From Pillow to Post

 

There is nothing like a hand made gift.  I don't often receive them but I do give them on a fairly regular basis.  My daughter Lucy had a little friend who was having a birthday -Talia - it was her 8th birthday and she is horse crazy.  I was horse crazy too at her age and eventually got my very own horse when I was 11.  

So - what to give her for her birthday.  Obviously something to do with horses would be good.  So  I figured a pillow for her bed made with horse fabric would be pretty good.  So here it is.  I quilted the love heart - I used denim for the front panel embellished with the loveheart and  then a mixture of denim, the horsey fleece and a vintage pink chenille for the back.  I also embroidered her name on the front and I think it turned out kind of sweet.   I would have loved it for my 8th birthday !

My Works in Progress - Christmas Cushions

Lucys self portrait drawn early 2009

My almost finished embroidered version

Olivers self portrait drawn early 2009 I was inspired recently by Monkeemoomoo's blog (yet again) by this cushion that Spunky Monkey designed for Miss Moo Moo for her 4th birthday. I had in the back of my mind that I must do this some day with some of Oliver and Lucys artwork.

On Sunday I was having a big clean out - and found their art books from last year at daycare. Flicking through them I found the most perfect portraits that they had drawn of themselves. I photocopied Lucys drawing - enlarging it to 125% and traced over it with a transfer pencil (from Spotlight $6.95) onto baking paper. I then turned the tracing paper over and traced over the reverse side of the drawing (otherwise when I ironed the picture onto the fabric her name would have been written backwards). I then ironed the back-to -front tracing of the picture onto some fabric ready for embroidering (does this make sense ???). There is no need to trace it twice if there is no writing and you are happy with a mirror image.

My plan is to turn them into a small cushion each for their bed for Christmas presents this year.

What a great alternative way to display your favourite piece of artwork.

Thanks Monkeemoomoo for yet another great idea.