Toile, Plaids and Checks for Fall

Toiles, plaids and checks in neutral tones are really appealing to me this season.




I sewed a new pillow using some toile rose fabric leftover from a friend and some strips of drop cloth (free fabric and pillow insert I had on hand, so the cost is $0.) I used the strips to surround the squares of toile and it reverses to the same pattern on the back. This pillow may appear in another room at some point because the colour and style would work in most rooms in our home, but for now it is on the rattan chair I slipcovered for in our living room.






The flannel throw is one I made two years ago (for around $25) and occasionally use as a table topper. I love the tans, greys and beiges in the plaids and checks and it is incredibly soft. Just perfect for snuggling on this cool and wet Autumn day.


I'm linking up to some of my favourite parties this weekend...
Air Your Laundry Friday at Freckled Laundry
Under $100 Linky Party at Beyond The Picket Fence
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
White Wednesday at Faded Charm
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

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Toile, Plaids and Checks for Fall

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Apple Pie...Geese Flying By...

We had a great and busy Fall weekend.





I was at the outdoor Milton Farm Museum craft show when it opened early Saturday morning so I could take a quick trip through and still be at our son's beef show in a local town by 10 am. It was a whirlwind tour but I was mostly going for one particular vendor selling wooden Christmas ornaments. Sunday was a dairy show for the same son at the same fall fair as Saturday. Another great day, great people and sunny but cool fall weather. Since it is really starting to feel like fall (I wore my down vests several days this week) I was inspired to hang my Autumn cross stitched piece in the front entry. I hope you enjoy your week ahead!


I'm linking to....
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Potpourri Party at 2805
Fall in Love link party at Modern Country Style

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Apple Pie...Geese Flying By...

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No. 8 Grainsack

While I would love some real grain sack loveliness in our home, for now I made a faux version for our living room.


My sister-in-law and I took a day trip to Ancaster, Ontario and the fabric district of Hamilton this week and we came across an antique shop with a pile of vintage grain sacks. It was lovely to actually hold a real grain sack in my hands (I was surprised by the weight), but at $95 each they were way out of my budget.



I've seen many of these on blogs and decided to make my own faux grainsack pillow using leftover drop cloth fabric, grey craft paint and textile medium, painter's tape, a fine point artist brush and a stiff stencil brush.



The No. 8 was added freehand on a whim (I'm number 7 of 8 kids) and I like the results. I might just have to make a similar table runner for our updated dining room.



A simple envelope back makes the pillow easy to slip off and launder, an important feature with boys who visit barns and a dog who visits my garden. Next time I would go a little lighter with the paint/textile medium but I think the lines will 'wear' a bit in the wash and look even better.



Lovin' our new soft and squishy pillow, made for free with items I already had!


I'm linking with


Air Your Laundry Friday at Freckled Laundry


FeatheredNest Friday at French Country Cottage


Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Also linking to the 'Best DIY Project of August" at Beneath My Heart.

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No. 8 Grainsack

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Pillows for the Porch

Sometimes pretty fabric can brighten up the dullest of days.



It is raining, pouring, and foggy here in southern Ontario. Looks like it won't let up for a few days at least. Since we won't be getting any yard work done, and I'm not up to doing too much yet, I thought I would add a bit of colour to our porch by spending half an hour at the sewing machine and stitching two new envelope back pillow slips for the porch chairs.



I picked up a yard of this fabric for about $4 last summer in the mix intended for the backyard pillows. I re-used last years pillow inserts as they give just enough back support without taking up too much seat space. No beautiful annuals or accessories yet, as it is still too early here, but I am looking forward to fussing with our outdoor areas as the weather warms up.



Not the $60-160 price tag like in the lastest issue of Country Living, but at just under $2 each, I'll keep them! What are you up to this weekend?

 I'm linking up to the parties at:



Jami's Freckled Laundry, Donna's Funky Junk SNS, and Courtney's  French Country Cottage.

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Pillows for the Porch

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Dishmat

On the March Break we went to Mennonite country, Elmira and St. Jacobs Ontario, and I picked up some really thick white hand towels. I had a project in mind at the time.




Deb at Homespun Living shared her dishmat with a link to the tutorial and I knew I wanted to make some for both our home and my sister's home. Dish drainers are fine sometimes, but often we use tea towels on the counter when we wash large plastic containers, glass serving bowls or lunch containers -stuff that just doesn't fit well in a standard dish drainer. I used the fluffy hand towel on one side and a tea towel on the other side. It is really absorbent and super easy to throw in the wash. I love easy sew projects and plan to make more!



I'm sharing this with Air Your Laundry Friday Textile Party at Freckled Laundry.

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Dishmat

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My Quilts ~ Flannel Plaid and Ticking Quilt

The mini makeover in our basement guest bedroom is continuing. I made a whole cloth quilt with a large plaid flannel sheet and backed with a blue and white ticking stripe.



The natural cotton batting is a really nice weight, neither too heavy nor too light and not too lofty.






