6 Tips to create easy holiday pillow covers and three FREE designs too!

I’ve sewn plenty of pillow covers in my time. And while they are fun to create, sometimes it’s just easier to fast-track a project. Ikea pillow covers are so inexpensive and great quality. For the price – $4 for plain covers and $5 for stripes -they offer an easy way to create holiday pillows and they even have hidden zippers. So you can take them off and store them flat. I change my pillows up all the time. I just save the inserts and change the pillow covers, depending on the season or holiday!!

So here are my 6 best tips on how to make easy Halloween Pillow Covers and I am also sharing THREE Halloween pillow cover designs too!

1. When using a craft cutting machine like your Cricut Explore, be sure to use the “Mirror Image” feature to change the image, so when you cut it out using vinyl transfer material and iron it on your fabric, the image will come out right-side up.
2. Unwrap your pillow cover and iron all of the folds out so it is flat.
3. Then fold the pillow cover in quarters and iron it so you have a center point in the middle of the cover. Do the same thing with the viyl transfer image so you have a center point on that too. Then line both the center points on the pillow cover and the transfer sheet and iron the image onto the pillow cover.
4. Sometimes the vinyl transfer material doesn’t adhere so well onto the fabric. You can buy a silicone sheet and put it over the vinyl transfer material. The silicone sheet intensifies the heat from the iron and really helps the vinyl transfer fabric “stick” to the pillow cover.
5. If you have used a spray adhesive to make your cutting mat “stickier” sometimes the adhesive can stick onto the pillow cover. To get rid of these “goobers”, use a piece of parchment paper and lay it over the top and iron and the “goobers” will disappear.
6. If you don’t have a vinyl cutting machine, don’t despair! You can create cute holiday pillows with a pillow cover and a piece or ribbon. Just wrap your pillow with ribbon and tie it in a bow. Use a ribbon color and pattern that contrasts with your pillow cover. So easy!!

And here are the cut files!

For the trick or treat design, right-click this link or the image below and choose “save as.”

For the “31” design, right-click this link or the image below and choose “save as.”

For the “Jack O Lantern” design, right-click this link or the image below and choose “save as.”

For the “Jack O Lantern” design (with pumpkin), right-click this link or the image below and choose “save as.”

As always, they’re for personal use only!

And I also love that the pillows go along with the rest of my Halloween home decor at the #1905Cottage. I made a rug that goes matches the 31 pillow!

I also posted a video with my 6 tips on how to make easy pillow covers on Periscope! Have you tried Periscope out?? I am sharing DIY tutorials there every Monday at 2:30 and Friday at 11 AM. I hope you might want to stop by and say hi! I will upload the Periscope video into this post when I figure out how to do it. LOL!!

Have a Festive Day!

xoxo

The post 6 Tips to Make Easy Halloween Pillow Covers [And three Free Designs!] appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

The garage is still in progress, but my DIY work couldn’t wait! I was so excited when Troy-Bilt invited me to participate in the Troy-Bilt FLEX Face-Off! Here’s what I got to try – not only a Lowe’s gift card but also a full Troy-Bilt FLEX system. I have never, and I mean never, been this excited about yard care tools in my entire life.

This is how it looks in my garage project in progress. I’ll show you a little more later, but the Troy-Bilt FLEX system includes a power base – like the engine piece – and then attachments that snap on the front. In the picture you can see my power base next to the lawnmower. Then, on the shelf of my cool FLEX storage rack is my leaf blower and power washer attachments. (I have a snow blower that just arrived. I’m not anxious to put that to use — summer just got here!)

That mower made amazingly short work of my overgrown lawn – yes – the lawn with grass as high as my waist in a few places where I’d neglected it during construction. It just ate it up.

But here’s the best part: You can win a full Troy-Bilt FLEX system, too! That’s an over $1000 value!

I’ll show you more about my garage makeover project below,
but here’s how to enter to win RIGHT NOW: Just vote for me at the Troy-Bilt FLEX Face-Off site!

When you vote, you’ll get a chance to win a Troy-Bilt FLEX power base, two attachments (your choice!) and the awesome FLEX storage rack. – and get another entry every time you vote!

Here’s what I did in my garage so far:

You might remember the little garage attached to the 1905 cottage. It was added on after the main house, obviously, and it was falling apart. When I started the cottage expansion, it had to be the first to go.

So when I started the garage makeover, the garage looked like this:

My addition is almost complete, but the garage was the last to be usable, and even now there’s still more to be done. But I couldn’t wait. I have too many projects to do to have the garage full of debris and with nowhere to work! So first, I cleaned the garage …

… and got the workbench going!

