Poinsettia Pillow Tutorial

I cannot wait for Christmas.  The music, the tree, the ornaments, the music, the food, the cookies, the music...  Seriously, the music was worth mentioning three times.  I love it.  I am also excited for Christmas this year so I can legitimately display the Poinsettia Pillow I created for... $3.  Yep.  The inspiration came from a Pottery Barn pillow in the most recent catalogue.  The PB pillow is $29, which in my opinion is expensive for something that can only be displayed for one month of the year. 

Here's Pottery Barn's Poinsettia Pillow:

Anyhow, want to make your own Poinsettia Pillow?  Here's how:

First of all, you'll need :

1/2 yard of ivory felt  (from this cut 2 16"x16" squares)

1/2 yard of ruby felt 

coordinating embroidery thread

5/8" hem tape (aka fabric tape, fabric fuse tape, etc.)

20 6mm bells

sewing machine (for sewing pillow)

pillow form or poly-fil

pattern

And before we get started, here are a few things I'd like to share.  First of all, I did not include my pillow form in the cost of the project because it can be reused year round with other pillow covers. It's a multi-tasker.  Second of all, I bought all items on sale at my fabric store or with coupons.  Stores like Jo-Ann offer 40% coupons frequently and even allow you to use competitor's coupons in the same transaction.  Lastly, the amount of fabric will be enough to complete two pillows, but in order to have enough height to cut the 16x16 pieces needed for the pillow "background" you have to buy at least 1/2 yard.

You'll need 10 small petals, 10 medium petals and 5 large petals. 

Get a feel for how you want it to look--and appreciate how quickly the project is coming together!

Use Elmer's glue to adhere two small leaves to each other for some thickess.  Do this with all of the small leaves so that the 10 you cut out turn into 5 thicker leaves.  Do the same with the medium sized leaves.

Once the glued felt leaves are dry, use your embroidery floss to backstitch up the center of the petal for visual interest.  I think you'll agree that this is a worthwhile step.  It doesn't have to be perfectly straight--in fact it looks very charming with a little bit of veering off here and there.

Cut a 2" circle from your ruby felt and use a running stitch to affix it to the center of one of your 16x16 squares. 

Lay out the first round of petals and adjust them to your liking. 

When you're happy with the placement of your first later of petals, fuse the sides of the petals down with your hem tape.  Leave the center of the petal free of hem tape to make embroidery easier.  (It is next to impossible to stitch through the hem tape adhesive--I would avoid it at all cost!)

Now that you have fused the leaves to the ivory felt pillow front, use the same backstitch method that you used on the small and medium-sized petals to affix the petals to the pillow.

Next, use hem tape to affix second round of petals. Use a running stitch in the center to further affix the petals to the pillow front.  Repeat step for the small petals, too.  Then stitch bells into the center.

Sew pillow as you would any other pillow.  (If you're new to pillow-making, check out HGTV's Pillow Making 101.)

Wasn't too hard, was it?  Please let me know what you think!  As always, your constructive comments and questions are sincerely appreciated.

Interested in having one of these handmade pillows made by yours truly?  Click here for more information about a Poinsettia Pillow Giveaway!

I made the Patterned Paper Wreath, too!

So after Sharon shared her wonderful wreath tutorial last week, I just had to get supplies to make one of my own.  I thought I'd do something with fall colors so I picked out these pieces of paper:

I used the technique and my end result was this bad boy:

Still needs a bow or something... We'll see if it happens!

My project total was the same as Sharon's--just under $5.  But now I see that Hobby Lobby has their wreath forms on sale for 50% off this week, and scrapbook paper is discounted 50%, too.  So, you could make this project for about $3ish if you buy your supplies at Hobby Lobby between now and Saturday!

When Christmas time rolls around (YAY!) I'll just pull the paper off of the form I bought and use new paper on the same form.  It costs about $1 for 5 sheets of paper if you buy them on sale, so you can change out your wreath with the seasons for only a buck!  Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Custom framing is cuh-razay expensive!

Have you ever had something custom framed?  Man, it is cuh-razay expensive!  If you've read even one of my posts, you'll know that there's no way I'd pay a small fortune to have something custom matted and framed.  Nope.  Not when I can do it myself! 

Here's how it started...

About 5 or 6 years ago, my husband and I were living a pretty cool life.  We had cool jobs and lived in a cool place and did cool things.  While my husband was on a trip to Portugal, he bought some gorgeous hand embroidered placemats for me.  I loved them and therefore could never eat on them.  But because they were so special I knew I needed to do something neat to display them...

So a few years ago, I was inspired.  I decided to get one of the placemats embroidered with our name and date of marriage, and have it framed.  Great idea, right? 

 So this is what the finished placemat looks like.  And after having the embroidery done, I went to have my placemat custom framed.  I spoke to the clerk about how I wanted it double-matted and chose my frame material and mat colors.  And the cost?  Nearly $200.  I'm sure you're not surprised to read that I took my placemat and ran.  Fast.  Then I tucked the placemat away and let my dream die...err, hibernate, rather.

