Chair Re-Done

I finished! I’ve had this chair for a month. Here is the re-do in pictures:

Before pictures. Notice how much the seat sags.

The bottom of the seat (after I got through a layer or two) – it was all broken.

About 2,000 staples later, I had just a frame, then I put a new seat in (I got instructions from my mom over the phone and she mailed me a tool I needed).

I used the original foam (I was surprised at how expensive foam is!) I used cotton batting to replace the thin foam around the frame that was too damaged to use. I took my mom’s advice and bought an electric stapler. I HIGHLY recommend it if you’re planning to reupholster something.

I took (mental) notes when I took the seat apart. One of the things was that the seat had to be completely finished in order to put staples in the back. Just in the area where the fabric (or batting) tucks behind the seat.

The back was trickier. There were two long pieces of metal with teeth all down them that hold the sides of the back on. I had to wrap the fabric around them and hammer them into place. I should have taken pictures of that part.

To spray paint the bottom, I had to go to the park (I have no outdoor space). This was my little set up – using everything in my car to keep it from blowing away!

The finished product! I think it turned out pretty well for my first attempt :)

Even though the chair only cost me $5 from Craigslist, the supplies added a bit to the price.

Chair $5

Cotton batting, just for seat and upholstery tacks for seat $12

Material ordered from Canadian company Tonic (because I’m too picky for any of the fabric in stores here) $35 – with a lot left over

Sandpaper, spray primer, spray paint $10 – also used for another project

Total $62 and that includes extra material and supplies for another project.

Crazy Product of The Week

Ok – I have to admit it. I’ve seen this one for years and I think it is FUNNY!! I wonder who came up with it and who would actually have it in their homes, but I like it in concept :)

I think it is more fun than a regular knife block on the countertop, but I still don’t think I would ever buy it. Just in case you want to, it comes in black too.

Wall Art – DIY

After putting up this picture of my blank wall at home, I realized that I had to do something right away. It’s so ugly! I’ve already mentioned how I feel about white walls.

My plan for the wall was to just buy some fabric and hang it up on canvas. One long story and a bunch of changing my mind later I ended up with this:

I started out with my pretty green fabric $8.99, some plain white fabric $5.99, and two large corkboards I got at Unique Thrift $5.60 for both.

I took off frames of the corkboards off – planning to paint them and put them on the finished product, but I managed to break one of them in the process, so now they are frameless.

I saw this post over at Ish and Chi and this is my attempt at making it my own.

Here are my progress shots:

The supplies (from when I had intended to paint the frames and put them back on.

Broken frame :(

Template for cutting out the leaves

All lines up and ready to pin and sew – turns out I’m not as bad at sewing curves as I thought I was

Gluing it on the back

Hanging on the wall :)

New Old Desk

I bought a desk. I wasn’t looking for a desk, but in playing on Craigslist I found this one for sale for $30 and I wanted it. So after work I went by and picked it up. (Thank you to the nice woman I bought it from and the man working on her house for loading it in my car!)

Once I got home I realized that I had no way to get it out of the car and into my apartment. I wish I had pictures of me trying to get it out of the car, but I was too busy trying not to drop it and failing (I only dropped it once and very lightly) and NO thank you to the woman who arrived in the garage and walked right by me while I was trying to balance the desk and get it out of the car.

I finally got it loaded up onto one of the carts my building keeps for groceries and got it upstairs (thank goodness for elevators!) Then I had to figure out how to stand it back up. About 30 minutes later I had it in it’s new home.

Here are some pictures:

I was debating painting it, but after a quick Google search, I found out it’s called a Spinet Desk typical from late 1800’s to early-mid 1900’s. Apparently after a spinet (kindof like a piano/harpsicord) worn out they were sometimes converted to desks. I believe that’s how the style started. Not exactly something I’d paint.

