BIRD PILLOW and MORE

I've been working on lots of pillows.  Some are finished and some are in the works.  Below is the bird pillow I spoke about in my previous post.  The bird is from the Graphics Fairy - printed, cut out, and ironed onto script background fabric that is described more below.  

Below is a  sampling of some other pillow tops that are sitting in my sewing room - waiting to be assembled.

 Another hare on burlap . . .

an "old" pumpkin label on burlap - perfect for Fall and Halloween . . .

 . . . a large crown on burlap . . .

 . . . a nest and bird on burlap . . .

 . . . and a small little hare on canvas.

All of the graphics are from - who else but the Graphics Fairy! 

The burlap bag with fabric roses is also in progress.  It was a frustrating sewing day, with broken needles and a lot of mistakes which led to a lot of seam ripping.  But, below are the fabrics that make up the bag.

 

 A Waverly fabric with French script.

 The fabric roses made of a green linen. . .

  . . . and the burlap in the background.

Will I ever run out of burlap? 

NEST PILLOW

Out of the three projects described yesterday, I decided to make a NEST PILLOW first.  The first step is to put the design onto a word document.  You'll want to fit as much as you can onto the document - so think ahead to future projects.  This transfer paper (TAP) runs about $2.50 a sheet so you want to make the best use of every inch.  I got enough on my sheet to make 2 Nest Pillows, 2 crowns for the collage idea on the bird pillow, and 2 labels for identifying the Brown Thrasher.  

REMEMBER TO REVERSE YOUR LETTERS 

or it will iron on in reverse and you will have wasted a whole sheet.  

I know.  I've done it.  

Here's what I sent to my printer:

I know it's small, but I wanted to show how you can fit everything onto one sheet.  So - you get the idea . . .

I used a font called "The King and Queen".  I downloaded it free from here.  It's a great font - big and swirly, and a little funky, with great capital letters that have all sorts of big curls.  After it's printed out, cut the pieces you want to use really close to the design - and remember - it's been printed in reverse so it'll iron on correctly.  The closer you can get to just the design area when you cut, the less chance for any of the plain, unused transfer paper to show on your fabric - since the plain areas can have a bit of shine, especially if you're using a darker cloth.

 

After it's ironed on, then you put it together like any pillow - right sides together, sew about 5/8" all around leaving about a 5" opening on the bottom seam for stuffing.  After it's stuffed, just hand sew the opening closed.  Since I am filling this with fiberfill, instead of a pillow form, there's no need for a closure of any kind. 

 The nest and bird are from the Graphics Fairy.  You could scroll through her graphics for hours - it's never-ending!

I worked on about four other pillows which aren't sewn together yet - so those will be for another day.

But, here is just a little peek at another hare pillow.  After talking to my mom this afternoon (who is a great fan of hares in every shape and form) I knew she needed a European Hare Pillow of her own. I thought the burlap might be a little too nubby and casual for her home - so hers is on a very pale blue handkerchief linen.  

(If you'd rather have burlap, mom, I could make that!)

But, for now, it's getting late . . . and I'm tired.

Tomorrow's another day!

(It's also going to be a day for a bag with burlap roses!)

BURLAP ROSES, NESTS, AND BIRDS

Burlap roses, nests, and birds are everywhere.  They are popular motifs for pillows, bags, and all kinds of decorative items.  So, today I am going to start working on three things.  One with a burlap rose, one with a nest motif, and one with a bird.

First, some inspiration . . .

Nancy is an extremely creative blogger friend of mine and
has a great tutorial on this burlap bag:


Next, Pottery Barn once sold a beautiful "Nest Sentiment" lumbar pillow on their site for $49.  However, it is no longer available.  Hmmmm . . .

and last but not least . . . for the birds . . .

This first bird pillow is sold at Pottery Barn.

I would like to use a printout of one of my bird paintings for the pillow - probably my Brown Thrasher.  I painted him from a photo in a magazine I saw while sitting in a waiting room somewhere a while back.  The painting is in my Etsy shop, but why not get a little more mileage out of him?

Brown Thrasher from Birds and Blooms Magazine

This one is pretty too - I like the collage effect with the typography and crown in the background.

So that is my day.  I wouldn't be able to even THINK about doing any of this if I was still in the classroom.  I can't even describe how wonderful it feels to be able to make things to my heart's content!

 And yes, I am working on recovering the bergere chair I spoke about a few days ago.  However, our dinner party has been postponed for a bit.  Therefore, with the pressure off, it's on the back burner.  It IS sitting in my living room though - in a state of unfinishedness.  


This will get to me.  


Soon.

A PILLOW AND INSPIRATION

What a perfect day!  

I got a great kid-fix first thing this morning by reading to the 3 and 4 year olds at school.  Such enthusiasm oozes out of those little bodies!  If you ever want to lift your spirits, go volunteer at your local school.  Kids' zeal for life is contagious!  You can also have some very . . . interesting "conversations" with three year olds.   For example, one that transpired during our story about a lost mouse toy (names have been changed to protect the innocent):

Me:  "Where do you think the little mouse is hiding, Scott?"

Scott (3 years old) with hand in the air:  "I think my Grandma Mary is picking me up tonight . . ."

Me:  "Oh, I see.  But, where do you think the mouse might be?"

