Easing into Fall

Fall is my favorite season so you know I am chomping at the bit to break out the bins of décor and start decorating my home! But...I am trying to control myself since it's still August and I usually wait until September arrives. So what I have decided to do is just add a few fall touches...enough to make me happy without going full-on pumpkins! :-) Here are the five ways I am easing into fall...

15 Easy Ways to Decorate with Pumpkins

OK…so am I the only one who can't wait for those big cardboard boxes of pumpkins to arrive in the stores? I know it's early, but there’s not a pumpkin in sight here…yet...and I am itching to decorate for fall! So just in case you are in the same fix I am, I am sharing 15 ways you can get your pumpkin on…without a single real pumpkin! There’s a little bit of everything… pillows, wreaths, planters, candles and more! And if you know me, it’s all easy to do! Who needs real pumpkins when this kind lasts from year to year? ;-)

10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Bring on Fall

Yaay! It's finally here! September first always marks the first unofficial day of fall for me! This is my favorite season and I want to squeeze every minute out of it that I can! Only one problem...it's still hot and humid here in the South. So what do I do to get an early start on my fall fun? Just in case you missed them, I am re-sharing my 10 things you can do right now to hurry it up a little!

Easing into Fall

Fall is my favorite season so you know I am chomping at the bit to break out the bins of décor and start decorating my home! But...I am trying to control myself since it's still August and I usually wait until September arrives. So what I have decided to do is just add a few fall touches...enough to make me happy without going full-on pumpkins! :-) Here are the five ways I am easing into fall...

10 Fun and Easy Ideas for Halloween

Can you believe that Halloween is just around the corner? I love adding a few festive Halloween touches to my house, especially since the little grands seem to enjoy them so much! But you don't need a lot of time or money to create them. I am sharing 10 super-easy ways to add a little of that spooky and fun Halloween feeling without spending a fortune!

Easing into Fall...

Fall is my favorite season so you know I am chomping at the bit to break out the bins of décor and start decorating my home! But...I am trying to control myself since it's still August and I usually wait until September arrives. So what I have decided to do is just add a few fall touches...enough to make me happy without going full-on pumpkins! :-) Here are the five ways I am easing into fall...

7 Fall Pillows to Make Right Now

Fall is just around the corner so if you are a DIYer like me, it's time to start crafting! If you know me, you know how I love pillows! They just add the perfect little seasonal touch without taking up a lot of space. And...it's OK to rush the season just a pinch and put out one or two. I've already started sprinkling them in at my house! ;-) Here are my favorites for fall...

Pottery Barn Inspired Halloween Crow Pillow

I am excited to share my latest fall project with you…my Pottery Barn inspired Halloween crow pillow! I don’t know about you but I love crows! I think it may be left over from my favorite childhood book Johnny Crow’s Garden. However…this crow has a very different look!

Pottery Barn Inspired No-Sew Fall Wreath Pillow

I’m excited because it’s time for our no-sew group to showcase some fun and easy ideas for you…and this time it’s all about fall! And what says fall more than colorful leaves arranged in a wreath! And…you know me…I decided to put them on a pillow, of course!

No-Sew Pottery Barn Inspired Boo Pillow

I am so excited because it’s time for our monthly No-Sew Showcase and this time our theme is Halloween! Once again our group has put away our sewing machines to bring you some fun projects that you can create…without sewing a stitch! Today I am sharing my no-sew Pottery Barn inspired “Boo” pillow!

As soon as I saw this pillow from Pottery Barn at the outlet store, I knew I had found my next project! My challenge…to recreate it in a no-sew version. And here’s what I did…

My co-host today, the beautiful Miss Kitty, has the list of things that you need:

• Burlap fabric (the amount will depend on the size of your insert)
• Trim to go all the way around the outer edge (once again, depending on the size of your insert)
• A pillow insert (Mine was a $3.00 down insert from Goodwill)
• Iron-on hem adhesive (I used Heat n Bond)
• Hot glue gun
• Black Sharpie pen
• Black craft paint
• Small paint brush
• Artist’s charcoal

Cut the front of the burlap pillow cover 1 inch wider and longer than your pillow cover. My pillow insert was  13 in. x 20 in. so I cut the cover front at 14 in. x 21 in. Next, follow the directions that you find here to measure and cut the pieces for the envelope-style pillow closure for the back.

Print the “Boo” graphic above in 8 x 10 size. I use Photoscape (a free download) so that I can more easily control the size of the graphics.

Next you will add the graphics to the front of the pillow cover:

1. Turn over the Boo graphic and thoroughly cover the back of the word with artist’s charcoal. You are creating your own carbon paper.

2. Find the center of the cover front and pin the Boo graphic in place, with the charcoal side facing the burlap, centered and equally spaced from all sides. Then trace around the graphic, bearing down relatively hard and filling in the solid sections as well. I found that a ball point pen worked best for this. When you have traced and filled in all the letters, remove the paper.

