Ruffled Christmas Tree Pillow Tutorial

I am so happy to see that ruffles are still in vogue!  They seem to be everywhere in fashion, home and seasonal decor this year and I just love the soft, easy, romantic feeling they evoke!  I had an idea for a throw pillow with an appliqued ruffled tree that I couldn't wait to try.  I think it turned out pretty cute and it could easily be customized to suit a variety of decorating styles.

I started by tearing a strip of natural colored muslin, approx 2 inches wide, and 2 yards long. A small rectangle of burlap will serve as the trunk of the tree, 2" x 1.5."

There are many different methods for creating ruffles.  I was going for quick and easy, so I just fed my length of muslin through my sewing machine, sewing down the center and gathering the fabric with my fingers with each stitch.  You could buy pre-made ruffle trim at the fabric store, and if you're not into sewing, you could even hot glue the ruffles onto a store bought pillow!

If you're making your own pillow cover, you'll want to cut two pieces of fabric the appropriate size to cover the pillow form you're using.  Be sure to leave room for a seam allowance.  I used canvas drop cloth here and folded the front panel with the corners together, finger pressing the center.  This way, when I opened it up to apply the ruffles, I had the center marked for lining everything up evenly.

Next, I cut 5 lengths from my muslin ruffle:

1.  12 inches

2.  10 inches

3.  8 inches

4.  4 inches

5.  1.5 inches

I also cut a 12 inch piece of vintage lace to act as the tree skirt.  I pinned the ruffles, lace and burlap into place to form the tree, using that center fold line in the canvas as a guide.  I then took the panel to the sewing machine and sewed down the center of each ruffle (right over the stitching I'd done to create the ruffle).  I stitched around the edge of the burlap piece to create the trunk.  At this point I think it would be fun to play with some trim...adding buttons or beads as "ornaments."  I started to add some pearly buttons to mine but decided I really liked it as is.  A burlap star on top would be cute too!  So many possibilities!

Once I had the the tree just how I wanted it, I pinned my pillow form, right sides together and sewed around the edges, leaving a section of the bottom open.  I then turned the cover right side out, inserted my pillow form and stitched up the bottom by hand.

This festive little pillow was so fast, fun and easy to make!  I hope my instructions were clear enough to help you make your own if you so desire.  Please let me know if you have any questions!  I am happy to help!

I hope you're having a wonderful day!  

Take care!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

I will be participating in these lovely weekly blog parties:

 

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Fall Mantel - Easy Book Page Leaf Garland

Hello friends!  I hope you are having a fabulous week!  I have been busy...having a little fun around the house!  Putting together a Fall look for my shop space last week, and perusing all of the amazing projects and inspiration in Blogland has motivated me to do a little seasonal decorating at home.  In past years I haven't done a lot of Fall decorating...I tend to skip the Halloween and Thanksgiving decor and go straight to decking the halls!

  I started with the family room mantel, removing my usual pale pink accents and trading them in for darker burgundy and brown tones.  I am still having fun with the coffee-stained paper leaves, and this time around I used pages from a (boring) book instead of sheet music. 

If you missed my simple tutorial on making the aged, scented book page or sheet music leaves, you can find it here!  They are easy, cheap and fun to make!

Here is how I made my book page leaf garland:

For a 6 foot garland, take 35-40 aged, dried book page leaves and run them through your sewing machine, overlapping and alternating their direction as you go.  What you end up with is a 2-dimensional length of leaves sewn together.  To get the 3-D look you see here on my mantle, secure one end where you want to hang your garland, and start twisting (like crepe paper).  Once you have a look you like, secure the other end.  Voila!

I am really enjoying my new Fall family room decor!  Somewhere in the attic is a box of ceramic orange pumpkins and leaf platters that I haven't been motivated to dig out.  Now I don't feel like I need to!  The orange has never really worked well with the colors in our home.  I love this warm, muted palette and I am looking forward to spreading it throughout the rest of our home for the Autumn months ahead! 

Sometime soon I am going to grab a can of that heat-safe black paint I keep hearing about and do away with the awful awful brass detail on our fireplaces!  It's on my super long list of projects to conquer!  What I wouldn't do for a few more hours in the day!

Thanks so much for your sweet visit today!  I so appreciate you taking the time to stop in and share your thoughts!  I know how busy everyone is and I just thought I'd tell you how much your comments mean to me! 

This weekend I'll be putting the finishing touches on my plans for my window display at Camas Antiques which I will be setting up the first part of next week!  This is the BIG project I keep mentioning!  I am super excited and a little nervous but can't wait to share it with you!  I've been collecting and storing bits and pieces for this display for months now and I think I am just about ready to pull it all together and unveil the vision!  Stay tuned my friends!
 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

I will be joining in on the following parties:

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Potpourri Party at 2805

Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Girly Pinks...Tutus, Magnolias and Cupcakes

Today was the last day of Spring Break and we were blessed with the most lovely gift...sunshine!  We headed out to the park and I brought my camera along to photograph these beautiful pink magnolia trees to share with Beverly's Pink Saturday Party over at How Sweet the Sound.

Maggie and I had one last project to finish before spring break ended.  We cut several yards of pretty pink tulle and made a fun tutu.  Want to make one with your little ballerina?  I found a great tutorial here at I Heart Naptime.  Maggie looked so adorable in her pink tutu, we of course had to have a little photo shoot!

I love all shades of pink but I think my most favorite is a lovely soft rosy hue.  I recently discovered that several drops of red food coloring and 1-2 drops of blue produces the prettiest rose petal pink colored frosting. 

Happy Pink Saturday dear friends!  Thank you so very much for stopping by!  I sincerely hope you are blessed with sunshine and surrounded by beauty this weekend!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

also sharing with Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies!