One of my favorite tricks is to get built-in shelves sized for my plastic storage containers – and then I buy them all the same size!

So I knew I’d need storage on the workbench, so while at Lowe’s I picked up some of my favorite storage supplies: pegboard and adjustable slot storage.

I love the metal pegboard – it’s durable and looks industrial chic. Plus, the pieces are spaced perfectly to go right into the studs – and they interlock!

Once I’d assembled these above the workbench, I added

hooks onto the pegboard – so I can fit the tools I use most. I’m sure I’ll end up moving them around as I use them! Some people even like to outline the proper tool on the pegboard. I’m not ready to commit (LOL).

Next, I added some reconfigurable shelves above the pegboard with this cool GearTrack system:

I’m still unpacking supplies, but I love the way it organizes my tools and the new workbench gives me somewhere to actually work!+

It doesn’t take weeks of work to make a major change in your garage. From the renovation, I had tools scattered all around in tool bags and boxes. With sturdy metal pegboard and flexible shelving, I’ve organized my tools above the workbench so I can still finish DIY and décor projects without the mess. One thing I love about these flexible storage options – I don’t have to commit to the exact way I want to store my tools until I’ve lived with it for a while and adjusted the storage to fit what works best!

Perhaps my favorite, fastest and least expensive addition: bike hooks.

Just like yard equipment, bicycles can take up a LOT of room in your garage. Especially for adult bikes – like my cruiser – getting them off the ground makes a huge difference in storage. Lowe’s has several options for bike storage, including a reasonably-priced pulley hoist, but my favorite is still the $2 large bike hook. Just pre-drill a hole into the rafter, screw the hook in and lift the bike up, rear wheel first! Suddenly I regained a bunch of garage floor space and made use of the “dead space” by the garage door.

Then, even while we’re getting things organized all around the cottage, we were finding piles of coats and shoes around the house. Even though something super complex and fancy would be fun, sometimes the best solution doesn’t take a week of work! I got a sturdy coat rack from Lowe’s and brought in a bench and galvanized bucket I already had.

Voila! A right-next-to-the-door coat and shoe station to corral the clutter. Some houses are lucky enough to have a mudroom – but most don’t! It’s pretty easy to create a mudroom area by your back door to give you a landing place for things that would otherwise end up on the floor. Here, I rescued the bench that used to be on the porch, found a sturdy, stud-mounted set of hooks, and a nice galvanized container. Like the pegboard, I can live with this arrangement for a while and adapt it to what works best.

Finally, my favorite element of the garage makeover: the Troy-Bilt FLEX system. Yes, I know – they’re seriously powerful. They’re Troy-Bilt, so they’re a cut above the equipment with which I was making do before.

I love the new Troy-Bilt FLEX not only because it’s nicely built and powerful, but with the storage shelf I can store my equipment in a fraction of the space. (Look at how nicely it fits between storage shelves and the workbench!)

I’m still moving construction supplies around inside the garage – it was a mess! I think I’ve swept it out about 20 times. This last time, I even used my new Troy-Bilt FLEX with Leaf Blower attachment to sweep the sawdust and dust out. (Yes, I wore eye protection and a mask!)

Each attachment just snaps on the power base – it’s super easy. And as I said, the lawnmower was amazing. It not only tackled a seriously overgrown lawn, but did it without even flinching.

You can win your own Troy-Bilt FLEX System!

Here’s how to enter for a chance to win:

Just vote for me at the Troy-Bilt FLEX Face-Off site!

When you vote, you’ll get a chance to win a Troy-Bilt FLEX power base, two attachments (your choice!) and the awesome FLEX storage rack. – and get another entry every time you vote! (Check out the site for complete terms and conditions.)

And visit Troy-Bilt:

on the Web

on Instagram

on Twitter

on Pinterest

on Facebook

(and if you’re sharing this be sure to use the #flexfaceoff hashtag!)

xoxo

This post was sponsored by Troy-Bilt. The content is all mine. See my disclosures.

The post Garage Makeover Tips – and How You Can Win a Troy-Bilt FLEX System! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

So I’m already getting into summer beauty mode … and I’m set to talk about my top 3 summer beauty favorites!

I’m sharing some of my favorite summertime things in the short little video below:

And I am so excited to share that Jergens will be giving ONE lucky person $500 for your summer!

SO fun!!!

Share YOUR favorite summer beauty tips in the comments widget!!