The top folds back with a piano hinge. It’s missing the piece of the top that folds over the front. The lighter colored wood writing surface pulls out for more space. I think for now I’ll try to fix the pieces that are breaking (drawer bottoms, front piece) and leave the rest alone.

So……. what do you think?

All Over the Place

My taste is all over the place. Here are some things I’m in love with at the moment. In a dream land these would be mine. Or in real life if I happened to have a few extra thousand dollars to spend on expensive furniture.

Wall Art

I’ve been searching for some cheap wall art and haven’t found anything I like. My living room wall has been blank since I moved in over two years ago. It can’t be something heavy since I can’t put holes in the wall. Anyone have any ideas?

Here is a pretty bad picture of the living room with the blank wall. I assume whenever I move I will no longer have giant windows all along one wall of my apartment, so I need something that will go over the couch.

Hmmm. It looks so bad in this picture. I’m amazed it has taken me this long to fill it!

Crazy?!?

Maybe all the crazy products have gotten to me, but I kindof like this one. Not for $650, but I would much rather have this on my wall than one that used to be alive.

Those who throw stones....

Shouldn't live in glass houses. (Isn't that how the saying goes?) But does that mean that if I DON'T throw stones that I can live in a glass house?

My current apartment is a bit of a fishbowl. The exterior wall is floor to ceiling windows (that don't open, Grrrr). I live on a lower floor, and the dog walk area is just outside my window, so I thought it would be weird at first having people be able to see in. There are blinds, but I'm too lazy to put them down each evening and up each morning.

Turns out - I don't really mind it. Sure, I'd prefer to have it facing reserve land or something where no one could see in, but I really like having one whole wall that is the outdoors.

So now I'm thinking that living in a glass house would be pretty cool. Think about it - stare at the stars just before you go to sleep, great views of the lightning in thunderstorms, watching the snow fall.... sounds so peaceful!!


But since I do want a LITTLE privacy. I'm thinking something like this. Doesn't that look amazing?

Whatever happened to…

The sleeping porch. I love to see the stars just before I fall asleep, but not really a just-me-and-a-bed-roll-in-the-woods kind of girl. I would love to just roll my bed out onto a porch and sleep in my nice cushy bed under the stars. Of course, screened to keep out the bugs (and keep the cat in) – and quiet enough that I could actually sleep.

Can you tell…

My mind is on spring already?

How pretty?!

I wonder what you do with it during the winter up here?

Interior

My apartment is tiny. Essentially just a great room and a bedroom, but I’ve made “rooms” out of other areas. I can’t paint the walls. And I h.a.t.e. white walls. Can’t stand them, and have lived with them for two years. Stupid white walls. Grrr.

We’ll call this first picture the foyer. The laundry/coat closet is on the left. (hello kitty!)

I’ll have to take new pictures of the great room later – new pillows!

Here’s the boring bedroom, but the bed sure is comfy! I used to have color on the bed, but my it was scratchy, so back to the plain white for me. Stupid white walls.

And since kitty likes to open my drawers and sleep in them and because she’s fat enough to break them I typically have it looking more like this:

Yes, instead of putting the shams in the closet or in a bin, they go in front of the nightstands so the cat can’t get into the drawers. Come to think of it – anyone know how to kitty-proof drawers? I need to do it to the dresser too.

Clearance?!? *sniff*

I have been drooling over this lounger since I first laid eyes on it. I wish I had $800 to get it. Or a yard to put it in.

Kokoon

I like it. Can’t afford it even a little bit, but like it. Ahhh. I’ll just dream about it.

Valentine’s Pillows

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today I had to go into the office (3 days left until my project is turned in!!!) and before I went in I ran a few errands.  One of them involved going into Target. 

While there, I found the Target Home Design Event was really cleaned out.  At 75% off, I wandered through and found these green pillows for $6.24 each!!

 

They match my place perfectly!  A little valentine’s gift to me!

So pretty

I don’t really read in bed, but I think this bed would make me start. This was my second choice when I got my bedroom set. Isn’t it pretty?