A Soft Landing for Old Furniture: Recovering Chair Cushions

Have you heard?  I look like this.

I am unwieldy.  I am misshapen.  I am a twofer.  And I cannot take an iPhone self portrait.

This baby is due in 12 days.  12 days!!!  It's been great sharing my body with him and everything, but GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!!! 

I'm normally still pretty busy but toward the end of this pregnancy there has been some of this action.

A little R&R is needed.  But mostly, lately it's been all about crossing things off my to-do list.  Call it nesting if you must, but I really believe it's the accurate realization that I will soon be attached to another person whose needs will be unpredictable, round-the-clock, and very demanding.  Add to that my toddler, husband, animals and full-time job and... well... it's gonna be a while before I resurface to tackle any projects. 

Nesting = Planning.

So the house is relatively clean and organized, the laundry is caught up, rooms are rearranged (more on that in another post), and I've been cleaning out cupboards and storage areas.  We need room for baby stuff again.

Nesting = ...nesting?  *maybe*

One thing I knew I could tackle easily and inexpensively was recovering a little footstool Beep likes to carry around.  Because how else is she supposed to reach all the forbidden FUN STUFF?

The stool belonged to Cabbage's grandmother, and who knows where it came from before that.  It's old and sentimental and I didn't want to change it too much, but seriously.  Look at the upholstery.

It was time.

If you've never reupholstered a chair, trust me when I say it's one of the easiest DIY projects to tackle.  It usually requires no more than new fabric, a scissors, a couple of screwdrivers, and a staple gun.

In this case I turned the stool over to reveal some ancient screws securing the pad to the base, and old nails holding the crumbling upholstery to the pad.  Most of the time, though, you'll find a few screws holding the cushion to the base, and staples attaching the upholstery.  Carefully unscrew the base and set it aside.  Then pry up the old staples (in this case, nails) to remove the old fabric. 

This bad boy revealed yet another layer of even older tapestry, which was crumbling with age.  I happen to think that's cool, so I left it there for... whatever.  Historical records? 

I opted not to replace the padding (hellooooo people, that would have required EFFORT and MEASURING), but if you wanted to do so, now would be the time.  The foam is sold at fabric stores and you can cut it to size (plan to overlap the base a little which will give nice rounded edges) with a straightedge razor.

Next I centered the cushion on the pattern of this great aqua ikat-esque fabric I ordered from fabric.com.  I carefully cut around the base, being sure to leave enough to wrap around the cushion to the back, plus a couple of extra inches on each side.

Testing the wrappage factor.

Take your time making sure you're happy with the pattern placement.  Then, it's just a matter of wielding ye olde staple gun.  It usually works best to staple opposite sides as you go, rather than all down one side at once.  If your cushion was a clock you'd staple at 12, then at 6, then 11, then 7, and so on.  That method helps ensure your tension is even and the fabric stays straight. 

Stapling isn't an exact science, and I don't see any need to be super picky about it as long as the top side looks good.  But, if you want to try to make less of a hash job of stapling in a straight line than I did below, be my guest.

Please also try to get your toddler to be your hand model.  Child labor, it's the next big thing.

Continue to staple opposite sides until you approach the corners, but leave them loose for now.  Then rotate the cushion to staple the remaining sides.  Trim any excess fabric from the sides.

The corners can be dealt with several ways, but I usually just make a neat fold and try to ensure each corner's fold matches the others.  Then staple away until it's nice and tight and flat.  Trim as needed.

Flip over and review your work.  If you notice any unevenness, this is a good time to tweak or add staples.

Reattach the pad to the base, and away you go!

Take some crappy pictures of your child playing with it in a messy room and enjoy the satisfying results of 15 minutes well spent...

Until the next project, which is this nice little mission-style rocker my aunt snagged at a garage sale a few years ago.

It's in good shape and the size is perfect for Beep's room, but the upholstery is old and grody. (I'm bringing grody back, by the way.  Hey, 80s, how've you been?)

I removed the cushion from the base, popped off the upholstery you see above, and found this stuff which looks pretty original. 

...And is stuffed with straw.

Nope, didn't replace that either.  I left the green fabric alone and cut out a new square of my happy aqua fabric to match the stepstool.

This one required a little more planning because two sides will show- one in the front and one in the back.  I simply creased and folded the fabric and stapled it firmly in place wherever the staples would be hidden.  Where they will show, I tacked about three staples down the side, with plans to add some nice little upholstery tacks down the line.  (Translation: when the new baby is weaned in a year or so.  If I remember.  Which I probably won't.)

Continuing around the sides, trimming and cornering that bad boy, I soon had this nifty little number.

Reattached, the rocker now looks like this.

And these two separate pieces, though not matching per se, now relate to each other. 

I love how they turned out.  Though the chair will stay primarily in Beep's room for bedtime stories and midnight rocking sessions, I chose a pattern and fabric that would work anywhere in our house.  That way, as my little helper navigates a world made for people twice her height, her great-grandmother's little stool will be welcome wherever it lands.

Kid's Table Makeover

A few months ago I bought this little play table and chair for Beep at a garage sale.  It was worn and faded, marked up and pretty dirty.  It was also just the right size for her, and she's obsessed with Beep-sized furniture these days.  Plus, it was only $2.00.  Sold!

Since then it's been stuffed in our garage waiting for some attention and milling around in the back of my mind.  I could just picture her playing at it somewhere in our house or on the back porch.  I didn't really want it looking so shabby, though, and the colors were pretty awful.  I remembered hearing something about spray paint for plastic, so this Saturday we headed out to Lowe's.

I bought two cans of Valspar spray paint for plastic in colors that were both kid-appropriate and would coordinate in our home.  Back home again, according to the paint experts at Lowe's, I scrubbed the heck outta that dirty little set, let it completely dry, and then got busy painting.  Several thin and even coats of  spray paint later (done outside while wearing a mask), I was done painting and I called it a day to let the paint cure overnight.  (May I add that my index finger is practically numb today from working the spray trigger?  Color me wimpy.)

Today, when Beep and I got home I snuck out ahead of her and moved it onto the porch for the big reveal.

Cute, right?  $2.00 for the table and chair, plus $12.00 of spray paint for a grand total of $14.00 and one happy toddler. 

Beep was pretty excited about trying it out... until she heard Cabbage's truck pull up in the drive. 

Then she was off for some father-daughter bonding time, and I realized our photo op was over.  But it's all good.  She'll be back, crayons in hand.

Let's look at the before and after again.

 

I'm happy with the results, and I hope it will hold up well (but I'll let you know if it doesn't).  So there you go- a quick makeover for a garage sale find, and the result is a quick and kid-friendly set that will blend in almost anywhere in our house. Success!  

Have you guys ever tried this wondrous spray paint for plastic?  What's your latest DIY adventure?  What is this obsession with mini-me furniture?    

Zipper Pouches

I put together a little present for a good friend, and was lucky enough to stumble across this great little zipper pouch in the gift store.  Use it as gift wrap, and that means no paper, tape, or ribbons are needed.  Plus, you'll have the cutest-looking present on any gift table.

Fully reusable, this little "Par Avion" (airmail) bag is made out of 95% post-consumer recycled material.  I bought it at a local store, but also found it online here.  They're under $6, which makes them about the same price as a disposable gift bag and other wrappings... but this one is more eco-friendly from start to finish.

It was also just the right size to hold a little necklace, a journal, and a set of pretty note cards.

Enjoy!

[this post wasn't sponsored, I just really liked these little bags...]

Mid-Century Penguins

Hello, my little friends.  Does your army work for forces of good or evil? 

Take me to your leader.

I love olive you.

Don't make a such a beak deal of it. 

Sorry. 

So anyway I made these black olive penguins for New Year's Eve, thanks to this recipe from Foodie With Family.  Ri.Di.Cu.Lous.  Seriously worth a few extra minutes... And that's coming from me, and I ne-e-e-e-e-ver make fussy food.

