I’m excited to show you a bunch of photos today!  This past week I finished making ten colourful boho style pillow cushion covers for a interior design makeover project I volunteered to help with.  Two women who were spearheading this project for the big entryway at St. John’s United Church of Fall River asked me in March if I’d be interested in making some cushions for their Top Secret Project.  After they told me they wanted bright colours to go against silvery gray walls and bench seats, and after they assured me that whatever I wanted to come up with would be acceptable, I said “yes.”  (The reason I don’t usually do custom orders is that I get so nervous about pleasing people!)  😀

I took home a tablecloth they are using in the project to pick colours from the cloth for the covers.  I chose five:  greens, blues, yellows, purples, and oranges; and I figured on two pillows of the same size in each of the five colours.  And then I dug through my fabric stashes and my scraps stashes.  I wanted to use this project to try out a whole bunch of techniques in sewing and stitching, and I had a blast during those hours of figuring everything out and designing each one!!  After that came the work of cutting out plain fabrics on which to stitch the crazy patchworks and the silks.  Then came the fun of putting each cover top together and embellishing everything with all sorts of designs.

After that, I cut out all black cotton fabric with which to make envelope backs for each cushion cover.  I was pretty pleased with how everything came out!  And of course, most of the fabrics were upcycled from thrift stores – my favourite way to create.  Voila:

Yesterday and today the two women plus a bunch of other volunteers went to work on the makeover at the church.  My daughter helped them paint, but I have no idea what it all looks like.  My daughter tells me there is much more than what I already knew (paint, benches, pillows), and I can’t wait to see the Big Reveal tomorrow morning!  I know their intent was to make a welcoming space where people can not only congregate but also sit down and have conversations with each other in a bright space before and after church services.  I love that!

This afternoon my daughter and I were at the fabric and crafts store where the organizers had bought the pillow inserts.  I should note that I hardly ever go to this store because my haunts are thrift stores (as if you hadn’t figured that out yet), but I was looking for glass beads that I hadn’t been able to find in thrift stores (yet).  And funnily enough, my daughter said, “Hey, there’s Carolyn!  And Jen is with her!”  Yep, the Top Secret Project organizers were there, grabbing last minute items for the makeover!  Carolyn came *running* over to me with a huge grin on her face, squealing, “I LOVE the cushions!!!!!!!!!”  She just made my day with her enthusiasm.  And Jen had e-mailed me a few days ago to say the same.  I’m so glad they liked them!  And I can’t wait for the Big Reveal tomorrow!  I will try to remember to take photos.

P.S.  This post adds to my last post about my favourite creations so far!  I’m super-excited now to come up with even more blingy and colourful accessories to offer for sale this autumn!