DIY Monogrammed Shams

Good morning, pretties! I actually did a DIY project this weekend that I've been meaning to do for a long time. I shared it with you last week here when I talked about how much I love monogramming. Per the instructions, I only needed a few things:

• fabric for monogram (got it at Forsyth Fabrics)
• Heat and Bond Ultrahold (got it at Michaels)
• cardstock to make your stencil 
• iron
• Exacto knife

Total Spent: about $10 (pillow shams, cardstock, iron, and Exacto were already in hand.)

I started off by first deciding how large I wanted my monogram to be. I did a little research on Pinterest of the various sizes, and decided I wanted my total monogram to be roughly 8x11. I toyed back and forth with the idea of a traditional monogram font (circular, interlocking, etc.) but opted to instead go with an Arial Bold design I arranged in Photoshop. I printed my design directly on cardstock, used an Exacto knife to cut out the letters, and my stencil was ready to go. 

One thing I would have changed is using a relief mat to cut on. I think I have one somewhere, but couldn't seem to locate it. I cut instead on a magazine, and it got old really fast. With each cut I made, the magazine became more uneven and shredded. I ironed the Heat and Bond onto a piece of my fabric (I only had to get 1/4 of a yard...$6!) and then taped my stencil onto the fabric, with the Heat and Bond side up. I cut out the letters individually, and then arranged on the floor.

 I was a little surprised to see how straight they were, and there wasn't much fraying on the sides. It's crucial to put Heat and Bond on your fabric before attempting to cut, as this is mainly what helps with fraying. 

The last step was deciding placement on the shams, peeling the Heat and Bond paper liner off the back of my letters, and ironing directly onto my white pillow shams. Voila....

Do you like my results? I do! I think it was a major success, and adds a little more color to my basic bedding. I also picked up a few other things when I was at Michaels to complete a few more DIY things. Take a gander, and I'll be sharing with you what I've done. 

if you have any questions about this DIY, feel free to leave me a comment!

xoxox

The Optimist Creed

The power of the mind is amazing. This is called "The Optimism Creed" by Christian D. Larson. 

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

Isn't that seriously beautiful? 

xoxox

If ya liked it, then ya shoulda put ya name on it.

They say that people love the sound of their own name. In conversation, it's so much nicer to hear someone address you by your name like "How are you today, Jennifer?" vs. just "How are you?" Something about that makes it all the more personal. With this being said, one of the most attractive things to me in design is monogramming. Yes, it's been a little overdone in clothing/bags. (Think your friend from college who just had a baby that's sporting a Lily Pulitzer monogrammed dress, monogrammed diaper cover, monogrammed pacifer, mongrammed bow in her non-existent hair.... etc. BARF.) Just like good spices, use sparingly and the monogram will go a long way. It's personal, clean, and reminds you of that beautiful name you were given. It can be a strong as to evoke an ownership to a room; you come home and lay down on your bedding. All in all, monogramming is where it's at. If you don't believe me, take a look at these beautiful examples: 

i.love.this. the piping is just right, and the monogram adds so much life, especially against the contrasting fabric behind it. in love!
image via mackenzie horan

a little chinoiserie+a little monogramming. good look.
image via mmr interiors

bangin'.
image via kristen davis

perfect combination of color. metallic gold monogram is a bonus.
image via adore magazine

perfect man-gift:::::enough
image via west elm

traditional
image via the coverteur

monogrammed tray makes a perfect wedding gift
image via prepitude

LOVE this combination
source unknown (anyone recognize this?) 

So, to continue on the path of insanity with home DIYs, I think I'm going to make my own monogrammed pillow shams this weekend. With any luck, I'll have 1.5 hours to dedicate to this between my roommate's family coming in from out of town, a wedding, helping with a garage sale, church, etc. Breathe in, breathe out. I called the people I usually use to do my small monogramming, and they just don't have the layout or size that I want. After a little research this morning, I found a few sites that offered tips on DIY monogramming. This way, it will be completely custom. I've found that I've become accustomed to doing things my way, and not the way that it's already been done. That roughly translates as I'm hardheaded,  spending millions of hours doing things "my way", and I'm tired all the time. Well, I'm good with that. 

