Wing chair slipcover

I'm sharing my first attempt at making a slipcover for a wing chair. I have upholstered a chair before so how hard can making a slipcover be? Well here's the before picture...

 The chair is really comfortable but ugly. I was going to do it in a white fabric but after looking at the fabric store I didn't want to spend that much for my first go at it, so I hit my favorite place for fabric - the thrift store. I found a double size sheet set in a lime green ( which for some reason the pictures look white,  I think it's because of the flash). It only cost me $4.00 so if I messed up I wasn't out a lot.

I started by cutting the fabric for different sections. ( there's alot of video how to's on the web) and pinning it in place. My fabric was the same on both sides so it didn't matter but if you have a pattern you would pin it inside out. It takes a lot of pins but it's worth it.

smoothing and adding pleats where needed. I really didn't want it too tight - more of the loose, shabby look.

 I didn't baste it but I would recommend it.When you pull it off to sew it things start moving around and some pins come loose. Sewing it was the hardest part, especially where three sections came togethter. After I sewed it, I put it back on. It fit okay. I few sections didn't come out quite as smooth as I would have liked but for a first time it's pretty good.

 Next came the fun part. Adding some buttons and bows and a pleated skirt.
I glued a piece to the back( easier than sewing it)

Then I made some bows that I also glued on.

I pleated the skirt.

and then added some buttons.

 

I just hot glued all the pieces on but I guess you could take the time to sew everything on ( too much work for me)

 

It's funny because the back of the chair is my favorite - It's soooo cute!

A pillow and a throw and it's done!...

                           Before                                                          and after...

 

Mug Rugs...

One day while I was browsing in Jo-Ann Fabrics, I came across this book for Mug Rugs. I had never heard of them before but I guess a lot of people have. I went home and googled - mug rugs - and all kinds of pictures and info came up - isn't the internet great ?! So I decided to give one a try.
I purchased a few fabrics that had motifs on them that I could cut out and use as the theme, ie flowers, cupcakes, owls etc. I only needed to buy 1/8th of a yard so this is a very inexpensive craft. Plus, I already had a ton of fabric that was accumulating and what better way to use it up.

This is the first one I made. I've never been a quilter but because it is so small I thought I could handle it. Finished size is about 6 x 9"

 I stitched in the ditch and appliqued the tea cup.  I also have a lot of trims and laces that I added for accents. Since I was making a few for gifts , I thought I would add their initials.

 

I added a little tage in the colors to match. It says -

Mug Rug

Smaller than a placemat and larger than a coaster.

The perfect size for your mug and a snack.

I think I'll be making more of these.

 And wouldn't it be fun to find a mug and then match the colors to it for a gift?

Emellished Giant Clothespin

I was at the Goodwill store the other day and found this giant clothespin for $1.00, so I just had to buy it! ( It's funny that you don't realize what you need until you see it - of course that's the fun of shopping at thrift stores. But be careful hoarding could become an issue! ). I did think of a friend that hosts card parties and she always has her cards displayed on clothespins just smaller ones - so I  think this would be a nice gift for her. I looked at Michael's to see if they sold them but they didn't. I did find a place on-line. Just google giant clothespin and some sites will come up.

Here's how I embellished it...

First I painted the edges and inside green.  I didn't need to paint the whole thing because I was covering most of it with paper.

Then I measured and cut paper to fit. I found this gorgeous pack of paper at JoAnn's with a garden theme and I just LOVE anything with flowers so it was perfect.  I had this peel and stick from years ago which I needed to use up - it is double sided and sticks to anything, you also could have used modge podge or something similiar.

I like to ink all the edges of my paper. I think it gives it more depth and character. I also cut some flowers and leaves with my cricket,  made a bow with sheer green ribbon and cut a border with Martha Stewart's border punch.

Now it's time to assemble. Peel and stick made putting the paper on easy and I didn't have to wait to let it dry. I like to use my hot glue gun to glue on the flowers and ribbon.

I also made a tag using my new " Trust God" stamp set from Stampin Up.

I embellished both sides. It was very easy to do and I love the way it turned out.

 

I may have to keep this one for myself :)

 

 

 

I'm linking this post up -

 

http://todayscreativeblog.net/link-party-palooza-friday/#more-25861

Cascading Card

This was my first time making a cascading card. The web is full of instructions and ideas. They are very simple to make. It really depends on what you want to put on them, it could take a lot of time cutting things out. I used my cricut to cut out all the floral shapes and my stampin-up bird punch and martha stewart butterfly punch.

I made three of them at once for friends birthdays. I think they really enjoyed them and the pink flowers remind them that Spring is on the way!

Hankie Hanger...

I collect all these beautiful Hankies... everytime I'm at a thrift store or a yard sale I pick some up. I usually only pay 10 or 25 cents. I have just been letting then pile up on my dresser but you really can't appreciate all their beauty like that. So I decided to make a hanger for them.

 It's so simple to make you might want to make one for yourself. All I did was cut some bamboo skewers to about 5inches and glued them between ribbon...

I put ribbon on top also and glued a button on each spot so you couldn't see the glue...

I ironed every hankie so it would lay just right and then I figured out what order I wanted them in....

It's kind of like a miniature ladder.  I layered them so the pretty embroidery would be show-cased.
At first I hung it on the side of my red hutch.....

but I think they were too delicate there so I moved them to the side of my tea pots...

they don't stand out as much, but I like them better there. Now I can enjoy them everyday! :)

Hutch - before and after

So I am LOVING my new red dining room, but after looking around I had a thought. My hutch in the dining room is blue...

 I have really enjoyed my hutch for many years. I found it in the trash a long time ago. All it needed was a little fixing and a coat of paint. ( It always amazes me what people will throw away!)

 I had painted it blue which was fine, but I thought I might change it to RED! So I did. First I took everything off. I laid paper all around and on the floor and on the walls - I didn't feel like moving the whole thing so I painted it where it was. I sanded it all over- I wasn't changing the white so it was really only the sides and front. I gave it two coats of red paint - the same paint I used on the shelves. I did remove the drawers and the handles. It's much easier than trying to paint around them and it gives a nicer finish. When it was completely dry I went over the whole thing with a coat of stain. Stain gives it depth and provides a nice top coat so it won't chip. The only bad thing about the stain is it takes forever to dry - but it is worth it in the end. I love the way it turned out! :) I wish my pictures did it justice - it's not that bright! Don't be afraid to paint your furniture - I'm not....

 

Before...                                                                           After...                                               

Tea Pot Collection/ Red & White

Sometimes the little things make me so happy:) Like changing out the curtains and freshening up some pillows. That's what I did this weekend. I had this red and white fabric I had been saving and this other red fabric from a curtain - both were bought at the thrift store for pennies. I finally re-did my curtains in the dining room and covered a window seat.

The curtains are red and white check - which I love! and I just found this red wreath for $2.00 yesterday at my local thrift store.

I used the red floral fabric to make a cover for the window seat.It's not attached just tucked in, this way I could wash it since the dog sits there a lot. I trimmed the cover with some of the left over red check and covered a couple of pillows with the curtain red floral.

I did the centerpiece with one of the cheese plates I made a while back, a couple of bunnies and 2 vintage crocheted pot holders and a little ivy.....

well, not only was I sewing but I also painted a few shelves and put out my tea pot collection...

It seams every time I go to the thrift store I find a cute little tea pot. ( Pardon the glare)Now I have a place to display them...

It's amazing how changing things just a little could make me so happy. What can you change in your house?