I've really been working on decluttering and I like the results so far. The night tables have already been changed to a cute pair I picked up at a yard sale last year and painted white. I'll update the photos once I hang the skis (from here).





Changing to white pillows and sheets is something else I plan to do. Currently the sheets are navy and the bedskirt is denim. I love the mixture in my favourite inspiration photo below -frilly white cotton, ticking stripe and blue denim. 





I also really like the landscapes in the photo below, from Country Living. I have collected three so far, but I'm not sure if the room will look too cluttered with a collection of landscapes and a photo gallery.





Lots still to do but it feels fresher already.









What would you do, landscapes, photo gallery or both (it is a large room)?


I'm joining the Handmade Tuesday party at Ladybug Blessings.

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My Quilts ~ Flannel Plaid and Ticking Quilt

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Welcome Autumn!

Welcome  Autumn!

A black frame updated the Autumn cross-stitch I use in the front entry each fall. The green denim fabric was replaced with a simple black 8" x 10" frame. I used a thin piece of quilt batting behind the stitching to give it some softness. I'm still practicing with my new Nikon D3000 so sorry about the shadows. It is tough to take a picture in our small front entry on a rainy day.
Before:



These are the things I love about Autumn...
*fall decor * pumpkins * pumpkin pie * apple pie * sweaters and hoodies * jeans and boots * 

 * colourful leaves * cooler temps * fall fairs * crisp fall mornings * hot chocolate and tea *

* fall in Ontario * cozy throws and quilts * denim jackets * scarves * the smell of wood fires *

* chili, soups and stews * warm muffins * Thanksgiving * craft shows *
I hope you have a wonderful first day of Fall.

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Welcome Autumn!

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Little pin cushion

I've been working on my hobby room for a few months now. I try to find a few minutes each day to finish little projects and find homes for my supplies. It is a slow process, and the cabinets still need to be painted, but it is coming along nicely. 

I like to sew and quilt and have way too many pins for my one very sad little tomato pincushion. While I was sorting through things I came across this little cross stitched piece I made many years ago that needed to be finished off. I thought it would make a cute pincushion. I sewed and stuffed it and now it sits beside my machine. It works so much better than the hard little tomato!



On a recent trip to St. Jacobs, Ontario, I bought this pin cushion pattern and fabric kit to make a watermelon pincushion. We are into weekend 4 of 6 fair weekends so this larger pincushion will be for another day. The little cross stitched piece will work well for now.


P.S. If you are a friend of Pat from Back Porch Musings, and had trouble finding her blog, you will be happy to know that she is now on Typepad. You can find Pat here: http://backporchmusings.typepad.com/

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Little pin cushion

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New Life for Old Art

Simple and inexpensive changes can really update a piece.


This cross-stitched scene of cows in a field has always been a favourite of mine but was neglected to a spot behind the TV because of the dated frame and mat. A few coats of crisp black spray paint updated the green and gold frame.

I used BEHR Premium Plus Ultra Exterior Satin Enamel to change the green mat to a crisp white (I had the paint out to work on a little bench.) I just used thin coats and it covered well. A no cost update as we already had both paints.

This stitching is now hanging in our family room above the fireplace. It is a nice 16" x 20" overall. We still have plans to add trim to spruce up the fireplace/TV wall but I'm really enjoying having this here. I think it adds a nice touch to the farmhouse/lakeside feel we are going for.

I have been happy with only one half of our family room for the last while. I'll make a few changes here and there but it is comfortable and working.


But the other side of the room is more of a challenge because of an off center fireplace, lack of mantel and huge older TV. We got rid of the dated TV/stereo stand and added our antique sideboard with future plans of a flat screen TV. I love wood tones so I don't think we will be painting this piece. Maybe stripping off the finish. I was still frustrated and I didn't even finish the paint in the TV nook (still yellow.) And there's a peek of the stitching hiding behind the TV.



Then I read Donna at Funky Junk Interior's post 'Gitter Done!'. I know it is summer and we are super busy with family things but I realized that I have been spending too much time blog surfing and not enough time on projects here. I decided then that one project at a time was better than being frustrated. Donna encouraged us to:
"1. Make a goal. It can be anything YOU need/want to get done - big or small, DIY or not DIY related.


2. Take a before and after pic. No need to make it a huge production unless that's what you wish to do. Simple is good too! Remember, you have stuff to do! :)"


I bought the linen tablecloths and made curtains to tie all the windows together. I sold the antique secretary that just didn't hold enough and that I had trouble finding a spot for.


Then I sat down and stared at the TV wall to pick one thing I could do to improve that area. The cow stitching was the project I chose. I'm really glad I did! Thanks Donna, for the encouragement to walk away from all the eye candy on the computer and 'Gitter Done'. It is easy to get caught up in other's projects and neglect a few simple ones of our own. I hope to get more done soon. Stop by Funky Junk Interiors Gitter Done Volume 3  or Funky Junk's SNS #52 Frames special, to see what everyone else is up to.










Hoping you are enjoying your week!






I'm also joining in the Boring to Better party over at Savvy Southern Style.

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New Life for Old Art

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