Soft furnishings on a budget

I wanted a bunch of blue, pastelly cushions for my lounges without too much effort or cost, and I just happened to hit the paydirt at St Vinnies. No, not cushions, but pillowcases for 50c each. That takes care of the cost and as they're already sewn with just a bit of tweaking to do, that takes care of the effort as well.

Of course they're a bit long and the tinsiest bit wide so I just cut them down to size along two sides, sewed them up again and whoila. Total time...about 10 mins per cushion.

I love the embroidery detail on these ones. I just kept the part of the pillowcase that had the folding opening and cut off the top.

I thought this floral pattern was very cottagey and I added some blue ribbon to hold them closed.

These ones were made using offcuts from the other blue pillowcases (the ones with the embroidery) and some leftover material and and lace that I had.

I also made some with a back opening from a tablecloth with a blue sprig pattern that I picked up for $2. It made some cushions for this lounge...

one for this chair...

and a chair pad for my rocking chair.

I needed to change the curtains to match so I bought a white single sheet for $2 which I cut up and added some lace and ribbon for some cottage prettiness. (Just don't look at how dirty the walls are. The crisp whiteness of the material really brings out the grime.)

And here's my oven mitt that I made out of the cot sheet that I found earlier from St Vinnies. I actually made two, and also a pot holder which I haven't quite finished.

Total cost excluding the ribbon, lace and cushion inserts which I already had.....$6.50. Not bad.

I feel very special and loved today...

...thanks to my wonderful children who really went out of their way to make my Mother's Day special. I kidd you not when I say I heard whispers and stealthy noises and the microwave opening VERY early this morning...4 am to be exact. They got up extra early and snuck out to the chicken coop in the dark to get some eggs (even though there's a huge resident spider who sometimes blocks the path...now that's love and sacrifice) to whip up these cake towers for me.

AND they washed up afterwards.

But I was greeted this morning in bed at a more reasonable hour by a paper flag banner (because they know how much I like them) a menu to choose from (which even included tuna on toast, something I confess to having quite often for breakfast much to the girls' disgust and much nose holding...again more love and sacrifice) and Rosie and Ella dressed like me in my poor boys caps, scarves and big boots.

After eating my delicious bacon and eggs they gave me their presents. From Rosie I got a really cute bunny mug (she said she chose it so I could use it for Easter decorating...she knows me well) filled with lollies and Ella gave me a great hand spade with a packet of lettuce seeds. Plus she gave me a pot that she painted in class.

My favourite things though were the cards/pictures that the girls made. Here's Rosie's.

I'm saying "Oh, no, not more washing", Sir Mitchell is saying "Who used all the toilet paper?", Princess Rosalie is saying "Ewww, Ellanor, you're feral!" and Princess Ellanor (in a Robin Hood outfit...very appropriate) is saying back "You're a yam-wam." No, none of us, except Ella, knows what that means and it drives Rosie nuts when Ella says it to her, hence it's effectiveness. So now you all have a little window into what our family life is really like.

Ella's picture is my favourite. Last week after taking the girls to see the local play of Oliver, which was VERY good, I mentioned that if I could act as anyone, I'd love to play Calamity Jane, of course. So Ella made me my own "Mummity Jane" poster complete with a photo of my face stuck on the picture.

I hope all you mothers out there have a lovely day being spoilt by your families. May you do no laundry, may your dinner be cooked for you and may all your dishes be washed and the house stay tidy with out you lifting a finger. Amen.