Woo hoo!I have finally finished a project that has been cooking in my little brain for a few weeks…this Ballard knock-off French grain sack pillow!
I fell in love when I saw this photo on their web site! Only one problem....it doesn’t seem to exist. Sooooo….I decided to try to recreate it myself!
Since this was my first attempt at transferring a design on fabric, our CEO Ozzie decided that she needed to have hands-on control of the project…so to speak. lol
First, I blew up the photo of the design as large as I could on my computer. Next, I took it to Staples and had it enlarged to the size I wanted…15” high to fit a 20” pillow. After that, I colored the back with a charcoal art pencil (to make it like carbon paper), taped it to poster board and traced over the design to transfer it to the poster board. I decided not to attempt the letters, and instead cut out an area and added purchased stencil letters. Then it was just a matter of cutting out the design from the poster board with an Exacto knife. Can you say tedious? 
Finally, I taped the stencil to my fabric and filled it in with fabric paint…and voilà! Let’s peel off the stencil and see how it looks. Baby Kitty seems a little nervous.
The down insert wasn’t my only thrifting find. Here’s my favorite…a bunny chef for $4.04. He is very heavy and nice…just needed a clean-up and a little TLC. What do you think he is?
He’s a recipe card holder! Cute, huh? Only one problem…
…this is how most of my recipes look! lol And I like it that way. Sooo…
…I decided to turn him into a chalk board! I just cut a leftover piece of poster board to the right size and sprayed it with chalkboard paint and taaa daaa! And I can switch to a card holder whenever I need to! I added him to the vignette on my kitchen counter with a little message from Julia Child…(said in her voice)…Bon Appétit! Thanks for stopping by! Please visit these wonderful ladies and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today’s Thrifty Treasures
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for the Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!
Debbie, you did a beautiful job on the pillow, it's wonderful! You have alot more patience than I do :) And the card holder is a great find. Funny, when I cook, the Julia Child voice that I hear says "a little more wine, some wine for me, a little more wine, more wine for me" oh wait, that was the SNL skit! Hugs, Kat
ReplyDeleteYour pillow turned out nice, and the bunny does look like a substantial piece-great finds!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, aren't you miss crafty. I love that pillow you and your staff made. Just perfect. Love the pig, too, but really love the plate behind the pig.
ReplyDeleteI just love the bunny chef!
ReplyDeleteThe down was a great find. I'm still so mad about a re-upholster job a few years ago but need to get over it. I have a Henredon love seat and the pillows WERE all down stuffed. When I took it to be re-upholstered, they replaced the down with polyester filling. I went back to complain only to find out the guy who did the work had lung cancer and was closing his business. Bless his heart, he passed away, so I have to live with it but they are just not the same.
I love the pillow...you did a great job...love the little recipe holder...you found some great deals...
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - OH BOY! Love, love, love the bunny card holder. It looks so cute with your grouping. I see Baby Kitty is involved with your project again. What a face that guy has. I am having toast off of a new plate (set of 4) that I received for Mother's Day. It's amazing how food tastes when placed on beautiful dishes.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week Deb, and watch for my post as I am about to become a grandma any day now. Hugs, Deb =^..^=x6
Great job on that pillow! You are a resourceful girl and I like that!! Lucky find on that recipe card holder too and again great idea on spraying the poster board with chalk board paint!! All great ideas!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I can't get over the GREAT job you did on that pillow! It's darling! GREAT WORK! :-) And that bunny is as cute as can be with Ms. Child's favorite saying! Of course, your able assistant is adorable. Baby Kitty is so talented and has such good taste!
ReplyDeleteLoved this...
XO,
Sheila :-)
Debbie I love the pillow! What a great job! I don't think I would have that kind of patience! That bunny chef is just too cute for words! Love the chalkboard card!!
ReplyDeleteSay Hi to the staff for me! I have a 'helper' myself of course and know how much they contribute to each post!!
Love it, love it, love it!!! Great job! I personally much prefer "homemade" pillows to the retail version.
ReplyDeletexoxo Pattie
Oh you are so talented! I'm not very crafty so I'm in awe. I love it when Baby Kitty is in your post. :)
ReplyDeleteDonna
Debbie, great job with the pillow. Fabulous, in fact!
ReplyDeleteI love the bunny.
Debbie, Cute pillow and cute bunny chef. You are so talented... but then you have so much "help" with Baby Kitty and Ozzie "supervising". Ü
ReplyDeleteDebbie, this is just the cutest pillow ever. Boy do you have patience. I havn't stenciled anything in years and it is so tedious. Great job, the pillow looks wonderful. Your little bunny chef is fabulous. I love it. You are finding some of the greatest things. Love your counter vignette too. That rooster plater is gorgeous. Hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteWell, I knew it would be "knock your socks off" cute when you told me you were working on it. I'm certain the expert help your received was invaluable. LOL
ReplyDeleteMr. Bon Appétit bunny is adorable. You have the best thrifting sources! And like Kim, love the rooster piece in this vignette! Hope you have a delightful day! ~ Sarah
Wow, so smart... both projects are great. My favorite hard to decide, but I never know where to put my recipe cards... so I have to go with Mr. Bunny chef.
