Michael's Knock-off Pumpkins

A couple weeks ago I was browsing around in Michael's with my sis-in-law, when I spotted some cute fabric pumpkins. I studied them for a while and then decided to try to recreate them myself...but with my own twist of course!

Whaddya think? Wanna learn how?

Well, good! Cause I'm gonna show you.

The first step is an obvious one...pick your fabric!

I have had this suede coat laying in my fabric tote for years...I haven't been able to bring myself to get rid of it. Mainly, I think, because it represents my slimmer old single self from years ago when I had time to care what I looked like...long before the days of gym pants and sweatshirts smeared with boogers and dissolved goldfish crackers (from my toddlers, not me, in case you were wondering).

Well, I thought it permissible now to cut it up and recreate into a pumpkin...I'm all about recycling my old stuff, remember?!

The next step is to make your template. I'm sorry I'm just not computer savvy enough to figure out how to make a downloadable one for you, but really it would take you the same amount of time to make your own as it would to print one off.

Get some stiff paper, or use a file folder, like I did, and decide the length you want to make your strips. The template in this picture is for a medium sized pumpkin at 9.5 inches long.

Measure, mark, cut. Easy peasy.

Then decide the width. Mine is 6.5 inches.

Measure, mark, cut. Easy peasy.

Now fold your rectangle in half and round the corners somewhat similar to this picture.

It's really not that fussy, so don't stress over it!

Here's an example of the three templates I made. The smallest is 7.5" long by 4.75" wide,

the medium is 9.5" x 6.5", the largest is 11.5" x 5".

So you can see that there is no "rule"...just cut!

Pin your template down and cut out six pieces.

On cottons and similar fabrics, you can do an accordion fold and cut out several pieces at once.

Since I was cutting out from a coat, that wasn't an option here.

Since suede has a "nap", I made sure to lay the pieces out with the nap going in the same direction.

Same goes for corduroy and velvet.

Now lay the "right" sides together and stitch up one side. Secure the thread on the bottom, but leave the tails at the top without securing, so that you can gather the fabric later. I hand stitched this pumpkin because of the suede, but using a sewing machine would be much faster and easier!

Just make sure the stitch length is at the longest setting.

And by the way...yes, I DO wipe down my table several times a day, but you sure wouldn't know it by all the fuzz in this picture! Gaaak!

Stitch all your panels together until you end up with a tube like the one in the pic.

Then stitch and gather the bottom of your tube. Gather it together as tightly as possible.

Now you'll start to see your pumpkin taking shape!

Just a side note, but if you're working with a fabric like suede, I highly recommend using upholstery thread and a thimble. Your fingers will thank me later!

You could also use it for corduroy...it'll make your life a little easier!

Now start gathering the seams on the panels.

Pull on the thread until you get the amount of gathering you prefer and fasten off the thread.

Try to keep all the gathered seams even.

Stuff your pumpkin, making sure you get lots of batting into those little "pockets".

I like to cut pieces of batting and stuff them into the little sections to get them nice and plump,

 then I add more to the center. Make sense?!

Now stitch and gather the top of the pumpkin and secure it.

Here's the really fun part where you get to finish off and embellish the pumpkin!

There are sooo many different ways to create a stem for your pumpkin...just look through Pinterest and you'll get at least 50 different ideas. I decided to use a piece of twig from our tree out back.

I just cut it down to the size I wanted, and it was ready to go!

Whatever you decide to use, hot glue it into place over the hole on the top of the pumpkin.

Next, I picked off some velvety leaves (big, fat heart these!) from a stem I bought at Michael's.

You can use whatever tickles your fancy though. Be creative and have fun!

Hot glue it all together with some berries and you're done!

Now wasn't that fun?!

(hey, that rhymed)

Here's a closeup of the smallest pumpkin made out of a cotton blend...

...and of the largest, made out of hubby's old corduroy pants!

(Apparently we both have hoarding issues.) 

This one is my absolute favorite. Corduroy just screams "Fall" to me!

Love.

Happy Fall decorating!!

I can't wait to show you the rest of what I've been working on around here!

Are you linking up to this party?

I am!
 Hope I'll see you there too!!!

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To see other great parties I'm linking up to, click HERE!

Shabby Chic Mirror Made Over!

Hello everyone! Are you still there??!

I feel like I've been gone from my "blog family" for a loooong time...even though it's only been just over a week! But while I've been away from cyberspace (does anyone still call it that?), I've been getting in lots of good visiting time with my real family and that has been fantastic!

