Sofa Pillow Refresh

I found this colorful fabric at "Hobby Lobby" several months back.  I love the mix of colors: turquoise, navy, brown, gold, coral, green, etc.  My house is pretty neutral, so I thought is would be fun to add a bit of color to the sofa with some new pillow covers.  I am not a great seamstress, so I once again went with envelope pillow covers.  You can see my first attempt at envelope pillow covers and a tutorial link here.

These pillow covers are incredibly easy to make.  I had some really soft navy blue corduroy on hand which I used for the "flip" side of the covers.  For less than $5, I now have some color to brighten up the family room.  The great thing is I can change these out whenever I want. Yeah for easy to make envelope pillow covers!

I really need a new sofa, but with two little ones (and their sticky hands) I am not in a rush to replace it.  A few new accessories help me to bide my time.

I am thinking about ordering this throw that is currently on sale at "West Elm".

 

It is currently $9.99 with an extra 15% off through Monday the 19th.  Here is the link.

I think the navy and ivory will be perfect with my new pillows.   At this price, what's not to love.

There is nothing better than some budget friendly accessories to refresh your space.

Update: (5/27/14)

My new throw from "West Elm" is here!  Love it!

-Laura-

In Bloom (May)

This year one of my goals is to focus on beautifying our outdoor space.  I have been busy pulling weeds (the never ending chore) and a couple of weeks ago John and I spread out some fresh mulch.  We have some well established rhododendron bushes and azaleas that are currently in bloom.  The blooms are really nice this year, so I wanted to share some images.

Drawing from inspiration found in garden magazines, I have been busy putting together some potted plants around the deck which I hope will flourish this summer.

Above is a pot mixed with climbing white Mandevilla, purple wave Petunias, and Dusty Miller. I put together a bamboo trellis for the Mandevilla to climb up.  If the Mandevilla grows beyond this trellis, I plan to wrap it around the deck railing.  I had good success with this pink Mandevilla a couple of years ago. 

I found some Dahlias on the clearance rack at "Lowes" marked down to a $1/plant.  I purchased two of these plants and mixed in some Dusty Miller for this pot.  After a bit of TLC the Dahlias have really perked up.

Lastly, I picked up some coconut liners and hanging baskets from the "Dollar Tree".  Can you believe I got two baskets and two liners for just $4.  I put some shade loving Begonias and greenery in these baskets and hung them next to our patio below the deck.

Has anyone else been working their green thumb this spring?  Any plans for gardening this weekend?

Wishing all a great weekend!

-Laura-

Fallen Tulip

Yesterday I was pulling some weeds while my boys rode their bikes in our driveway.  I noticed that two of my tulips had been knocked down by a recent rain storm.  I plucked these blooms and brought them inside to enjoy them.  I thought I would share some pictures of these two tulip blooms, because even fallen flowers can be extraordinarily beautiful.

Hope these images brighten your day!

-Laura-