Easy Gold Accent Pillows - Pinterest Challenge

Over the last couple of days I really ummed and ahhed over whether or not I would join in for this round of the Pinterest Challenge. I really didn't want to miss it because I haven't missed one yet, but time (and my budget) seemed to be working against me. In the end I decided to challenge myself to see what I could make without spending any money (just like I did for the first challenge).

I'm happy to say I did!!

My cushions on my couch have been looking less than impressive lately. The few I had left on there were stained and mismatched... New cushions were well overdue, so I raided my fabric and paint stashes and came up with two new pillows.

It's no secret that I love the combination of gold and white, so inspired by these pins I decided to whip up a couple of gorgeous gold accent pillows.

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Both pillows were super easy and I made them both in just over an hour(plus drying time for the paint).

To make the colour blocked pillow I cut out four pieces of fabric, a 40cm x 40cm piece for the front, two smaller pieces to make up the envelope closure on the back, and a piece of gold lame 1/3 the size of the front piece.

When it came time to make the gold striped pillow I tried out a few different gold paints that I had, the only one that gave me the metallic look I was after was a can of spray paint that I had left over from another project. I taped off the front piece of the cushion with painters tape (using extra bits of tape to make sure my lines were spaced evenly), then sprayed the entire thing with the gold paint. Once it was dry I hemmed the overlapping pieces of fabric for the back and sewed it all up. Easy :)

I'm totally in love with how they turned out and so thrilled that this little mini couch makeover cost me absolutely nothing!! Tonight once my boys fall asleep I'm planning on throwing together a few more pillows for my three seater :).

As always don't forget to go and check out the hosts of the Pinterest Challenge (so excited that one of my fave bloggers Emily from Sparkle Meets Pop is co-hosting this time!!) and see what everyone else has been up to.

Pinterest Challenge Hosts - Emily Katie Sherry and Renee

xo Tamsyn

Check out my previous Pinterest Challenge Projects here

Tufted Headboard - TeePee - Jumbo Ruler - Laundry Gallery Wall - Star Chandelier - Birdie Jar

A Blue & White Christmas

Finally! My Christmas decorating is done and I have gotten around to taking photos :)

As I mentioned earlier in the month, I decided on a blue and white theme, but also included nature inspired elements. I wanted to keep an Aussie feel about it all.

For the front door I made a really simple wreath from sticks and hot glue. I just went down to the 'carefully cultivated to look like true-blue bush' nature reserve near my place and picked up a bag full of sticks off the ground.

I like it, but I think I might go with something a bit more traditional next year.

I decided to put the tree up in the dining room this year. So that ended up being the room that got the most Christmasing (yes that definitely is a word, regardless of what spell check says). Keep in mind though our house is open plan, so really the whole place feels Christmasy :)

I diy'ed a lot of the ornaments and other bits and pieces this year. I'll do a post tomorrow with more details about each of them.

I also made this tiny little Christmas village out of air-dry clay, and it sits on the window sill in the dining room.

In the kitchen I wiped down my chalkboard and then wrote up the words to 'away in a manger', one of my favourite Christmas Carols.

In the main living area I added in a few extra Christmas decorations. A bowl of baubles and my gorgeous Christmas spider (courtesy of Tanya from dans le townhouse). I hung heaps of my diy clay stars on the potted tree next to our picture window, and I added more lights and decorations in our wall cut out.

So there you have it. My decorations for Christmas 2011. Don't forget to check back in tomorrow for some DIYs :)