A "couple" of pillows

I finished making these pillows a few weeks ago and have been dying to post about them. They were a gift for yesterday's bridal shower, so I managed to keep it a secret until then. I saw these "mr." and "mrs." pillows on the Ballard Designs website and thought they would make an excellent gift for a bride-to-be. 

Ballard Designs $59

I knew that I could make these pillows for a lot less than $59. Plus I love giving homemade presents. I found some fabric on sale at Old Time Pottery for $4/yard. It was a light neutral color with a linen feel- perfect for this project. Since I don't sew, I enlisted my mom's help in making the pillow forms. I do know the basics of how to use a sewing machine, I just have no desire to put those skills to use. Maybe one day. Next I bought a package of 6" letter stencils at Hobby Lobby. I measured to find the center of the pillow, spaced out the letters, and taped the stencil to the fabric. Then I painted the lettering with dark brown acrylic paint, removed the stencil, and Ta-Da! They were so simple to make and I ended up liking my pillows better than the Ballard inspiration.

Ballard Designs Rope Knot Doorstop

I'm not a big fan of little decorative items setting out. I tend to go for a few larger unique pieces. But while I was browsing the Ballard Designs site, this rope knot doorstop happened to grab my attention.

Then I saw the price tag of $45.00. I loved the rustic appeal of the knot but I could not justify paying that much for a door stop. A couple weeks had passed when I was roaming the isles of Old Time Pottery. I was looking at their selection of pet toys and all of a sudden I spotted my knot. It was labeled as a dog toy but it looked so similar to the Ballard Designs version and it was only $4.99. I completely forgot about the rest of the store and hurried to check out with my thrifty find. It went perfect in my bedroom but since I don't really need a door stop, I decided to hang it from the door knob. It definitely complements the "Rustic Chic" theme that I am going for as I make-over my room.