Project #16: Make a Monogram Wall Hanging

Perhaps you noticed back in this post another living room accessory lurking in the wings. Well, maybe not lurking. After all, it is dead center in my new series of pictures on my living room wall.

It's my new monogram wall hanging. Of course, monograms in home decorating is nothing new, and perhaps scattering words or letters in the midst of wall art isn't either. But this is a thrifty monogram. I picked up this letter for a mere dollar (thanks, Hobby Lobby!), and then I used my collection of acrylic craft paints to customize it. Of course, I wanted it to match/blend in with my wall o' frames, so I went black, but then I mixed up a custom gold color to add accents and then brush on an "antiquing" layer to give it a slightly aged look. This one's pretty simple, guys, so there's no step-by-step instructions, except for these: purchase, paint, hang. Done. But in case you're wanting to see close-ups of how I got there, here are some more pictures.

Love it! One night, WAY less than $20, easy-peasy, and so fun to customize. Of course, you can put your letters in any room and color them in any way. What a great gift idea, too! Where have you used monograms in home decor or gift giving?

Project #15: Sew Decorative Pillow Covers

If you looked carefully in this previous post, you may have spied a new addition to my living room. There are more, and they were so easy! My $5 Kirkland's clearance pillows had seen their better days and were desperately needing replacement. I was looking for something that matched the rest of my decor a little better and was a little more trendy than just a solid color. I really wanted a print. So when Jo-Ann's recently had all of their home decor fabric on sale for 50% off, I jumped at the opportunity to peruse their fabric selection. Luckily, I found some great stripe and floral prints that worked just perfectly with my colors.

And that was no easy feat, considering I didn't have any swatches with me. In fact, this decision took a long time because I wasn't really sure what I wanted to go with--duo tones, tone on tones, or multi-tone prints. In the end, I'm quite satisfied with my multi-colored choices, and even happier with the prices. The material came in at $5 per yard on sale, and each yard made TWO pillows. I also had an extra percent-off coupon on top of this, so I was practically giddy over my deal.

Here's how I made FOUR new pillow covers for under $10!

Sew Easy Pillow Covers

Materials:

• 1/2 yard 45"-wide fabric
• Coordinating thread

Equipment:

• Sewing machine
• Iron and board

Cost: Under $20
Level: Easy
Time: One Night
Instructions:

1. Cut the fabric into an even 18" strip.
2. Cut the strip of fabric into one 18" square (pillow cover front), and two 15"x18" rectangles (pillow cover back. If you are a few inches short on your fabric, you could make 14"- or 13"-wide rectangles, too.
3. Fold back approximately 4" of fabric along one edge of each cover back, so that you end up with two 11"x18" rectangles.
4. Place pillow cover front on flat surface, with right side of fabric up.
5. Place each cover back on the front, with right side of fabric down. Note that the backs will overlap so as to create a pocket for your pillow form.
6. Pin around edges.
7. Stitch a 1/2" seam around all edges.
8. Turn cover inside out and press seams out, especially in corners.
9. Finish by inserting an old pillow or pillow form (18").

There are no buttons or "sealers" on this project, so it's extremely easy to construct. I got on a roll and made all four pillows in just under an hour. My husband was even impressed with my time! Find a good deal on your fabric, and I promise you'll start thinking about having pillow covers for different seasons. Don't pillows make all the difference when changing the mood of a room?