I spy with my Etsy eye some...
luscious eggplant purple.
Clockwise, starting top left:
Wishing you a beautiful weekend.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Recovering Cushions for a Glider Rocker...
Some of you may know that the last few months I've been redecorating our play room. It started with a fresh paint job and a herringbone accent wall. Then we added some new carpet to the mix. One of the last things I wanted to accomplish was a redo of our glider rocker. I checked that off the list yesterday.
Once again I forgot to take a proper "before" photo, so I had to rummage through some photos I took recently of my grandkids. I watched three of these kiddos earlier this month while their parents lived it up on a Caribbean cruise. The glider rocker is in the background of the photo -- their car and boat in the foreground. Clearly, these kids have people to see and places to go. Anyway, the upholstery on the glider rocker was shot. One too many has been put to sleep on that rocker, and it was obviously in need of a total face lift.
Here's what a day at the spa can do...
I'm making an appointment for myself at my favorite spa the minute I'm finished typing this post.
I'm trying to create a fun atmosphere in this room where our children and grandchildren can gather and relax as the little ones play. I chose Premier Prints Small Dandelion in turquoise and white for the fabric. It's a medium weight twill that should hold up nicely for the occasional use it will encounter.I chose this fabric because it picks up one of the colors in the herringbone accent wall behind it.
I used the same technique to recover these cushions as I have in the past. Go here and here for a tutorial. One simply takes apart the seams of the old fabric covering the cushion and uses that fabric as a pattern piece to cut out the new. Then recover the same cushions with the new fabric.
To delineate the curve where stitching had been on the old cushion, I used covered buttons...
Some cording was covered with fabric to make piping which was inserted in the seams on both the back and seat cushion...
A few tucks were added where old ones had been...
With this makeover, I think this rocker has a few good years left. It's a good thing because I think there will be more grandbabies to rock before we can retire her.
Here's the before and after we all love to see...
Linked to:
Catch as Catch Can @ My rePurposed Life
Made by you Monday @ Skip to my Lou
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Bloomin' Tuesday: Succulent Window Garden...
Our family has been thrown a few curve balls these last couple of years. I know that isn't anything unusual. I don't know a family that hasn't had some type of serious issue lately. It's an epidemic, but I've felt like we've spent time in the major leagues -- fast balls, curve balls, strike outs. I yearn for a little down time playing t-ball with 4 year olds and getting some easy home runs.
When life seems a bit overwhelming, I often turn to gardening. It lifts my spirit and satisfies my creative bent. February in Colorado isn't exactly the best time to do yard work. In a few months I'll be wrist-deep in dirt planting impatiens and tomatoes, but in the middle of winter I have to concentrate on inside gardens if I want that calming, creative influence in my life.
I have a corner window in my kitchen that houses a variety of blue and white pottery that I've collected over the years. I pick up items here and there (often at thrift stores) that strike my fancy.
Occasionally, I've received a few pieces as gifts...
The other day I decided to put them to better use and fill them with succulents. Here are some of the containers that I used. Gravy boats, different sized pitchers, and other odd sized containers became receptacles for these gorgeous succulents.
I love the feeling of bringing the outside indoors.
These plants will do beautifully in our window, and when it gets warmer outside and they've outgrown their containers, I will plant them in our garden to enjoy over the spring and summer.
Go here, here and here for more succulent posts!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday's Fabulous Finds...
I spy with my Etsy eye some...
parlez vous francais.
Clockwise, starting top left:
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Friday's Fabulous Finds...
I spy with my Etsy eye...
a happy Valentine's Day!
Clockwise, starting top left:
Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!
Friday, February 07, 2014
Friday's Fabulous Finds...
I spy with my Etsy eye some...
mustard yellow magic.
Clockwise, starting top left:
Wishing you a warm winter day.
Monday, February 03, 2014
Kid Friendly Stitched Valentines...
This week three of our grandchildren have been visiting. Their parents are living it up on a cruise in the Caribbean and the little ones (ages 2, 4 and 6) are with us for a little grandma/grandpa time. It has been wonderful and incredibly exhausting!
While they were visiting, I wanted to work on a Valentine craft with the older boys. It needed to be simple enough for them to complete with very little help from me, but I also wanted it to be challenging for them. This is what we came up with...
I bought a plastic canvas sheet (10 1/2" x 13 1/2") for each heart. From each sheet I cut out two hearts -- a front and back.
The hearts measure approximately 7"x7". A plastic yarn needle was threaded with some white yarn that I had in my stash and the boys were off. I used masking tape to tape the hearts together as they sewed around the perimeter of the hearts.
The six year old could manage all the sewing by himself. Our four year old only needed a little help pulling the needle through the canvas occasionally. It was the perfect project for these little guys.
They sewed around the heart leaving a 3" opening, then filled the heart with candy, and finished the stitching all the way around. I love projects where a child can complete the work themselves. The boys are looking forward to presenting these gifts to their parents for Valentine's Day.
While they were visiting, I wanted to work on a Valentine craft with the older boys. It needed to be simple enough for them to complete with very little help from me, but I also wanted it to be challenging for them. This is what we came up with...
I bought a plastic canvas sheet (10 1/2" x 13 1/2") for each heart. From each sheet I cut out two hearts -- a front and back.
The hearts measure approximately 7"x7". A plastic yarn needle was threaded with some white yarn that I had in my stash and the boys were off. I used masking tape to tape the hearts together as they sewed around the perimeter of the hearts.
The six year old could manage all the sewing by himself. Our four year old only needed a little help pulling the needle through the canvas occasionally. It was the perfect project for these little guys.
They sewed around the heart leaving a 3" opening, then filled the heart with candy, and finished the stitching all the way around. I love projects where a child can complete the work themselves. The boys are looking forward to presenting these gifts to their parents for Valentine's Day.
Cost: for materials and candy under $3
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