Drab 2 FABulous! The Couch!

It was a Sunday afternoon, I hadn't left the house in a week, and I needed a little outing. I left Khloe with her Daddy and headed to the Goodwill.

Before we get started, I'm going to give you a little insight on how my Goodwill trips go. I walk in the door and head straight to the furniture section. If it's crowded, I hustle (I don't want someone to grab something before I do HA). After rounding the last aisle, I head to the knick-knack section (picture frames, lamps, candles, etc). Then, I turn around and go back to the furniture section for a second sweep to make sure I didn't miss anything. Depending on my mood and how much time I have, I'll browse through the rest of the store and just before leaving I check out the furniture section ONE last time. The thing about Goodwill/Thrift stores is that they are constantly putting out "new" stuff.  {I hate when they leave the door open to the "employees only" section where stuff is just piled up and waiting to be sorted. It's like telling a kid they can't have the candy in front of them. WHAT IF something perfect for me is behind those doors? Why tease me? LOL} And, did I mention how I have a habit of browsing passing customers buggys? OBSESSION.

I stood in front of this couch imagining all the possibilities. When I flipped the price tag over, and saw $14.00 my heart skipped a few beats.

 

The cushions for the seat and the backing were missing, but I knew that wouldn't be the hard part. The only thing I was worried about was the front of the arms. That would take some sewing (at the time, my sewing machine was still in the unopened box in the top of my closet). This gave me a great reason to get it down!

I sent a few pictures to my Grandma (who is the QUEEN of reupholstering) and I think she was a little more excited than me. She said the best way to go about recovering the couch, would be to make a slip cover. She was planning on coming down in a couple weeks and said she would help me make it.

During a random trip to Hancock's, I checked out a "Clean Sweep Sale" and nearly died when I found a huge roll of fabric for THREE dollars a yard. While I was there, I thought I would go ahead and pick up a cushion foam. I had my second stroke of the day when I realized they were $44.99. YAH right!

When the hubby told me he was planning on having a dinner party at our house, the wait was over. You know me. There was no way I was having people over with this piece of junk undone in my dining room.  I didn't know how I was gonna do it, but I was determined to make it work. Strep throat or not, I had to get it done by Saturday night. {I know, right!?}

I knew before I even began that my biggest challenge would be the front of the arms.

I pulled out my {handy dandy} ELECTRIC STAPLER (too many Blue's Clues cartoons for this momma). This time, I loaded some brad nails into the stapler and got to work.

I'm starting to get excited...

I know the guy unloading furniture at the Goodwill thought I was crazy when I asked, "Hey, yall wouldn't happen to have any random cushions to couches in the back would you?" After a little persuasion, I convinced him to lower the price of $25.99 to $10 on a {hideous} couch he had just taken off the floor. He thought I was even CRAZIER when I told him I wanted him to ONLY load the cushions into my car.

(I guarantee every single one of you know someone that used to have that exact print on their couch! ICK!)

This is where things get interesting in this story. The Goodwill worker loaded the cushions in my car and I started to drive away. Instead of backing out and turning around, I thought I would just drive along the back of all the buildings and get out on the other side. Not TEN feet in front of me was TWO couches a store put out by their dumpster. "O-EM-GEE!!!" What a waste of my TEN dollars! I jumped out of the car and stole another two cushions and threw them in my trunk.. just in case I needed them for a future project. HA.

Can you imagine my excitement/disbelief when I got home and realized the two Goodwill cushions were not going to be long enough for the couch??! HOLLA!

Once the fabric was removed from the cushions, they were SOAKED with Anti-Bacterial Spray & Allergen Reducer. The next day I hosed them down and sprayed the anti-bacterial AGAIN. You never know where this stuff comes from. Gross.

Once the cushions were all dry (and smelt MUCH better), I cut the rounded ends off and measured for an extra third cushion. (Thanks to my hunny for the knife I stole from his shop :)

Finally starting to feel like I'm making a little progress.

