Create your own fabric prints!

Love this idea from How About Orange! Create a pattern using tape, then fabric paint over it. When it dries, peel off the tape and you have a great pattern! Then sew the fabric into a pillow cover, or something fun! I'm so doing this. Check out the full blog and instructions here.

as promised.

Here it is! My homemade duvet cover. I absolutely love it - the colours, the design, everything. The pattern is from Mood, the solid blue is from Len's Mill, and the grey underneath is none other than a $4.99 Value Village special. I wanted to use as much of the pattern as I could, but I didn't have enough to cover the entire duvet, so I framed the ends with the solid blue. I also dressed my bed with my new $10 sheets from Target...can't wait to crawl in tonight!

Bonus: new $4 curtains with cute yellow material from the clearance shelf at Len's Mill. Perfect Match.

amy butler designs.

My cousin Rachel told me about Amy Butler (and made me a bag from one her cool patterns!), and I finally stopped by her site. I might have stumbled across a dream career. Can you imagine designing beautiful things everyday? Yes please. Amy Butler designs fabrics for home and fashion, and also sells patterns for fun things like purses to pillows. I love her collection of bedspreads. The prints are just so fun and fresh and pretty! Florals don't have to look like they belong in the '70s. Here are some of my favourites from her site.

PS Stay tuned...I'm working on my own duvet cover - when it's done I'll post about it!

I will...play with patterns.

Like I said in the last post, colours make things come alive - and patterns are similar. They're intriguing. They can be dangerous too, especially when they become overwhelming and make you dizzy. But placed in unexpected places/moments they can can add just the right amount of that extra "something".

Like this placemats on Twig and Thistle...

Or these accessories on Ish and Chi

And last but not least, these pieces from Anthropologie

for people who sew.

www.burdastyle.com is a cool website to get free patterns from... I've never actually printed any off, I just love the thought of being able to share great ideas! This dress is on my list of things to make next..