Re-pillowing (with video tutorial)

This is a good look -- if I may say so.

But, when we have guests over, they sometimes look around, like a deer in the headlights, for a place to sit.

I have to admit, with all those pillows, my sofa looks a little...well...complicated.

 

I decided to go for a cleaner look when I found this yard of fabric for around $5.  Jealous?  

I love the fabric with the rug -- the only real color or pattern in the room.

Using a queen sized down bed pillow I found at the "Maxx" for $14.99 and a scrap of bronze colored silk for trim, this ginormous pillow cost me around 20 smackers....what a deal!

Making the awesome trim is easy even if explaining it isn't.  

I cut 2-1/2" strips of silk 3 times as long as the length of trim I need when finished.  What on earth did I just say?  Let's try that again...

Say I need 1 yard of trim.  I would cut strips of fabric 2-1/2" wide and would need 3 yards of it when stitched end to end.  I hope that's better.

I fold the strip in half and stitch down the center, sewing little tucks in as I go. 

Grab some popcorn and watch the video for details.  

It's my first so I hope you enjoy it!!!

Once you get the hang of it, this goes really fast.  I was able to make enough trim for my pillow in about 10 minutes.  

Now you have the perfect 5/8" pleated trim with a perfect 5/8" flang for stitching.

Here's the new look...

Kick your shoes off, and sit a spell...

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I'm partying with these fun ladies...


*Under the Table and Dreaming*Show and Tell Friday - My Romantic Home
*Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest
The Friday Flair - Whipper Berry
Remodelaholic Friday - Remodelaholic
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage
Feature Yourself Friday - Fingerprints on the Fridge
Flaunt It Friday - Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

A Little Knick Knack 

*Saturday Nite Special - Funky Junk Interiors

*Weekend Wrap Up Party - Tatertots and Jello

Saturday Spotlight - Craft Envy
 Be Different Act Normal
A Little Lovely
Along for the Ride
 Passion for Paint

If you enjoyed this post (and, gosh, I hope you did) please BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Before & After Mantle

 Our mantle has looked just like this for almost two years.

Just. Like. This.

Before

Except for the occasional dusting (and a 3 week Christmas break) nothing has been moved an inch.  I'm bad to leave things in one spot way too long.

I will say I think I'm getting better about it.  For one thing, nosing around other people's houses via their blog can be very inspiring.  Staging pictures for my own blog forces me to try new things, too.

Finally, I made some changes to the mantle. 

After

 

Which do you like best?

Please, please, please don't say you like the "before" mantle best -- unless you really mean it.  I don't want to have to change it back!

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If you enjoyed this post (and, gosh, I hope you did) please BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Want a tour of the living room?

Here we are -- right inside the entry. Wow, is this a totally different picture from the first time I saw it.  It was disgusting (Dang, where are those "before" pictures?) but I was completely smitten anyway.  The floors were covered with orange indoor/outdoor carpet.  Not that I don't just loooooove indoor/outdoor ...doesn't everyone? What the heck were they thinking?  There were heart pine floors underneath it!  And then there was the celotex ceiling, the poured concrete hearth covered with 40 pounds of bird poop, the lovely fake wood paneling on the walls, and the 1970ish style trim -- I guess I forgot to mention the front of the house had a fire and suffered a remodel in 1968.  Anyway, here's a boatload of pictures.  See what you think of the after...   

I painted the fireplace, built up the mantel with trim and, after busting up the concrete, 
added stone to the hearth.

The paintings are mine. Did I mention that I paint?

I'll do a tutorial for the screen in a later post...

The coffee table was a $7.95 find from goodwill...

This is my desk.  My files are in the basket under the desk.  Of course, I have to stand on my head to get to them but it's cute....and cute counts, right?

My office supplies and printer are hidden away in the  antique piece behind the chair.  It was a stereo cabinet in a earlier life!

Most everything in the room I either  A) recovered and repainted or B) still need to recover and repaint...

*To see the parties I link to and to join in the fun, CLICK HERE!

If you enjoyed this post (and, gosh, I hope you did) please BECOME A FOLLOWER!