I had hoped to post this project sometime last week, but didn't find the time to squeeze it in...

Back in my single before-there-was-a-man decorating days, I bought this cute little vanity mirror at a little boutiquey store in Banff. I've always really loved it, even though I haven't used it for quite a few years now. For any of you that have been reading along for a while now, you know that I'm trying to pick away at my stash of doesn't-work-here decorating items and repurpose them into something that works in this house! This mirror fell into that stash.

Aside from needing to tighten up some screws, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Cute, huh?

But I started thinking that maybe it could lead a different life now...something a little more useful.

I've often admired those little menu chalkboards that the ultimate hostesses (I'm sure Martha has one!)

 use for Easter brunches, Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve buffets, etc., and I thought this could transform

into a menu board perfectly.

Now I know there's nothing overly original about that idea, but that's okay.

It's my mirror!

Being the impatient person I am, I didn't want to wait until hubby found some wood and cut it to size for me...so I just sprayed chalkboard paint right onto that mirror.

 I don't know if that's a major faux pas or not, but I did it anyway. I figure if I ever change my mind

and want to use it as a mirror again, it won't cost much to have one cut to fit.

Two coats of paint gave beautiful coverage.

On a side note...how do you like the lovely bouquet of clover and dandelions that can be found in our lawn?! Purdy, huh!

(I kid. Big time kid.)

Here she is all finished.

I like her.

This was probably one of the easiest makeovers I've ever attempted.

The hardest part was waiting for the paint to cure!

Fresh rhubarb bread anyone??

Hubby said he's looking forward to coming home and checking the menu board

to see what's for supper.

I think he just likes the idea of a pre-warning...

(Hmm...McDonalds? Or stay home?)

Now I'm just gonna spend a bit of time working on my chalk penmanship...

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Linking up to:

Wow Us Wednesday

Inspired By You Wednesday

Feathered Nest Friday

Show & Tell Friday

Flaunt It Friday

Frugal Friday

Show and Share

Frugalicious Friday

Weekend Bloggy Reading

Saturday Nite Special

Repurposed Candle Holders

In our last home, I had a lovely pair of outdoor candle holders that I really loved, and used every year in our courtyard garden. Can I just take a moment to weep and wail over the loss of that garden? If I miss anything from our previous home, it is most definitely, without a doubt, the courtyard garden. And the old elm trees. And the hammock hanging between the old elm trees.

 *tear*

Okay, before I get all hysterical here, let me get back to the point of this blog post.

My apologies for the crummy picture, but it gives you an idea what they used to look like.

I really loved them.

Then...we moved. Hubby's company paid for movers and when all was said and done and I started going through my gardening items this spring...this is what I found...

Those glass balls? They weren't supposed to come off.

Apparently the movers were determined that they would  come off and shattered the glass in the process.

Trying to burn candles outside without a glass hurricane of some sort is rather useless, so I sort of expected these would end up in the trash. But because hubby and I are both self proclaimed procrastinators, I left them laying around for a long time and then eventually threw a couple of pots of top just for kicks.

I have LOTS and LOTS of these leftover from the courtyard.

I kind of liked the general look of the two together.

But obviously the colors were completely different and that looked...weird.

So...I thinked and I thunked and then decided that I could try the same painting method that I used on

 these candle holders. (Apparently I have alot of candle holders too.)

So that's what I did. I sprayed a solid coat of black paint, then went over the black with a mottled coat of aluminum. Then I gave it a really blotchy coat of cream to calm down the shine of the aluminum.

After that, I layered on fairly thick coats of dark green and burnt umber acrylic craft paint.

The final step was to highlight it with an olive green acrylic paint, until I felt I had achieved a mossy and aged look.

The green is not showing up really great in the pictures, so you'll have to take my word for it, I guess.

They are actually pretty mossy looking.

I considered using silicone to attach the pot to the stand, but in the end decided against it,

 as the pots need to have some drainage, and it's worked out fine.

I did wonder how the acrylic paint would hold up to rain and moisture, and believe me, we have had ALOT of rain and moisture so far this spring, but they have done just great.

My poor plants, however, have hardly had enough sunshine to recover between the rain and crazy hail storms. These pictures were taken immediately following yet another big rainfall!

Hey - did anyone pick up on my red geraniums?!!!

Love.

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