Have a Wonderful Day!! 

xoxo

Jergens makes it easier than ever to glow with the NEW Natural Glow Moisturizers that provides great color, year-round, without the sunless tanner odor.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jergens. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules 

The post My Summer Beauty Favorites (and how you can win $500)! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
It’s Black Friday, but also a day when many of us put up our Holiday Tree!!
I love everything about Christmas trees — the lights, the colors, the smell, the sentiment.

If decorating your tree seems a little overwhelming,
here are a few tips to help you create a tree that reflects YOUR style!!

Tip: Use ribbon to change the look easily

To change the look of your tree without spending a fortune, one good idea is using ribbon like the tree in the photo above and draping it down your tree. This is a good idea if you are looking to change out your tree’s overall color quickly and easily. I’ve done this at my house for a few years and has the extra bonus of being easy to do! (Don’t miss those after-Christmas ribbon sales!)

Tip: Use small trees to display vintage ornaments

Got a vintage ornament collection? Use a small tree to display those treasures. This white tree highlights and showcases the many colors of the vintage glass.

Display Vintage Ornaments @ Dying of Cute

Tip: Stick to One Color

Another way to create a stunning tree is sticking to one color.

White is always an excellent holiday choice — like this snowflake tree. White lights and white snowflakes create a beautiful holiday focal point.

Snowflake Tree @ The Yellow Cape Cod

Tip: Create a theme tree and add some whimsy

If you are looking for a more whimsical look, a theme tree is always fun. I love all of the colors in this Candy Tree:

Whimsical Candy Tree @ Trendy Tree

Frosty The Snowman Tree @ Better Homes and Gardens

Beachy Christmas Tree @ Palm Beach Daily News

 Snowman Tree @ Trendy Tree

Tip: Bling adds a sophisticated touch

Create a more sophisticated look when you bring in some bling. Yes, I know, that seems counterintuitive, but it works for Christmas trees. This white tree with accents of blue and silver is stunning:

White Tree @ Desire to Inspire

Tip: Flocking adds texture (literally!)

You can also add texture by flocking your tree. I love this pink flocked tree — so fun and happy:

 Pink Flocked Tree @ Tobi’s Blog

Tip: Plan your tree’s lighting

The last thing to think about when decorating your tree is lights.

There’s nothing as festive as a tree all lit up. Here are a few easy tips to be assured that your tree lights will look fantastic this year:

• Divide the tree into sections. Apply the lights by section vertically.
• Make sure to check your lights from the year before first. Then string your lights lit up. That way you can see how it looks as you string the lights and not have any dark sections. (My husband swears by this tip! He had to re-hang lights outside three times this year because he kept assuming last year’s new lights would work again this year.)
• Start at the bottom of the tree. Wrap the lights around each branch and work your way up to the top of the tree.

  And when you’re all done, you can have a tree that looks as beautiful as this one:

 White and Lights @ Country Living

 I hope you are having a great Holiday Weekend with YOUR loved ones.

The Weekend Wrap Up Party is still happening tonight if you want to join in  —

the party starts at 6 PM MST.

Have a Festive Day!!

xoxo

This post sponsored by Oh My Crafts:

The post 10 Tree Decorating Ideas and Tips!! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Thanks to everyone who left  love on my blogs last week!  I love photography and am excited to share what I know with others.  There were several questions asked and I hope by the time this series is done, those questions will be answered.

I hope you all looked through your photo files last week in search of chopped limbs and are practicing incorporating all body parts into your current shots.

This week we’re focusing on backgrounds.  In your photos, your subject should always be the focus.  But sometimes we’re not aware of clutter or objects in the background that cause distractions until we’ve got the print in our hands and it’s too late.

The aperture of a lens is the diameter of the lens opening and is usually controlled by an iris. The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the film / image sensor.

Aperture is expressed as F-stop. The smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture).

Aperture is what allows you to hone in on your subject and leave the rest of the photo out of focus.  If you have distractions in your background that you have no way of removing, opening up your aperture is a great way of eliminating them by blurring them.  For example, if you were taking a picture of someone sitting in the bleachers at a football game with lots of other people around and behind them, shooting with an open aperture would allow your subject to be in focus while the people behind them would be blurry.

If you know how to change the aperture (f-stop) of your camera, set it to a LOW number (f/1.4-f/4).  Remember, the smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture.)

Here are some examples of how your images look when you open up your aperture.

So, this week as you’re out shooting, pay attention to what’s behind, in front of, and around your subject.  And try out some of these ways of eliminating distractions in your photos.

• Declutter your background
• Fill your frame with your subject
• Open up your aperture

The post Anatomy of a Snapshot Part II: Eliminating Distractions in your Background appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.