

Jute Picture Display

I have a photo display that has been driving me crazy for quite some time. When I bought it it was covered in suede dark brown. I liked it, our house flooded and the bottom of it got ruined. I finally pulled it off and painted it orange. I didn't like it, so there it has sat. but after making my jute Styrofoam cones, it came to me.

I took my hot glue gun and my roll of jute and just glued in all sort of directions and patterns.

All over the front until it was completely covered. And then I glued one piece of jute around the entire outside to finish it off on the sides, and on the inside where the glass is.

It needed more so I tied black satin bows in between the pictures.

I still didn't like it. So I added scrapbook paper mattes. And I changed out the top. I put a plain blue scrapbook paper matte.

And added the words. Count Your BLESSINGS, and then my three sons names. (Brizden, Rylek, and Ledger)

It was really easy, and I really do love it now! If you have recently made over and picture displays I would LOVE to hear about them. Please link up in the comments!!!

Simple Tree Home Decor

If you have ever been in my home you will know two things. It is generally 'lived in', and it's decor is simple. I don't over decorate. I like very few nicknack's and very few pictures hung. Too much is too much, and it just bring chaos to the mind. That being said. I LOVE my three candle tiers in which I top with large Styrofoam cones.

For the first style you will need three candle tiers, three Styrofoam cones each a tad smaller than the next, jute, and hot glue.

Take your Styrofoam cone and open it. Mine came broke, generally I would be very upset, but for this project just hot glue it back on, you won't be able to tell. Starting at the top of the cone glue a circle of hot glue. Then take the end of your jute and glue it to the middle and then wrap it around making a U.

Add more hot glue around and glue on the jute in a circle around the U.

Do this all the way around the top and then two rings down around the sides.

Then you can just hot glue a strip down one of the sides. Don't go to far, you need to have it stay hot, so maybe an inch or two at a time. Then wrap the jute around and around and around.

When you get to the bottom you will need to completely hot glue the last ring around the bottom edge or it will come off and not stay in place.

Then from this point out, like on the top, you will have to hot glue around in a circle to keep the jute in place. Just start circling inwards.

Hot glue in a circle and then lay the jute down.

Once you get to the middle, cut off enough jute to lay in place.

Then fill the middle with hot glue.

And circle your jute into place, making sure the end is securely glued down.

Repeat with the other two cones. Place on top of your candle tiers. And there you have it. A simply Home Decor piece.

The texture brings interest to the eye, but is so simple it brings piece to the mind.

I don't have any pictures for this style because I made them pre-blogging days. You will need Styrofoam cones, string of beads, hot glue, and green spray paint. Glue the strings of beads on just as you did the jute in the above tutorial. Then spray paint. It will honestly take about 4 layers of spray paint to get it coated well enough.

Display them separately or mix and mingle them for that extra pop.

Either way I can guarantee you'll love the clean end result that they bring to your home.