Spring Pinterest Polka Dots

If you're unfamiliar with the seasonal Pinterest Challenges (first of all, where have you been?!), it's a challenge to get pinterest users to stop pinning 'someday' projects and start DOING.  All you have to do is take inspiration from pinterest and put your own spin on a project.  This season's gracious hosts are Sherry @ Young House Love , Katie @ Bower Power Blog, Emily @ Sparkle Meets Pop, and Renee @ RedBirdBlue.  I can't wait to see what projects they tackle!

My previous season's Pinterest Challenge projects include sketch chair art, a DIY juju, and a coffee table bench to name a few (check them all out here).

I know I posted a pseudo-pinterest challenge on Monday,

but I'm an overachiever apparently and couldn't resist doing another project.

I've been loving pretty much any DIY project I see lately with gold polka dots:  Chelsea from Lovely indeed has tackled a gold polka dot photo backdrop, a gold polka dot table runner, and a suede and (you guessed it) gold polka dot mouse pad.  Cassie from Hi Sugarplum went to town on this gold dot vase.  So, I'm jumping on the bandwagon admittedly.

About a month ago, I pinned these pillows from Anthropologie

When this season's challenge came along, it didn't take me long to decide on this.  And I did it in under an hour, so SCORE!

(Please excuse the picture quality- I forgot my good camera at Clark again so I had to rely on my iphone camera and I am not perfected in the science of iphoneography... side note to self for future iphone pics: zooming makes it grainy, zoom AFTER you take the shot.  Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.)

I already had the gray fabric, a pillow form and sponge, so all I needed to buy was a few dollars worth of copper paint.  I said it, Copper, not Gold.  Gasp! I thought the rosy quality of the copper would compliment the gray best.

I chose to make an envelope style pillow because they're easy to make and easy to take off the pillow and wash.

First step is to cut your fabric- this will wrap the pillow with seams only on the 2 sides.  Make sure you allow for overlap for the 'envelope' part (I allowed 3 inches since I was using a small pillow form)

Next, fold over one of the shorter sides about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, then fold it over again.  Pin and sew- this will be exposed at your 'envelope' opening.

Once that is sewn, fold your fabric into your pillow shape.  Make sure the 'bad side' of the fabric is out and the finished edge you just created in folded inside so that everything's corrent when you turn it all right side out.  I'm not a fan whatsoever of karate chopped pillows- I like them overstuffed, so I made my pillow cover 1 inch smaller than my pillow in each direction.

Once you sew up the 2 sides, you can turn the pillow cover right side out.

Now it's time for the fun part!!

I did a few polka dot trials on a scrap piece to figure out my technique before I started on my pillow.

I put the pillow into the cover still in its plastic so that I could paint my dots without worrying about the paint bleeding through to the pillow or the back of the fabric.

I let it dry overnight before I took the plastic-covered pillow form out of the cover and re-inserted it sans plastic.

I'm swooning over the copper/gray combo and the scale of the dots!  Yes, I'm swooning over a pillow and yes, I know I have issues.  I embrace them.

Bear approves.

Are you loving it as much as I am??

I'd love to see your projects!  Link them up in the comments, or just say HI!

Sugar High

Clark's MLS listing is LIVE!!!  That means I have only a few days to scramble and finish everything on my To Do list before the open house Saturday!  Friday I'll be sharing the complete reveal- are you as excited as I am?  You should be! I'm definitely looking forward to a mini-'vacation' as we look for our next flip, though.  I gave myself this whole weekend off and I'm not sure my body knew what to do with itself.  Maybe after this week I'll finally get to my neglected projects around here (I'm talking to you sexy secretary desk).

I was originally planning to save this for my Pinterest Challenge post on Wednesday, but why wait?  I might even do a second project for the pinterest challenge then too.  We'll see.

Anyway...

Guess who turned ONE on Cinco de Mayo!

Yup, Cutest Nephew Ever, Eli, celebrated his first birthday this weekend.  And Auntie Karen was tasked with the cake(s).

I may not cook, but I do bake every blue moon.  The last fancy cake I made was for my friend's baby shower 2.5 year ago, so I guess it was about time.

The main cake was inspired by animal prints that I made for his nursery last year, modeled after ones I saw on Etsy.  (decorations are gumpaste and the frosting is this recipe.  There was also a penguin face on the other side that I didn't get a pic of)  I really like how this cake came out

but Eli's smash cake just makes me smile

Smartie pants figured out what to do with it pretty quickly and required a wardrobe change after the mess he made (the way it should be!)

Pinterest was a GREAT inspiration for these cakes because I was kind of figuring out the designs as I went along.  These pins were my top inspirations for his little cake:

I'm very pleased to say that all of the huge cake and Eli's cake were gone by the end of the party- I even saw people going back for seconds!

Oh, and if you need a great stress reliever, throwing handfuls of sprinkles at a mini cake is definitely a good time.  Just sayin...

Are you planning on participating in the Pinterest Challenge this season?  I'd love to see your projects! Link them up in the Comments section!

Winter Pinterest Challenge: Chair Sketch Art

I am now the proud owner of a Floor Nailer! In other news, it's Wednesday!  Do you know what that means??

It's Pinterest Challenge Day!!

If you're new to this blog, check out my previous challenge projects here.

When this latest challenge rolled around, I knew that I couldn't take on any big undertakings (since I have my own collection of big undertakings over at Clark the Flip House).  After looking at my collection of pins, I knew exactly which one I wanted to attempt.

I love the informal feel of the sketch and the simple use of color.  So I had to try my hand at it.

Naturally, though, I couldn't stop there.  I decided the chair needed some friends.

The steps were very simple:

• Use a pencil to sketch the desired chair- precision not necessary
• When I was happy with the shape, I used a thin felt-tip pen to trace the outline.  Then erased the pencil guides.
• Then I added color as desired.  Not too saturated, but a little pop of color/pattern in each.

I'm REALLY pleased with the way they came out.  I popped them into some frames I picked up on sale at Michael's and hung them on my office wall (with 3m picture strips so I can change my mind on location if necessary).

This collection adds a nice balance to this wall since to the right is a wall-mounted tv.  I must apologize for the lighting in these pics- it's a dreary, rainy day here in New England and I was forced to turn on the lamps- boo.

So, what do you think of my new artwork?

I'm not worried about my computer blocking the art, since this is only a temporary home for the computer until I get my butt in gear and finish my secretary desk eventually.

Now that I have my picture ledge on the wall and these on the wall, my office is starting to feel like a finished space.  Yay!  Not quite finished yet, but definitely well on it's way!

Go check out the Pinterest Challenge Projects from this season's hosts:

Sherry's Board and Batten

Katie's Growth Chart

Megan's Fabric Ottoman

Michelle's Button Art