Betsy Ross: Our Stitching Hero!

Take today off, visit with your friends and family, watch some great fireworks. Eat lots of good food. A perfect summer day. Stay safe. Peace and love.

• One of the easiest fabric flourishes is to include a profusion of pillows in your decorating scheme. Select your favorite fabrics and accent them with trim of all kinds.
• Fabric accessories make an inviting dining table. Include napkins, place mats, table runners, a tablecloth, and chair cushions.
• Cover a lampshade with a coordinating fabric–a perfect accessory for any room!
• Slipcover your sofa and chairs for a fresh new decorating scheme.
• One of the most versatile furniture pieces in a home is an ottoman. use it for extra seating, to rest your feet or as a coffee table.
• Add a mantel scarf to make your fireplace a colorful focal point.
• For privacy, make a roman shade from your favorite fabric print.
• A reversible table runner is an easy way to do some quick-change decorating.

From fabric...

to fabulous!

Donna Babylon is a DIY and sewing expert. Her latest book Decorating Sewlutions: Learn to Sew as You Decorate Your Home. Learn more at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com .

Photo excerpted from Learn To Sew as You Decorate Your Home

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that can take a room from being so-so to becoming sensational. Consider these suggestions for creating an interesting room.

• Determine what shapes dominate the room you are decorating. Look at the shapes of your sofa, television, tables, bed, dresser and so on. If the majority of the lines are squares or rectangles, add some interesting accessories that are circular in shape.
• Do you have either (1) a lot of fabric-covered items in the room or (2) a lot of matching wood surfaces? This sameness can be boring to the eye. An easy solution is to introduce other surfaces or textures such as smooth glass, shiny metallics, or even baskets and rugs. Consider using opposite textures within the same room: rough and smooth, dark and light, shiny and dull.
• Arrange the accessories in the room so they are different eye levels. For example, use two different-sized table lamps in the same room or group together some accessories that are of different heights on a shelf, mantel, or side table.
• Make sure to include area rugs that are in proportion to your furnishing. They will tie the room together.
• Include plenty of green plants in your decorating scheme for texture and a touch of nature. Make the plants part of the grouping-don’t place them off on their own.

Donna Babylon is a DIY and sewing guru. Her latest book is Decorating Sewlutions: Learn to Sew as You Decorate Your Home. Learn more at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com .

Anyway, after months of blood, sweat, and yeah, don’t forget the tears, the book was sent to the printer.

Then the hard part starts. You have to start marketing and selling the book (’cause that’s how I make a living). The fun part is over. Now we really have to roll up the sleeves.

So, it’s always nice to be noticed. My friend Judi saw my book in her local Joann Fabrics store. She was so excited for me that she snapped a photo and sent it to me. There it was—smack dab on the shelf.

So glad I didn’t give up.

• Flat finishes have no shine, which makes them perfect for hiding minor surface imperfections.
• Eggshell or velvet finishes work in just about any room. They are easier to clean than flat finishes and provide a soft glow that warms up the room.
• Satin or semi-gloss finishes are easy to clean and are good for highlighting architectural details such as trim and moldings. They work well in kitchens and baths.
• Gloss finishes are shiny and scrubs easily. This finish is the perfect choice for doors and trims.

Donna Babylon’s More Splash Than Cash decorating concept is designed to help everyone have a beautiful home. More Splash Than Cash doesn’t mean cheap. It means that the time and cash you invest–whatever the amount–are well spent and the results will be enjoyed for many years. Learn more at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com.

• Set up a permanent work area for the duration of your project. You’ll lose time and momentum if you have to break down your work area after you finish each day.
• Work on as large a surface as possible. If you’re using a dining room table, extend the table to its maximum size. If all else fails, move away all the furniture and use the floor.
• Make sure you have a good light source in your work area.
• Keep all of your tools orderly and within reach.
• When sewing large volumes of fabric, keep the weight of the fabric from pulling on the needle by positioning a chair in front of and behind the sewing machine to “catch” the fabric as you sew.
• Wind three bobbins before you start a large project; you will always have a spare at your fingertips.
• Start each project with a new needle; needles become dull through use.
• Press by lifting the iron up and down. “Sweeping” the iron back and forth stretches the bias edges and seams.
• Always work with clean hands during the construction process. Avoid eating and drinking in your work area because spills and stains can be the downfall of any sewing project.

Donna Babylon is a DIY and sewing guru. Her latest book, Decorating Sewlutions: Learn to Sew as You Decorate Your Home is now available at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com.

Cut a piece of cardboard to the length of the tassel. Wrap embroidery floss around the cardboard to achieve the desired thickness. To make the tassel head, gather the floss at one edge of the cardboard and tie it together with matching floss. Remove the cardboard and tie another piece of floss 1/2 inch to 1 inch below the knotted end. Cut the floss loops to create the tassel tails. Tip excerpted from Donna Babylon’s book, More Splash Than Cash Window Treatments

Donna Babylon is a nationally known home decorating expert. Her latest book, Decorating Sewlutions: Learn To Sew As You Decorate Your Home can be found at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com

• For the best reflection, position a mirror opposite a light source.
• Hang a collection of small antique mirrors together to create an illusion of extra space.
• Install a mirror between a pair of windows to give the illusion of one large window.
• Select a space on the wall for a mirror that will provide an interesting reflection. For example, hang a mirror opposite a door or window.
• Create an art deco effect by arranging mirror squares diagonally on an otherwise bare wall. For added impact, paint the wall a dark color so the mirror will truly sparkle.
• Install a floor-length mirror in your foyer. Frame the mirror with decorative molding and add louvered doors on each side. The visual effect is a pleasing sense of spaciousness.

Donna Babylon is a DIY and sewing guru. Her latest book is Decorating Sewlutions: Learn to Sew as You Decorate Your Home. Check it out at www.MoreSplashThanCash.com.

This tip is excerpted from More Splash Than Cash Window Treatments by Donna Babylon.

Check out other helpful tips at http://moresplashthancash.com/blog/.