As in, I like to make peanut brittle at the holidays because instead of icing and decorating cookies, I whack a sheet of brittle with a knife and call it done.

Appetizers on a tray with toothpicks and olives and cream cheese?  I feel so 1950s.  Jello salad is calling me.

I don't know what came over me, but since I went to the trouble of acting all domestic-y and Little Susie Homemaker-y, I wanted to document it.


  

Christmas In the Trailer Park

I'll admit it: I spent too much time relaxing over the long weekend.  You guys were definitely on my mind, but as far as posting goes, I just. couldn't. find. motivation.

So, while I nurse my motivation hangover (because it's oh-so-hard to get back into the swing of a normal workday right now!), I'll give you a clip of some Christmas Day hilarity, brought to you courtesy of Beep and a great cardboard playhouse. Oh-and at about 45 seconds, the title of this post will make sense.


Love the cardboard playhouse? I had memories of a similar one from my childhood, so I took a chance somebody still made them. I snagged this one online from Kohls for less than $20 with free shipping (thanks to stacking a couple of coupon codes!), and although I don't see the exact same one anymore... boo!... there are similar ones at Walmart. A quick google search will reveal the cardboard playhouse is alive and well for $40 or less. I wasn't compensated for this post, I just like cardboard playhouses and thought you might, too.  

Last-Minute Christmas Goodies

Hi guys!  Everything is in full Christmas crazy mode around Cabbage Ranch, and I'm sure your life is the same.  I did want to share some fabulous little (free or cheap) Christmas things that have been lifesavers for me this year.

Living Locurto is one of my new favorite sites, especially during the holidays!  Amy has posted fabulous- and free!- downloads for gift tags, wish lists, last-minute letters to Santa, and even thank you cards.  So simple, and very pretty!

Givers Log is always chock full of great DIY ideas.  AmberLee has tons of ideas useful for mailing cute presents on the cheap, because they weigh thirteen ounces or less (which would also be great gifts or stocking stuffers).  Add to that her super cute ideas for ornaments wearing upcycled tights, and I'm practically giddy.  And that's not something people see every day.

Paint chip ornaments.  Free and easy, just like a hippie at Woodstock.  Thanks to Say Yes to Hoboken for this great idea, which is a perfect project to do with kids.

Table settings, anyone?  Young House Love is always an endless source of inspiration, and the holidays are no exception.  Oh- and if you never thought you'd get inspired by a tube of cheap-o plastic animal figurines, think again, because Sherry made them into super chic ornaments.  And that, my friends, is a true story.
 
Have a great day, eat some cookies, and godspeed.

Advent Gifts

People like me run around in a blur this time of year, frantically trying to finish up Christmas, work, laundry, everything. People like me do not complete shopping by Thanksgiving. People like me do not have the house fully decorated by the end of Thanksgiving weekend. But at least...

People like me.



Moving right along.

For those of you whose holidays are under better control than mine, I offer up to you a way to take these last few days totally over the top.

Beep received a box from her Grammy filled with adorable little gifts, each package labeled with a date.  Every day she gets to open another present to reveal some little tidbit of pre-Christmas fun.

Advent gifts really are the most fun if they're inexpensive or homemade, and the possibilities are endless.  Think about:

A pomegranate

$1.00 bill to buy a 99 cent smartphone app

Paper dolls printed from here (Free download!)

Pack of gum

A homemade treat

Fun socks

Fresh pack of hair bands

Bundle of crayons

Take a spin through your craft box, grocery store, or the dollar aisle at Target.  Then wrap those little babies up and dole them out over the next few days! 

You're organized.  And gosh darnit, people like you.

Dishwasher. Reborn.

When we bought our house- or to be more exact, when we bought Cabbage Ranch- it was really a dream come true.  A few acres in a nice neighborhood, a little shop to make into a barn, and a spacious family house.  Yes and please.

Our home was built in the 70s, and had a pretty decent renovation sometime along the way.  Although it's all a bit dated now, those updates included some really thoughtful upgrades to the kitchen cabinets.  The appliances were less than stellar, though, and the fridge was not included with the property. 

