Trash to Treasure Tuesday—Pillow Talk

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…

I sewed something.

Seriously. I didn’t even have to use my new seam ripper.

It all started at the Goodwill store. All good stories do, don’t they? I found this pretty red wool sweater.

It is a medium and I’m NOT a medium, so I thought PILLOW.

Yep, P.I.L.L.O.W.

You see, I have been dreaming lately about felted wool, and since I’m a graduate of “You Can Never Have Too Many Pillows University”, I wanted to felt wool AND make pillows.

So I washed the sweater and threw it in the dryer. “Cuz I recently learned that that’s how you felt wool. It made me feel all nervous inside, ‘cuz I usually follow those “dry clean only” instructions.

I already had this pillow filler thingy.

Next, I went to JoAnn’s and bought some fake linen fabric. I found it in the “red tag section.” You know, that fabric not cool enough to be in the front of the store.

I got out my new sewing machine, and looked up a pillow cover tutorial that I’d seen on All Things Thrifty.

I sewed my FIRST hem. (if you shake your head real fast while you’re looking it won’t look crooked)

The tutorial is for an envelope style pillow cover (perfect for those of us who aren’t ready for zippers), so the finished cover looked like this from the back.

I found some clip art flower shapes, enlarged them and cut them out to use for patterns.

I pinned the paper flower patterns on the sweater and cut out the felted wool daisies. Embroidery floss and a button secured them to the pillow cover quite nicely.

I am so stinkin’ PROUD of myself, I can’t stand it.

THIS. WAS. FUN. I can’t wait to sew more.

I might make another tomorrow.

I’m so excited for our FIRST TRASH TO TREASURE TUESDAY PARTY of 2010!

Please remember our two simple rules:

1. Please link to your Trash to Treasure post, not to your blog’s home page.
2. Please link back to REINVENTED in your post.

Link up!

This post is linked to Kimba’s DIY party, Thrify Decor Chick's Before and After Party, Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog, and It's So Very Creative at It's So Very Cheri.

How Do You Do Winter?

Look out world, I’m rested, recharged and READY for 2010.

And broke. And bloated. And bleary-eyed.

After all of the excess of the month of December, I’m always craving the simplicity of LESS in January. Less spending, less travelling, even less COOKIES.

All that said, I think that WINTER is a season to be celebrated. Winter is beautiful (just don’t ask me about this in March, when I’ll be singin’ a different tune).

I LOVE to add touches of winter to our home, but unfortunately I can’t bring that pretty, sparkly snow inside.

Thank goodness for the fake stuff.

Here are my ideas for adding the beauty of winter INSIDE.

Don’t put away those snowman ornaments just yet. Add them to your apothecary jar. Just for the record, I did NOT cut the heads off of these poor guys, I got these cuties for FREE and their bodies were nowhere in sight. I used some fake snow from Hobby Lobby in the bottom. Love those red earmuffs.

Epsom Salt also works fabulously as fake snow. This bag was $3.49.

Add some epsom salt to beautiful aqua ball jars. Drop in tea light candles. It looks like candles burning in the snow. So pretty. (this idea came from The Inspired Room)

Place them next to the bathtub, under that old window that you blogged about, but still haven’t figured out how to accessorize. (Oh, sorry, maybe that’s just me)

There’s nothing better than a hot bath when it’s cold outside.

Remember this burlap covered canvas in the $25 powder room?

Three cute metal snowflake ornaments add a touch of winter beauty.

I changed my monogrammed front door from FESTIVE

To CALM and WINTERY

Even the monogrammed mantle got a flake (sorry, I got a thing for “B”s.

The other end of the mantle got a few more snowmen.

Just a few ways to enjoy winter INSIDE. Where it’s WARM. And there’s hot chocolate.

Just NOT cookies.

How do YOU do winter?

(REMEMBER, TRASH TO TREASURE TUESDAY IS BACK TOMORROW!)

This post is linked to Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Long Winter’s Nap

Just in case you were wondering, I haven’t fallen of the face of the earth.

Where have I been?

Celebrating our Savior’s birth

Giving (my favorite part, really) and receiving fabulous gifts.

