Lovin the Zebra

I was never an animal print person.  My mom is that person.   That was not me.  But lately, I've been trying to find anything I can to cover with zebra stripe, or giraffe, or leopard.  I've even put a bird pillow on my couch.  I have a thing about birds.  Did you ever see the movie "The Birds"?  My mom used to make us watch old movies to teach us the lessons of life.  We learned that she could always be crazier ("Mommy Dearest") and birds are not nice.  I still always break out into a "No wire hangers" rampage in my mind when hanging our clothes.  Anyway, I conquered my fear of birds and got a pillow.  I've also matured enough to realize my mom may have been onto something with the animal print.

I should put a bunch of design pictures using animal print here, but I'm new to this blogging thing and don't really know the rules about posting other people's pictures.  One day, I will have to figure that out.....or tell my husband to figure that one out and explain it to me.....while I play Candy Crush.

The other day my mom brought me over two cushions she had taken off two stools and asked if I could recover them.  I really want to start upholstery so I jumped at the chance.  Here is what they looked like when she dropped them off.



 

Tattered corners and all.  And oh so uninteresting.

 

 

After much fabric hunting, we settled on something I had in my fabric closet the whole time.  Yes, I have a fabric closet.  I swear, it is like a sickness.  I'm getting much better though.  The first step is admitting you have a problem.  Here is the after:

 

Yes, she has a pink flamingo on her deck.  She has a pool.  It works.

 



 

 

As soon as I got the cushions done, I called her and told her to paint the legs black.  The were a nice 1980 oak.  What a transformation!  The fabric we got from Joanne Fabric for $9.99 a yard....and I had a coupon!  She just spray painted the legs.  I kept trying to talk her into some pretty expensive fabric since we didn't need much, but I am so glad we didn't go that route.  Just goes to show you that you don't have to spend a lot to get an amazing result.  Lesson learned.  And...since we didn't spend to much on the fabric, we're not married to it.  We can change it when she gets tired of it.  Spectacular.

One Huge Pillow

Lately I have been bombarded with orders for pillows and cushions.  I love doing this stuff.  It kinda breaks things up.  It's also nice to get some projects done in a day.  In the past week, I have done a box cushion for a window seat, recovered to square cushions for stools, and a huge bolster for a king size bed. 

I have to admit, the circular shape of this pillow kinda threw me at first.  I seriously had to times things by pi.  What the heck?!?  I was never a big fan of geometry.  I always thought the only time I would really use it was pool and mini golf.  I gotta say, I was pretty much right until I started doing this stuff.  Ironically, my high school geometry teacher did work at Putt Putt.  In fact, he still does.  I think he owns it now though.



Invisible zipper.  Yay!



Let's just admire the zipper for a minute.  The pillow was 60 inches long, so it was a pretty long zipper.  I impressed myself with this one.  And the fabric is Clarice Dove by P Kauffman.

 



 

It was so cool to take it over there and put it on her bed.  She has been working on this room for a long time.  It all started with the buffalo check drapes I did for her last year.  She seriously should have a decorating blog.  Her style is epic.

 

 

On a side note, I broke my own rule today and went out without straightening my hair.  I was going for the natural "messy" look.  Is that still in?  Anyway, I think I just ended up looking like a mess.  Hair fail.

Sad to say Goodbye.....

A little while ago, I made an awesome roman shade for a friend.  I love making stuff for my friends.  It lets me try out some new ideas without too much pressure.  Here it is:

 

 

One day, I'll figure out how to space these artistically. 

 

Anyway, we used banding because the window was so wide and we didn't want to have seams in the shade.  I also used a clutch system for the first time.  That allows the roman shade to go up and down easier.  I will never go back to the old way.  Plus, it's child safe.  Safety first!

 

Well, she is now moving and alas the shade has to stay with the house.  I wanted to give her something so that she'll always remember when she and I were standing on her counter together putting this huge shade up.  And to remember how excited I was that the clutch system actually worked how it was supposed to.  But maybe forget how I had to raid her husband's screw stash because I forgot the teeny tiny screw for said clutch system. (duh)

 

So....I made her these.

 



Don't really know if she's going to have this in her kitchen.  She can keep them in a drawer if she wants.  I loved making them.  I started out making kitchen aprons and accessories, so this was like going back to my roots.  I added some of my new skills though such as micro cording.  I love it.  It's amazing how it gives things a little extra "umph."  I've been adding it to everything.






We are going to miss her and her family so much.  Jobs move all of us so many places.  And hey, she is building a new house.  There will be lots of naked windows needing to be dressed.  I feel a road trip coming on.



First Post

Okay....so here is my first post.  Has any other blogger ever had this problem?  I've been trying to write my "first post" for almost a month.  There is just way too much pressure.  I guess the best thing to do is to just set your expectations way low so I it won't take much to impress you.

My name is Beth and I've had this crazy idea to start my own business.  A few years ago, I discovered that I had this incredible passion for sewing.  I really wish I would figured this out a lot sooner, but oh well.  It would've saved me a lot of money spent on music instruments (when I thought maybe I was musical) and hot yoga classes (when I thought I was healthy).  Sewing it is.  Through great blessings in life, I started making window treatments and have just kept expanding.  I hope to get into upholstery one day.  I'm just waiting for someone to give me a chair to take apart.

That's about it.    Phew.....big sigh of relief.  I am so glad to get this one done.  I'll try to not make the rest of my posts so lame.  I can't promise anything though.