Pink Saturday 7/24/2010

Welcome to pink saturday. To view all the participants visit with Beverly of How Sweet The Sound. This past week I visited for the first time Bella of BeautyDoes Matter, Happier Than A Pig In Mud, Eileen at Just Nature Photos and Blackberry Creek.

Now what could these be? Pancakes? Pizelles? Which reminds me, I've got to make some. Maybe today. Hmmmm. But you DO know I'll make something lovely out of them, right? I just loved the texture and color of them so I had to show them to you in their infant form. *Wink* Aaaaaah, come on, you KNOW what they are going to be!

I thought they made a pretty photo with the pink and the texture and shadows of them. So, wadda I know?

Didn't I tell you I had a plethora of rugs up in the garage attic? Here are but a few of them.

And just what could be in this darling little pink fabric covered box? Yeah, even I didn't realize what I had in there until I pulled it out today.

Some of these I made and some I bought. I knew I had some someplace but it just took me a while to get around to remembering where they were. I had planned to decorate some picture frames. I just finished painting them white so now I'll be decorating them.

~*~

Sofa Slipcover

I'm thinking of having a slipcover made for the sofa and wanted to get a good picture for the interior decorator who is helping me. Sounds la-de-da, huh? Nuuuuu, not at all.

I could not seem to find anyone around here who makes them. A blogger said she could make them for me but she lives in the east and I'm in the west about 2,000 miles away. She assured me it could be done by sending measurements, photos and such. I checked with IKEA when we were over there in June but their slipcovers ONLY fit their sofa styles. I thought about it and was going to let the blogger do it, but then I went on the Ethan Allen website. TaDa!!! They now have a sofa that is just like my sofa that I bought from them 15 years ago.

I called their store in Boise, chatted with the interior decorator explaining that I saw on the website where they can do slipcovers. She checked and said they could but only for specific styles. (Actually, they can do a slipcover for ANY sofa but it would cost about $1200 custom made—just for the slipcover!) The style is exactly the same as my sofa. I measured and sent them to her via email and she checked and said yes, it could be done for my style. I was ecstatic especially when I heard the price that I saw was definitely worth it. Can we say $400.00?! I tell you that's a steal for perfect fit slipcovers.

Eye candy: roses on my coffee table. Onward...

From the side of the victorian vase. I love them thick and plentiful in that vase.

Here are the photos along with my measurements I sent her. How serendipitous is this??? Fifteen years old, and I don't have to spend $2,000 buying a new one when this is in perfect like-new condition. Just slipcover it in white thick upholstery! This photo is indicative of the true color of the sofa. The room is so dark it shows much darker when I try to photograph it from across the room. I shall be getting a solar tube next! I need more light in the front of this house.

Anyway, here are some style of Ethan Allen sofas I love and though it looks exactly like mine it isn't quite because of the size—just an inch or two off. These photos are smaller because I pulled them off the website.
Same with this one. It's the exact same style but an inch or two off.
This is a favorite style of mine but it starts at $1900.00 and that's just not gonna cut it at the moment. Love Bunny would protest vociferously, trust me.

I also like this style. It comes in 3 cushion style also, but it starts at $1800 and...well, you get the point.
I'm so happy tonight I could just spit! Now, I have to tell Love Bunny. Wish me luck. *Sigh*...
~*~

The Garage Sale Weekend

Tell me, how pathetic does one's life have to be to blog about our garage sale weekend? Hmmmmm? Well, that's what you're going to hear so you can leave now if you want or hear the story.

It started with finding things I'd forgotten I had and this was one of MANY of them. I snatched this little candle ring away and brought it in the house with an idea already forming in my mind what I would do with it.

Candlesticks, pots, little decorative bowls, a lemon juicer—I now have two of them. We'd wondered where it was for so many years and finally bought one about a year ago. The barbell is hubby's weight lifting equipment that he uses 3 times a week so disregard that. Little sea shells I've had for a very long time. I may be able to use them for decorative purposes.

Rolls of wallpaper border I bought just because they were on sale and I might find a use for them some day. Have we all not done that?!

And the wallpaper I just couldn't live without when I saw it on a display at Home Depot many, many years ago. I've used one roll of it in a house and have 3 left. I doubt I'll ever use it but it's one of the most gorgeous papers I've ever seen—a beautiful shade of green with grape leaves on it vertically. It's the one in the middle kind of leaning over a bit. Gorgeous!!!!

Canning jar lids went for 50¢ a box because I knew I'd never can again. Not worth the time and effort for 2 people anymore. Pretty little bowls I just couldn't live without.

The chandelier original to the dining area went for $7.00. I didn't care for it and I have the crystal one now anyway. That pizza stone—upside down—will probably go to the thrift store unless we have another garage sale in September. We're thinking we might now since it was such greeeeeeat fun this time!!! You KNOW I'm kidding right?

See those little pink and aqua plastic plates? I kept 4 each of them. Forgot I even had them. The little red topped pedestal bowls are from a friend in California who gave them to me. Those sold for 50¢ each. Hubby sold 3 tile cutters he had. I don't know WHY he had 3 tile cutters! Those little books with roses on top are an arrangement I made many years ago. I think I'll save the flowers for something else now. Pie tins went fast.

