CasaSugar

Before and After: Charming House Shelves

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:40 -0700

Writer and crafter Mary Helen recently stumbled across these cute unfinished house shelves at the Salvation Army. Seeing crafty potential in these plain Jane shelves, she decided to take them home and turn them into something fabulous.

Want to see how she transformed these shelves? Then read more.

Using white craft paint and Amy Butler craft paper, Mary Helen took these shelves from boring to vibrant. She explains,

Using newsprint to create templates for the shelf cavities, I carefully traced the shape of each shelf onto my decorative paper. I cut each pieces out and trimmed it as needed so that it would lay perfectly flat inside the shelf. Then, I used a foam brush to apply a very thin coat of Elmer’s Glue (you can also use Mod Podge) to the back of each piece of paper. After gluing, I placed the paper on the wall of the shelf, and smoothed it out with a dry foam brush.

I love this smart project, which is an excellent example of upcycling. And I can't wait to see what cute little objects Mary Helen will place in her shelves, once they're hung. Check out Mary Helen's post for all of her advice and directions.

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Nice and New: Amy Butler Bedding For Welspun

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Just when you thought she couldn't do any more, textile designer Amy Butler has ventured into bedding. Come June, you can find her new collection for Welspun at Bed Bath & Beyond. True to her Midwest Modern aesthetic, Butler's five new bedding designs are fresh, modern, nature-inspired, and colorful (think lime, blood orange, and canary blue), with a nod to Eastern design seen in her intricate patterns. The eco-friendly collection will include 100 percent certified-organic comforters, duvets, shams, decorative pillows, and 400-thread-count percale sheets. To complete the look, coordinating window treatments will also be available online. Take a look at the images below and tell me what you think!

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Before and After: From Thrifty to Nifty

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:00:40 -0700

On a thrifting adventure with some friends, I spotted this corkboard tucked among the frames. It had definitely seen better days, but I liked its patterned wood frame, and it looked like it was in decent structural shape, so I decided to take it home. If you remember my post on decorating with thrifted goods, you'll know that a scruffy item often has endless potential.

To see how I spruced up this sad corkboard, read more.

First, I gently pried out the rusty staples, which were attaching the cork to the frame. Then, I mixed some acrylic paint colors together to create a soothing, deep blue-green color, and added some decoupage glue to add shine. I applied two coats of paint, and let it dry overnight. The next day I measured and cut out a length of Amy Butler fabric slightly larger than the corkboard, tucked it tightly around the cork, and staplegunned it into place. Then, I simply popped the fabric-covered cork into the frame, secured it with some finish nails, and hung it in the entry.

This new entry item has actually added a lot of necessary space on the wall for posting letters, messages, and notes. Do you have something similar in your home?

Nice and New: Amy Butler's New Organic Quilt Line

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:15:32 -0800

One of my favorite textile designers, Amy Butler, has teamed up with Welspun textiles to create a new organic home textiles line. Don't hold your breath quite yet, since you still have a few months before you can snap up the full line: the quilts will be available starting in June through Bed, Bath & Beyond. The quilts range in price from $99.99 for a twin size to $179 for a king, making these pieces not only beautiful and eco, but affordable as well.

If you can't wait until June to see the entire line, good news: as a preview to this new line, Amy Butler for Welspun is offering the limited edition Kyoto quilt through Amy Butler's site. I also had the chance to check out a preview image of the rest of the line, and it looks absolutely lovely! I'll update you as soon as more photos become available.

Etsy Find: TopTube VeloPocket

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800

As much as I love to bike around town, my bicycle is always in conflict with my home. There's never a good place to stash it, unless you have one of these. I've had two bikes stolen from my own backyard, and even when I've had a garage to store it safely, it always falls over. Then, there's the issue of clunky accessories. A big old wire or wicker basket is just not practical for me, it takes up too much space in my digs and makes riding uneasy. So, I was delighted to come across the Hambone Designs Top Tube Velo Pocket ($45), a slim place to stash all your cargo while you're riding that snaps easily to your bike frame. It doesn't solve all my problems, but it's a start. And, its chic Amy Butler fabric makes it easy to match my bike to my decor!