The original plan was I would have one solid cushion. When I couldn't afford the solid foam piece, I thought I would have to settle for having two. After talking to my Grams about it, we decided I could make a tight slip cover and squeeze the three into one.

I used some fabric that I recently stole when I raided my MIL's awesome fabric cabinet! Thanks Teresa!!

Time to sew.

 

After I finished sewing, I started working on the second slip cover (the one you would sit on). In hindsight, I should have saved the tan fabric for the bottom of the cushion, instead I had to use a red fabric which was the only color I had that was long enough.

I made three smaller pillows for the backing, and squeeeeealed when I saw the finished project!

remember the BEFORE!?

 

AFTER:

 

Of course, I had to make some accent pillows! These cost 50 cents a piece. (I'm telling you, I hit the fabric JACKPOT at Hancock's that day!)

 

.....and here is a glimpse of what this dining room looked like once everything was done. OH MY!

 

I have never been more happy to finish a project!

But... I have a confession to make. If you look really close on the ends, you will see push pins holding the fabric to the front of the arms (where the floral print used to be). This is what happens when you take on a project of this size ONE day after learning to use a sewing machine. After five failed attempts, I decided Grams would have to show me how to sew the ends to the sides. It will work for now! :) 

Do you love it or what!? I love comments! :)

Drab 2 Fab: Foot Stool

I found this DRABULOUS foot stool at goodwill a couple weeks ago. I really didn't NEED it, but I knew it would be perfect for my blog. {You guys have created a monster out of me!}

For this price, I KNEW I would find a place for it! $4.99!

Turns out, this foot stool has been recovered THREE times. Here's a silly pic Jd caught of me as I ripped into the second layer.

A lot of times, I like to clean the top layer fabric and just cover right over it because it is SO much easier. This was not even an option for this project. ALL three layers were in absolute horrid condition. The fabric was LITERALLY turning to sand as I tried to rip it off. GROSSED me OUT! Whoever recovered it the second time (in like 1970) used REAL nails to tack it into the wood. The nails were SO old and rusted I thought I would NEVER get them all out. 

These are a few of the tools I used. Isn't that little hammer adorable? Jd bought me that a couple years ago for Christmas. I LOVE that hammer!

Two EXTREMELY sore and cut up arms and shoulders later, I thought I was making good progress, only to realize that bottom fabric had to come off also. I began to question at this point why I was even working on this stupid foot stool. 

It took me almost a full hour to get ONE side of this layer off. I tried about 15 different methods, but whoever originally covered it made SURE that the dang material was tight and would be there for the rest of it's life. 

I got one side off and quit for the day. My arms were SO sore that I was in tears when I went to bed!!! 

Day 3: I was DETERMINED to get this thing finished, plus I had finally decided where it's home was going to be, so I kicked into high gear.

I wanted to make a drastic change, so I decided to paint the legs high-gloss white (which I got from my own personal paint store out in my storage shed, Ha!)

I wanted to try something new and give the cushion a cute accessory. I picked up two packs of cover buttons for $1.39 each at Walmart. They are super easy to use. I figured it couldn't be THAT hard to sew onto the cushion.

I think I always learn the hard way. After doing three buttons (out of four), I learned that it is MUCH easier to use a needle and thread ONLY to get the button area tight and THEN apply the button. I could barely touch the tips of my pointer fingers for two days because they were so sore.

It was finally time for the fun part: The electric stapler!

I cut the fabric so that there was just enough to tack to the underside of the stool, positioned it in the middle and started stapling.

I stapled all along the sides of the cushions, and four staples (on the cushion) where the buttons were just to make it a little tighter.

For the stool to be so small, I was very surprised at hard of a project it turned out to be. It really would have been easier to BUILD the stool, but the legs would have been expensive to buy. In the end, I was very happy at how it turned out. This is the first project I took all the way down to the wood, now that I learned the hard way, the next time will be much easier. So, yes, I would do it again! :)

 

The fabric is from Polka Tot Designs and matches the bedding on her crib. I got one yard on sale for $4.00. Adorable, right!?

