Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Story of a chair...



About a couple of years ago, I was browsing thru my local thrift store, not looking for anything in particular,  when I found this chairs... 


They were $9.99 each, and there were six of them. Hmmm, I really don't need them, I don't have a place for them, I thought.
I was trying to talk myself into keep going and into leaving them behind... 
But the possibilities that were running thru my head, were too grand to pass and they were only 10 bucks each, so it was a no  brainer. I am happy I did listen to the other voice, the one who said go wild and go for it!! so they came home with me!
The caning was perfect and the chairs were strong and sturdy. 



They lived in my garage for a while... until I started working on them. First thing that needed to go was the dated orangy vinyl cover on them.

This is me, removing one by one all the staples from the previous two upholstery jobs.
I painted them in Old White by ASCP, distressed them and applied a coat of clear wax.
This chairs by the way escalated to a whole kitchen eating area makeover, including new window valances, and a new (old) table! 


After I painted them I upholstered them with this fabulous blue Buffalo check fabric. 




They lived happily for a couple of years in my kitchen and I lived happily with them... 
Until one day, little fingers started wandering thru the holes of the caning, and what started in a tiny rip ended up in a massive disaster... 


Yikes, yikes, yikes... and more yikes. When it was a couple of tiny rips I found someone who gave a an estimate of $150 to have the caning repair... Oh boy, that was a lot of money. Since I only payed $10 for the chair, I really considered to have it done. Then I thought what about if I pay $150 and it happens again... because I know we are not done being adventurous in this house, and I know there will be more disasters coming my way...
So I disregarded the idea of repairing the caning. Instead, I chose to give the chair a new life... 


I cut out all the remaining of the caning, and I put a piece of padding that I had left over from another project in the place where the caning was. Then, I upholstered the back and the seat with drop cloth also left over from other projects.


Sorry this picture is yellowy, I can get more accomplish and I work best when the little ones go to bed, so It was night time, therefore, it was dark outside when I took this shot.


Stapled the fabric into the chair, then cut the excess fabric as close as possible to he staples.




Of course I had to add some flare to it, so I painted blue stripes emulating a grain sack. (again, night time shot)

I added some trim. I chose a double rope looking one, because it was the wider I found. I wanted to make sure it will cover all the staples well. 


 I also added some stencils.


And on top of the trim I added a nail trim. to add more texture and coolness to it. ;)
I bought it in a roll, it was very easy to apply.



And there you have it! It came out pretty good, huh? At least that's what my 9 year old though. He said it was the coolest chair he has ever seeing! That's a huge compliment! :)







I am sad that this chair broke and I have to find a plan B for my kitchen now, but I am so glad I, again, rescued this chair and gave it a third life!! 
I am so happy you stopped by today, I hope you enjoyed the story of my chair! 
Have a wonderful day, and come back soon! :)

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Monday, April 25, 2016

A Fairy Garden

I've seen some fairy gardens on line lately and I thought they were so adorable.
I knew my little helpers will love the idea of creating our very own fairy garden. Specially my 4 year old daughter, she loves fairies and every time I have to do some weeding in the yard I tell her that we are looking for fairies. She loves to help me, little she knows, we are just doing a tedious job of cleaning weeds. But it is so much fun when we are hoping a fairy pops up from the ground!


So we went shopping and got the fairy house and the fairy in the swing at Joann's fabrics, the plants and the gnome are from Walmart.
I have no green thumb what so ever, so I am hoping this works out and last a while! :)







I like this... the fairy is sitting in the swing enjoying herself while the poor gnome is sweeping the floor, smart fairy! ;)





The little ones had a great time, they are really hoping that a real fairy moves into the tree house! We'll see!! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a fabulous day! 

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Friday, April 22, 2016

Master Bedroom Reveal

Yesterday I showed you my dream Florida room, if you missed it, you can read about it here. Today I've decided, since I never showed you my master bedroom, to come back to reality and to give you a tour of my master! Looking at this picture, I just realize that the color palette is very similar in my real room that the color palette I choose for my dream FL room! The aqua, the whites, the grays and the golds!



I started with this tan color on the walls. And with a striped cover on the bed. 





But I grew very tired of both and I was looking for a more soft and neutral color palette. 
Back in the fall, I painted my kitchen walls Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams. I loved that color so much that didn't stop and carried the color all thru the house!! Yup, that end up being a crazy painting project! But I am so glad I did it because I love the color!! 


I changed the striped bed cover for a white matelasse and I purchased the porcelain blue toile duvet cover and sham from Pottery Barn. The white pillows are antique and I brought them from my mom's house in Spain. You can read about them here


I am using an antique small dresser as a night stand and a round table as the night stand in the other side of the bed. 


I don't have a headboard yet, I hung these couple of cherubs painted by my mom above my collection of pillows. The whole thing is acting as a headboard until I find one I feel in love with!


Do you see that wooden bench under the window? well, let me tell you that story. I was very pregnant with my daughter  when I had the brilliant idea of a built in seating bench to put there. So I measured the window and off I went with my big belly to Home Depot to buy the lumber! I bought a sheet of plywood and give the dimensions to an associate who cut the wood for me. It was quite the ordeal for a prego lady to load all that wood into my car, but where there is a will there is a way, you know! Once at home me and my 4 year old son, at the time, got to work. I never built anything like that before. I had no idea what I was doing. I used wood glue and a bunch of screws. And till this day the bench is still standing!! Pregnancy hormones, perhaps? Whatever possessed me to do it, it came out pretty good, don't you think? ;)
Some day, I would like to replace it with a Louis XV style settee, but until that settee crosses my path, the bench will do!















Another thing in my wish list is a bench or a couple of french chairs to put at the end of the bed! Slowly but surly, I will get there!
Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a fabulous day!