Sharing some of my Process

Since I have received quite a few emails about Slip covering I thought I'd share with you some of my process. This is a Chair that I am doing for one of the shops that I sell threw which is the only way that I advertise my business at this time. 1~ Acquire Chair that is in good solid condition free of major stains and any odd smells. I vacuum out all the cracks and crevices ( you'd be surprised at what I've found in them ) 2~ Acquire fabric that inspires me!!

3~ fill out my project worksheet with cost of materials and time spent on project so that I can come up with a fair price for the finished project.

4~ for this Chair since the back is heavily tufted I cut up little pieces of batting and spray glued them into the wholes

5~ Then I spray the whole back with the glue and attach a thick batting to the back

and tack it at the edges with a quick running stitch

6~Next I measure all the parts and pieces of the chair

and make a pattern for the cushion

7~ Now I cut all my fabric to the measurement specified and take a moment to be thankful that the ice is almost melted off the lake ( did I mention that its been a loooong winter?)

The only other thing that I actually make a pattern for it the arm fronts This eliminates any pinning when I put the arms together.... More on that later.

Now every thing is ready for me to start sewing

There you have it, Some of my Process

Oh yeah I will be painting those legs black too

Slipcovering My Lampshades

Wow Its been awhile since I've posted. Well, I've been busy with some personal projects like this one and some projects for clients too (I'll be posting later in the week )
This is a slipcover that I made yesterday for my lampshade
this is the before they are just the plain white ones That I really love but I wanted a little change for spring

I found this fabric at Hancock's the other day and I just fell in love with it You know that feeling that you get when you just know that you have to have it but your not really sure what your going to do with it? well that's the feeling that I had about this fabric then I looked at the price tag, 29.99 a YARD! what!... I never spend that much on fabric but I had a 40% coupon and I settled for 1 yard

I got home and started looking around and thought LAMPSHADE covers.

I had enough fabric to do two lampshades and a small pillow

and since I know myself I knew that I could not make this a permanent thing so they are simply secured by a button at the very top back side of the shade

Yup I'm loving the new look!
Thanks for stopping

Starch!!

Does your iron look like this? Mine used to when I used regular starch. but I have found something better. Yup now my iron looks like this! nice and clean. I love that I don't have to run my iron into the house and clean it up every couple of days thanks to this new product Its called best press. I found it at Hancock Fabrics and love it. It works great. and no messy iron

this is the label on the back and so far it holds true the only thing that I do not agree with is that I don't think it smells "Wonderful" its a little chemically when you first spray it from the bottle.

But other than that its great stuff.

Have a great Monday!

Some Projects Downstairs

Yesterday after a morning of running around I decided that it was time to get this pillow put together, its been on the list of things to do for about 2 weeks now. The fabric is a Beautiful piece of vintage barkcloth depicting an old cabin in the woods, it was a gift from my friend Claire from the hog shed. I have one more panel left and will be making one of these fun pillows for the hog shed in the near future! I just love it its perfect for the downstairs living room where I have lots of red's brown's and blue's.

We also got the buffet for the T.V. done a couple of weeks ago. I found this buffet at a local Antique shop for 40.00 It was perfect well, almost perfect I did touch up the paint abit and

hubby did his magic to it also. I don't like all the electronic stuff showing so I had him take the center drawer and make it into a shelf with a door that opens up ( or down I should say )

its perfect for the VCR and DVD players I am so happy with the way that it turned out.

and now I have plenty of space for all our DVD and VHS tapes in all the side cupboards and other drawers.

Workin on The Bath

Freshening up the bath for summer and getting ready for company!! I have to say that this is my most favorite things to do.. give my home a little freshening up and when company's coming it always the perfect excuse!! and with inspiration from here I just had to do it!! The main bath didn't need much as I had already done most of the summer makeover early this spring but I did need to get a couple of new things

A new green towel 4.00 that I cut up and made into a fancy towel with a sweet ruffled edging and lace to finish it up. I was not planning on doing this but when I put the towel on the towel on the towel rack it hung down way too far into the wash cloths. so I cut it off and added some cute detail to it. With the extra green towel I added more pretty pink floral fabric and made two cute little hand towels

I also purchased a white hand towel 2.50 and added some vintage crocheted lace with pink edging on it and I just love it.

Two packs of washcloths 5.98 rolled up in this cute little tray, don't they look like colorful tulips popping up out of the ground.

Something beautiful from the garden

my hand towel remake .

and so one more thing checked off the list.

Bathroom freshened up for 12.48. I love a bargen... and a clean bathroom!

Thanks for stopping have a great weekend

Lately...