The foot stool's NEW home is under the window in Khloe's room. (I have an upcoming blog featuring everything in K's room, which is why I didn't picture it there).

My vision for this footstool:
A bright, sunny day, placed under the oak tree with Khloe sitting, all by her big-girl self on the stool while Mommy snaps 3,359 pictures of her! During the day, Khloe will quietly (HA!) sit reading books. At night, Khloe will tuck her teddy bears and baby dolls in as they lay on the stool and sleep the night away.

Totally worth those sore arms!!! ; ) 

Total Cost: Around $12.00

You know you love it!

Adirondack Chairs

I am getting SO excited for summer. I was born in August. I am a summer baby! For the first time in my life, I spent MAYBE a handful of days outside last summer. I was preggo and super sicko. My beautiful in-ground pool just sat there collecting leaves as I layed on the couch day after day. This year is going to be a TOTALLY different story!

Of course, you know, I don't have a lot of money, but I am hoping to dress up the back yard on a small budget. Here's what I'm thinking:

• A couple of large flowering pots to put on either side of the diving board
• Patio table with a big umbrella
• A few nice chairs to layout on
• Flower beds to run along the sides of the pool
• I'm HOPING I can grow some sunflowers along the back of my fence. (I have not been known to have a good green thumb, but I am hoping to change that THIS year!)
• Fire pit

I have been checking goodwills for all the above. So far, I have a patio table and umbrella (thanks Susan!). If you have any of the other that you are not using, I will be more than happy to take it off your hands. Ha!

So, I have been eying these "Adirondack Chairs" for quite some time now. The cheap plastic kind are around $20.00 a piece. I knew that wasn't going to happen. So I decided that they couldn't be THAT hard to build. I found some directions online, and enlisted my hubby's help.

Have I mentioned how much I adore my husband for helping me?

 My first attempt at using the skill saw.

And it was a pretty straight cut. Yay me.

 

Presenting our homemade Adirondack Chairs:

We couldn't just stop at ONE. We had to have the pair!

I am going to make a cushion. I'm just waiting on the outdoor fabric to go on sale.

I already had the turquoise paint AND the all the wood needed for the first chair so it didn't cost us anything to make.

The second chair we had to buy the wood. Total cost: $9.00.It took about 3.5 hours total sanding, painting, cutting and putting together. Totally worth it!

I am in LOVE with these! Now that they turned out so well, I'm wanting to make a bench to go on the other side of the pool! I will have to wait until my hubby's next break because he is too afraid of me using the skill saw by myself. {wimp}

Much thanks to my gorgeous husband for helping me and posing for pictures just so you guys could see every step along the way. *Muah*

-- If you are interested in making these chairs, let me know and I can send you the step-by-step directions and cut list.

DIY: High Chair Makeover

This high chair belonged to my adorable, almost 5 year old, little cousin Lauren. My Grandma found it at a yard sale and paid $5.00 for it. The inside cushion was either misplaced or thrown away over the years.

 

So, Grandma and I sat out on a mission to make a cushion. I found these two old seat cushions out in one of her storage sheds. Turns out these were the cushions that my Great Grandma used on her patio for years until she bought new ones.

I wanted a fabric that would match my kitchen/living room, and that was totally "Heather-ish." I found this gorgeous print at Hobby Lobby, on sale for $4.00 a yard. I only needed one yard. SCORE.

We were in somewhat of a hurry so Grandma wouldn't let me sew it. She said she could do it MUCH faster. Yea, I get your point, I'm slow. LOL. Practice makes perfect, but I don't know if I will ever be as good as my Gma!

Is it bad that I COVET her amazing sewing machine??

BEFORE

AFTER

Something Old, Something Borrowed Taken, Something New. :)

Total Cost for High Chair AND cushions: $9.00

What do you think?