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday at Bargain Hunting and Chatting With Laurie

I'm Lovin' it Friday with Tidy Mom

Saturday Spotlight with Craft Envy

Floppy Fabric Bow Headband Tutorial

As a busy mom on a limited crafting budget, I really love projects that can be whipped up in a short amount of time, use a fat quarter of fabric or less and require minimal sewing!  I also love making pretty things for little girls!  Of course if you've been following, you know that already!  Not long ago I came up with the idea for these floppy fabric bow headbands (reminiscent of the ones worn by little girls in the 1920's, only not quite so enormous?)

Photo Source:  Graphics Fairy

After some trial and error, I came up with a finished product that I was happy with.  Now I make these for my space at the antique shop and for all of my girly little friends!  Do you have a sweet little girl in your life who would love a pretty fabric bow headband?  Well then, here is your tutorial!  Have fun!

Here's what you'll need:

2 strips of fabric measuring 20" x 3.25" and one small 2"x3" piece

thread in a coordinating color

hot glue gun

sewing machine

scissors and ruler (a cutting mat and rotary tool work great)

pinking shears

plastic headband (you can either purchase one that coordinates with your fabric, or you may choose to cover one with a long strip of fabric or ribbon using your hot glue gun).

Start by matching up your two strips of fabric, wrong sides together.  It's a good idea to put a couple of pins in the middle to hold the strips together.  Next, cut each end at a slight diagonal.  These will be your bow's "tails."

Take your strips of fabric to your sewing machine and stitch them together, sewing 1/2 inch from the edge all of the way around the strip.  This is a great place to use a decorative stitch if you'd like to.

Now cut around the edge with your pinking shears, just outside of your stitching.  Be very careful not to cut any stitches!

Fold your strip of fabric into a flat bow and sew a zig-zag stitch down the middle to hold it in place.  Here is what the back side will look like after you've sewn it:

Now here is a front view:

  If you plan to cover your headband with fabric or ribbon, do that now using your hot glue gun. 

Take your 2"x3" square of fabric and fold the two longer sides in towards each other making it into a 1"x3" piece.  It's a good idea to iron it to keep the folds in place.  This will be the center of your completed bow and also attach your bow to your headband.  Have your glue gun ready.  Take your flat bow and fold it down the middle accordion style, holding it in the center with your thumb and forefinger.

Use your hot glue gun to attach the small piece of fabric to the front center of the bow and continue to wrap and attach it to the headband with small dabs of glue.

Glue down the end of the center piece of fabric to the underside of the headband and cut off any excess.  You're done!  You now have a lovely, feminine floppy fabric headband that is sure to make that sweet little girly girl's day!

Thank you so much for your sweet visit today!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

I will be joining in on these fun Link Parties:

Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Spring Fling Wednesday at This Blessed Nest

Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden

Transformation Thurdsay at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Delightfully Inspiring Thursdays at Delightful Order

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Link Party at Tea Rose Home

Draw a Bunny - An Easter Banner!

A few weeks ago the Graphics Fairy shared this darling vintage "How to draw a bunny" printable:

 

One of these days I will pick up some fabric transfer printing paper or a bottle of Citrasolv to do some proper fabric imaging...but in the meantime I just spray my fabric with adhesive, smooth it onto a piece of paper, stick it in my printer and pray it doesn't get jammed!

After the bunnies successfully printed onto the fabric (only one minor printer jam!) I removed the fabric from the paper and made little snips with my scissors where I wanted the edges to be, then tore the fabric to give it the frayed look.  I cut my 5 polka-dot pennants a little larger than the template I usually use.  I also tore a long strip of the same fabric I used to print the images on to use as the ribbon to attach the pennants to.

After I had set everything out on the kitchen island just the way I wanted, I pinned it all into place and sat down at the sewing machine.  I used a decorative stitch in pink thread to attach the bunnies to the pennants and the pennants to the ribbon.

Last of all I added a few buttons by hand to the pennants and a couple strips of fabric and lace to the ends of the banner.  Total crafting time:  a little over an hour.  Mission cozy cottage-like banner:  completed! 

Of course I then needed to update the mantel for spring!  My Easter decorations are still in the attic.  I am hoping to get them down this weekend!  Sooo, once again I spruced up with things I had on hand.  I temporarily added this charming paperback copy of Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Jemima Puddle-duck" to the inside of an empty cream frame with scotch tape!  Have I mentioned my love for Beatrix Potter?

"She set off on a fine afternoon along the cart-road that leads over the hill.  She was wearing a shawl and a poke bonnet."  The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck

How exciting to see pink buds on my Camellia bush!  Spring is on it's way!

I have a couple pieces of this lovely pink Wedgwood-like pottery.  It's the perfect pale pink to tie in the pink polka-dot fabric from the banner...so up on the mantel it went!

I bought two of these little cherubs several weeks ago at a thrift store for under a dollar.  I painted this one cream and left the other gold.  The gold one was a nice accent to my Valentine's Day mantel and I like the cream with my Spring decor!  He is holding a nest of eggs and has a little bird on his shoulder...sweet little spring angel!

On a side note, our precious little puppy, our first born baby turns 6 this month!  Happy birthday Basil!  We love you!

Thank you for your sweet visit today!  Are you getting started on Easter crafts or adding bunnies, chicks and puddle-ducks to your decor?  I can't wait to see what you're working on! 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

I will be linking up with these fun parties:

Transformations and Treasures at Pink Postcard

Linky Party at Tea Rose Home

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Home Sweet Home Fridat at The Charm of Home

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Brag Monday with the Graphics Fairy

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors