DIY - Eclectic Boho Bunting Tutorial

First of all, you may have noticed the blog has a whole new look.  Ive been working super hard in my extra hours lately designing it, and Im so happy with the way it came out.  It is so much more me.  I used all of my own images for the backgrounds and header, which made it so much more personal.  The background image is a quilt my mom made in the 70's.  Let me know what you think of the changes, Id love to know!

I thought it would be fun to kick June off with a fun DIY bunting tutorial.  I wanted to make this bunting for our new house since we found out we got it!  And since i dont have any curtains for my windows yet, it was the perfect little thing to make it cute.  You can make this for any space though.  It would be super cute on a mantel or in a doorway, or even just strung on the wall.


MATERIALS NEEDED:
trim, ribbon or really anything for the main part
trinkets, ie: doilies, photos, buttons, feathers, etc.
scissors
needle & thread or sewing machine


Sew any parts the need to go together first.  My vintage lace was too short, so I sewed 3 peices together to make it longer.  I also needed to sew the pom poms on the velvet strip.


Once all of your little pieces are put together, lay it all out on a large flat surface and place everything where you want it to go.  This is the fun part.  Change things up until you get it just right in your eyes.


If you want to add a photo (or bookmark like i did), all you need is a hole puncher and yarn.  I just tied it in a loop in one of the holes of the lace.


Pin all of your pieces down so you dont lose their perfect place.  I like to pin it all at once so I dont have to keep coming back to the table for each piece.


And its always nice to let your kitty help you decide too :)


I used vintage ribbon to create two loops on the end for hanging.  You can use anything, yarn, string, ribbon, etc.


For the feather, I just used a needle and thread and pulled it right through the stem, and attached it to the lace.  I wanted it to dangle, so I left a space between the feather and trim.


Then all you have to do is find the perfect spot in your home for your new little bunting!  I love this bunting so much more than a typical fabric bunting (not knocking them, i love them too)... just b/c it can be so personal with your own stuff.  Use stuff that has alot of meaning to you, and you will enjoy it so much when you walk past it and are reminded of great memories!


Now my window just need a pretty curtain!  If you make a bunting, Id love to see it!  Please send me a link if you post it!  And feel free to share this on your blog, just please please link back to this post, thank you!

PEACE,
Laura

HOME TOUR - Living Room

Our living room is a very happy place for me.  As I sit and work on my computer here in my open office, I am facing our living room area, where James enjoys most of his time when he is not working.  Some of my all time favorite and most sentimental things are in our living room.  I love love love decorating my spaces with meaningful art.  Honestly I wouldnt have it any other way.  The things I place on my walls to look at everyday must have a feeling of comfort for me, and I get the biggest comfort from things having history.  Family history most importantly.

On our mantel I have placed a large framed photo of one of our engagement shots.  My dad handmade the frame for our wedding, so it is super special.  The white and brown pitcher was my moms and is a very old piece of 'stapleware', which is very rare these days.  She loved the broken and recycled history of stapleware.  The tiny antique bottle collection was also hers with a few of mine mixed in.  We both shared a big love for old bottles, especially little tiny ones.  And the old non working violin was hers too.  She wanted so badly to learn to play the violin and never really got around to it.  Even some of the feathers, like the large turkey feathers are probably about 20 or so years old.  I love them to pieces.


The quilt on the back of our couch was handmade by my aunt, and I just adore it.  She gave it to me to cut up and use in my crafts, but I couldnt bare, its too wonderful.  The red velvet chair I got from my friend Shauna of Poor Pitiful Pearl, love it!  My coffee table was just a boring little table my bestie was getting rid of years ago and I re-painted it and gave it new life. 

My mannequin Moon has been tagging along with my since I was about 14.  She sports a tshirt from Greune Hall.  My mom got it when she waited tables at the Gristmill over 30 years ago.  The restaurant is still alive and kicking, such a cool place.

I did the painting of Claire Danes for James when we were just friends years ago.  And he got the custom skateboard two years ago for xmas.  Two of his favorite things.  My daddy made the bookshelf which I have always admired.

The shelf above our tv has some of the most meaningful stuff on it.  An embroidery of james and i that i have him for xmas a few years back.  Two kaleidescopes, one that my mom made when she was about my age, and one that was a wedding gift.  Marbles from my grandfathers collection.  One of my nanna's sparkly shoes from her dancing days.  My aunt has the other one, her and my mom each took one.  A framed pic of me and my mom.  And other various wedding gifts and knick knacks that I love.

This sun quilt was another piece my mom made before I was born.  I think she was pregnant with my brother when she made it.  This is my most single special thing I have.  If we had a fire, I would be ripping it off the walls as I ran out.

When my mom started making Broken China Jewelry 30 years ago, she was saving all of the hallmarks off the back of the plates.  She made this little wall hanging and Im so glad she did.  Its a nice little reminder of what she did with her life.  And I found just the perfect spot for it!

As you can see, I really do keep alot of my mom around me.  It comforts me so much.  None of this stuff can replace her, but it fills some of the holes in my heart having it around me, if that makes sense. 

PEACE,
Laura

One Happy Day...

Today, I am a happy girl.
  • i did a home decor project i have been wanting to do since we knew we were buying a house!  and... im excited to be sharing it as a DIY in a few days!
  • my boy took me on a mini date today.  as silly as it may seem, it was to Bandera (the town we live in) just to walk around and get coffee.
  • i actually found a super cute dress at the sorry excuse for a craft show our town holds.
  • i had a good hair day
  • which made me feel good enough to put on a girly dress
  • james and i have been so sweet to each other all day
  • i found out my nanna & sabe are coming to my house tomorrow
  • which also means i am making homeade green chicken enchiladas tomorrow, yum!
  • i had an a moment of clarity as a designer today.  in a flash, i dreamt of the pretty jewelry line i have always wanted to create, i sketched out ideas, and i executed 3 pieces.  the feeling i get when that happens is the very reason i love being an artist.  when it strikes, its like a hurricane, and its beautiful!


getting ready to go on our 'date'.

it was sooooo hot today, we gave violet some extra special water with heart ice cubes!

are they not the two cutest things you have ever seen???

the beautiful dress i found.  james loves it as much as i do, which always makes me feel prettier when i know he loves it.

I am going to be working on a body of work with this new line before I launch it.  And as far as I am thinking right now, it deserves its own shop, so I may be opening a new one just for this line.  Im already dreaming of the styling and design behind it all.  It sort of ties into a project I started over a year ago and was never able to make it a reality due to being too busy.  The timing feels just right now.   But dont worry, Violet Bella is not going anywhere.  In fact I have several new pieces already made & photographed just waiting to be uploaded.

And... Im extending my facebook/twitter sale to blog followers as well, get 20% anything in my entire shop through monday, by using the code MEMDAY2011 at checkout.

PEACE,
Laura