weekend sewing

Happy weekend to you!

pillow cover tutorial

Pillows! My favorite decorating accessories in my home other than photos are pillows, pillows, and way more pillows. Is there really such a thing as too many? Today I'm going to show you how to make a pillow cover. They are so easy and a great idea for people like me who like to switch out their pillows whenever the mood strikes.

You will need the following: fabric for the outside, fabric for the lining (I used a fabric I didn't like because this won't show when you're done), scissors or a rotary trimmer and ruler, tape measure, pins, a pillow, and a sewing machine and thread.

Measure your pillow and cut fabric for the front. The pillow I wanted to cover was 18" square. For seam allowances I added 1.5" to 18" and cut my fabric 19.5" square, which we will call Measurement A. If you are covering a 14" square pillow, cut your fabric to 15.5" square, etc. This square will be the front of your pillow.

Cut the first piece of fabric for the back. You will be cutting two back pieces which will overlap slightly to enclose the pillow like an envelope. Using Measurement A (mine was 19.5") cut your fabric to 3/4 the length of Measurement A. My measurement for this was roughly 15", which we will call Measurement B. You will cut your fabric the length of Measurement A and the width of Measurement B. I cut my fabric 19.5" x 15".

Cut the second piece of fabric for the back. Using Measurement A (mine was 19.5") cut your fabric to 1/2 the length of Measurement A. My measurement for this was roughly 10 inches, which we will call Measurement C. You will cut your fabric the length of Measurement A and the width of Measurement C. I cut my fabric 19.5" x 10". You will now have three pieces of fabric.

Whew! Still with me?

Cut the lining pieces. Using the same dimensions you used for the outer fabric pieces cut the lining pieces. You will have three outer pieces and three lining pieces.

Sew the lining to the outer pieces. With wrong sides together pin each outer piece to its corresponding lining piece and sew around all sides with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Note: This is what happens when you realize that your fabric is just a bit too short for the pillow, and you decide to make it anyway by zigzagging it to the lining hoping that it will hold together. Your fabric pieces should look like the top pieces in the photo and not the bottom pieces. Onward...

Hem the back pieces. When you have sewn the outer pieces and linings together, take your two back pieces to the ironing board. Fold one of the long edges over 1/4" and press. Fold the edge over 1/4" more and press again. Do the same on one long edge of the second back piece.

Sew the hem down on each back piece.

Pin all the pillow pieces together. Lay the pillow front with the lining side down. Lay the biggest back piece on top with the lining face up and the hem facing the middle of the pillow. Pin along the back piece edges. Lay the smaller back piece down with the lining face up and the hem facing the middle of the pillow. Pin the remaining edges making sure to pin through all three layers on the sides.

Sew the pillow together. Using a 1/2" seam allowance sew around the pillow edges backstitching at all the corners and where all three layers meet.

Trim the corners. Be careful not to clip your seams!

Turn right side out.

Pop a pillow in, fluff, and admire your awesome handiwork!

pineapple and strawberries

One of my favorite things about summer is fresh fruit, and this is a super duper easy lunch (or breakfast).

Fresh pineapple + fresh strawberries + cream cheese toast = delish.

christmas in july

Aaaaahhhhh...July. That sweet month of Christmas songs, writing Christmas gift lists, contemplating packaging and Christmas cards. What?!! Am I the only one?

I love Christmas. I really do. I love twinkle lights, Christmas carols, cherished ornaments and decorations, brown paper packages tied up with string, and making lists of crafty goodness.

Some of my favorite photos from last Christmas...

And for those of you who can't bear the thought of Christmas in this weather - a lovely little cupcake. Because I am all about the cute.

i am in love

I have to be honest. I bought a new point and shoot camera after my old one started falling apart, but I really had a hard time adjusting to the new one. I am in love with my Canon Digital Rebel SLR. LOVE IT. But it is really inconvenient to carry it with me everywhere I go, which is why I wanted a little point and shoot to carry in my purse. Enter the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital Elph. After two months of owning it I can officially say that I am in love with it. In the past week I (and my husband) have taken more photos of the two of us together in the same shot than we have in the past year. Hello? There is nothing better than having lots of cute photos of us together in my opinion. I went back and looked through a bunch of our photos from last year, and my only regret is that we don't have more of us together in the same shot. I love this camera. Love, love, love. And you will too. I promise.


Cue the oohs and aahs. Aren't we adorable?


I am shameless I tell you. Even with my arm protruding from my neck. It escapes me somehow. Did I mention our cuteness?


I will stop now. And now you can thank me for your having to go out and buy a cute little camera so you can have your own cute pictures of your own cute self. You're welcome. Any time.

what's in my purse

I have seen several blog posts or videos of what other girls have in their purse, and I thought it would be fun to do one too. I will include brand names and models or colors of items as much as possible.

This is my purse. It's a leather Fossil, and I LOVE it. It has so many pockets, and it's plain and simple which I really like. My husband insisted that I needed a good leather purse that wouldn't fall apart within a few months so I bought this one. What? You don't believe that he was insistent? You think I begged? I have a really sweet husband - he even waterproofed my purse for me.


On either end of the zipper are two pockets. One holds my cell phone and my husband's spare Oakley sunglasses cloth. I have my own, but I usually end up using his. The other pocket holds my sunglasses from Banana Republic.


There are three large compartments in my purse. The first outside one holds two travel-size tissues, hand sanitizer, money for tolls, and a list for the craft store. Inside that compartment there is a small pocket that holds Dramamine, Revlon lipgloss in Foiled, Mary Kay lipstick in Tanned, Mary Kay lipgloss in Fancy Nancy, and Revlon lipgloss in Foiled.



In the other outside compartment I have 2 lists, a dentist receipt, pepper spray (my husband makes me carry it), a Surefire flashlight (he makes me carry this too), and more tissues. For some reason I feel the need to carry three travel-size amount of tissues with me everywhere I go. What's that? You don't? Sigh. I am slightly OCD... In this compartment there is a little zippered pocket where I have 10 Halls cough drops, 7 Hello Kitty bandaids, and 8 Claritin plus a little plastic bag (I have no idea why that is in there). Are you seeing my need to be prepared?



Moving onward. In the middle and biggest zippered compartment I have my wallet, my Canon Powershot SD 1300 IS camera in my polka dot case (from Amazon), a toothbrush and floss from my dentist appointment two weeks ago, a receipt and a little zippered pouch from Kukubee on Etsy that holds my fabric swatches and home decor notes for when I shop for our home.


So there you have it. A smallish world in a purse.

apple salad

I used to hate salad growing up, but I learned to like it after I married my husband. This is my favorite salad. Ever. If I had to eat one salad for the rest of my life, it would be this one. The End.


Apple Salad

{Dressing}
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

{Salad}
2 cups salad greens
1/2 apple, chopped
1 Tablespoon dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon feta cheese
1 Tablespoon pecans (I prefer glazed)

In a small cup or bowl combine the dressing ingredients and stir well. On a plate layer the greens, apple, cranberries, feta cheese, and pecans. Pour the dressing over the top.