Ikat Pillows.

I received a sewing machine for Christmas. After making curtains, I wanted to learn how to sew pillows.
For the rookies out there, here's a simple tutorial.
1. Iron your fabric

2. Measure and cut your fabric (*factor in a little wiggle room, I left .75" on all sides. **If using a print, line up your fabric so the center of your fabric will be centered on your pillow)

Flip fabric wrong side up and pin around 3 sides. Sew as straight as you can. (I originally wanted to add piping, but I became frustrated and kept it simple.)

In the last step, you would add your zipper, but my dog Buster has a personal vendetta against zippers and has managed to eat every zippered item in our house. See below:

So no zippers in our home. Back to the pillow case.

3. Stuff your pillow in.

4. Pin your fabric in and run through your machine.

Wah-lah. Let there be Ikat.

If I can do it, you can too. Next project; slipcover for a round ottoman.

Superlative Spaces.

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles produced 100 Superlative Spaces. I've highlighted the rooms that I enjoyed and noticed they all have warm, cozy tones.





I love the sconces jetting off the wall.

This outdoor garden is something else...


This room does not fit into the "warm category", but it sure is cheerful:

What kind of vibe does your home give off? Warm vs. cool tones, colorful vs. neutral, textured, modern, eclectic? Or are you still trying to get rid of collected items until you can purchase the things you love to achieve the vibe you desire?

Trash to Treasure.

I found a base and reclaimed wood for our long awaited coffee table from my trip to Schillers. My brother in law, Bibb, works out of our detached garage, rent free. In exchange, I ask him to help with projects around the house.

Here's a look at the base:

While at the salvage yard, I also purchased a bundle of wood reclaimed from a tobacco barn. We cut the wood to size. Take a look at the tabletop:

The finished product:

Very industrial, with a hint of feminine character in the curled base.

And here's an adorable touch Bibb added when he welded it together:

It's a luxury to know a craftsman who can assemble and create the design that's in my head. Thank you Bibb.

Lighting.

I saw the following lights in person and I was so impressed with their quality.

Restoration Hardware: Cast Iron Barn Door Trolley. This light needs the proper context. I envision it in a commercial space, over a work table or in a man cave.

Z Gallerie has sold this tuxedo chandelier for years and it's so gorgeous in person. Awesome for a dining room in a modern, classic or craftsman style home.

Both so black and so beautiful.

Antiquing.

I had no idea Tampa was such a great resource for antique & other household finds. I was there last week for work and decided to stop by a few shops in between appointments. I told some friendly shop owners I was hunting for a coffee table and she said "You must go to Schiller's- two blocks over. It looks like junk, but it's not."

Schiller's was the ultimate "sale rush" for me. There was too much to look through and too little time. The owner and his wife run this as their hobby. He is a builder and she is a interior designer. Many Tampa designers consign their items in this shop as well. The prices were so affordable it was almost comical.

I bought some old barn wood and a metal base for the coffee table I've been searching for. I will post pictures as soon as it is built.

Here's a little map to give you an idea of the amount of stores available to shop through:

Happy Shopping!

Sugar Photography

We played dress up.

I asked Tony to blow up some massive balloons. I cleaned the entire house.

We even dolled Buster up in a bandanna.

I've realized most pictures I've taken in the last two years are of objects like wood floors, outdoor landscapes or making guacamole. While they serve a purpose, they lack the real treasures in life: people.

I asked my friend Jen {who happens to be a great photographer} to help remedy this-no-humans-in-photos-dilemma.

There's a bundle of more photos on Sugar Photography.

*Teri- thanks for your staging + confidence help.

Getting ahead of Myself.

I am a wimp with the cold.

I find myself warming up just looking at these pictures.

Are you already ready for Spring to arrive?

I love the idea in the photo below. Great for a shower + tolerable weather!

via Casa Tres Chic and Party Perfect

Book Review.

Drop everything you are doing and order The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I feel very strongly about my recommendation and our book club agrees.

If you haven't picked up a book in awhile, this is where you should start.

It's historical fiction. You will learn other perspectives during WWII, you will fall in love with some characters that unfortunately do not exist, you will laugh out loud, you will shed some tears and you will be sad when you finish the book. Not because the there is an unfortunate ending, but because it's over.

{at least that's was my response to the book}

The book stirred our collective imaginitaion and made us want to visit Guernsey.

I wanted to make a potato peel pie for the evening, but after reading the ingredients, I knew only Buster would touch it.

Instead, I replicated this dark chocolate and strawberry galette from Shared Sugar.

image from Shared Sugar.

Did you read it? Do you have any recommendations for me to read?

Have a wonderful MLK weekend.