All You Summer Fashion Inspired Fox Pillow

A few weeks ago I had my husband stop by Harris Teeter to pick up the July issue of All You Magazine.  If you’ve never read it before you should check it out.  Let me tell you, this magazine is chock full of delicious looking recipes, health and beauty tips, fashion, home decor, crafts, and coupons!  You name it, I think they cover it!!  And at $2.99 an issue it’s a steal as far as magazines are concerned.  The July issue has over $30.00 in coupons including a coupon off your next purchase of All You!

This month’s issue had me glued straight from the cover!  Not only do the strawberry shortcake cupcakes look delicious but I found the aqua and red color scheme so beautiful and inspiring as well!

My favorite article topics included affordable summer party ideas, using color to set certain moods in your home, money saving phone apps, and a brand new All You column called Take this, make that in which two bloggers are challenged to use a designated object to create an affordable home accent.  In this specific challenge their object was an aluminum can.  You’ll never believe what they came up with!

When I browse through magazines I love looking at all of the craft, DIY, and decorating ideas BUT I find so much additional design inspiration from the color combinations, textures, graphic elements, and themes in the ads, fashion, and recipes as well!  My husband will attest to the fact that it takes me forever to look through a magazine and that I am constantly vocalizing my design genius madness or recording ideas as I walk through stores or am watching TV.  Sometimes it’s simply a running dialogue of how I could make something I like myself (and usually more economically) but other times I just love the colors or patterns and am inspired to use them in a completely different way.  

In fact, I was inspired to make this fox pillow for my son’s woodland themed room after looking at an All You article about flattering summer dresses. My eyes caught on a green and white vintage-inspired gingham dress paired with orange espadrille sandals. Seriously, as soon as I saw the combo my crazy brain started firing.  The article suggested wearing the dress to a backyard wedding but it immediately made me think of a picnic for 2 under a big shady tree.  Don’t ask me why but a big shade tree and gingham was one brain skip away from plaid and lumberjacks, to forests and foxes.  I even had some green plaid and orange fabric in my stash!  Scouring the materials I already had on hand was an easy way to clean up, stash bust, and keep this project from costing me a single penny!  Nothing like a thrifty magazine  full of organizing and saving tips to encourage you to shop at home instead of the store.

Funny how a casual yet feminine dress and a pair of wedges can turn into a masculine little woodland pillow!

green plaid flannel

orange cotton

sewing pins

sewing machine

green thread

needle

fox silhouette print out

Cut out front and back fabric for pillow.  I used approximately a 13″x 16″ piece of flannel (for the back) and orange cotton (for the front).

Pin fox print out onto green flannel.  Cut out.

Pin fox silhouette onto the front of the orange  fabric.  I chose to have mine slightly below and off-center but the placement can be anywhere you choose.

Using green thread use a straight stitch to sew the fox silhouette to the orange fabric.

Pin right sides of the orange and green fabric together and stitch around leaving a 3 inch opening on one side.  I changed my sewing machine to a a different stitch function (straight/blanket stitch combo) for a more secure seam.

Flip the pillow case using the opening and  stuff with Polyfil.

Hand stitch the gap closed.

Have you ever been inspired by something seemingly random?!

I challenge you to pick up a copy of All You and see what you come up with!

Stop over at the All You site to find your nearest purchase location and to print out a money saving coupon.