Sometimes It Works.....

....sometimes it doesn't. When I posted my living room Easter decor last week, I didn't show you the couch because there was a huge, gaping hole right in the middle of the pillow arrangement. In the back of my mind I had been hoping to get an Easter pillow cover or two whipped up and nestled right in that spot. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I had pinned a few ideas and kind of thought I wanted just a simple linen look with a simple line drawing of a rabbit. But, I wanted a large pillow to fill this large area. That necessitated more on the pillow than just the bunny. Long story short, I found an idea I thought would work on "Confessions of a Plate Addict". I love her PB and Ballard inspired ideas. This being the time of the year that it is and all of the crazy goings on at our house that there are, I just finally got out to buy the supplies.

Let's just say that things did not go as planned. Remember, I am a measure once and suffer the consequences kind of gal. I planned to make one pillow and once I had it down, I would whip out 4 or 5 more to use as gifts. Let's just say, that isn't happening. I am not good at measuring. Between my poor eyes and the fabric slipping and stretching, the taping off took an eternity. Then, when I went to color in the first line with the recommended "Tulip Big Phat Fabric Marker", it WOULD NOT give me full coverage no matter how hard I tried.

After several minutes of that attempt, I either threw the whole thing in the garbage or move on to a new plan. Since I just spent $32 on the fabric, a new plan was in order. Decided to just use some black acrylic paint mixed with a fabric medium. It wasn't until I headed to the paint supply that I remembered that I had used up all of the medium. So, straight paint it would have to be. Which I knew would be O.K. except that the paint was so much thicker that I had to use a stiff stencil brush and actually "scrub" it in.

Then, after taping off, painting and waiting for it to dry, I had to do the whole process over again for the second line.

O.K. Now I was ready for the "easy" part. Print the picture on the transfer paper, iron it on and sew together the cover. Becasue I was so short on time, I grabbed the transfer paper while I was in HL instead of going to Staples to get the brand I usually use. This stuff was easy to use, but it gives you a shiny transfer and it is not my favorite. I will probably never use it again but it was too late to turn back now. When the light-or my flash-hits it the right way, you can see the shine.

I made the one large pillow and cried "uncle". I then modified all of the fabric I had already cut and moved on the plan #3-make some small pillow covers without the painted lines. I made these about the same size as the Valentine covers so we could use the same pillow insert. I say "about the same size" as I had so much trouble measuring, cutting and even sewing a straight line on these things.

Since Easter is just a few days away, I'm not even sure I can get them off and delivered in time for this year but my heart was in the right place when I started. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just doesn't. Stay tuned.