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!

Nautical Christmas

My love of working with burlap continues. I've had a lot of fun making these items. Here's a nautical garland I just finished. It has small 'flags' portraying boats carrying Christmas to port, larger Christmas trees, and fringe with bows. I hand cut all the appliques and iron then sew them on. Finding all sorts of holiday trims to add sparkle has also been a lot of fun.

Then I got hooked on beach cabanas. I just think they are so cute. I created this holiday table topper with a small cabana along side a swaying palm tree in opposite corners.

Next I headed out to the beach to pick up just the perfect size pieces of driftwood to use in creating beach cabana ornaments.

 

 

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!

Flip Flop Wine Bags with Flip Flop Wine are a great combo!

 

This is not a display at the Down the Hatch Party Store in Holland, Michigan located at the Yacht Basin Marina!

Don't go overboard with nautical styling!

Ticking, denim and burlap are still some of my favorite materials to create a nautical look without going overboard. They are subtle and classic. Here I've used a deep navy and off-white ticking along with denim to create two of the designs. By adding a nautical applique to one and some dock line laced through a few grommets, the nautical style pops. I couldn't resist when I saw the navy and white seagull cotton print.

Same with this soft red, off-white and blue brushed denim. I clipped a corner and filled it with a solid denim and separated them with a touch of 'rope'. The navy burlap sports an anchor applique of the same brushed denim with dock line woven around the flange.

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.

Repurposed Placemats!

I had some placemats that I never sold through my Float retail store so I decided to 'repurpose' them into nautical pillows! The front of the pillow is the placemat and an extra piece of fabric so I could make an 18" square pillow. I've connected the two fabrics with trim or piping, depending on the design. The pillow back is made from the matching napkin. Clever, huh?

They are available in my Etsy shop.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/155913376/nautical-flags-denim-and-red-pillow