ReplyDeleteDeb how fun to have this in my mailbox this morning. That pillow turned out wonderfully. It is so perfect for your house. You are one clever lady. I love your new little chef. I think you are the queen of finding the perfect thrifty items for your house. I am always so impressed with what you find. Great Job!! happy Sunday sweet friend,Kathysue
ReplyDeleteDeb, the pillow is adorable, but more work than I am up to. Not sure I have seen a bunny chef, usually they are a cochon!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the pillow! I have never seen a rabbit chef, LOVE it!!
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Carol :)
Debbie, Your pillow turned out wonderful! I saw this design somewhere and loved it too. Great find of the little chef.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sherry
Your pillow came out just beautiful! I love how if you can't find it, you make it, and even better than the original, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteLove the bunny chef :)
Superfantastic, Debbie! It just looks wonderful! Your patience paid off and, like you said, now you have the pattern for more creations! Love the bunny - he's adorable! Don't 'ya just love those GW down inserts?! Linda
ReplyDeleteLOVE the pillow!! It is so perfect!!
ReplyDeleteAnd that rabbit? I would have wrestled you for him! And turning him into a chalk board/recipe holder was genius!!
Lou Cinda :)
That pillow is gorgeous, Debbie and the recipe card holder is fabulous....love them both!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so clever! The pillow turned out great & the little chalkboard is a stroke of genius!
ReplyDeleteThe pillow came out great! The kitties just add character to this post...so cute.
ReplyDeleteDebbie - you constantly amaze me with your ingenuity! How you come up with some of your ideas are brillant - nothing is going to stop you when you set your mind to it. I love the tips I get from you and have throwm caution to the wind to try things I otherwise never would have dared.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the other projects you do with the stencil!
OK Miss Frenchy...I think Mr. Bunny needs to come to my house...he is the cutest thing ever! Your pillow is darling...you are such a little creative pillow maker...I love it too! French print and roosters...be still my heart!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Sunday evening!
Cathy
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteMaking your own stencil is no easy project - you did a beautiful job. Your pillow is charming and it fits right in with your decor - terrific!
Amanda
The pillow looks great! You gotta love cats when you're trying to do something. And the bunny is really cute!
ReplyDeleteVery clever, you! You pillow is, I think, much prettier.
ReplyDeleteYou are very creative. The pillow turned out magnifique and the piggy recipe holder is so cute. Valerie
ReplyDeleteDebbie, you always find the best things at the thrift store! And oh how I love your grain sack pillow -- what a wonderful project! Thanks for sharing at MM> :)
ReplyDeleteLovely post and photos, love the pillows and the kitties are cute!
ReplyDeleteDebbie it may have been tedious but so worth it, because you did an outstanding job! I love it.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, you're just the smartest one! I love your pillow! What a great idea to copy the idea and made your own! I love it. And your little bunny chef is so precious. Now I know you couldn't have done these great projects without your fuzzy little helpers. ;)
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Debbie ~ you did an awesome job on that pillow! It's just wondeful. I love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd the rabbit chef...he's adorable! I'm partial to rabbits anyway, you know! :)
Oh your pillow turned out awesome! And what cute helpers you had!
ReplyDeleteDebbie! you did great with the pillow and transforming that chef for your pleasure!!
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job on the pillow, Debbie. It looks very pretty and I like the bunny card holder, so cute!...Christine
ReplyDeleteWOW...you did a great job on the pillow! And what darling helpers you had too. Your bunny chef/recipe holder is too cute. I have recipes that look very similar to yours (I keep telling myself that I will transfer them to recipe cards)
ReplyDelete♥ Toni
I love the pillow!!!! Nice job! The bunny chef is too cute!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, that cushion is amazing! You should sell them! I love your chef-brilliant idea adding chalkboard paint.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Natasha.
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteLove the pillow. Your recipes look like mine!
Carol
Oh I love your kittys! The pillow is sweet too. I would love one for my Diningroom because I've got French roosters and chickens on the border but all that work. Oh My. You did a great job.
ReplyDelete~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
Debbie, Once again you have created something adorable with that pillow! How clever, but you are the better woman, 'cause there is no way I'd be using the exacto knife to cut all that out! LOL I would've gone nuts. LOL
ReplyDeleteLove your little bunny, too. Your recipe cards look like mine....
:-)
hugs, Sue
You simply amaze me, Woman! The chalkboard paint idea was brilliant & I ♥ your pillow stencil!!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why you darkened the background in with charcoal art pencil first? I'm not grasping it. Will go back & re-read...its early & I need a second cuppa tea.
It came out great & you don't want it to be perfect...makes it all the more authentic!
While struggling to understand, I decided to google "French stencils".
ReplyDeleteCheck out this site:
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-stencil-a-kitchen.htm/printable
I'm going to see if I can BUY some, rather than go through what you did in making your beautiful original. I'm not good with sharp objects like exacto knives! LOL
Beautiful pillow!!! Thanks for telling me how you made it. I love it!
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe holder/chalk board bunny. So cute.
