Hello Cottage Friends,
My Christmas spirit is pretty high this year, and that has overflowed into my decorating. Along with bringing out decor from last Christmas, I've added thrifted, made over, and created decorations to my home. I wanted Christmas pillows for my living room, and after pricing them in retail stores I knew I had to come up with a less expensive way to get the neutral colors I was looking for.
I'd been wanting to try stenciling fabric, and had seen canvas pillows stenciled with chalk paint. I didn't have any canvas in my stash, but I did have drop cloth fabric that I had used to fashion slip covers for the chair pads in my front porch makeover. And I knew that there was plenty of leftover drop cloth to make covers for my living room pillows, and then stencil them to create my own unique Christmas pillows.
On a trip to Hobby Lobby I found Christmas stencils on sale for 50% off. Yes, please.
I sewed covers for the three pillows I wanted to makeover, and then stenciled them with Rustoleum linen white chalk paint.
A funny story about the Merry Christmas pillow. The "e" in Merry was a little touchy and when I lifted the stencil my "Merry" was more of a "Morry". Yikes! MORRY Christmas! What to do? I worked at getting some of the paint off with a Q-tip and water, and some rubbing alcohol. It worked well enough, I think.
Considering that this was my first try at stenciling fabric, I'm pretty happy with the way these Christmas pillows turned out. I'll even embrace the imperfection of my Merry Christmas pillow.
There are always lessons to be learned when we try something new. So I say, celebrate your achievement, no matter how imperfect it is!
I'm working on one more Christmas craft project that I can't wait to show you. It's almost finished.
Hugs,
They're beautiful, Nancy! I think making them allows you to get exactly what you want, at a much better price, with is always better. I've never stenciled with chalk paint on fabric. I think I'm going to put that on my crafty list. Thanks for the tip and Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteOh! Ps- that sofa with the tufted back is just dreamy. Love that look!!
ReplyDeleteNancy, the snow flake pillow covers are a great continuation of the snow flakes made from paper! They look great on the love seat and chair, and the snow flake ones can stay out as long as you enjoy seeing them even when Christmas season is winding down. It does pay to have extra cloth about for unknown upcoming projects. We'll be watching for your next "installment" of Christmas decorating. Lynn and Precious XX
ReplyDeleteI do have a theme going this year, it seems. Snowflakes! I did think about a design for the Thanks for visiting. Lynn (and Precious) :).
DeleteLook at you with your crafty self! They are beautiful. Happy Thursday. Enjoy the day. xoxo
ReplyDeleteLove the pillows Nandy! I see dropcloth projects here and there, and I love the look of it! I did have a dropcloth but now have lost it in the depths of my garage.. so keep meaning to get another one, in case I have a whim to make something over (which I rarely do). Your stenciling is great! I used to stencil onto fabric years and years ago, mostly pillows and loved doing it. In fact I think I still have those same folk artsy stencils (somehwere in my craft room)!!!! Take care and enjoy the rest of the week. The time is going too fast.... xoxo Marilyn
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marilyn. I remember back in the 80's when everyone it seemed was stenciling borders around the kitchen, etc. I never got into it then. Just seemed like too much work for me. But small projects like this I can definitely handle. :) Drop cloths are so cheap. I think I paid $8 for mine at Walmart (now they're almost $10. Inflation. Boo!) You can find them everywhere, of course, and Harbor Freight still has them at the $8 price. I have another project that I want to work on this next year that will include drop cloths and stencil. So, this was a sort of practice for me. You're right. The time is going too fast! Hugs.
DeleteLove your pillows. I am amazed at how well the white shows up on the natural color of the drop cloth. They are stunning, great job!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea Nancy, they look awesome, and the neutral shades are exactly what I like. I have added more color in the living room since ditching the 'shabby chic' white slip covers etc. when we bought a new grey sofa and I added shades of blue. Must admit I miss that crisp white/cream look though and, but for Bob, would have kept it most likely!
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays, may Christmas be full of blessings, and the New Year much better than this one has been.
Hugs, Mary
Very cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deanna! xx
DeleteI love your pillows! I haven't tried stenciling but now I think I might try. Have a wonderful Christmas - a 'Morry' Christmas, dear friend.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
They are beautiful Nancy.
ReplyDeleteThey are just so darn cute. Perfect paint job.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. xx
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