3. Using a black Sharpie pen, draw in the outline of the letter.

4. With a small brush, paint in the inner portions of the letter with black craft paint. Take your time and work carefully. Set it aside to dry.

Now you are ready to make the pillow cover:

5. Press a 1/2 inch fold on the short side of each of the two pieces of the back cover. Insert a piece of the fusible hem tape that has been cut to the correct length and, following the directions on the package, iron it in place. It is important to let the fabric cool completely and give the tape time to set before you work with it each time or it will not stick!

6. Lay the two pieces so that they overlap and are the same size as the front cover and pin the two back pieces together.

7. Insert a length of the hem tape in between the two back pieces along the bottom and top edge where they overlap and iron in place. I found that I had to iron on both sides of the fabric to get it to fuse well. Once again...let the fabric cool before continuing. You now have a back for your pillow cover.

8. Lay the back on top of the front piece with right sides together and pin them in place. Now cut a piece of the hem tape and fit it in between the back and the front and iron in place. I found it easier to unpin each side one at a time then press on the hem tape and then move to the next section. Be sure that hem tape covers all four edges and corners. Once again, let it cool.

9. Make a diagonal cut at each corner for easier turning. Carefully turn the pillow inside out and press it. I found a few little spots near the overlap in the back that had not fused properly so I just used a little ribbon of hot glue to close them all the way.

Now you are ready to add the trim:

10. Cut a fresh end for your trim and prevent it from fraying by using a little bit of Mod Podge or Fray Block or a similar product. Let it dry. Now you are ready to apply the trim. Starting at the bottom so that it doesn't show, run a small bead of hot glue along the outer seam of the pillow. Immediately add the trim and hold in place until it is secure. Work in small sections for best results. This will not only add some interest to your pillow, but will help strengthen the seams.

11. Work all the way around the pillow and stop when you have about one inch left to cover. Cut the trim to fit and treat the end as you did the before...finishing with a no-fray product and letting it dry a little. Using a small amount of hot glue, secure the last inch of trim to the seam and then adhere the two ends together using more hot glue. It's OK if it's not perfect since it will be on the bottom.

Now just pop in your pillow form and...taaa daaa!...you have a Pottery Barn copy-cat pillow and you never sewed a stitch! And...I only spent about $4.00 for the trim with a coupon since I already had everything I needed!  Woo hoo!

Just in case you are wondering, the pillow that you see in the background is my changeable face Jack-o-lantern pillow! My grands love it...and there is even a pocket in the back to store the spare parts! You will find a tutorial here. It does require some sewing, although you could use the same method described in this post to create a no-sew version.

And if you missed September's no-sew project, here it is...my no-sew shirt pumpkins! You could easily whip up a few of these to add to your fall decor this year. They are super easy and fun to make! You will find the instructions here.

And here is my contribution for our first no-sew showcase...no-sew basket liners! You will find a tutorial for them here. And yes...we are planning another no-sew showcase for November with a Thanksgiving theme!

Be sure to visit the rest of our no-sew gang to see the fabulous Halloween projects that they are sharing with you!

No-Sew Burlap Witch's Hat Barbed Wire Wreath from Amy at Atta Girl Says
No-Sew Spider-Filled Gauzy Mantel Scarf from Barb at The Everyday Home
No-Sew Burlap Silverware Holder from Ann at On Sutton Place
No-Sew Halloween Napkins from Yvonne at Stone Gable
No-Sew Halloween Fabric Art from Suzy at Worthing Court

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my no-sew boo pillow! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures,  Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays , My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday , Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special, Tatertots and Jello for the Link Party Palooza
See you next time! À la prochaine!

Also find me at…

 

Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered


Delivered by FeedBurner

More Fun with Shirts...A Pumpkin Pillow

I have been having lots of fun with some shirts in fall colors that I picked up at the thrift store! You may remember that when I made my super-easy no-sew shirt pumpkins, I promised to show you what I did with the rest of the shirts…and here it is…my pumpkin shirt pillow!

All you really need to make these pumpkins is the sleeves (If you missed them, you can see the tutorial here) so I found myself with some leftover, sleeveless shirts! What to do? Well, if you know me, you already saw my answer coming…make a pillow!  
Here’s how I did it:
First, I cut the backs from each of the three shirts and then cut two of the pieces to serve as the front and back of my pillow cover. I have a 16" pillow form so I cut the two pieces at 17" x 17". I chose the orange stripe as the front and the flannel plaid as the back. I am saving the orange shirt to serve as the pumpkin.


Next, I created the pumpkin cut-out as follows:

1. I printed  pumpkin template above at 8 x 10" size

2. Next, I applied Heat n Bond to an 8 x 10" piece of orange shirt fabric, following the directions on the package. Then I pinned  the pumpkin pattern to the fabric and cut it out…leaving out the stem. Next, I repeated the process on a little piece of  burlap to create the stem.

