The Lettered Cottage

I have long been a follower of Layla Palmer's Lettered Cottage.

Layla is an interior design consultant, working from her dreamy little cottage.

Through her blog, you can follow the transformation of The Lettered Cottage, and see all of the other amazing spaces she has created.

Blogrankings.com has ranked The Lettered Cottage the #1 Lifestyle Blog. After a visit, you'll easily see why. Her design style is so inspiring, and just so beautiful.

A while back, Layla posted about the fabulous headboard bench that Mr. LC had built for her. In that post, she mentioned that she wanted to have some cushions made for the bench.

You can bet I was all over that!

So I contacted Layla, and offered my services.

And let me just tell you...

I was absolutely thrilled when Layla asked me to work on this project with her!!!

So, without further adieu...

(drumroll please)

The Lettered Cottage Headboard Bench Cushions!!

First, she needed a custom fitted cushion for the bench.

I can do that.

Layla wanted a slipcover for the cushion... I can do that, too.

Layla chose a cream color duck fabric. Duck fabric is similar to canvas, but it is a better quality of fabric. I prewashed the fabric before cutting it out, which gives it a soft, worn touch. A simple slipcover, with a 1" pinch pleated skirt.

I just love Layla's style.

Layla got the center burlap pillow with red stripe from Potterybarn.com .

To tie the cool blue pillows in, Layla wanted to add a braided jute trim. She had some jute braid, but it was only 1/4 inch wide. So I braided that again with 4 strands, and now we have a braid that's much more substantial.

Turned out pretty sweet...
if I do say so myself!

You can view more of Layla's projects on HGTV's Rate My Space.
Layla also offers online design consultations through her blog/website.

Oh...

Did I tell you? ....

I am so thrilled to be The Lettered Cottage Seamstress.

More projects in the works...

Stay tuned!

Ms Ann L.

Understated Elegance

My friend "Ann" asked me to make these window treatments for her guest bedroom. Floor to ceiling panels in a cream colored floral fabric, with simple pole mounted, scalloped valance and cream colored tassel fringe.

I just adore the details in the room. Like the Singer pedal type sewing table base painted white. And the 'Granny Square' crochet bedspread folded across the foot of her bed.

And what a bed it is ... to die for. Makes my heart go pitter-patter.

The battenburg lace bedding complements antiques in the room perfectly.

My final piece for the room .... this single dainty pillow for the bed.

Now my latest work for Ms. Ann:

In another bedroom, I made the 2 simple flanged pillow shams in a luxurious rose color heavy brushed cotton. The smaller gold color silk pillow has small cording covered in the same rose color fabric and fat cording loosely covered with gold silk rouching.

One loooong valance.

In Ann's living room, I made this very long valance. Navy background fabric with a muted red floral print. Finished with red tassel fringe.

And of course a few matching toss pillows.

The open floor plan leads to the adjoining kitchen, so I made a co-ordinating board mounted valance for the kitchen window. This is one of my favorite pieces, I think because the swags are very short. They just cover the space above the window, but without blocking too much of the window.

This next piece has nothing to do with my work, but I just had to post a pic of it. This is Ann's handi work. She found an old cupboard type cabinet years ago and decided to add pierced tin doors. She got 2 pieces of tin and layed out the pattern and did all of this piercing herself.

This is something that I have always wanted to do, and just havent found the time. I hope that one day I will get the chance. Like I don't have enough hobbies.

Cottage Charms

Jessi

I made 3 of these window treatments for Jessi's living room.

The fabric was a gorgeous brick red color with cream, ochre, and blue through out. Swags are made with soft, casual pleats. Cascades were made long enough to reach window ledges. Treatments were lined with cream colored lining, and finished with heavy tassle trim.

And 2 toss pillows for the ticking stripe sofa.

And this was my first try at making really BIG tassles for the corners of one of the pillows. Sometimes I do impress myself.

Would you look at this lamp!?!

How cute is this?

Jessi found this darling little silver teapot that had been turned into a lamp,and the lampshade that came with it had the perfect shape, but the fabric had yellowed, it was dingy and torn. So Jessi asked me to cover it with the remaining fabric. It turned out Soooo Cute! Before I returned it to Jessi, I asked her if she'd like for me to bead the shade.. She said no, no beads.

So I took a little chance here... Now she was the client, and the client is always right. But I could see how adorable this lamp would be if it had beads. So I did it anyway, hoping she would love it... I figured she would just have to love it, but if she didnt like it .... I would just take the beads out. So I beaded the flower designs on the fabric all around the lampshade. And I hand strung the bead trim for the lower edge.

Did I mention that I prefer to string all of my own bead trim for the lower edges of the lamps that I do? That way, I dont have to look for matching trim to purchase. I would much rather choose the beads myself, so I can co-ordinate them perfectly. And it gives me a good excuse to order more beads from http://www.firemountaingems.com/

And I was right. She loved it.

This gorgeous room was on the back of Jessi's house. I think it had been a back porch at one time. She had enclosed it with windows all around the room. She had a wicker sofa and 2 wicker chairs out there. She had me to recover all of the cushions with this black n cream ticking stripe. Then I made 2 toss pillows with the pink n cream toile.

Adorable!!!!