Have you lost your mind?

Not sure that anyone has REALLY asked me that question but I feel like it been implied some lately. As I've mentioned before, my friend, Deb, and I enjoy fabric shopping and redecorating. Well, since both our homes are pretty much done, we have this desire to continue to create but no where to put things. So, we've come up with this idea to "revamp" the ugly and old to make new and pretty again. I've termed it "chair flipping". Deb has already reupholstered 31/2 chairs to date and they are FABULOUS! I need to post photos of her before and afters. She found a tub chair and used a blue toile fabric - it was precious. She spent around $60 on fabric and the chair to see it for $500 at a consignment store!!!!

Here's the part where I may have lost my mind. I haven't really mentioned much that I work 20-24 hours a week as a family practice PA in a very busy office. Some days it can be quite stressful but I find it very fulfilling. Nothing like having someone say "I really must thank you". Plus, I have 2 small children that require a lot of attention most days. But, I just need to tap into my creative side. Time will tell how this will all balance out.

Lately, I've been collecting quite a few pieces of furniture from Craigslist and an auction house. Below is a fabric that we are going to use on chair #1 for my bedroom. It's going to be AMAZING!!! I have this fabric on a lumbar pillow for my bed now.

Chair #1 was $20

This is chair #2 - in the middle of it's redo process the weather turned cold (again) so I haven't finished spray painting. It was $16.

Chair #3 has a mate at Deb's house. We plan to each tackle one. We're going to use a nice thick white twill and toying with the idea on contrasting piping in Navy.

My garage is looking like some ugliest chair contest! Plus, I just won another chair at the auction yesterday. Details and finished pictures to come in the next several weeks!

Slight revision on the kitchen chairs

I decided to do away with the nailhead trim - it just didn't look right. So, I made some double welt cording and also took out some excess fabric at the edges of the bottom cushion (see below).

Double welt cording

Below is the bottom cushion before sewing it for a better fit.

And the old nail head trim below. Thinking that double welt cording was the way to go.

Before and After: Master bed

Before

Dark:(

After

Ah...breath of fresh air... Only thing missing is a round mirror above the bed (I think)...

Our Morning Ritual

So, as Julia, my 2 yo, was helping me make coffee this AM, I thought I'd share. She is a very driven, hilarious, social butterfly of a girl, which is the exact opposite of my 5 yo son, Jackson. Together I feel like the make a great match to conquer the world (or at least the backyard:).

Every morning Julia HAS to help me with the sugar (no artificial sweetners here!) and stir it. Half awake I tightly hold the hot cup of coffee so not to spill. She just LOVES being a helper. She pushes her stool over and gets the spoon out. Just precious!

And, a BIG cheese of a smile to start the day! Couldn't think of a better way to wake up:)

Enjoy the starts of spring! Have a great weekend!

Before and After of the eat-in kitchen area

Before

After

Ah... much lighter and a nice change! Still have some major work on the table top to get it right but ya can't really tell by the photos:)

My new bedside tables

Last Thursday I went to Alexander Antiques Auction with (of course:) Deb. I stayed up until 1AM! And, HAD to work in the AM - what! I rarely see after 10PM anymore - just not in my 20s anymore. But, it was SO worth it! I scored two new (ok, new to me) tables. Below is the bachelors chest I got for just $150! Can't buy a new one with that much character for under $800. I just need to secure the decorative plugs which I was going to switch out for crystal knobs but I so love these!

Don't you love them?

And, getting away from matching furniture, I went with this console type table for the other bedside.

I think they complement my new bed!

It's coming together. I have several other projects to complete then I'll give the whole before and after tour of the master.

New bed

Here's my new bed with the upholstered headboard I made with major help from my friend, Deb. (I need to post some of her projects - reupholstery queen!!) Before and afters of the room when it's completed:)

Chairs transformed

I forgot to take a before picture and I really wish I did because these were super ugly chairs! The have the 60/70s decade cane back with the brown stippled paint effect. I primed them and painted them a creamy white then used my sander to distress them.

I padded the cane with batting then covered it with this gorgeous fabric. I have the same fabric for my kitchen window valence so it'll bring to over to the eat-in kitchen area. The green velvet is the original fabric on the chairs and with the original paint it looked horrible. I actually liked that color with the fabric I added but decided to go with a textured brown microfiber. I do have a 2 and 5 yr old!

Here's the finished product! I used nail head trim to finish it off.

Beautiful!!

Rules are meant to be broken...

What a beauty? Don't ya think? I promised myself that I couldn't buy anything that'd require refinishing etc until I finished eat-in kitchen table and chairs. Well, that's NO FUN!!

I frantically ran around during Mom's AM out this AM to literally 7 places!! Insane! No coffee was needed because I was running on adrenaline and pushing the clock! Along the way, I ran into Izzy's which is one of my favorite furniture consignment stores. And, I saw this behind the register on their display shelf. I commented how beautiful it was and if it was for sale. After much contemplation, she sold it to me for only $25! On the bottom, it's dated 1888 with the engraved name of F.B. Rodgers Silver Company and the #2377. Much do research on that! I know I scored! I plan on using it for flowers on my new table that I'm currently distressing and restaining.

Also, picked up this gem for less than $20. I love the lace cut away details. Thinking of using it for a taper candle.

And, this nice silver bowl for just hanging around the house. Think it was $15. Major silver score!

This is a side view of the pieces and a glimse of Jackson. Don't ya love the sunglasses and Cat-in-the-Hat hat playing video games - priceless!

And, here's were I really broke my rule but I couldn't resist! It's for silverware but if you are like me - I don't own silverware just the everyday stuff. So, this will be painted (color in question at this point) and used for jewelry!!! My lovely husband of 10 years this May gave me a David Yurman necklace and earrings this Christmas:) So, here's to future lute:)

Plywood becomes headboard

Lately, I've a ton of projects going on at once. About a month ago, my friend, Deb, and I made a upholstered headboard. I actually cut out the design myself - bring on the power tools! I don't know what it is but a saw make me feel powerful - strange but I liked it:) Once the design was cut out, we cut 1 inch foam with an electric carving knife (hard to find these days!!). We cut it 2 inches from the wood boarder then wrapped with batting. I wanted this nailhead trim so we went around the foam border with a staple gun to flatten the batting so the trim would lay flat. It worked! I was using the nailhead trim with every 5th hole that's a nail. Easy and straight! But, it took FOREVER to get the trim the mail! Finally, it was here today and I couldn't wait to finish the headboard.

S

Looks amazing! It'll be hanging on the wood soon. Saved about 500 bucks making this for a king size bed!!