I can't get enough of burlap!

I have had a few framed burlap images saved on Pinterest.
I was having a hard time deciding exactly what I wanted to do or where I would put it.
I love this one:

You can read all about it at Flea Market Trixie's blog HERE
She used her maiden name, her boyfriend's last name and their house number.
I had pinned this cute little piece from Domestically Speaking:

And ended up using her technique as explained here.
To make this cute little sign! I used all our birth dates and our wedding date in chronological order.

Close ups of date...

 And bottom.

This was such a simple project. Seriously! I should be calling my blog "A Monkey Can Do It!". I can't remember where I saw the idea for the dates and saying. I have had it written out in a file on my mac for a while just waiting to use it. I think this took me about 15 minutes to do! All you need is a printer, burlap and some freezer paper. I got my freezer paper at Giant (I'm sure WalMart has it too). I almost missed it. There was only one brand, just one row, kinda tucked in by the wax paper. It is basically white paper on one side and wax paper on the other. Cut a piece of burlap and a piece of freezer paper to 8.5" x 11". Lay the burlap down and then the shiny side of the freezer paper down on that and then iron them on medium. This will bind the freezer paper to you burlap. Then all you have to do is run your burlap straight through your printer and "voila!" you are done! So easy and cute. And now hubs won't get mad at me for always forgetting our anniversary (I know, I know - men are supposed to be the ones that forget, right?!). Because I certainly did NOT make the first one with the wrong date! What loser would DO that?

Next I need to figure out what I want to do with this salvaged cabinet door I got. Maybe a sign? A initial? Any thoughts?!

Black Doors and Burlap Pillows!

Wow! Is the sun ever coming out here again? I was waiting for some nicer days to take photos but CLEARLY that is not happening any time soon. So excuse the bad (even worse than usual) photos!

I showed you my black basement doors last post. I decided to go ahead and paint the front door as well. We had had the outside of it stripped and painted black in the Fall. We have a composite door that was stained to look like wood. It was gorgeous! For about 3 years... Then the fading started. And the peeling. And some more fading. You get the picture. So we stripped and re-stained. And one year later... the fading again.

Well, if you haven't figured it out yet I am LAYYYYY-ZEEE! There is no way I want a front door I need to upkeep on a YEARly basis! No way, no how!

Anyhoooo... Tangent. Sorry. Sore spot!

Here is the before of the front door:

And here is the after:

So, again, the black is just really making my other black blend into the house better. The rug has a black background and then the sconces are black as well. The dining room to the left has wallpaper that has a black background. And I have a ton of black furniture throughout the house as well as black trim in some rooms.

I could not take these arctic conditions any more and had to put my lemon wreath back up on the inside of the door too. I just need some promise of spring and color right now.

January to spring just drags on so here. Once the holidays are past I have no patience for the cold weather! I think I am going into hibernation mode.

Now I told you that I had gotten my new sewing machine. I busted it out of the box, set it up and immediately had to make something. I am the queen of immediate gratification. It really doesn't matter if I know what I am doing or not.

I had bought a couple of burlap coffee sacks at a barn sale for only $7 each - such a steal! And if you saw my slipcovered couch post you know I was hungry for some new pillows. Again. Since I am lazy. I basically just stuffed one of my old pillows down in the bag and sewed the sides. Ha! 

And then the finished pillow. Sitting with my favorite ruffle pillow. They look cute together, don't they?

And here is the back of it. An that is the existing side seam that I just left. For character. Or laziness - or whatever!

So I am pretty proud of this sewing experiment. Hopefully the seams don't burst open on me. Now I just need to replace those other two pillows on the outside and this will be the perfect place to hunker down until spring!