Effortless style, a wonderful blog written by Mackenzie Horan, has a great tutorial on DIY applique monograms. The link is here. I'm going to put my own spin on it, and I'll show you what I come up with. My bed is white and navy, and my walls are artichoke green. I'm really wanting some pink/orange in there. Decisions, decisions. 

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

xoxox

Drapery & Trim Project

Good morning, ya'll! I woke up at 6:15 to squeeze in an early morning workout, so today is already on a roll! Bed made, breakfast had, and workout in before 7:15? Donezo. 


Last night, I finally got the curtains in our sunroom sewn up. Let me just school ya'll, because IKEA certainly schooled me. I had 4 white twill panels that I wanted to sew together to make 2 double panels, and they all needed to be hemmed as well. This project sparked from Marley sticking his little nose out the window, breaking the blinds, and driving the neighbors nuts as he stalks & barks at them from the window. Double panels it is! Well, I measured only one curtain to see how high to make the hem. BIG MISTAKE. I was all in a tizzy by the time I got down to the very end of the seam because the bottom of the curtains didn't. match. up. MURDER! I forgot, IKEA does a roundabout figure for their curtain lengths. If you read carefully in that tiny print, it will say something hilarious like "about 120." About? Really? Okay, I admit, it was a rookie mistake. Three hours later...curtains are double width, hemmed, and pressed. My goal is to look this weekend at Lewis and Sheron to find the perfect little trim (orange Greek key possibly?) I have decided I won't actually sew the trim on this weekend since I would probably explode from impatience, so I will do it next weekend! In the meantime..here are some draperies & curtains/hardware that I've pinned lately:

photo via Amanda Carol at Home

photo via Caitlin Wilson

photo via blog.livelikeyou.com

blog.livelikeyou.com

photo via Southern Living Magazine

photo via Apartment Therapy

photo via Traditional Home

I promise to post an update this week or next on what trim I decide to go with. And if you don't see anymore blog posts from me, it's because I've given up on my sewing skills and become a shut-in. I'm a bit of a perfectionist...so something has got to give. 

until next time,

xoxox

Monday at the Mart

This morning, we went down to AmericasMart for the last day of market. Parking was horrible, but inside crowds weren't too bad suprisingly. Although I didn't get to stay, linger, and drag my heels in each showroom, I did get to snap a few photos before my phone died. Annoying. Some of my favorites from what I saw? 

Mr. Brown, London
Southern Accessories Today
The new Global Views showroom (droolworthy and open daily!) 
Greenbox Art+Culture
Tritter Feefer
Ame and Lulu
Company C
Madegoods

Didn't have much time or space to pick up literature from every place I loved...so this is a very limited list. For what it's worth, today I sucked at recording my experience at market :) 


Regardless, here's what I got within the first 20 minutes before my phone keeled over:

someone please buy me all of this. 

xoxox

Favorites from Furbish

I have this little love obsession with blogs. One of my FAVORITES is isuwannee by Jamie Meares. She is seriously hilarious, with posts like what's rowdy on? & donkey of the day. Who else could pull this off? Today is a good, but busy day, so I thought I would post a few of my favorite items from her shop, Furbish. Homegirl has serious style, and can spot a trend coming from a mile away. All of her items make me want to do this: 

image via negib on flikr

That, mixed with this quote from Anchorman at the bottom of her blog,

You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to learn how to deal with it.

makes me feel like this:

image via Cemhan Biricik

So, here's the good stuff (all images via the amaaaaazing Furbish):

if you can be anything, be yourself and dance to the beat of your own drum. people will mock you until they realize they want to be more like you. 

x0x0x