I'm back!

It has been a while.

pic taken by Walt

When we lived in Boston I used this blog as a way to keep my Mom up on all my creative stuff.  It was easier to get her advice when she knew exactly what I was thinking. :)  When we moved down the road from her....blogging just felt very "look at me".  But now...I don't care.  I miss it and it is a great way to keep track of all the things I have done..how things have changed...and to laugh at myself.  I was looking back at some of my first sewing projects from a few years ago and I can't believe how much I have learned and how much better I could do it now.  I am still proud of them but boy did I like to do things the hard way.

Anywho.  My third go at blogging.  Here goes!

Let's start small.  Small pillows that is.  I am so excited about these pillows for two reasons.  I have wanted some leopard print in my life for a long time.  It's hard to settle on just any leopard print when I know this exists:

via

Honestly...it has been a roadblock.  (Second reason I'm excited...through the road block!)

The other day I was browsing the remnant table at our local fabric store and found two 17"x17" samples of leopard print for $1 each.  (!!!)  I loved the print immediately and I couldn't wait to get home and make a pillow.  On the drive home I decided I wanted two pillows.  I needed to make these little remnants WORK for me. I had been waiting a long time. Luckily, I had a large remnant of black dupioni silk that I scored on sale and decided to use it as welt and backing.  Boom.

I made two 12"x16" pillows.  I feel like I am growing up a little bit.  Everything use to be COLOR COLOR COLOR! MORE COLOR! MORE COLORRRR!!!  I still like color...I just don't need it everywhere. Also...I guess brown and black and gold still count as color...they just aren't COLOR!

Here is an example of the growth and change I am excited to track on this blog.  A before and after.

COLOR

It's hard to say goodbye to these pillows not because I love them so much but because they are a bunch of firsts that gave me confidence in my sewing.  First welt & first zippers.  I remember the frustration I felt making both and I am happy to say I have learned multiple short cuts and methods to make both easier.  I also have procured some helpful tools along the way.....WHAT WHAT I GOT A WELT FOOT! (Thanks Mom!)

MORE COLOR

Grown up color.

 I think this print is fun fun fun.  The silk welt and backing turned out to look a little more..leathery...than I expected.  I think it is because of the shine.  At first I was afraid it would look tacky but really they just look badass.  Maybe you will feel that way when I up my photog skills.  I'm working on it.  After years of hating it and opting to just apologize over and over I am determined to get better.

Lovely Leopard Print

 Finally, if I knew how to photograph white better...you would see the blue and white pillows are now covered in a very feminine pillowcase I bought at Ikea.  The center has adorable vertical pin tucks and the sides have small, cute ruffles.  Leopard and ruffles.  Yes, please.

If anyone is still out there say hey!

Made by Me Monday

This New Years I committed to being a committed blogger.  So far so good.  I am loving equally the inspiration I have found in all the blogs I have discovered and the motivation writing has given me to do more creative things.  Riding that inspiration and motivation I have decided to step it up a notch and commit to a weekly installment....I made it Monday....or Made by Me Monday....or something else.  Which do you think?  Made by Em Monday.  Hmm.  This week it is "I made it Monday" and I will commit to a name by next Monday.  My goal is to have a new project to post every Monday...big or small.

This weekend I made my first bolster pillow.  I saw this tutorial on Prudent Baby.  Her tutorial made it so easy and gave me confidence as I went along.  Bet you can't guess what was playing on Pandora while I made this.  Jay Z, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell.  I think that it's reflected in the color choice.....  Ok. So I saw the tutorial and gave myself the same encouraging pep talk that I gave before taking on the pelmet box.  Basically: Cheap.  Do it cheap.  Just in case.  

Notes:  

-The three fabrics were three dishtowels I got on clearance at Target.  $5.  Sweet deal.  I didn't even have to worry about matching colors...which I am working tirelessly on building up my confidence in....because they came as a set.  

-The tutorial called for two bags of Polyfil.  I was highly skeptical. The entire two bags fit in that thing.  I was stunned.  

-It is 23x9 incase you are wondering.  

-I skipped doing the cording because I discovered I don't have a zipper foot.  Must get one.  

-Also, I didn't do the decorative stitching.  I don't have that focus.  

Does anyone know if there are ways to reduce the lumpiness of the polyfil?  I worked on it before I closed it up but I think it could use some more de-lumping.  

I have my eye out for some low cost white pillow shams.  If anyone has suggestions about places to look...let me know!