Hand-Painted Pillow

More Silhouette fun!.  I've seen a lot of tutorials through the years about using stencils to decorate everything from shirts to walls and everything in between, but I've never actually tried to do it myself.

That all changed last weekend when I used my Silhouette machine, some clear vinyl, painter's tarp, and some of the Martha Stewart multi-surface paint to create this amazing pillow.

It turned out to be quite simple.   I cut out two pieces of the painter's tarp (still the same tarp I've used for previous projects!) into 18" squares and ironed them flat.  I used the Silhouette to cut out my desired shape (which, in this case, was "summer tree" from Silhouette Studio) and placed it on one piece of the painter's tarp.  (There is no picture of this step, as clear vinyl doesn't photograph well.)  Once the vinyl was in place, I mixed a couple of colors of paint to get the color I wanted and started using the sponge dabber to apply the paint.  You can clearly see the vinyl.

When I was done, this is what it looked like.  Using the clear vinyl, I can clearly see exactly where the painted image is in relation to the entire piece.

Then, because I was I was too impatient, I used a heat gun to accelerate the drying process and peeled off the vinyl.  Doesn't it look fabulous?

The lines were pretty sharp and the paint really didn't bleed.  (It did soaak through in places, though, so be sure to protect whatever surface you use.)

After that, it was quick work to stitch up the two sides and stuff the pillow.

Viola!  My hand-painted pillow that my children say looks "just like you bought it at Pottery Barn".  Really, what else is there to say?

New Craft Table

I saw this table in Home Decorator's catalog. 

It is part of their Martha Stewart collection and has a hefty price tag:  $499!!  There is no way I can justify that kind of money for a craft table, plus it seems like an awful lot to pay for melamine covered particle board.

Still, I liked the idea of a table that I could open up for projects and tuck out of the way when I didn't need it.  What to do, what to do!

Then inspiration struck!  I remembered that last year I'd given Charming this Ikea table for use in his new apartment.  (I bought the table three years ago for roughly $150.  Mr. & Mrs. R were in Portland at the time and were kind enough to swing by and pick it up for me.  Wasn't that sweet of them?) 

Anyway, a quick call to Charming confirmed that he was amenable to a trade, so while Superman was home, we made the switch.  (I needed Superman...this table weighs 100 pounds...solid wood, anyone?!)

Six castors later, I have my own craft table for a fraction of the cost!   That Superman!  He's so handy to have around!  It opens up on both sides, or just one.

And when I'm done, it just sits under the window until the next time.

Pretty cool, isn't it?  I just love repurposing things and giving them a new life.