A Simple Slipcover

Everytime we move, I rearrange everything.  Nothing goes back in the same room it came out of (except for the obvious things like the dining room table and chairs - and maybe the couch)  it makes everything feel new and exciting again and it is an adventure for me to see how many different ways I can use an item.  My curtains always move rooms.  My former living room curtains, are now in the guestroom and my dining room curtains have been moved to the kitchen.  Before we moved I had a big garage sale and got rid of alot of stuff that had served it's purpose, but it was now time for them to move on and be someone elses treasures!  My policyis if it is still with us after two moves and I didn't use it in the last year, it is time to be repurposed!

This little beauty of a couch - I think technically it is called a settee - is a fabulous garage sale find!  I got it a little over a year ago.  It was a random morning that I decided to go "saling" and miracle upon miracles I did not even have a child with me!!  I was pulling up into a little cul de sac that had about 4 family garage sales, kinda just getting ready to do the drive by thing, when this beauty literally made me squeel my tires as I simultaneously stopped the van, put it in park, and jumped out.  I just knew she was going to have a sold sign on her already - but she didn't (woohoo!).  I asked how much and when they said $20, I couldn't whip my cash out fast enough!!  Twenty dollard - you have got to be kidding me?!  Actually, she didn't look so good, she had a green metalic paint gracing her legs and a horrible metalic gold upholstery job, but I could see her potential!!

here she is after I fixed her all up in our old home (obviously at Chirstmas time!)

I packed her up and brought her home with me.  At the time I wanted a golden colored upholstery fabric on her and I spraypainted the frame black - - it served it's purpose at our old house right in front of the kitchen counter/bar area that opened up into the diningroom.  It was a great place for people to hangout while last minute preperations were being made on dinner and it was a great stepstool for the kids to reach the sink from the backside!

When we moved here, she needed a new home.  So she got moved to our bedroom.  The creamy yellow/gold fabric does not work in there at all, so I thought it was a great opportunity to make a very simple slipcover.  I wanted something that still showed off her details and her "curves!"

here she is with her new slipcover - - I think that I need to paint her frame white and distress it a little...What do you think?

I love the details of this simple slipcover, I gently rounded the sides of the arms to follow the curve of the frame

Besides just draping a large piece of fabric over a piece of furniture, this is by far the easist slipcover I have ever done.  Hardly any precision work, no separate cushion, and no funny angles.  In fact, other than hemming it, the only sewing I had to do was to attach the two arms - - so easy!!

Just attaching the entire thing with simple twill tape bows, keeps it feminine and oh so easy!!

and just because she is so pretty, here she is again!!

I do have to admit, that this is a very poor before and after because the before picture, in my opinion, is a lot better than the after. It was Christmas for goodness sakes and the picture was taken just minutes before lots and lots of people walked through my home for "Tour of Homes" - - so the house was as close to perfect as it was ever going to get!  Just remember that my house is a work in progress, and that we aren't painting any walls here, but eventually when I get my bedroom all put together, it is going to be a very white, spa-like, very relaxing room.  Are you seeing it?  Yes, I probably need to paint the woodwork and distress it or maybe do a blue glaze over it to show off the carving details.  What do you think?

I took pictures as I went along, but I am now second guessing myself as far as posting a "how to" - - just not sure if anyone would really be interested.  So if you would like to see how to, just leave me a comment and I will work it up.

September 11

As we were doing our opening for school this morning, I was discussing Sept. 11 with the kids and their resounding question was, "Why?"  I love a childs point of view, they are so innocent and they love everyone.  Children are so much more Christlike than adults.  They wanted to know if they had apologized.  They wanted to know why they didn't want everyone to live in free countries.  They wanted to know why they wanted to hurt people.  They wanted to know why it has to affect their lives so much, when they were not even alive when it happened.  I think as American's we take our freedom for granted.  We take our way of life for granted.  We forget the sacrafice that others have made for us.  We love to complain.  We love to share our opinion.  We love to....forget.  Forget that over 3000 people died that day.  Forget all the lives that have been lost fighting the terrorists.  Forget the families of those that died.  Forget the soldiers who are fighting.  Forget the families who stay strong during countless deployments.  Forget the children who do not have a mother or father at home every night.  Forget the wives who don't have a husband coming home... ever.    As we were talking this morning I found myself wanting to shelter my children, to not tell them about the bad things that had happened.  To protect them from the evil of the world.  But if I do that, I will be doing a disservice to them.  I will be teaching them to take their freedom for granted.  I will be teaching them to forget.

For another military wives perspective on Sept. 11, hop on over to Mom in High Heels and read her comments.

A Fall "Jacket"

For the first time this week, I am beginning to believe that there might be and end to the DC humidity and fall may be just around the corner!  Woohoo!  Fall is my favorite season and I have not experienced it for the past three years!  Bring on the cool mornings, the smell of leaves, and of course...

Bring on the color!! 

In the spirit of fall, this cute chair needed itself a little "jacket."  A change from it's beautiful white spring/summer look to something more "fallish!" 

What do you think?

I think it is a great pop of color and, I think it's owner is going to love how it looks in her bedroom. 

No more blending into the walls for this piece! 

Here's a close up of the fabulous fabric this slipcover is made from. 

Love it!

And of course some details of the button closures.  Can I just say I love my sewing maching?  I used to HATE doing button holes, but it is SO easy with my new machine!

You might recognize this chair from an earlier post - - funny part about it is that it's original upholstery was orange - - then it got completely redone in white, and now a slipcover in orange ( a different color orange of course - a far cry from the 70's burnt orange!)