Fast forward to present day.

I snagged the below print from my mom before she added it to her garage sale pile.  Initially it was in Junebug's room, but oh, Spartans, this print has been repurposed.

I removed the print from the frame and custom cut some matting paper that I picked up from the craft store for $3.   I kept the same cream colored mat that was included with the frame, but the backing mat I purchased is a light brown color.  I used fabric tape to affix my placemat to the mat. 

Here is the finished project in all its glory.  It's not exactly what I had imagined to begin with, but for a project total of $3, who am I to complain?? 

So I custom framed a piece of fabric--for $3 after "the professionals" quoted nearly $200.  I showed them, huh? Spartans think outside the frame, so to speak.

One day I'll learn to take a straight photograph. 

I can finally check this off my long decor "to do" list.  My house will one day be a home!!

What's on your decor to-do list?

Patterned Paper Wreath Tutorial

Good day Spartans!  Today I have the pleasure of sharing instructions for a beautiful patterned paper wreath that a dear friend of mine created.  The creative genius behind this project is Sharon.  Sharon is a newlywed who recently made the move with her husband to Melbourne and we have really enjoyed having them as part of our church family. 

Sharon is a funny gal with a great eye for thrifty decor.  She's super-sweet, slightly sassy, and fashionable to boot.  Sharon shares my love of scrapbook paper--though neither of us are "scrapbookers".  Are there any others of us out there?  Sharon used scrapbook paper in an unconventional way to make this fabulous wreath for less than $5--you'll definitely want to give it a try!

Here's what you'll need:

5 12x12 sheets of scrapbook paper

Hot glue

14" wreath form

Ribbon or fabric for bow

Cut scrapbook paper into 2" x 4" strips.  Being careful not to crease the paper, make a loop of each strip and secure the ends with hot glue.

Glue each loop to the wreath form, working your way down and around the entire form, covering the glued edges by overlapping the loops.  (Picture explains this much better than I can!)

Once your wreath is covered in paper loops, add a pretty bow and hang on your door.  Voila!  How simple and fabulous is that?  Not to mention, only a few inexpensive items needed--now that's how Spartans craft!

Thank you Sharon for "sharin'" your craftiness with us!

If you'd like to share a Spartan craft ($5 or less), please email me at tristinthespartan(at)gmail(dot)com.  I'd love to see what you're creating!



As always, questions and comments are always greatly appreciated!

A "Shabby Chic" Nursery on a budget

Yesterday the Nester had a guest post about decorating a nursery.  I've never shared Elliott's nursery before and was inspired to do so today. 

Please excuse the untouched photos.  It would have taken me forever to edit each one and sheesh-I have a 14-month old and a busy life!  There are cords in the photos and little imperfections-so please overlook them!  Do you live in a perfect home with no cords and perfect lighting?  I didn't think so.  Let's be real, huh?

Let's skip the formalities--kick off your shoes and come on in and take a look!

Remember the mirrors?  I love them. 

The Jenny Lind crib and changing table were a Craigslist find--$35 for both pieces! 

I got all 4 baskets on the changing table for less than $12  at Jo-Ann Fabric.  Boo-yah!  I chose the brown and white crib bumper and skirt because I like the gender neutrality of it.  If ever we have another child and it's a boy, I'll add an apple-green fitted sheet in place of the pink one, stand back, smile, and move onto my next task!

The rocker was a curbside find.  James snatched it up and I had new foam cut and made slipcovers--all for under $40.

Elliott's dresser is my dresser from my childhood furniture.  I have the matching canopy bed waiting in the garage for when she moves out of the crib and into a big-girl bed.  Thanks Mom and Dad for buying me heirloom-quality furniture!

This lamp was one that James' grandfather had in his massive garage.  It belonged to a family member, and now it adds charm and elegance to Elliott's room.  I LOVE this lamp.

This lamp sits on Elliott's dresser.  James' mom made the lampshade with brown and pink ribbon and I found the pink base at Big Lots for $7.  Score!

This plate is actually a piece of Wedgwood China that I picked up at my favorite thrift store for 50 cents.  Doesn't it look like it was made to be hung on a wall?

From what I hear, this canvas was in my Uncle's nursery when he was a baby over 50 years ago.  It's called A Young Hare by Albrecht Durer.  This was actually in a humanities book of mine in college because Albrecht Durer was one of the first artists whose art was reproduced for the masses back in the 16th century.  This canvas is obviously a copy, but it's neat to have something in my daughter's nursery that my granny picked out for her child's nursery--and the fact that it's still around is pretty cool to me.  James hates it and says it's creepy and possessed.  I love it and say it's charming and timeless. 

I picked up these teacups at a local thrift shop for $1 each.  I bought the cups as one pink cup and two purple ones--and a few minutes after I got home from the thrift shop those two purple teacups were magically transformed into one cream and one brown cup with my trigger-finger and some spray paint.  I learned from the Thrifty Decor Chick that you can spray paint anything.  Even ceramics.  So I did it, too.  And it worked.

And what was Elliott doing while I took pictures of her room?  Wrecking it, of course.  I snapped this photo as she was looking over her mess and saying "uh-oh".  Classic.

Mirrors, mirrors, on the wall...

Four or five years ago, I stumbled upon inspiration in a Pottery Barn catalogue.  Well, I constantly find inspiration in their catalogues--but that particular time, I actually followed through.  I clipped the page out of the book and set it aside for quite a while, and in the meantime, collected hand mirrors.  Yes, I collected hand mirrors, because you see, the Pottery Barn catalogue page showed dozens of hand mirrors mounted on to a wall and I fell in love with the idea.   I  bought some mirrors at thrift stores and antique shops here and there, never paying more than $3 or $4 for each mirror.  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law picked up several for me, too.  Fancy pretty ones.  Way nicer that the ones I bought.

After all that collecting, I didn't have the guts to put up hand mirrors anywhere on my walls.  It just seemed way too feminine to have in my bedroom or our living rooms.  So those beautiful mirrors sat aside and collected dust.  But that inspiration stayed in the back of my mind.

So when I found out I was having a baby girl, I knew exactly what to do with those mirrors.  Why, put them in my sweet Elliott's room, of course!  I shuffled the mirrors around on a large sheet of mailing paper until I found the arrangement I wanted, traced the mirrors and then taped the "template" to the wall.  My husband screwed holes where I had them marked according to the template.  I used small plate hangers to attach the mirrors to the wall. 

So with a few bucks and some inspiration, look what we accomplished:

Aren't they gorgeous?  And isn't she gorgeous?

Plates. This post is about plates. Wanna make something of it?

So, I wanted a cute play on words for my title--something like "Sliding into home plate" or something like that, but it seemed too cheesy--so I took the road less traveled.  Wanna make something of it? Can you tell I'm feeling a bit sassy?

I learned from the Nester that practically anything can go on your walls.  An old door.  Plates.  Shutters.  Whatever.  While I haven't been brave enough to ask James if we can tack a door onto the wall, I have added many plates to our bare and undecorated walls.  I found a few at thrift shops and some in the clearance racks of my favorite stores.  Putting plates on the wall is cheap, pretty, and unique--perfect for a Spartan like me.

Here are the cool plates I have added to our walls so far:

Everyone wants a cow with butcher markings on it in their kitchen, right?

This grouping is in my dining room, as are these:

These plates were $3.50 each at World Market and the plate rack was $3.99 at Goodwill.  Boo-yah!

These plates were $1.25 each at a Marshalls going out-of-business sale.  I have considered filling the inside square in with chalkboard paint like some plates I saw at Pottery Barn a long while ago, but we'll see if I ever get to that...

Have plates on your walls?  Suggestions?  Please leave a comment!

Sewing on Saturday

Today I made a dress for Elliott out of napkins. For real--napkins--and some old ribbon I had in my gift wrap drawer.  Today she wore those napkins proudly like the classy little lady she is!  Here's the finished product:

I traced a dress Elliott currently wears and adjusted the measurements a bit to create the shape and winged it from there.  (I am happy to report that the whole process, start to finish, took about 45 minutes.  A great nap time project!)  I may eventually make a tutorial for those of you who have extra napkins lying about. Yay!

A few weeks ago, Jessica from Sew Homegrown shared how she uses spools to organize her daughter's pony tail holders.  Brilliant, right?  I made a barrette organizer for Elliott's hair clips a while back, and am now re-thinking the design--in an effort to include mounted spools for pony tail holder organization.  Here's what I made:

It's simply an old frame (that I spray painted) with the glass removed and the insert is wrapped in fabric and quilt batting.  I added some thick ribbons running vertically before securing the frame's insert, and I won't lie--the vertical ribbons are affixed with duct tape (a girl's best friend).  This was a very simple, cheap and quick project and it really has kept us organized. 

By using a flatter and wider frame, you could attach spools along the bottom of the frame (or anywhere, really) and utilize both organizing techniques in one.  Maybe I'll get motivated to do that soon!

Any other clip/barrette/pony tail holder organization tips/ideas/suggestions?

Hang it up!

While I have grown to love my home, an area of concern for me has always been my entryway (or lack thereof).  When my guests come over, there is very little area for reception and welcoming, so they quickly make a dash for the living room and typically purses, coats, and keys follow them to that area.  I knew something needed to be done in order to accomodate my guests' personal effects.  Here is my simple solution:

And here's what it looks like with things on it (if you were unable to visualize it):

Yep.  It's just some hooks I bought for a few bucks and frames with the glass and backing removed and discarded.  The project total was $18.  The frames prevent the keys from scratching the walls, so they do serve a purpose while looking glamorous.  I used an anchor that could support 50 lbs. for the each of the hooks in order to accomodate the heavy bags that most of the women I know seem to carry.

Now to tackle the problem of shoes at the doorway...