{DIY Idea} Petal Pillow

This DIY project idea comes courtesy of  Do It Yourself Magazine.  I saw this pillow and just thought it was so cute.  It would be a fun way to spruce up your sofa or bed and I think anyone could do it!  Here are the step by step instructions from DIY mag:

Step #1:

What you’ll need:
Plate
Felt
Tailor’s chalk
Rotary pinking cutter
Cutting mat
Needle and thread
Pillow

Get Started
1. Using a plate as a template, trace a circle on a felt piece with tailor’s chalk.

Step # 2:

From the outside edge, draw a 2-inch-wide spiral into the center of the circle.

Step # 3:

On a cutting mat, cut along the line with a rotary pinking cutter. Careful! The cutter is sharp.

 

Step # 4:

To start your flower, fold the circular center of the spiral up and over. Secure the base with several hand-sewn stitches in a matching thread.

Step # 5:

Complete several inches of running stitch along the spiral. Holding the thread, gather your fabric and secure it to the flower’s center. Continue stitching, gathering, and securing until you have a rose. Finish with a simple whipstitch, and trim off the leftover felt.

Step # 6:
Repeat Steps 1 through 5 to construct a second, smaller rose from your trimmed leftover felt. Secure the felt roses to the pillow.

Step # 7:

For the stem and leaves, hand-stitch small wood beads to your pillow fabric.

DIY Tip: Save time -- and your fingers -- by hot-gluing a strand of fun beads to the pillow. A simple running stitch of embroidery floss or pearl cotton is a great alternative to beads.

And there you have it!  A cute, cheap pillow to give your home some fresh color during the winter.  Now, you may be thinking that I am a bad blogger because these are not my own pictures and I haven't actually done this craft myself but I am here to say that if I had more time before Christmas, I would definitely be trying this cute pillow!  Unfortunately I still have to clean my house for company and finish my shopping and wrapping presents.  So for those of you that are WAY ahead of me, you can try this project this week.  But I'm guessing most of us will have to put this in our DIY files and pull it out another day.  I think that is totally acceptable and I still want to be able to share fun DIY projects with you every week, even if I have no time to do them myself right now.  Someday I will!! 

{Weekend Update}

This weekend was very busy, but great.  We celebrated an early Christmas with my husband's family and got to enjoy making homemade ravioli with the family, playing games, and just relaxing and laughing together.  I love this time of year.

We also celebrated my grandma's birthday on Sunday with a huge bunch of us from my side of the family.  We snacked and ate ice cream cake which I love!

In between all the gathering madness, we've been working hard on my new website and blog makeover.  I am so excited to be able to share this with you all very soon!  My extraordinary programming husband has been working extra hard to get this launched soon!  I am so looking forward to starting this new online interior design business.  It's definitely a dream coming true and will hopefully be the perfect arrangement for us in the future.  I hope to share a few sneak peeks with you this week so keep coming back this week! :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are starting your (short) week off right today!

Image from House and Home.

{Get This Look} A Touch of Wallpaper

I've posted before about wallpaper and how it is really coming back big these days.  In my opinion it still must be used with care and in small doses and in a more modern print that the typical florals of the past.  So with that being said, here are a few examples of ways to use wallpaper sparingly in your home.

 This image shows wallpaper as the focal point of the room behind the fireplace.  Any more of this paper and it would feel too overwhelming, but this amount is perfect.  I love it tied in with the solid upholstered chairs and ottomans.

 

 This room has a dash of wallpaper on the ceiling.  I love this idea.  Keeping the walls bare and light keeps this room from feeling heavy.  Notice that the bed linens, pillows and curtains are not coordinated in the same pattern, nor should they ever be. (IMO)

 

This is a great idea for those wallpaper-phobes.  Adding a touch of pattern with wallpaper to the back of buffets, cabinets or bookshelves can be high impact with a low commitment.



Images from House and Home

{Quote of the Week} Happy Friday

 

Happy Friday, friends!  I hope you all have a relaxing weekend coming up.  I know I could use some good sleep and time to finish up my last minute Christmas shopping!  I have some exciting blog changes coming up soon as well as the addition of my business website for Re:fresh Design Studio, so make sure to stay tuned!!!  I can't wait to share it with you all!

{Inspired By}: Etsy Lamps

Found here

Found Here.

Found Here.

Found Here.

Found Here.

Found Here.

I LOVE all of these!  Talk about inspiration for clients!

{Designer Tip} Styling on a Budget

Here are 5 tips that I enjoyed reading from Lonny Magazine:

Images and tips from Lonny Magazine and interior designer, Vanessa De Vargas

{DIY Idea} Stool Update

So I was feeling the urge this weekend to DIY something.  Anything.  Cue lightbulb.  I had some fabric in my basement that was sitting around, I was bored with my kitchen stools...

So I took them apart by taking out the screws and lifting off the cushion.

 

I spread out the fabric on the floor and stapled it on all around the cushions.

 

 I then reassembled the chairs.  All of this took me maybe 30 minutes tops.

 

 I now have a fun punch of pattern on my kitchen stools.  It was a super easy, quick way to jazz up my boring stools with a fun punch of personality!