3. Finally, I applied the two to the front of my pillow cover, once again following the directions on the package.

At this point, you will only add the pumpkin and stem. The leaf, tendrils and segment lines will be added last.

Then with right sides together, I sewed the front and back together, leaving the bottom open. Then I turned it right side out and pressed it.

Now you are ready to add the pumpkin-y parts and give it a real three dimensional look!
 
1. Using the same method described above for the pumpkin cut-out, create the pumpkin leaf. I used some olive green burlap for this. You could use an enlarged version of the leaf pattern that you find here if you wish. Note…I did not adhere the leaf entirely, but left two edges loose for a more interesting look.

2. Create the tendrils by first coating a length of jute twine with Mod Podge then winding it around something with some dimension such as a permanent marker. Let it dry about 15 minutes and remove the marker at this point or it will stick! Reshape the tendrils and let them finish drying. Once the tendrils have dried, using small stitches, simply tack it in place in several spots.

3. Cut two pieces of just twine to serve as segment lines, coat them thoroughly with Mod Podge  and press them in place. You will see that I tucked one end of the segments under the leaf. You may have to add small amounts of Mod Podge underneath the twine to help them adhere. Let them dry.

Then I just popped in the pillow form (mine was a $3.00 down form from Goodwill) and simply slip-stitched the pillow closed. Alternately, you could use a zipper closure if you wish for easy removal and storage of the cover.  And here you have it…a pumpkin pillow made from my leftover shirts! I love it! And it was free since I already had everything I needed! Woo hoo!

And just in case you missed it, here’s another project using the same pumpkin template…my Jack-o-lantern pillow with interchangeable faces! It even has a little pocket on the back to store the unused parts! My grandsons love this one! You can find a complete tutorial here.

And if you are wondering where the staff was for this project, our seamstress, Miss Isabella, seems to have…errrr… fallen asleep on the job! But don’t worry…everyone’s position is secure here…including mine!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my pumpkin pillow made from old shirts! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures, The Everyday Home for Home{work} Wednesday , Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays , My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday , Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special, Tatertots and Jello for the Link Party Palooza, At the Picket Fence for the Pumpkin Linky Party
See you next time! À la prochaine!

Also find me at…

 

Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered


Delivered by FeedBurner

Getting Cozy...Sweater Pillows and a Burlap Rose Tutorial

There’s an unmistakable crispness in the air and that smell that says fall is here has finally arrived! It’s my favorite time of year…time to get cozy and pile on the blankets and sweaters…in the form of pillows!

Our CEO Ozzie loves this time of year, too. She’s no spring chicken, but in the last week she has been spotted chasing butterflies and even climbing a tree! It’s time to enjoy being outside!

Sooo…with that in mind, I have set up a cozy little corner on the patio for soaking in all of that fall atmosphere…even when the mornings are chilly. There are lots of comfy sweater pillows and a blanket or two to keep away the chill. I will be having my morning coffee out here every chance I get!

It’s also time to bring out the fire bowl with its pretty copper finish and get ready to gather around with the grandchildren to roast marshmallows and make S’mores! So much fun…I can’t wait!
  And nothing says cozy like a fun sweater pillow! They are so easy and inexpensive to make!
Here's what you will do:

1. Find an old sweater…mine came from Goodwill for under $5.00 and it’s cashmere!
2. Cut it to the size of your pillow form. 
3. Stitch on three sides, pop in the form and hand-stitch closed. Goodwill is also a great source for the forms where you can even find the down-filled ones for under $3.00!

For a little added contrast and texture, just add a burlap or fabric rose…super easy to do!

1. Start with a strip of fabric that is 2 inches wide and 36 inches long. You can make it shorter if you wish since the length determines the size of the rose. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and tie a knot in one end.
2. Next, begin twisting the folded strip, winding it around the knot as you go.
3. Continue winding, occasionally securing the fabric with hot glue to hold it in place.
4. Wind until your rose has reached the size that you want, then fold the fabric end under the rose and secure with hot glue.

Finally, stitch or hot glue the rose to your pillow and taa daa!…there you have it! You can add them to lots of other things as well. I especially like the look that they add to wreaths. Now…there’s one last cozy thing that I love and I am waiting for. Can you guess what it is?

Yes…that’s it! It’s almost time for the first fire of the season! Baby Kitty is also a huge fan as you can see from last year. Temperatures will be approaching freezing on Tuesday night and I have a feeling that you will find us in front of the fire getting cozy. Coziness…my favorite thing about fall! How about you? Do you love fall like I do? Have you had your first fire yet?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my project! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday 
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
The Everyday Home for the "Better Late than Never" Fall Party 
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Want to see more?

Subscribe by email or in a reader

Also find Confessions of a Plate Addict on:

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Hometalk