Pillows from Placemats

I love throw pillows-- they instantly change the look of your decor for a minimal cost. While $15--$20 to change the look of your living room isn't bad, why not do it for less? I found these bright, summery placemats at Target on clearance.

After 4 bucks, supplies I already had, and just a bit of effort, I now have 2 cute throw pillows to brighten up my leopard couches.  Here is how I did it:

--I grabbed my seam ripper and split the seam about 4 inches at the top left hand corner.
--I stuffed the placemats with fiber fill.
--I re-sewed the seams.

That's when I remembered that I had purchased some crocheted applique-type thingies from our local Ikea in their fabric section. (Did you know Ikea had a fabric section? It's awesome-- and cheap!) I hand-sewed each applique to the pillows, which I think adds a real "zing" to them!