Retro Red & Blue Party

I know, I know.  It seems as though that's all I'm posting these days.  Well, you'll have to just try and enjoy it because this was MY birthday.  Another year, my friends.
And since I wanted it a little low key, I went with what I had and love.  My kitchen is red, blue and white (correction: that's what my goal is for my kitchen).  I have so much to do yet, but I still like to include those colors and items in my kitchen until I can tackle the big stuff.   That aside, I love the retro look to the red and blue/cherries thing they had going on in the fifties.  So I went for a little of that.  
I used my existing red hutch and included some of my hobnail milkglass.

I tried to include the cherry flavor in my treats.  Including some fresh cherries.

Yum!  Cherry coke float cupcakes.  Recipe found at Brown Eyed Baker.

Old fashioned cherry candy sticks, of course.

My favorite.  Cherry tarts!

And White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread cookies.  Recipe found at Closet Cooking.

Cherry gummies.  One of my favorite candies!

I tried to keep within the retro theme and we had milkshakes, floats and fries for a diner feel.

Come back soon!

I link up here!

Rosette Pillow

Ever since my daughter moved into her bedroom downstairs, I've been busy trying to get her new pieces together.  Everything from artwork, to furniture, to spray painted projects.. and of course, pillows!

She really wanted something extra girly and special.  

So a ruffly, rosette pillow it is.

I've been aching to use this fabric I found thrift shopping, so I knew it would be perfect for the pillow I wanted.  Here's how to do it.

Cut strips 7 inches wide.  You will need a lot of long pieces, so cut on the length of the fabric.

Now you have your long strips like this.

Since your pillow will be a circle, use something with a large circle shape to use as a stencil.  I used my large drink bucket.  

Trace and cut two circle shapes.

With your strips, fold and pin them widthwise with right sides facing out.

Use a serger or sew the edges together, then zigzag stitch them.

Then you can start ruffling your strips.  Sew with the longest stitch at the highest number on your tension.  Don't backstitch at the beginning and end.  Then you can pull on the bottom threads to tighten your ruffles if needed.

Now you can start pinning the ruffled strips around the circumference of the circle shape.  Start at about 2 inches inside from the outside so you'll have enough room to stitch your pillow together.

Keep pinning around, layering your strips like this.

Once you finish pinning on a strip, fold the end under and sew along that bottom edge of your strips.  Like so.

Continue to pin, then sew until you've reached the center.

For the center of your rosette, use the remaining fabric strip and roll into a bud like this.

Then use a needle and thread to stitch the bottom of your bud together.

Now you'll need to hand stitch that bud to the center of your rosette.  Once you are happy with how the center lays, you can finish off your pillow.

Lay the second circle shape over the top of your rosette, right side down.

Find the outer edges of each circle and pin together, pushing the ruffled strips between the circles.

Pin all the way around, leaving a 6 inch opening to flip it right side out.

Sew along the perimeter of your pillow, leaving the opening.

Flip it right side out and stuff your pillow with poly fill.

Then you can close up your pillow opening with a ladder stitch.

You are now done!

Place your pillow where you like and sit back and admire!

My daughter loves her new pillow.  And I can't wait to get started on some more!

   Have fun and thanks for stopping by.

I link up here!