Celebrating some more.

Driving “over the river and through the woods…”

Celebrating some more.

Yesterday I went back to work for 12 hours, and last night I slept for 12 hours. 

Seriously.  Doesn’t anyone else NEED to do that occasionally?

I hope that you all had a fabulous and Merry Christmas and are planning a New Year celebration that suits you just fine.

Okay, enough with the pleasantries.

Even though I LOVE giving gifts, I can’t help but share what Santa brought me!

Look!

Yay!  It’s not a fancy model, but just enough to get me (and you, by association) in to ALL SORTS OF DECORATING TROUBLE.

I can’t wait, but I’m keeping my tube of fabric glue, JUST. IN. CASE.

Have a great Tuesday, and remember Trash to Treasure Tuesday starts up again NEXT WEEK!

Trash to Treasure Round-Up

 

Hi everyone, how’s it going?  Is your shopping done?

Me neither. 

Cookies baked?

Nope.

Gifts Wrapped?

I have started…

 

Are you enjoying this wonderful season?

Me too.

 

So is Archie.  He is feeling GREAT, despite the bland, low residue diet we’re feeding him, and sends his appreciation for all of the get well wishes you all sent on Thursday.

Yes, my dog can READ.  He really likes Highlights.

 

Anyway, there have been some REALLY COOL  projects linked up to Trash to Treasure Tuesday the past two weeks.  I have a few here to share, but please check out as many as you can!

 

You all know how much I LOVE a monogram and polka dots, so I just couldn’t resist these adorable ornaments from  Embellished Bayou.  I’m pretty sure these letters were painted on free hand.  Wow. 

 

Holly at Homebody made this fabulous recipe holder from a thrift store fork, some fabric and a frame.  I.  LOVE.  THIS.  Just imagine all of the personalization possibilities and oodles of beautiful fabric choices.

 

 

This canvas Bible verse art, from The Persimmon Perch, is a FABULOUS interpretation of expensive word art.  I’m wishing I would’ve seen this in time to make some for gifts.  Directions are included, just click on the link above.

Finally, check out these beautiful lettery, glittery stocking holders from Livin the Simple Life.  Just in case you’re interested, and I think you might be now, I saw Martha Stewart’s tinsel glitter on clearance at Michael’s today. 

If it’s okay with all of you, we’re going to take a couple of weeks off from Trash to Treasure Tuesday for the holidays and resume on Tuesday, January 5th.  Save up your projects and we’ll make the first party of 2010 the BEST EVER!

Must. go. wrap. presents.

Random Inspiring Internet Ideas

 

Whew, it’s been a STRESSFUL couple of days.

First, the good news.  I lost THREE pounds.

Now I’ll tell you why I couldn’t eat.  Our precious dog, Archie, has been hospitalized with pancreatitis for the past two days.  We brought him home yesterday and are HOPEFUL that he’ll get better. 

It’s no fun explaining to your even more precious children what will have to happen if he doesn’t.  I don’t want to think about it either.

I need some FEEL GOOD pictures today, so I’ll share a few I’ve been saving for JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT.

I want to live in this room.  All that red and white…swoon.  just love it.  (picture found on Restyled Home)  Do you think that’s a puff ball garland?  I wonder if you could make that with cotton balls…smile.

Lovin’ this ornament garland too.  How fabulous on a mantle.  (I can’t remember where I found this, if you know, leave it in the comments, please!)

 

This one’s from Better Homes and Gardens.  No one ever closes drawers at my house, anyway, I should just add some ornaments to them.  Wrapping paper in boots?  Genius.

 

 

Buckets instead of stockings.  This is fantastically fabulous.  How cool for a fireplaceless house.  (also from bhg)

Must go stuff another pill down the dog’s throat.  If you haven’t tried this, you haven’t lived.

Have a great weekend everyone.  I’m hoping to feature some Trash to Treasure highlights on Monday.

Use What You Have Ornaments

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Trash to Treasure Tuesday here at REINVENTED. We’ve had a lot of fun over the past few months sharing our projects, so I wanted to say THANK YOU to all of the fabulous bloggers that share their creativity with us each week.

