Hoppy Easter! To be fair, Easter has never really been a thing in our house until the children were old enough to realise that Easter = Chocolate eggs and cute bunnies. Now, Isla can't help herself but squeal with delight every time we see Easter decorations out in the wild - ohhhh look, this is the cutest bunny I've ever seen! No, this is the cutest bunny I've ever seen. Ohmygoshmom have you seen this one? There is a lot of flapping and ohmygoshing and shrieks. 

Anyway, I made a quick and easy cushion which - here in Abu Dhabi, is the height of my Easter decorations. It is an IKEA Sanela cushion which is soft cotton velvet, perfect for a little soft and fluffy Easter bunny. 

Did you know that IKEA makes the best embroidery blanks? I think it's because they are designed to get a lot of use so they're extra sturdy and resilient. I'm so ridiculously spoilt as I've got an embroidery machine, so, after seam ripping one side of the cushion, I just hooped it up and used this Mister Bun's Gardening Service design from Embroidery Library (here). 45 minutes later, and a few seams resewn, and done! You could, of course, skip the seam ripping and do the stitches by hand. The cushion cover itself was 25 dirhams, which is (according to Google this morning) £4.92. The fabric for the cover would have cost me more, so using a premade cover works well all-round.

My embroidery machine is a Janome 550e which comes with the very large R28b hoop (200 x 280) - perfect for cushions. When I was umming and ahhing about getting the machine about a year ago, I was so worried that it would be another one of those things - you know, the kitchen appliances that only get used once a month when you remember them (I'm talking to you, juicer). But no! I use this one at least once a week and usually for three or four different projects in one sitting: gifts, personalised pouches, little wildflowers, motifs on dresses, you name it. It is amazing, and I am so glad that I went ahead with it. 

Book an appointment with Mister Bun's Gardening Service was one of the clue's in our fun little egg hunt this morning - and the children dashed off without a second thought. They love this cushion cover where it sits pride of place in the middle of the couch! Now, after a very succesful egg hunt and a breakfast of chocolate and caramels, Isla is leaning back against the cushion with her feet up, very carefully composing a 'thank you' letter for the Easter Bunny. Be still my beating heart.