When we shopped for appliances, I knew I wanted black.  I'd chosen black appliances in my previous home in Colorado, and I loved them.  Stainless was too expensive and prone to fingerprints... White was not my thing. 

When we bought our fridge, Lowe's was running a great special, so we opted to also get a new stove (the old one was scary!). 

We did not buy a new microwave or dishwasher... The existing ones were white but worked fine, and it wasn't a necessity.  We figured it wouldn't be hard to save for new ones in a year or two. 

Four years, one baby and a pile of horse bills later, we still have a checkerboard of kitchen appliances.  But I've gotten used to my black/white appliance mash-up.  No biggie.

However.  It just hit me that the "hopefully someday" black appliances were still too far off and I couldn't stand it anymore.

What to do about the big, huge, glaringly white dishwasher?

I know that with the right primer you can cover just about anything. 

So this is my extremely long and wordy way of telling you I painted my dishwasher.  I primed it and painted it black.

WITH CHALKBOARD PAINT.

Am I brilliant?  Am I a total whack-job?  Will it really work?  Nobody knows...

And by nobody I mean me. 

I figured it would be the perfect place to have Beep play while I get dinner going, and any stray chalk dust will be easy to wipe up from the (wretched pink) tile floor.

So here's how I did it. 

I bought a quart of deep base, all-purpose, super duper primer.  I carefully cleaned the dishwasher, got out my trustiest paintbrush, and painted the main panel and sides.  I paint enough that I have a steady hand and I didn't tape, but the primer was verrrrry drippy so I definitely needed floor protection.

I left the top part for last because it required the most detail work, and I wouldn't be able to open or close the unit when it was wet.

I rocked it out carefully cut in around the edges. 

And around the front, always watching for those pesky drips.

Then I started on the vent.

A little time, and careful work with a steady hand around the control panel, and it was primed!

We then left the house to allow it to dry... And went to a local festival, where my baby proceeded to eat corn on the cob like the Midwesterner she is (by proxy).

Look at those maniac eyes. 

After we got home I put a coat of paint on.  This part is not documented because 1. it exactly mirrored the steps above, and 2. my photographer (Cabbage) deserted me and my nutso project and went to bed. 

I followed up with a second coat a few days later. 

Finished product! 

There's no way around the white control panel, unfortunately, but we now have a (mostly) black dishwasher that coordinates a lot better with our other black appliances.  Hooray!

It's been about three weeks since I painted it, and so far it's holding up perfectly.  I haven't introduced Beep to its magical chalk powers yet... mainly because I haven't bought chalk.

Now I have a mostly-full quart of chalkboard paint, and I'm wondering what else will fall victim to my paintbrush. 

What projects have you been working on lately?  Any ideas on what I should chalkboard next?

I just made a noun into a verb and my day is complete.  Over and out.



My Favorite Horse Sheet

Hello, friends.

This horse is no blanket-fitting expert.  One look at his shag reveals his love of cold weather and his longing for snowdrifts and snow angels.

Oh, wait.  That's me.  (Not the shag part, the cold weather/snow angel thing.) 

Well, I'm not a blanket-fitting expert either.  But really, I don't know any expert blanket-fitters.  If I did, I would submit, for his/her approval, this (hairy) (whiskery) (maniac) (complex) (spoiled) horse.

Unlike my first horse, Sam likes wearing his blankets and sheets.  But that doesn't mean he treats them with respect.  On the contrary, he's very, very hard on them and seems on a never-ending quest to test their endurance.  It's these kinds of dichotomies that make him complicated.  They also make him expensive.

How does he destroy sheets?  Let me count the ways.

He gallops at top speed in close proximity to fences.  *Rrrrrrrrrip*

He rolls wildly and catches feet under clasps.  *Ping*

Tussling with friends across the fence, he actually encourages them to tug and pull on his clothes.  *Schuck*

Despite my best efforts to patch Sam's clothes with a sewing machine, and my willingness to let him wander around in rags, his blatant disregard for clothing has led me to purchase a number of sheets.  So maybe I'm an amateur blanket-selector. 

