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DIY Project: Re-upholstering a Chair

I am overwhelmingly happy to report I have completed my first ever re-upholstery project.  A few weeks ago, my boyfriend found three of these chairs at a dumpster when visiting his Grandma.  He sent me a text message with a picture of them and I encouraged him to bring them home so I could teach myself how to re-upholster chairs.  So I scoured the web and fabric stores for some cute fabric and read every internet site that even mentioned re-upholstery.  It was incredibly nerve-wracking, but I set out on re-upholstering my first of the three chairs during Spring Break.

First, I took the chair completely apart, including removal of the seat and all of the fabric on the seat back.  The seat cushion was in great shape, so I decided to go ahead and reuse those.  The batting on the seat back was also in good condition still, so I figured I'd reuse it too.  Next, I stripped the chairs using an easy-to-use spray and wash called TSP.  Once the chairs were dry, I did a small amount of sanding in areas that were particularly rough or had splinters.  Then, I applied several coats of wood stain letting the chair dry completely before each new coat.

Then, it was time to put the chair back together.  First, I re-attached the seat cushion using a fresh set of screws (since the old ones were worn), and used the fabric I removed from the seat-back as my pattern for cutting out my new piece of fabric.  Using spray adhesive, I placed the new fabric over the batting and began   securing it with a staple gun.  Once complete, I used glue to adhere the cording cutting the ends at an angle and slightly overlapping them to try and make the seam....seamless.  And ta-da!

I am very happy with the finished product and am planning on using this chair as an occasional chair in my living room.  The next two are going to be totally different and go at the heads of my dining table (fingers crossed).  The one thing I know I need to work on, however, is the cording.  It was a little tricky and didn't come out as clean as I'd like it to, but overall I'd say it was a successful first upholstery project!

Etsy Tuesday: Vintage vs. Modern Clocks

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My boyfriend absolutely loves clocks, specifically because he likes to know what time it is at all times.  As a result, we have over a dozen clocks all over our apartment so that he can tell what time it is from any angle and he's been exceptionally particular to keep them all synced up.  I, on the other hand, never know what time it is and don't even think about what time it is until I see the sun coming up or going down.  I have a handful of watches I never use, and my iPhone wakes me up on most days.  Nevertheless, I do find clocks to be stylish accessories for the home and wardrobe.  They are a great way to add whimsy or sophistication to your home and really round out one's home decor style.

This week's Etsy post is thereby dedicated to clocks - vintage and modern.  Both sets are fun and stylish, but what would you choose, a retro yellow orb clock or a simple & modern wood one?

For more of my favorite clocks, click here to follow me on Etsy.

Heart Umbrella

So, I was just going through my "likes" on Pinterest and found the heart umbrella I posted about earlier today! Now I know I was meant to order this thing. And how romantic & sweet is this picture with it?! Hope you're having a lovely Monday.

Umbrellas for Spring!

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It's the start of April showers, and already Austin is brewing with thunderstorms and golf-ball sized hail is falling on our rooftops.  I love a great thunderstorm, especially on weekends when I can cuddle up on my couch and watch romantic comedies like Annie Hall on TV.  This morning however, I couldn't find a single umbrella I loved in our hall closet - they were all useful of course, but none that I absolutely loved.  So, off to the intrawebs I went searching for that perfect umbrella for Spring showers.

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There were a bazillion options - red ones & blue ones, dainty ones & goofy ones - and it was very hard to choose one until I saw the adorable red heart-shaped umbrella.  How cute is it?!  It's not too fussy or plain, but just the right mix of classic and whimsy.  I can not wait to receive it in the mail.  The cab-printed umbrella would be adorable for New Yorkers and the classic blue one makes me want to travel to London and put on some Hunter rain boots. Happy shopping & stay dry!