Fun Batik T-Shirt ~ My Backyard Owls

Happy Monday everyone!

Archie and I had so much FUN enjoying our warm weekend in the backyard!

This was probably the last few days of 90+ temps we will see in Boulder for awhile so we welcomed in the cooler breezes with this whimsical batik t-shirt we just made!

I made it the same way I did for my batik pillows but with a piece of cardboard stuck into the shirt to protect the front and back from bleeding on to each other as I painted them with the fabric dyes.

I also combined iron on owl stencils and freehand drawing in this design by ironing on the owls from Aunt Martha's iron on patterns and then connecting them into a scene by drawing a tree around them to perch on. :)

I love how both the front and the back turned out!

...and after it was all done, R-Chee and I decided we needed to updo another project we had done but never wore!

I pulled out a pair of crochet socks I made a few years ago that we too thick to wear with shoes, but too slippery on the hardwood floors to wear as slippers and added crocheted soles to them to make them into slipper socks!

I laughed when I put them on while wearing my new shirt today because the two match perfectly! :)

Now I have 2 new Fall creations ready to enjoy this Fall to wear on my back and my feet!

How did you spend your weekend?

Please leave us a note and let us now!

We cannot wait to hear all about it!

oxoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee

Batik Lion Pillow

Happy Monday everyone!

I am so excited to show you the 4th batik I just finished!

Last week, I showed you the batik owl pillow I made and now here is a lion!

It was inspired by the lion doll right behind him that I crocheted earlier this year!

I am in the process of making another Tunisian crochet doll now and will get to show him to you soon!

Here is the batik painting before I washed him with the gutta resist still protecting the white areas from the fabric dyes.

...and here he is after he came out of the wash!

I love the dramatic effect of the batik white lines.

It adds so much character to every piece.

Each time I make a batik painting, my favorite part of the process is to pull it out of the dryer to see the final result.

For this pillow I decided to try something new and instead of using a pillow case that was already made, I went into my fabric stash and made one myself!

I even added and orange zipper on the bottom so I could unzip the pillow form from it if I ever wanted to wash or change the pillow inside!

I also added an orange pom pom trim around the lion to have him surrounded by a fun texture and so that he would match the other ones I had already made in my pillow series!

The back of the pillow was created by using a pre-quilted fabric that has the batting sewn right in.

One day I would love to learn how to make a quilt, but until then I will use this option. :)

I love that the fabric is easy to find at Joann Fabrics and that they have lots of colors and patterns to choose from.

I originally purchased this fabric a few years ago when I used it to make my sewing machine cover!

Ta Da!

Here are the 3 batik pillows that I now have smiling at us every time we go into our bedroom. :)

My owl pillow lives in the family room on the chair that greets me every time I come downstairs!

Each one has so much character!

Whether it is a pug painting, a crocheted doll or a new form of art that I try, I never know how it will turn out in the end, but I always LOVE who shows up!

It is FUN to meet them all and welcome them into our home! :)

Please tune in on Wednesday to see the new crazy thing I just made to practice hand sewing zippers into my crochet!

xoxoxox

Melissa & R-Chee

Batik Owl Pillow

Happy Monday everyone!

I am so excited to show you the new batik I just finished!

This is the 3rd batik I have made so far! 

In case you missed them, here are the links to my bull and rabbit pillows. :)

To make my owl, I sketched out a couple of ideas and then picked the one I liked the best to draw in pencil on a piece of cotton fabric.

After I sketched him out, I painted on the gutta resist to save the white lines and then started painting in the color with the fabric dyes.

When it was all done, I sewed it on to a 20 x 20 green pillow that I had just asking to be decorated! :)

My final step was to hand-sew an orange pom pom trim border!

Voila!

A new pillow to add to my decor!

I just love how it turned out!

It was so much FUN to do that I already have my 4th one in the works!

I promise to have it ready to show it to you next week!

What FUN things are you doing this week?

Please leave me a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about them!

xoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee