my creative space: inside out... more inside than out

Despite being classified as the season of 'Spring' we've had more rain than sunshine the past couple of weeks.  So we've been spending a lot of time indoors.  And we all know how much fun that is with an almost 5 year old boy.

So we've all been trying to find things to occupy our time with when the sun has been nowhere to be seen.  It means that I've been spending time looking around our house and doing a mental overhaul of all the things I'd like to change, or things I'd like to add (read buy) or what I'd do if we had more space.  Isn't it nice to dream!?

On Tuesday I settled upon making a cushion.  Did you see the splendid and very special 10th anniversary issue of Inside Out magazine earlier this year?  It came with a very lovely tea towel.  You could choose one of three colour waves.  The artwork printed onto the tea towels was that of Rob Ryan.  Head on over to check out a selection of his work.  He is rather talented and I only wish I could wield a scalpel the way he does.  I've never been very good with cutting paper.  Or fabric for that matter.  Very irrational and clumsy.

I really like the design and texture

Anyway, I've strayed from the point of my story.  I have been holding onto the special tea towel wondering what to do with it.  Because there is no way I was going to allow that tea towel to actually do what it was created to do.  It is to special a tea towel to be used for dishes.  In our house tea towels are used "everything" towels.  The state of some of my tea towels is actually a little embarrassing.  So much so that my dear mother replaced them when she last visited me from Brisbane last month.

I very reluctantly cut the beautiful tea towel and have made it into something which can be better cherished.  A beautiful new cushion for our dark green leather couch.  It has nice soft fleece on the back so that it can be cuddled when on the couch.  The tea towel is very pretty to look at, but in terms of touch-ability it's not a soothing texture.  So the added fleece on the back gives it a softer side.  Quite literally.

my new Rob Ryan tea towel cushion and a copy of the 10th anniversary Inside Out magazine

Did you know: I have been reading Inside Out magazine since the very first issue?  I have the first 9 issues in perfect condition.  Then I'm missing some issues between 10 and 20.

P.S. I forgot to get a photo of the tea towel before I cut it up and turned it into a cushion, but the power of google search has allowed me to find a photo of the original tea towels thanks to Inside Out.

I love the power to upcycle or to remake into something new, functional and beautiful.

For more of this weeks creative spaces head on over to Kootoyoo