Scott:  " . . . or maybe it's my Grandma Joan . . . "

Me: "Do you think the mouse is in the barn?"

Scott: "No, it couldn't be Grandma Joan . . ."

etcetera . . . . 

Can't help but love them!

Anyway, then I came home and spent my time with Norma.  Then began to work on a pillow using some of that burlap which has taken over my house.  I used a graphic from the Graphics Fairy again.  This is one I keep going back to and finally figured out how I wanted to use it.  I started with Lesley Riley's Transfer Artist Paper.  You run it right through the printer and then, after cutting close to the edge of the design, just iron it on to your background fabric.  Remember to reverse any words you may be printing so they are readable when you iron them on.  This paper doesn't leave the "plastic-like shine" so many t-shirt transfer papers do.  It's a little more expensive - but worth it!

 Love the nubby-ness of burlap!

Then I rummaged through my Great Aunt Pearl's button box.  I inherited some beautiful, old buttons from her!

 These are the buttons I chose for the back closure of the pillow.  Mother-of-Pearl with a metal loop shank on the back.  They don't make them like this anymore!

 And a little decorative rectangle of fabric sewn under one of the buttons so the back isn't totally boring.

These close-ups show how this transfer paper picks up even small details.  And see, no shine!  If you've ever worked with different transfer papers before, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

 And, after slipping in a store-bought pillow form . . .

 it's finished!

While sewing away, I propped Norma up in the corner (thought she should hear it too) and listened to this for inspiration.  Unless I live to be 100, I  probably don't have enough years left to attain this level - but, a girl can dream . . . and this is Norma's (mine too)!  Imagine that!

This is

MAGNIFICENT!!!

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Today's Creative Blog

REMEMBER

Our family joins with so many others, who are flying the flag of this great country today, and remembering.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
author of Liberty,

to thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
with Freedom's holy light,
protect us by thy might
great God, our King.

MEET NORMA

(In several previous posts (here, and here) I mentioned that I have four goals in mind upon my retirement from the classroom.  One of those goals started coming to life last Friday afternoon.)

So . . .

Who's Norma, you ask?  Well, let me introduce you to her.  

I was told by a musician I know, that it's only right to name your instrument.  She looked like a Norma to me, so Norma she is!
Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?!?!

 We had our first little "chat" today.  She's a complicated girl and it's going to take a very long time before I know her well.  But, we'll be spending a little time together every day, probably in the mornings.  I've never met anyone like her.  We don't even speak the same language!

We have a lot of work to do.

So, when I need a break from projects, I'll be working on our "relationship"!

PROJECTS AHEAD

Back in November, I had a post on these 

way too expensive beautiful chairs from Horchow.  

Well.  

THEN, I came across this great bergere chair at Goodwill for a mere $9.99!  

Now, the time is right to work on the chair.  

I work best under pressure.  

We're having some friends over for dinner on Wednesday and 

it's my goal to finish these two projects by then.

In my ongoing plan to lighten up everything in the living room, the next few days will be devoted to working on the blue hutch-like piece in the back, and the Goodwill chair.  

  The bergere chair will be painted with Annie Sloan's Old White and then covered with a light colored linen.  My mission today is to find that fabric.  I'd like to use either an off-white or a very, very pale blue.  I'll have to see what I can find.  There probably used to be a back cushion to this chair - it's very deep.  So, I'll need to make one of those also.

The table/shelf/hutch will go from blue to just "Old White".  

I may get distracted with a few other things while working on these, 

but if I don't post for a couple days, you'll know why.  

I'll be working on these fun projects!

IN THE MOOD TO PAINT

After dipping a brush in the paint can for awhile yesterday (while painting my cupboard), I got in the mood to work on a painting for the living room. 

I LOVE GETTING THIS STUFF OUT!!!  

LOVE IT!

I know it's going to be a great day ahead when my paints, brushes, and a fresh canvas are sitting there, waiting.

Anyway.

Once the old cupboard left the room, I rearranged things a bit, and there was the perfect spot for a new painting.   I wanted to do a painting in the style of a French painter I like.   That style is very free-form, flowing, and impressionistic, with just the suggestion of flowers.  Mine is set against a meadowy and blue sky background, with pink and white flowers.  

First some close-ups of different sections of the painting, because you can't see the good stuff unless you get close!

 I used a palette knife for the majority of the painting.  I love the nubby texture here and there, and the faint whisks the palette knife leaves behind when you adjust the pressure.

And here it is, right where it belongs!  

Such a relaxing way to spend these beautiful, autumn afternoons!  A little music, some open windows, cool breezes, and my paints and brushes.  

PURE BLISS!

BEFORE AND AFTER CUPBOARD

Yesterday was a busy day.  I emptied this old cupboard out, scrubbed it down, and put a coat of "Old White" chalk paint on everything but the inset area of the doors.  I used a flat gray in that area.  Then I distressed it and used dark Minwax over the whole piece.

 The old cupboard doesn't fit together quite like she used to - I can relate!  It's a comfortable piece, easy-going, not at all pretentious . . . words that describe my favorite people!  

 I love the curves and the simple finish.  Some things get better with age!  :)

 And, yes, I did paint the inside!  

  

                           Before . . .                             . . . After

On to the next project of the day . . .