Hugs, Cindy S
What a great pillow. I adore it. What a wonderful metamorphosis.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I love your pillow & the effort you went to make it inexpensively. Very frugal of you & it's so cute.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a very similar bunny that I found for $1 at a yardsale & he is indeed carrying a chalkboard, so that's exactly what I hoped you would do with it.
Thanks, Rhett! Cute rooster patterns! I have re-worded my explanation...hope it makes more sense!...hugs...Debbie
ReplyDeleteThat's it!!! I coming to your house to steal your kitties! They are just too photogenic and well-behaved. My kitty looks like a bobcat and has the manners of one as well! Love the pillow and your new little menu board. I also love that darling plate behind it.
ReplyDelete"I darkened the back of the paper to make it like carbon paper so that I could trace over the design and transfer it to the poster paper." Light bulb just went on...I get it now! (blonde moment) LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation.
I love the pillow!!! Turned out fabulous. Pat yourself on the back. Who needs Ballards anyways? Not you!!! And I love the bunny chef recipe card holder turned chalkboard. Fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so creative! Stencil cutting is a royal pain with an exacto. I purchased a stencil burner about ten years ago, back when I did a lot of stencilling, and it was worth it! I think it might have cost around $15.00, but it makes really short work of cutting a stencil. I used to cut "wallpaper" stencils sometimes when I was working as a decorator, and cutting by hand was just too slow and tedious.
ReplyDeleteScribbler
Wow! Bravo to you Debbie, this turned out beautifully! Can you believe they get $59 for one of those pillows? Talk about mark up! And I love your little chef with the chalkboard, he's a cutie, so clever!
ReplyDeleteHAGW,
Cindy
Oh Debbie,i'm impressed!you did a great job!(wish i could to that!).
ReplyDeleteYour petit lapin is so mignon!
A bientôt!
Lisa xx
Very nice job on the pillow! Looks wonderful! Love your little CEO too!
ReplyDeleteGreat job Debbie, I love the pillow and you did a great job on the little chef. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSandy
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteFirst time to you blog. I will have to become a follower so I can keep tabs on those beautiful kittys!
Please stop by and visit when you have time.
Robin
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI adore your Frenchy rooster pillow...you are amazing! I would never have figured out how to do that! Love your cute piggy...great finds!
You did a beautiful job! Definitely worth the effort!
ReplyDeleteI am quite impressed. I love your plates as well,
Kathy
Terrific job on the pillow and I LOVE that pig and how you made the recipe spot into a chalkboard - makes it even better! A perfect accessory for your kitchen!
ReplyDeleteDD
It turned out great! You are so clever and saved yourself some money, as well.
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
ReplyDeleteYou did an outstanding job on your first time to do this with a pillow...I hope when I try this, that mine looks as good as yours. Thanks for sharing it with all of us at NTT!
Blessings,
Linda
LOVE the chalkboard idea. I just bit the bullet and purchased a grain sack pillow from Etsy. I had to join the bandwagon! LOL! Now, may I ask where you found that lovely rooster tray in your pic?? Me likey!
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with that pillow (although you did seem to have a lot of help from Ozzie and Baby Kitty) and the steps you went through to make it. I wish I had that sort of patience!! Good job--all three of you!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
Oh what cuteness! Love your pretty pillow -- I keep forgetting to beat up the pillows at my GW to see if they're down. I was in mine today and asked about SR. Citizen day and they told me that they DON'T DO THAT!!! Oh no! How could they? Guess I'll have to come to Georgia and check out the GW's there!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great pillow you made.
ReplyDeleteI also love that bunny and love that you turned it into a little chalk board.
Partying with you tonight. Stop by for a visit.
Love the pillow! Wow that is amazing. Love the pig and the chalkboard idea..brilliant! I am having a new link up party on my blog today...Centerpiece Wednesdays. Come by and link up with a new post or an old one that highlights any centerpice.
ReplyDeleteKarin
Wow, that's an amazing job on that pillow! And yes, I can see how tedious it must have been. Yikes! Better make 5 more to make it worth your while now. :) Very pretty!
ReplyDeleteDonna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
Love it! I am seeing grain sack pillows popping up all over. Clever making the design your self!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try this someday!
Didn't realize the rooster french pillow out of grain sack was an older project. wow I love the things you make. You are so darned talented, let alone patient as a saint that I'm just inspired and very impressed.
ReplyDeleteIs there any chance you have that stencil or would be willing to give us a transfer for that? My stupid printer won't reverse things. I know I have alot of nerve even asking, but pretty please? I have chickens in my kitchen also. boy do I love your chicken platter I saw in one of the pictures.
Ok better get off here, it's 1:20 a.m. here in CO and I'm an old lady that needs her sleep. I won't say beauty,it's a little late for that, lol. Thanks so much for sharing so many wonderful things with us. I truly love your blog.
Hi srpprcrftr...Thanks for all your sweet comments! Unfortunately, there is nothing to share! I did it just the way I explained, using a close-up photo of the pillow I showed at the beginning and taking it to be enlarged. Then I traced it on poster board and went from there. It doesn't need to be backwards since it's a stencil and not a transfer. Wish I could be more helpful! Thanks for your visit!...hugs...Debbie
ReplyDelete