Casa Beta: Amy Butler's Free Birdie the Cat Pillow Pattern

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:00:18 -0800

Since it's almost Christmas, and since he doesn't read my site anyway, I thought it would be safe to show you the pillow I made for my little brother Forrest, who's 6. Forrest is a major cat lover and a cuddle bug, so I thought he'd like this Birdie the Cat pillow.

The pillow is from Amy Butler's online free downloadable PDF patterns. It calls for one yard of flannel, felt for the kitty's face, more felt for the eyes and mouth, fusible interfacing, and poly-fill stuffing. I took some liberties with the materials, which added a bit more work for me. For instance, I used corduroy for the cat's face and velvet for its eyes, which meant that I needed to hem each of these pieces. Not a big deal, but this step added at least 10 minutes to the project.

Instead of poly-fill, I also decided to use down. I love the heft and feel of down-stuffed pillows, and while this was a bit messy, it wasn't too bad, and I think the results were well worth it.

To hear more of my thoughts about this pattern, and to see the finished product, read more.

I used Echino fabric for the body, which gave the pillow more of a boy-oriented cat-monster vibe. I found the directions and pattern very easy to follow. When you download the PDF, the pattern is printed out in four pages, which you then cut out and tape together to use for the cat's body and face. I opted not to give the kitty a mouth, which I think actually looks better for this creation. I'm definitely going to make more of these, and they're definitely not just for kids: even my hipster 20-something sister wants one!
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DIY: Amy Butler Snow Mum Pillow

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:00:54 -0800

I've been contemplating making Amy Butler's Snow Mum Pillow for a while now, so when I found this review of the pattern from Peacock Chic, I figured it was a sign that I try it out myself! And, of course, I wanted to pass along all of the directions to you as well. This winter-white wonderland of a pillow would be a great holiday gift. All you need to do is download the Amy Butler Snow Mum Pillow Pattern and follow the directions.

Before you get started though, you might want to know what potential sewing pitfalls await you. To hear a review of this pattern, read more.

Here's what, Peacock Chic has to say:

The Good
"I like the button I added because it breaks up the expanse of white just enough, and it shines when the sun hits it bringing attention to the pillow."

"This pattern is very simple but super elegant when finished."

The Bad
"I did have to use a few more petals on the second to last ring. The pattern calls for 12 small petals, but I ended up using 14 because it seemed a bit sparse for me. Then I added one more inner ring of four small petals."

"I was so happy to use the 18-inch pillow form I had lying around naked and needing a cover, but when I saw the beautiful flower on that huge pillow that also swallowed up my chair, I opted to downsize to a 16-inch pillow. I think it gives just enough room on the pillow without losing the flower"

Check out Peacock Chic's full review for even more tips!

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Casa Quickie: Free Downloadable Gift Tags

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:00:26 -0800

If you want to add a special touch to your holiday gifts, Amy Butler has you covered. You can download a variety of adorable gift tags in PDF form at her site. Then, just print out the patterns on heavy card stock and you're set to go (and give). How's that for a little holiday cheer? Source

Coveted Crib: Amy Butler's Studio

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:00:03 -0800

While I've been a fan of Amy Butler's fabric, products, and patterns for some time, now I'm also in love with her studio space. Take the tour with me, and you'll be wishing for an Ohio fabric studio as well! Source

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Do You Dress Your Table?

CasaSugar — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:30:13 -0800

Since I inherited a dining table from my mother-in-law that I could never afford otherwise (thank you Linda!), I try to be extra careful with it by using coasters, tablecloths, and place mats before anything gets set down on its burnished wood surface. Which doesn't prevent accidents entirely: Last week I put a pizza box down on the table for a moment, and its surface fogged up for 10 minutes! Luckily, there was no permanent damage, but I was worried!

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