These are the features I believe are most important for a good horse sheet.  They make for a good sheet for my leetle friend, and I'm sure they will for yours, too.

Fit

After properly measuring him from chest to tail, I know that he wears an 84.  This is larger than most horses, and an 80 is often a good middle-of-the-road size.  Still, though, it's always best to measure your horse, and it never hurts to ask a salesperson if a sheet runs large or small. 

The sheet below by Riders International has been my perennial favorite, and although I can't find the exact same sheet online right now, it's pretty close to this one.  At about $90, it's reasonably priced and readily available online.  No, I haven't been compensated for this post.  I just like this sheet. 

The fit on Sam, below, is pretty decent.  You can see that it sits up in front of his shoulders, and the opening for his neck is appropriately sized- meaning it's not pulling at his neck or slipping behind the point of his shoulder. 

The sheet settles well over his body with some room to spare, and you can just barely see his (beer) belly poking out below.  Behind, the tail flap gives extra coverage and the edges of the sheet nicely cover his hip. 

I will fault the fit of this sheet for pulling at the point of his shoulders near his chest.  I've learned, however, that because of the way he's built, all sheets fit him that way.  To keep his clothes from rubbing his hair off, I use a shoulder guard.

Fabric
Why has this sheet earned my unending love?  First of all, it's made of 600+ denier ripstop nylon.  Although we all love Egyptian cotton bedsheets, when it comes to horse sheets, nylon is a far better choice.  Cotton is cold when wet, dries slowly, mildews, rips and frays.  Nylon dries quickly, resists mildew, is lightweight, and comes in wonderful high-tech variations like my beloved ripstop. 

Now, about denier.  Denier refers to how fine and tightly woven a fabric is.  The higher the denier count, the more durable it is.  See those little pricked holes below?  On another sheet those would be full-fledged rips.  Foiled again, Sam. 

Although it's breathable, this sheet is also backed with a weatherproofing layer, which makes it extra water-resistant.  This is less important if your horse has limited turnout or constant care.  And by "constant" I mean "a butler at his beck and call to ensure he never gets caught by a sudden rainstorm." 

It's also machine washable, and does fit well in a traditional washing machine.  I run it through at least twice, then hang it on the fence to dry in the sun.  (Cabbage and I have an old washing machine in our barn dedicated to horse laundry.  On the rare occasion I do opt to throw some wraps or a saddle pad in the machine in the house, I always wipe it out afterwards with a paper towel, then follow with a load of jeans.  To be honest, I'm not sure horse laundry is any dirtier than our jeans, anyway. Urgh.)

Lightweight?  Check.  Perfect for wearing alone or under a blanket.
Ripstop?  Check.  Have mercy, Sam.
Rain resistant?  Check.  I don't worry if he gets rained on.  Boyfriend will stay pretty dry.

Features
Let's zoom in on additional features.  I like a sheet that opens across the chest, because it gives options and adjustability.  This one is great because it first velcros to itself, then has a choice of two clips, and further adjusts with buckles.  If you can't get this to fit, your horse is built weird.  Like mine.

Shoulder gussets (the extra triangular pleat of fabric shown below) are good because they allow freedom of movement.  This is particularly important if your horse likes to gallop around like an idiot.  Ahem.

Below his belly are two straps which are meant to cross underneath and hold it securely in place.  Good stuff.  Some sheets come with just one strap that goes straight across behind the front legs, and that works... But two are better than one.

It's ok to post pictures of my horse's hiney, right?  I'm a little fuzzy on just how perverted some people can be. 

Moving right along...  Underneath that awesome tail flap are two elastic leg straps.  They are hold the sheet close to each leg and keep the back half of the sheet from sliding and shifting around his (we'll call it) waist.  I've always preferred to cross the leg straps, so the left leg strap crosses to the back of the right leg, and vice versa.  The X makes sure they hold the sheet not only to each leg, but also to the other side.  Ta.  Da.

And there you have a quick rundown of features worth paying for in a good horse sheet.  Sam tested and approved.