How to Save Money by Choosing The Right Cushion Covers

You may not give it much thought, but choosing the right Cushion Covers for your home or business can save you money in the long term. 

Having designed many beautiful and unique cushion covers over the last few years for my home-ware business QuirkyHappy.com, I know that not all cushion covers are made equal.  If you want maximum bang for your buck you need top quality, style and durability ~ so think before you buy.

Especially at this time of year with Christmas family visits and the coming New Year, we all want to freshen up our homes without spending a lot of money and new cushion covers are a super easy way to do this.

Cushion covers can be changed to suit your mood. They are easily stored away when not in use and can totally transform a space, giving a 'ho hum' room an injection of uniqueness and personality whenever you like.

Here is my easy check list to make sure you will be thrilled with your next cushion cover purchase:

• Are the cushion covers WASHABLE?

If you have children, love resting your head on your cushions or they are located in a very high traffic area, you need washable covers. 

What is the point of buying a beautiful looking cushion cover that cannot be washed (and unfortunately, there are plenty of

non-washable covers around these days). Don' get me started about 'dry clean only' cushions either (ridiculous).

Look for cushion covers that are hand OR machine washable.  I highly recommend you machine wash your cushion covers on a gentle cycle to protect the investment in your cushion covers.  

When I machine wash them, I put them into a gauze laundry bag, like you do with delicate items. This is an easy way to keep them bright and new looking for a long time.

•       Are the cushion covers NON FADE?

Imagine how disappointed you will be when you first wash your cushion covers to find they have faded or the ink has run.  Ugh!

You have just wasted your money and the covers are useless.

The best way to avoid that disappointment is to only buy cushion covers that have been printed with the best quality inks, like Italian Ink and sublimation printing (heat set) because they will stand the test of time and save you money in the long run.

• Do the cushion covers FEEL WONDERFUL to touch?

I don't know about you, but I simply would not buy a cushion cover that did not feel lovely to touch because cushions should be hug-able. They are there to make you comfortable as well as look great.  

Look for fabrics that are tactile such as plush or satin feel cushions that feel as great as they look.

•  Are the cushion covers WELL MADE?

Look for strong stitching of the seams of the cushion cover for durability. A quality cushion cover MUST have an 'invisible' zipper (a zipper that has been sewn across the base of the cushion cover and can hardly be seen). This allows for easy insertion and removal of cushion inserts.

The Quirky Happy Plush Cushion range features joyful, inspirational hand painted art 

by a talented team of Australian Artists and a wonderful photographer.

 

My Son’s Brain Cancer Journey is behind my Colourful Happy Art

In July 2011 my son James was about to turn 21 but he never made it to his carefully planned 21st Birthday Party because just days before, he was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a terminal stage IV brain cancer called Glioblastoma Multiforme. 

As a Mother, I am supposed to ‘fix things’ for my children but I could not do anything but love and support my son through his cancer journey to the best of my ability and try to hold it together. To make it all worse, James lives in Brisbane and I live in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney so I told my husband (James's Stepdad) I would be staying with James in Brisbane as long as he needed me.

It was a nightmare watching James go through two brain surgeries within two weeks to remove the 8.6cm tumor and then endure daily treatments of intense radiation followed by several chemotherapy rounds.  When James was well enough to leave hospital he and I went to stay with a family friend who was kind enough to give us a place to stay for months.

Painting and Drawing is my passion, but during this horrible time in my son's life, my life and my families life, I stared blankly at a white canvas for weeks on end. I had never felt so much pain and helplessness before and the world turned black and white for quite a while.

Then, to help myself cope, I forced myself to paint something, anything.  What I painted during those first terrible months during James's treatment and recovery was sunny yellow Sunflowers.  

I didn't know it at the time, but this Sunflower painting, which I donated to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane where it still hangs on their Neurological Ward wall, was the beginning of a new journey in my arty life. 

I became 'obsessed' with my painting and drawing. I painted every day, sometimes all day and often way into the early morning hours too. It as a coping mechanism during the darkest days of my life so far and it was also the birth of a joyful new business.

My motivation with my art has always been to bring joy to myself and others and now I have a Gift and Home-ware product range that brings joy into everyday life in practical ways.

One of the many drawings I created while supporting my son in Brisbane was a whimsical little Angel holding a big red heart.  I named her Angel Heart and she was one of the very first designs I used in tart product business I run today.

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Angel Heart (as a Wearable Art Pendant and a Plush Cushion Cover) seems to resonate with many people who are going through their own very tough times such as cancer or illness, or they are supporting and caring for someone they love like I was.

 

According to the Australian Brain Cancer Foundation Brain cancer kills more children than any other disease in Australia and more young people under 40 in Australia than any other cancer.

Although our family is very aware that James’s cancer journey is still ongoing and life threatening I am overjoyed to say that he is in long term remission, despite every Doctor telling us that he would not live past 2011.  It is a true blessing because James's type of brain cancer is very aggressive. Many other people are not so fortunate.

Lisa is Managing Director of www.QuirkyHappy.com  Her Angel Heart design is available for sale as a unique handmade Pendant Necklace and as a Plush soft Cushion Cover.   

10% of Every Angel Heart Product that is sold at QuirkyHappy.com is donated to Australia's Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.

SUPPORT ORIGINALITY, SKILL AND PASSION

Thoughts of an Artist

When you look at art, anyones art, do you ever think of the time and effort and skill that probably went into creating it?  I'm not talking about digital art, or the cheap, mass produced imported home ware shop or discount store stuff, but fine art, traditional hand drawing or hand painting by Artisans who continue to develop their craft with passion, skill and imagination.

When an Artist prices an Original piece of Art, they have to take into consideration how much of their time it took to create. 

For example, 'Angels Watching Us'  pictured here which I am still working on is an A3 size mixed media artwork (watercolour, ink, acrylic, hand made papers and archival decorative papers) I have spent so far, at least 8 hours working on. By the time I finish, it will probably be more like 12 hours or more. As Art is my Living (Job) as well as my passion, if I was to calculate an hourly rate for my time, as you would do, if you work in any job, based on a conservative A$25. per hour I would need to sell the Original painting for at least A$300., plus pack and postage to it's destination just to make a return on my efforts.  Some of my acrylic paintings take me WEEKS to complete due to their complexity.

Then, as well as the time, there is the SKILL level involved in the creation of a unique, original artwork and the fact that most Artists don't get paid 'regular hours' worth of work. We work many hours and sometimes get paid when an Art Collector or Art Lover purchases our creations.

My point is.... Hand drawn or painted Original art IS WORTH THE MONEY. Yes you will pay more for a hand painted or drawn piece of art that is ORIGINAL, is signed by the Artist and dated, is a COLLECTIBLE and is UNIQUE.  Something you can cherish for YEARS to come and pass on to those you love in the family.

Next time you think about purchasing Artwork for your home or office or as a gift, think about this first and support a hard working, skillful Artist who's work brightens up the world.

On behalf of all hard working, skillful and imaginative artists ~ Lisa Frances Judd, Australian Visual Artist

http://www.lisafrancesjuddartist.com

http://www.facebook.com/lisa.frances.judd.visual.artist