pillow talk

When is a pillow not a pillow - when it's a cushion !
Well that's what we call them in the UK. The ones you lay your head on at night, they're pillows.

Cushions are the decorative ones that we all love but which men generally think are unnecessary. Whatever you call them, I am sure 'what do ya want another one of those for', is a phrase we have all heard many times over.

Anyway, I have selective hearing - I made another one !

I used the linen tablemat in the bottom left of this photo.

I attached it to a remnant of burlap style fabric left over from my Pass It On Project, and I really like the way it turned out.

It took about 3 hours to make. I put another piece of fabric behind the burlap to strengthen it. I attached the central section with bondaweb, and then stitched over the embroidered sections every centimetre or so, to hold it in place.

I made some piping from the same fabric and was quite pleased with myself, until I saw that Carol from Art and Sand had made beautiful white slip covers for a whole sofa and a chair. They look amazing, just pop over and see. I don't think I'd ever have enough patience to do that much sewing.

Anyway, I backed my cushion with the same Laura Ashley fabric that I used for the pelmet over the window, and although that fabric is nice, the piping hides it from the front, which I like.

I also fixed up and finished off the other cushion, that sits on the chair. I re-inforced the holes where the eyelets pulled out, with more bondaweb (which I've had stashed away for about 20 years !).

I also used bondaweb to stick the 'welcome' panel on. I decided I preferred it to the plainer version.

I put the cushion pad back in and tied the ribbons again

Not bad, for the cost of a £3 tablemat from my nearest charity shop.

If you've been here before, you may have noticed that the bed cover is missing. That's because my dear darling diddy dog decided to leave me a little present, when he couldn't keep his breakfast down one morning, and I was out. It's in the wash !

linking up with - 

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm

Cowgirl Up @ The Farmhouse Porch

Knick of Time Tuesdays @ Knick of Time

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesdays @ {Primp}
All Star Block Party @ Full Circle Creations

Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Air Your Laundry (Friday Textile Party) @ Freckled Laundry

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground
Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer

Sunday Showcase Party @ Under The Table and Dreaming

a lamp and some lace

Once again, blogland has inspired me. Someone who thinks out of my box, put lace on a lampshade, and I have lots of my Grandmother's lace and a ghastly coloured lampshade that desperately needs an update.

The lamp used to be in the dining-room.

Love the mirrored base, hate the colour of the shade when the light is on.

I made a new lamp for the dining-room (see below) and this one went to the mini guest room.

After some considerable time (months and months), I finally ripped the fabric off the shade.

I fixed it.

Taped up the nice shiny central section, and sprayed the rest white.

I looked through my lace, tried a few things, and settled on this.

I don't think my Grandmother made it, but I'm not sure, there's no-one left to ask now. Anyway, it's been sat in a box of mine for over 25 years, so I think it's about time I used it, as it's too lovely to sit in a box any longer.

Luckily there was 6 1/2 metres, so I didn't have to cut it, I just kept wrapping it round, using a little hot glue, so that it didn't slip.

I added detail, with a tiny bit of ribbon and a couple of buttons.

I made sure that everything looked straight at the front, and that the scallops looked good at the bottom.

I think it works perfectly, in my little corner of the mini guest room. You can just see a bit of the pelmet, that I made here.

It sits under my little shelf unit (full of treasured items), that I made here, and a cross-stitch  of a pear. 

A photo of my parents wedding and my Grandfather, Mother and Uncle in the sea somewhere. I re-gilded and aged these frames years ago as they were bright shiny gold.

I love my little corner with the lace lamp. I hope my Grandmother would like it too, and wouldn't mind the way I used her lace.

linking up with - 

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm

Cowgirl Up @ The Farmhouse Porch

Knick of Time Tuesdays @ Knick of Time

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesdays @ {Primp}
All Star Block Party @ Full Circle Creations

Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Air Your Laundry (Friday Textile Party) @ Freckled Laundry

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer

Sunday Showcase Party @ Under The Table and Dreaming

self-diagnosis

I am self-diagnosing myself !
I have lazy-itis (BIG TIME). I've had it before and I'm sure I'll have it again.
This time I think it was brought on by completely-shattered-itis.
I've been doing more shifts and much longer shifts in the cafe where I work, because the sun is finally out in the UK, and everyone wants to sit on our decking right on the beach.

My lazy-itis and completely-shattered-itis have been compounded by Olympic Fever (BIG TIME).
I'm the least sporty person you are ever going to meet, and I never even tried to get tickets, but from the moment I started watching the Opening Ceremony I've been obsessed.
Team GB is doing incredibly well, and I feel so proud. It's great to not only watch our achievements but watch our commentators delight in all high achievers from countries across the world.
Although our audiences are extremely vocal when cheering on British athletes, I hope other nations have experienced encouragement here too, and enjoyed their Olympic experience.

It's very easy to diagnose the end of Olympic Fever - I know it will be over in a few days. I don't need a doctor to tell me that my temperature will go down and I will be back to normal, as long as I can get through my lazy-itis.

I definitely need to get over this soon, so that I can check out all your posts - I'm sure I've missed some great stuff !


(OOOOh, my temperature just went up - a certain US hurdler called Mr. Richarson, just got a Silver medal - that is one gorgeous man !!!)