And, now for a project from me.

I entered Blissfully Domestic’s Fall Tour of Homes this year, and because I was one of the first 50 entries, I got an Glade Apple Cinnamon candle in the mail.

You’re right, the candle doesn’t have anything to do with Trash to Treasure, but the packaging sure does.

Check out that fabulous curly paper. THIS kind of packaging I just couldn’t throw in the recycling bin.

So I stuffed it in a plain glass ornament from Hobby Lobby, like this.

I added a rub-on monogram and a ribbon and it looks like this.

My apologies for the picture quality, it was almost impossible, as you can see to get a good shot, but I loooove the folded and crinkled paper inside the ornament. You could get the same look with leftover curling ribbon pieces.

OR those pieces of leftover wrapping paper that are too small to wrap another gift. Just cut into strips, fold them up accordion style and stuff them in.

You could also put leftover “snow” inside.

Kosher salt and Epsom salts work great for fake snow.

If you have a kitchen tree, add interesting spices, like cloves, or bay leaves to an empty ornament.

Or basil or parsley.

Or colored sugar, M&M’s, or other cookie decorating items.

Oh my, the possibilities are really endless, the cost is only for the clear ornaments, if you use fillers you already have, and I have a feeling these craft ornaments are gonna get really cheap in the next couple of weeks.

Link up your projects! Please don’t forget our TWO SIMPLE RULES

1. 1. Link up to your project post, not to your blog’s home page.
2. 2. Include a link back to REINVENTED in your post.

Have a great day!

Home Tour at Nesting Place

Oh, how I love a party at the Nester's house. Or, I THINK I would like a party at the Nester’s house, and if I lived in her neighborhood, I’m sure I’d be invited.

I’ll settle for an invite to her Tour of Homes Christmas party.

EVERYONE is invited and we’re all sharing pics of our holiday decorated homes. This is gonna be SO FUN.

Guess I’ll start with my F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. holiday decor item, the Christmas tree. We drive out to a tree farm every year and cut down our own tree. This year my twelve year old son cut it down for the first time. With supervision, of course.

We’ve had plenty of sitcom worthy adventures on this trip to the Christmas tree farm. Like the time our tree fell off of our vehicle and bounced down the road behind us. I was 8.5 months pregnant, and did NOT think this was funny at the time.

Yes, I made him go back and get it.

And rinse it off before he brought it in the house.

As you can probably tell, our tree has no theme. The Nester says thats okay. We have a mixture of homemade ornaments and family heirlooms, along with the new ones I can’t resist each year. The tree skirt I made out of felt, and for several years I made the kids cover their palms in paint and press them on. Then they got big and uncooperative. That’s why there’s only three years of hand prints. It has NOTHING to do with me being unable to keep up a tradition…

I like to have a new dated ornament each year, but those can get kinda pricey and sometimes they’re ugly, so I just buy one I like and write the year on with a silver paint pen.

My taste can change A LOT from one year to the next.

I like ornaments so much, I use them wherever I can.

I filled my glass jar on the kitchen island. I just can’t get enough of the sparkle.

These came from the Dollar tree. I added some ribbon and clippings from our tree, all in my wooden pedestal bowl in the foyer.

This plate is also in the foyer, on top of the bookcase, next to the bowl. I added rub on letters and puffy paint dots for the season. In January, I’ll just scrape them off.

Above the bookcase, still in the foyer, I’ve added our folk art Nativity to a narrow shelf, beneath some more canvas drop cloth art that I stenciled.

My kids look forward to placing the Baby Jesus in the manger after Mass on Christmas Eve.

You’ve seen my five dollar dining room centerpiece, but today I’m happy to announce that the dining room table is actually CLEAN.

Then there’s the canvas and scrap paper wall art I made for over the couch. I’m still in love with this.

And it’s been a whole week.

If you’d like to see the decorating I did above our kitchen cabinets with just a roll of wrapping paper, look here.

Thanks so much for stopping by. If this was your first visit, then PLEASE come back sometime.

I wish for you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and joyous season and a Merry Christmas.

Also linking with Sarah at Thrify Decor Chick!