That lump of fabric here is actually a duvet cover I made. It is heavy and gorgeous but it didn't sell. I may try to sell it on eBay. It's beautiful and was a lot of work to do, but Love Bunny would sell it for $1.00 I know! He sold my pillows for 50¢ and the woman was in shock. Sigh...

He put out several new hats he was given at different times and surprisingly, about half of them sold. He asked 50¢ and they grabbed them up—men and women. Those plates with little blue flowers under the wicker basket are still with us. We used them for many years. I sold some roses glass bowls but the plates didn't sell with them. Surprised me. The craft stuff is still with us. I may put it all together and list it on craigslist for a few dollars for the whole lot.

A little girl came by and wondered how much the little bunny things on that orange (Gag, I hate orange!) plate were. I said 25¢ and she went to get a quarter from her mom. I almost gave her the whole bunny town for that, but she was gone in a flash. The crêpe pan didn't sell. Doesn't anyone make crêpes anymore? I used to a lot but not so much since we've gotten older.

Seat cushions for 50¢ each? A woman grabbed them. She said someone else was selling theirs for $5.00 and they were in terrible shape. Mine were in perfect shape—clean, not torn, ties still on. She was amazed. But then I take great care of all my stuff. Beautiful soft sided carrying bags I got in California are not the rage anymore I guess.

Those magenta oblong pillows under there are from a sofa I gave a needy family years ago but the cushions were forgotten. I keep thinking I could make them over in another fabric but then I remember what I'm doing here. Haven't we all said we're "going to do something" and never do it? Right. See what I mean. Let them GOOOOOO!!!

Another little stool I had covered and forgotten about. I saved it and put it in the house until I can figure out what to do with it. Little wine decanters sold rather quickly. Decorated little expanding file folders are still with us. Vintage cookie cutters in that paper bag sold. The woman seemed clueless about what she was going to use them for, but she bought them. Made me wonder. The vintage sifter went quickly also. I still have the Voltrompia bread tube and am wondering whether to sell it or keep it. It's really a neat thing to have for decorative bread.

Those tiny metal houses I gave to a friend's little daughter. Her room is starting to look like my house! :-)

We had 4 of these back massagers and one sold. Two are for home and two are for car use. Those shabby chic boxes got sold before I could pull them off. I could have used them for storage in the studio. Sigh...

These 2 Pachinko games went first thing. I man had 2 of them that didn't work and bought these 2 because they DID work. If you know what they are and have some, you love them. Real collectors items.

The black garbage bags are bed pillows and feather seat and back cushions for our chairs that I've kept since the last recovering about 6 years ago. I may put them back in the chairs again. I'm so fickle about this kind of stuff! Now I can't even remember why I used the foam and fill ones the upholsterer made for them.

And that's it for today. More later.
~*~

It Started with an Idea and a Photo

I saw a picture of some curtains recently that I thought were cute. I decided to try and make something similar in my own particular style, which is to say romantic and shabby chic. I've tried to find the picture but I emptied my trash so that's it.

Anyway, they were sheers with a tier of 3 ruffles of brown fabric on the top with grommets for the rod. They weren't gathered but hung taut on the rod. I did mine a tad differently but it involved a trip to Joanns Fabrics with Love Bunny. :-) He didn't say a word and just followed me around because he KNEW how I felt about the camping trip we had a couple of weekends ago.

It quickly segued into 2 trips to Joanns in different cities—my little one here and the big Joanns in Boise. Why? Because they didn't have the 14 yards of fabric I needed, so I bought 7 yards here and 7 yards in Boise. This was of course a guess. I just went with it and if I had any left over I'd make another curtain for somewhere else in the house. As it turned out I have just a bit left over.

This is half of the fabric already torn apart. I don't usually cut; I tear mostly.
Then I had to set up my cutting table in the living room as the studio is small and it's in a shambles as usual.

Then I featherstitched the sides of the 99" of fabric and the ruffles. It was very exacting...well, for ME it was. A practiced seamstress would have no problem but I'm not THAT good.

Okay, I'm NOT going to bore you with all the details but I just thought I'd throw in a few more photographs for good measure. ;-) This is one finished and one to go. I put some lace across the top of the first ruffle to hide the seam. (I'm lazy and try to take the easy way!) But I wanted them to be feminine and girly anyway.

Okay, chicks, here's Mr. Love Bunny agreeing under duress to holding them up for a closeup while somewhat gathered. Oooooh, I wish you could see the smile on that man's face...NOT.

He certainly could use my No!No! for his arms.

I first tried this little ribbon rose but didn't like it as much as the bigger paper roses.

Much better!

I hung this one to see how it would look and if I'd have to make any adjustments to the hem. As it turned out, it was just the perfect length. I also turned the ruffle at the top back and forth to create a unique look across the top. How do you like it? Actually, I'm just being nice here because I like it and that's what matters. ;-)
This is closeup and where it looks a different color are just shadows.


Ta da!!! Now, if I can just find/save the money for white slipcovers plus find someone who will do them, it'll be a whole different look.


And just so you know, I doubt I'll ever do this pattern again!
~*~