OK so they are not Slipcovers but I still love them! Last week I received this pattern in the mail and have been working on it for a couple of days now. The first top that I put together was way too big on me even though I measured myself and went according to the size the pattern said that I was 8-10 ( I did not like this! ) so my original top was a flop!!! no picture sorry. I tried to take it apart but since I surged all the seams there was no rescue for it so this is my second try at the pattern. this one I cut to size 6 and it worked. and while I like it much better the bodice seems a bit too long. Hence my third go at the pattern and I like it much better, I even wore it last night when I finished with it.

I shortened up the bodice by about an inch and like it much better

and the best part is that this fabric was a steal. My Walmart is doing away with their fabric section :( all fabric was 50% off and while this pattern calls for 2 yards for the top and 3 for the dress there was only 1 yard and 10 " of this fabric left (the only one I liked) and yes I squeaked it out!!! so for a mere 1.57 I have a fun summer top.

This is a pattern that I will keep handy. its a super fast stitch! once I figured out the measurements it only took me about an hour and a half to put it together. I am looking forward to making the dress next!

Soap making 101 ???

There it is... homemade soap This past week I tried my hand at making my own soap It did not go so well. I was never able to reach trace so my soap while moldable is not as hard as it should be but it works all the same and it lathers up so nice. I got the instructions here and had a great time trying it and am looking forward to giving it another go in another week or so.

This is a shot of my mixer after about a half hour of mixing waiting, waiting, waiting for trace but trace was never reached!

On another note I found it over on soulemama this morning and thought I'd share it with you!

have a wonderful day

When I don't pay Attention!!!

Yeah so this is what happens when I don't pay attention!! I was so excited to do this chair for The Hog Shed But instead I get it for my own. Why? well because I did not make sure that it was in good sound condition before I snatched it up... it was free! yes, it was a little worn in places but it was free!!! it was not til I was about 3/4 of the way done with it when I noticed that the wings were a flappin just a little too much and there was a spring that was not springing!! This little baby was a labor of love as I did not spend any money on it Just my time all of the fabrics were just bits and pieces that I had in the whites bin and an old batten burg lace bed skirt. That's one if the reasons that I was so excited about the whole thing! because every thing ( except the zipper ) was recycled a true "Re-Creation" oh well now it has a nice little spot in my home for a while and then it may have to go into the landfill :( But for now its safe and sound !!

Have a great weekend

Workin in the Shop

The past few days I have been doing a little straighting and organizing in the shop. Since I have been working with a very tight budget I thought I would be creative with some of the things that I already have. This often involves my Very helpful family Hubby put up the cute Shelf That I got at the Hog Shed sometime last Summer and Shayne my Favorite son MY only son!! helped me move my vintage iron patio table ( that came with the house when we bought it) from the three season porch into the shop Its my desk for now!! then some painted words and stapled magazine pages on the walls for Inspiration !! I'll have to take more pictures later as I did more painting and stapling on the other side of the shop too.

So there it is!!! I do love going out into the shop when its cleaned and organized I just work better like that. Thanks for visiting my little world!!

Taking Lunch !!

As I was looking around on the Internet for fabrics and inspiration the other day I found a pattern for lunch bags and thought What a GREAT idea!! so I thought and thought and thought about it and finally went out to my work shop and grabbed a beautiful Vintage Barkcloth and some pot holder interfacing that I use for my tea cozy's and got right to work! I love it what a great way to GO GREEN a reusable lunch sack made of recycled old Curtains and its pretty too. My first thought was to try and use old news papers at the insulation because I remember hearing that they used to use newspapers as quilt batting during the depression but could not find any information on it. So I tried it with the newspaper but it did not work out so well when I went to make sure it was washable (Big mess) So... If anyone out there happens to have any info. on a good idea for a washable insulation for these lunch bags I love to here it. Anyhow here it is for now. for sale on eBay. Thanks for stopping

something for nothing

Ok so I've mentioned how thing have been a bit tight around here, but its a great challenge for me. I'm looking at it as a positive. I think it works right in to a creative lifestyle, I think some of my best work comes from when I have to make do with what I have. So here's the story of my new old pants........... last month I was in desperate need on some comfy pants to were around the house and in the shop while I'm working on slipcovers ect... but with Christmas right around the corner there was no money in the budget to go and buy something for myself so I started digging through my totes of fabric and found some old chenille that was given to me ( with the exception on the Daisy print ) over the past couple of years (you would be surprised what people will give you when they find out you sew:) anyhow I had an old pattern of my daughters for some pants so I altered it a little and viola! the most comfortable "house" pants in the world I just love them and they are perfect for out in the shop too. So if you happen to be dropping of a piece of furniture to be slip covered you will most likely find me in one of these pairs of pants, and the best part of all is that it only took a bit of my time!

The Daisy Chenille was from my friend over at pretty in pink designs what do you think Deanna?

lovin my new ... old pants!!!