Natural Canvas Pillow Collection

I've been getting back into cross-stitching again. I find it fun and relaxing. I designed a few pillows I could stitch relatively quickly and I wanted to work in neutrals. I also found this great canvas that once I brought it home and washed it, it became super comfy and soft. Here are some images of work in progress:                                                                            

What could be more fun to stitch than footprints, flip flops and fish! Ha, ha. I like how they turned out:

They look great together too! These pillows are now all available in  My Etsy Shop.

Wooden Boxes Before and After

You know how you go into an antique shop and spot something and think, "I want that but I have no idea why." Then you go home without it and it haunts you. So weeks later you go back and hope it's still there. Well, it was my lucky day because this set of three wooden boxes that I just had to have was still there. Here's my set of wooden boxes -- okay, truth be told, they are an old canister set. But they are solid wood and have such potential!

 

I brought them home and sanded them down. Mixed up a batch of chalk paint and gave them a few coats. Distressed them and applied a coat of wax that I then buffed out. I topped them with beach glass for knobs, and wow, what a transformation! When I get out to Seattle later this spring I'm going to search for the perfect sea glass chunks to become the official toppers for these fun boxes.

Turquoise and Orange Part 2 - Frames

My little beach cabanas, which I originally attached to a piece of driftwood, just weren't going over as well as I'd hoped. I decided to try something a bit different. I searched antique and thrift shops for frames with good character features, then repurposed them into these funky frames to give my beach cabanas new life! I think they turned out very fun!

Turquoise and Orange -- Love it! Part 1

As usual, my posts start with -- so, I found this piece of wood...Again, I had no idea what it was or what I was going to do with it, but it was interesting and I had to have it. So I brought it home and sanded and painted it a new great turquoise color that I mixed up.

I then decided I need to apply fish. It just seemed like the thing to do. So, I drew a few different shapes and my friend cut them out for me. I really thought a blue and butter yellow might work, but when I painted them up and laid them on the turquoise wood, it wasn't doin' it for me.

I decided to go bold with a bright orange. I painted them up and sanded them down and ...

Am really glad I made the switch as I just love this color combination. I arranged them into a 'school' and attached to the wood. Then, finished each fish off by adding an eye with a tiny Leland Blue stone from my treasure jar full of things like this that I collect on the beaches.  I'm not really sure what to call it, but I think it looks really great leaning against something or hung on a wall. You decide!

 

 

 

 

Beach Huts

I'm still liking Beach Huts; those little cabanas that you see on the beach are so cute! I found this image for an inspiration shot:

 

First it inspired some pillows and here's an example:

Then I went on to make some little beach cabana appliques and attempt to mimic the beach. I ended up with a small table top runner, 14" x 24". The center is deep blue representing the water. The edges are natural burlap representing the sandy beach. And, I've placed the beach cabanas near the 'shore'.

It was fun to make and I think it turned out pretty cute! I'm trying to make smaller sized table top because I've received feedback that some of the table runners are too large for some furniture. While longer ones work well for dining room tables, many want to have just a little something for a coffee or end table, or even for a kitchen counter.

This item is going to be posted on Etsy for sale. Visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/Floatinteriors to check it out.

 



Outdoor Canvas - Something you should know

Hello! Outdoor canvas is a wonderful fabric for pillows, cushions, you name it! There is a huge variety of colors and patterns to choose from. But, something you should know if you are purchasing handmade products made of this fabric -- it unravels! So what's the big deal about that you ask? Well after continued use you may find that your seams are fraying, which is absolutely not good.

 

In order to prevent this from happening, the edges must be sewn with a serger to lock the edges and prevent fraying. I serge all of the edges on everything I make with outdoor canvas to prevent this and to create a clean, finished seam.

 

When you are shopping online for pillow covers, pillows, cushions, etc. always ask the crafter if the raw edges are serged to make sure you are getting the quality you deserve!

 

 

Nautical Shabby Chic Runner

I just finished this runner and really like how it turned out. It's made of natural burlap, woven with jute and appliqued with  gauze-like linen waves. I wanted the look to be very raw and all natural looking.

Here's how it was made:

I started by measuring and cutting my piece of  burlap. Then I created a paper template of waves, pinned it to my gauze, which I had backed with a fusible fabric stabilizer, and cut it out.

I then pulled out a couple strands and wove in a piece of jute the full length of the runner on each end. Taking a large embroidery needle, I wove in a couple strands of an off-white burlap for some contrast.

Next step was to pin the applique waves in place. And, with my machine set at a very small, tight zig zag, I sewed the applique to the runner. This was a bit tricky with all the twists and turns.





Last, all the edges were zig zagged to lock the weave in place so it will not unravel. I then apply a light starch with a hot iron to flatten and add body to the material. The look is just what I was after -- shabby chic, beachy, nautical and natural! Hope you like it. It's for sale in my Etsy Shop, www.etsy.com/shop/Floatinteriors.

