Greetings friends, happy Friday !  You all know I’m on a lavender kick lately as I’m harvesting my plants in my garden.   I’ve made plenty of bouquets this week to give to all my neighbors and friends.  My entire house is filled with the scent right now.

Lavender is one of the most soothing herbal remedies, so much so it helps you sleep better !   So this week, I put my dried lavender to good use by making some eye pillows with linen fabric and simple embroidery.  

Here’s my step-by-step how I made these lavender eye pillows:

Supplies:  Fabric of choice; fabric lining (optional); dried lavender (approx 1.5 cups for each pillow); organic rice or flax seed; sewing machine; embroidery hoop & thread (optional); ink jet printer; scissors; masking tape; cardstock. 

First, I cut my linen fabric to approximately 8” x 10”, then used masking tape to attach it to cardstock.  Make sure your fabric is perfectly flat to the cardstock or it will cause a paper jam.   

Next, I centered this image below in a Word document, then ran it through my computer printer !     Printing with black ink comes out dark brown on the linen. 

Note, the ink when dry is steadfast to the fabric and won’t run, but try not to get it wet, because it can bleed just a bit. 

I hand embroidered the details of the lavender sprig to the linen with a small hoop and some deep purple thread. 

Next, I cut some fabric lining to the same size as my linen, then sewed my lining and printed linen inside out on three sides.  The lining is optional, but I think it helps keep the outside fabric texture smoother to the touch, especially if using these on your eyes.   

To create lavender filling for pillows, combine 2 parts dried lavender to 1 part organic rice or flax seed.  You can use less lavender if necessary, but I have plenty so that’s my math and I’m sticking to it.   If you’re short on lavender, you can also use essential oils to enhance the scent of your flax seed or rice filling. 

Fill your pillow with the lavender mixture, then hand sew fourth side together.

That’s it, easy peasy !

Use them for relaxation, headache tension, or even tucked in your pillowcase or bureau drawer.   And did you know lavender is a natural moth deterrent ?  Place them in your closet as a repellant !  Or just leave them next to your bed as a soothing scent to drift away to slumber. 

Here’s the best part !  I’m giving FIVE of them away to you, my lovely readers, PLUS a bundle of fresh lavender, from my garden to your door. 

To be eligible, simply leave a comment – the FIVE winners will be chosen by Random.org.  Giveaway ends Monday June 21st at 8 p.m. 

******  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED  ******

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So as I was touring the backyard the other day, I realized there’s definitely some sprucing that needs to happen, especially with guests coming on the Fourth. 

As I meandered up the hill behind the grapevines, I was reminded of the thrift store bistro set I found a couple of years ago that I had every intention of refinishing but I just never got around to it.   The set sits on a little gravel patio that has a great view of the vines, but it certainly been been neglected.  After leaving the bistro set out all winter (so dumb), the set was, how shall I say . . . . what’s the word ?  . . . oh yes.  

GROSS. 

I meant there was moss growing on top of the table, the paint was chipping everywhere, and it was covered in spiderwebs.  ICK. ICK. ICK. 

So I decided the time had come to give it a makeover.  I convinced myself I’d have a fresh new set in no time at all with just a little paint and fabric.   Well, that’s what I did, repainted and recovered the seats.  But in the middle of my revamp, something rather unexpected happened.  Something I hate to relive.  But you’ve just got to know. 

First, take a looky loo at this retro bistro set Before:

And After:

Purty, huh ? 

It’s just such a great set for sitting and watching the grapes grow. 

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Hey everybody, how’s your week shaping up ?  Mine is soooo full of activity -  I’ve got one daughter finishing kindergarten and another graduating from high school this weekend – how crazy is that ?  It makes for plenty of excitement around these parts. 

Last week, I finished the laundry room makeover, and many of you inquired about the window treatment.  Here’s the play-by-play on how I made this fixed flat fold shade.

The room is on the second story and never in need of darkness.  I’ve made roman shades before, but this time I made it a fixed shade.  Yep, it’s true, this one’s a big fat faux, fake & phony – it doesn’t go up and down.   I wanted just the ‘look’ of a functioning flat fold roman shade since I never intended to raise or lower it for light control.   When I was researching fixed shades online, I found this fantastic tutorial by Darby and I was completely inspired.  

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Hiya everyone, thanks so much for all the compliments on the laundry room makeover!  It really is such a rewarding redo for me, it feels so fresh, clean and organized in there – I’ve been washing and folding in anticipation of our getaway this weekend.

Some questions came, up so here we go !

Can you tell me more about how you painted the cabinets? – Lynn

How did you paint the cabinets so quickly and effortlessly?  -Kate

I’ve gotta tell ya gals, for me, painting cabinets is neither quick nor effortless!   It’s actually quite time consuming and labor intensive, because I don’t rush it and I follow several steps.  But in the end, it’s always worth it.   I don’t own a sprayer (yet!), so here’s how I painted these by hand.

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