First Grain Sack Pillow

I am planning to make a whole set of pillows to go on the couch. I am envisioning a neutral assortment of burlap, linen, and cotton; with a combination of French vintage designs and soft country detail. My inspiration comes from all over, mostly from other bloggers and, of course, Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn. 
If you have read many of my other posts, you should be well aware of my love obsession for grain sacks and all things made from them. Well, I decided it was time to make my own. I found an old pillow insert and begged my mom to sew a pillow case for it. I chose the same "linen-ish" material that I used to make my "Mrs." and "Mr." pillows. I chose to add brown stripes to the center and to both outer edges. I marked off the areas that I wanted to stripe with tape, and got out my paint brush. Typically, when I have a paint brush in hand, this is not the sort of project that I am working on. Besides my furniture and crafts, I also paint acrylics and oils. I haven't done anything new in a while because I have been in more of a mood to re-decorate with DIY creations but if you enjoy artwork, I would love for you to check out my stuff. You can find most of it at Dainty Paint. I plan to add some of my art to this blog as well. 

So, back to the pillow. This was an extremely easy project (especially considering the fact that I didn't do any of the sewing) but I was definitely pleased with the outcome. After the paint dried, I sanded over the stripes with a sanding block to fade the color. I'm still hoping for the real thing one day, but this is a very close second.

DIY grain sack dish towel

If you read my last post then you know how I feel about grain sacks. LOVE. It would be amazing to be able to stock up on authentic vintage grain sacks, but at more than $40 each, it is just not happening. After checking out all the fabulous French graphics by The Graphics Fairy, I decided I would make some myself. There were so many wonderful designs it was hard to choose. Plus all of the graphics already have the PDF file of the mirror image for FREE. One of my favorite aspects of the grain sacks is the soft feel of the material. I found a 4-pack of plain white flour sack dish towels at World Market for $9.99. They are quite large so I am planning to cover some pillows with them as well. I got some fabric transfer paper at Hobby Lobby, printed out the mirror image of the design, and ironed it on to my dish towel. Just follow the directions given with the transfer paper. This was so easy and I loved the result. I can't wait to make some more with different designs. I am thinking of adding some trim to dress up the bottom of my next creation.

Thrifty Find of the Day

So moving back home has not been the most exciting experience of my life, but it has its perks. Among other things on the list, is the thrift store, which happens to be about 5 minutes from my house. My mom and I try to go at least once a week. I absolutely love the thrill of a great thrift store find (Yes, I know I live life on the edge), whether it is that piece of furniture I have wanted for years or just a dainty little teacup to add to my assortment of white china. I can remember when I was young and the thought of buying anything from the thrift store was beyond revolting. When my mom would find me something that was just too good to pass up, I would make her promise not to tell where it came from. Wow, the things that mattered at thirteen. Now, I am proud of my unique finds and their bargain price tags. Many antique and vintage items are one-of-a-kind and are impossible to locate even without a budget in mind.

Today's thrift store adventure didn't end with any unbelievable finds, but I felt this tote bag was most definitely blog-worthy. I spotted it from afar and at first glance I thought it was a vintage grain sack. Oh, how I love anything made from a grain sack. Actually, I just love the sacks in general. The originals are so unique, ranging from a simple stripe to a beautiful french design. They are very popular for covering pillows and chairs.

photo from Willow Decor

Well once I got closer to the bin, I realized it was not anything made from a grain sack. But, it was an adorable tote bag that had the same southern vintage look. With its blue stripes and $2.48 price tag, this was mine. I'm thinking new beach bag. I'm also thinking beach in general. Enough with the sleet and snow.