Inspired by being lazy!

 

I got this wonderful citrus colored fabric, Robert Allen's Beach Bongo, for making a couple of pillow covers. This is an indoor/outdoor fabric, which I love. After I cut my pillows out I noticed I had a chunk of fabric left over that had some of the seashells on it. I decided to cut the seashells out and make them into appliques, which I then stitched on to pieces of bright green burlap.

Well, now what. I thought about sewing them on to pillows, but I already had pillows. What about a runner that could be thrown over an outdoor table that would look great with the pillows tossed on to accompanying chairs. I just happened to have enough bright orange burlap. What luck!

I cut the runner, and placed the appliques when I realized I didn't have any orange thread.  I didn't want to sew the appliques on to the runner and be able to see a different color thread on the backside.

 

Here's where the lazy part kicks in -- I was too lazy to drive to the fabric store to buy orange thread, so I decided I'd sew the appliques on by hand using strands of the orange burlap. 

Liking the look of this, I then wove some of the green burlap threads along both long sides to frame the appliques. But now I had to figure out how I was going to 'lock' the long edges so they would not fray. This is normally where I would have sewn them by machine, but again, no orange thread.  Well, I remembered my cross-stitching from years ago and decided this was going to be the solution. I love the look, but the problem with cross-stitching is that IT TAKES SO DARN LONG TO DO!

 

Oh well, as I mentioned, I was too lazy to drive to the fabric store to buy orange thread...so that's how this particular runner was designed.

 

Fabric Changes Everything!

Here's just an example of how you can change the décor of a room inexpensively. I tend to use my room for photo shoots a lot because of the neutral bedding, but if you start with a neutral quilt and drapery panels, you can change your décor as the seasons, or, as your mood changes. The possibilities are endless!

Driftwood Candles Centerpiece

 

I made this centerpiece for my table. I found the 3 glass cylinders at Joann Fabrics for 40% off.

They also had the flameless real wax candles for which I used a coupon :-)

I cut three pieces of green floral Styrofoam to create candle pedestals for inside the cylinders. I then surrounded them with pieces of driftwood and Petoskey stones to hide them and hold them in place. You can use narrow blocks of wood as well, but that required power tools; the foam just required a butter knife! The candles sit on the top of the green foam. You can pick them up easily to turn on the switch on the bottom to produce the flickering. I felt flameless candles were a better bet with dry driftwood from a safety standpoint.

The cylinders measure 12"H x 6" dia.; 8"H x 6" dia., 10"H x3-1/2" dia. 

I love how they turned out!

Beach Sign

I know this isn't a sewing project, but I just had to share because I'm so thrilled how it turned out. This is a piece of driftwood I found on the beach and hauled home one wet, cool day. I purchased these ceramic letters from one of the artists at Creative Corner and have created this fantastic beach sign! I really like how it looks with the upholstery fabric on my screen porch furniture. Don't you just love when a plan comes together.

Lunch Anyone?!

It all started with my garage sale find of these cute wooden folding chairs. They were $5 each -- how could I pass them up! Admittedly, they were not very comfortable, so I made these back and seat cushions which make a world of difference. All have tabs that just Velcro on and off. It was a fun project. Lunch anyone?!

Creative Corner Display

Here is my new display at the Creative Corner in Holland. I was able to get this great window space when another vendor moved out. I had walked down to Harvest Antiques to browse for something I might use as display fixtures and hoping not to have to spend too much money. I spotted these asparagus crates and thought -- perfect! Throw some fish net over them and they take on a nautical look, which is a perfect backdrop for all my Float items. $5 a crate -- can't go wrong!

Robert Allen Island Ibis Coral Tropical Pillows

I loved this fabric from the moment I saw it because it contains all of my favorite colors! It turned into very fun, bright pillows which I photographed on our patio at the office. Our green chairs and purple flowers were a perfect setting.

New Nautical Lighthouse Collection

Hello! And a very happy Memorial Day to all! Here in Michigan, it is a great day to -- be inside sewing. I had purchased some wonderful lighthouse embroidered jacquard upholstery fabric a while back and have finally created some pillows. There is an 18", 16", 12x16", and I also made a matching garland. I just couldn't resist using up the remaining lighthouses on this garland.

How I made the garland --
I cut out the lighthouse in a square and fused heat and bond to the backside to stabilize the fabric and keep it from unraveling. I then cut out the lighthouse and fused it to the burlap flag. Then sewed it on because even the super strength heat and bond doesn't really adhere well to burlap. The burlap flags are cut 5-1/2" wide by 8" long. Then I serge around all edges, fold down a top pocket and zigzag it shut. I measured out 8' plus a few inches of dock line and strung the flags on placing knots in between to hold them in place.

I can just image these pillows tossed on a bed with the garland looping above the headboard. Or the pillows tossed on a couch with the garland strung over a window covering to add a great nautical feel to the décor.