I was provided product by DecoArt and compensated to write about this project, but all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own :)

I'm bringing it back to my roots with this project, and it feels so good! It's so easy to hop onto Amazon, buy something, and have it delivered two days later (sometimes that same day!). But, you know what feels even better? Making it on your own! I have had these pillows (not just from Amazon but varying sources) on my wish list for awhile now. I had them sitting in my cart, waiting to buy them, knowing full well I could make them for soooo much cheaper. Well, I finally did it, and I'm so happy with the results! The best part? They were made using upcycled button down shirts! This project would be close to free if you already have some in your closet. I don't know about you, but that's always the best! Plus, making them with shirts cuts out like 75% of the steps on how you would normally make a cover! 

Of course, once you make the covers, you need to decorate them! I used DecoArt's SoSoft Frabric Acrylics in Lamp Black, Antique Gold, and Brown. 

Before you start, make sure that the shirts are washed, not using any softeners. Once they are dried, iron them. I used two different styles of button down shirts, long sleeve and short sleeve. They both work. My only recommendation when picking out the shirt is to make sure they are a men's XL or XXL. That will give you the max amount of fabric to work with without having to cut into the armpits :) 

Cut out a piece of cardboard at 19"x 19". This will be for a 18"x18" pillow cover. If you want bigger, then add your needed inches. I usually put a 20"x20" insert into a 18" pillow cover so it fills it out nice and plump! Turn the shirt inside out and lay on a flat surface, button side up. Place the cardboard directly in the middle of the shirt, trying to line up the buttons in the middle of the cardboard. Trace with a pen or fabric marker.

 Remove the cardboard and carefully pin in place, making sure to keep all wrinkles out of both top and bottom layers. 

 Next, sew the square! Make sure the hem is about 1/2" in around the entire piece. 

 When you are done, turn it inside out! Now you have the closure on the back with the buttons. Genius, right?! Easiest pillow cover ever! 

 Now it's time to add some paint! To protect the backside of the pillow, place a 18"x18" piece of cardboard into the pillow cover. 

Now for the three paint tutorials: 

Decorative Lined Pillow Cover Tutorial

For the first pillow, I lined up another piece of cardboard along the front, making sure it was equidistant from the bottom edge. I went with a hand drawn look on this one. Using the SoSoft Lamp Black and a small tipped paint brush, I painted a line down the middle of the cover. I used the cardboard as a guide to keep it straight. 

 On this first line, I just added little leaves along it. 

 I then added more lines about 2.5" apart, adding different decorative lines. 

 When I got to the 2nd to the last line on one side, I switched colors to the SoSoft Antique Gold and added the little circle leaves in the opposite direction. I like doing this just to shake things up a little bit :)

 And there it is! 

Faux Leather Pillow Cover Tutorial

 Now for the second design. This was the easiest out of the three. I measured up 10.5" on both sides of the front of the cover and placed some painters tape to make a line. 

 I then painted the bottom portion of the pillow cover SoSoft Brown. When this was fully dried, I pulled it off of the cardboard, and then added another coat of the SoSoft Brown. The paint will want to stick to the cardboard, so that's why I did this. You can also use some foil over the cardboard to prevent this :) 

Once the second coat is dry, take out the cardboard and feel the amazing results! Serious. It's a pretty good looking faux leather. I was so pleased! I'll be making more of these for sure!

Arrow Pillow Cover Tutorial

 Now for the last design. This one requires a little more measuring, but I tried to make it easy for you :) Measure 4" in from each side and place a piece of painters tape along those marks.

 Grab an 18" piece of cardboard and mark every 1.5". Line this up 2" in on your cover. Using a small tipped paint brush and the SoSoft Lamp Black, paint about 1" diagonal lines. 

 Remove the cardboard and paint the opposite diagonal lines. Do this on both left and right sides of the cover.

 Now place a piece of tape right down the middle. This will give you two more areas to work with, doing the same thing.

 Here's what it will look like.

I just love how all of these came together. But, seriously you guys, that brown one blew my mind. I could not believe how this wasn't hard at all. It has the best texture and is so soft (no pun intended).

The best thing about this, no heat-set is required and it's washable! Just turn it inside out and put it on the gentle cycle, and dry on low heat. 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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I was provided product by DecoArt and compensated to write about this project, but all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own :)

In the past, I haven't really decorated for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I still feel like it's supposed to be July around the time December comes so it's super hard to get into the holiday spirit. So, once Christmas comes and goes, I feel like I really missed the whole thing. I usually don't feel like it should be Christmas time until around February :) That being said, I'm doing things a little different this year. Christmas is going up...like now. Yep, Beginning of November. I figure that's a good way to get me into the spirit quicker. Will it work? I have no clue. But, it's worth the try! 

Now, I know that people will say, don't forget about Thanksgiving! I know, I know. I'm not trying to smother Thanksgiving with red bows, flocking and glitter. But, in my family, Thanksgiving is like the gateway to the holidays and is celebrated as so. We are still thankful, and will be just as thankful with a Christmas tree up instead of pumpkins and leaves on the table. 

Now that I justified myself for putting Christmas wreaths up the day after Halloween.... :) I'm going to share with you a practically free wreath made out of pine cones. Actually, not just one, but two wreaths! Made two separate ways to get two different looks. 

Supply list for both:
Pine cones (somewhat uniform in size)
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics in Festive Green and White Pearl. I also love the way Festive Red looks!
Floral wire and/or pony beads
Wire hanger
Hot glue
Bow

As I mentioned above, try to get pine cones in the same size to make your life easier.

 I love how these three colors pop off the pine cones. I will be using the Festive Red on another Christmas project coming up soon. The Pearl White is so pretty and sparkly that it looks like snow has fallen all over the pine cone.

 For the first, more simple wreath, you'll want to take your coat hanger:

 And unbend it and try to make as good of a circle as you can. You may need to use some pliers to get the ends to wrap around.

 Get the floral wire and cut them about 10" long. Wrap it around the pine cone in the middle and then around the wire hanger. Kind of bend the wire back into the pine cone so you can't see it from the front. I alternated the direction of each pine cone.

 Continue to do this all the way around the circle.

 Play around with the look of the pine cones, and when you got them just right, hot glue them to one another.

 Now take the Festive Green and brush it on all the edges of the pine cones.

 Finish it off by hot gluing a bow to the top!

 The Festive Green pops off the pine cones so beautifully.

 This is definitely a more simple look, if you want to fill it in more, you can easily just hot glue smaller pine cones on top. 

 Now for the second technique, the more fuller version. Take the Pearl White and squirt about a 3" line on some paper, or foil like I used. Then roll the pine cone in it. Make sure to cover tops and bottoms. This gives a really nice thick layer of paint on the pine cones that look just like snow fell on them.

 Do all of them at the same time and sit them out to dry. 

 Next, take your pony beads. I chose red just because that was the only available color the store had at the time. Talk about pony bead shortage :) I would do white or clear if they had it.

 Hot glue the pony bead onto the outside bottom of each pine cone. So, not in the middle, but as close to the bottom edge as you can.

 Take your hanger and keep it opened.

 Thread the pony beads onto the wire. I made sure that each time I put the pine cone on, the bead was on the left side.

 Add as many pine cones on as you can, leaving a little room to tie the wire together with some pliers. To finish the rest of the wire, use floral wire wrapped around the bottom section, and secured onto the wire (kind of like in the process of the first wreath above). When all the pine cones are on, start moving them around. I went in this order, one on the inside, one on the outside, one on top. I did this pattern around the entire thing trying to get them as close together as possible. Once they were how I wanted, I then add some hot glue where the touching points were.

 To finish it off, I placed a bow at the top.

 And there you have it! A beautiful, full wreath full of 'snow' touched pine cones.

 I love the texture that these wreaths bring! And if you don't have pine cones falling all over where you live, just go to the store and get those cinnamon ones in bags. Then you'd have a great smelling wreath too! 

Now, let me get back to decorating my heart out for Christmas before my husband comes home and stops me!

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 Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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