How to Slipcover a Bullet Hole

Hello friends, I hope your week has been a good one so far. Mine has been filled with ...

These..

.Painters canvas drop cloths...lot's of them. If fear the Queens of Slipcovers have created a monster. I find it difficult to go into someones home now and not envision the furniture slipcovered.

My poor husband freaks out when he sees me looking at our furniture with that 'look' in my eyes.

It is a slipcover sickness.

A pox on you Miss Mustard Seed, Miss Shelley and Ms Pink!

I moved my machine downstairs to be close to my furniture (and the coffee) and the madness began!

pink frame is my attempt to make this chair look good

So this is my next guinea pig. We bought two of these velour wingbacks when we were newlyweds (36 years) back in our Houston days. Hubby was a Houston Police Officer back then. 

See that little bullet hole sized patch in the lower corner of the back....yeah that one. Well it's bullet hole sized because it is a bullet hole. 

It's a long story, but you will happy to know that no one was hurt and no, it was not my hubby who put it there.

I have wanted to cover this chair for

 more years than I care to count.

so after much fitting, pinning and sewing, I now present my very first WINGBACK SLIPCOVER!

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She looks like a a new chair, doesn't she?

This piping stuff is really very easy, I don't know why I have been scared of it. If you are feeling nervous about the piping...don't be. It is easy.

I did simple , but elegant pleats on the skirt and how about her back.

I got the grograin ribbon idea from Miss Mustard Seed. Makes her look like a princess ;->

What do you think...do you like the bows?

I created this soft pillow using an old holiday pillow as the form some vintage looking remnants and black ball fringe.  Ladies...don't throw out those old worn Christmas pillows!! Recover them.

I think she looks great on my new chair.

So I guess I'm happily addicted and if this is wrong, I don't want to be right!

I'll be joining a few friends this week and sharing my post.

I think I miss that little bullet hole...just a little.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Miss Mustard Seed

The Shabby Chic Cottage

It's So Very Cheri

Elements Interiors

House of Hepworths

CSI Pillow Project

The Lettered Cottage

I'll Get Right On That Hon!

Hello friends...welcome back!

I thought I would share this little bit of very typical dialogue between the man and me this morning.

Keep in mind was 6:35 am, I'm enjoying my first and very needed cup of coffee and still in my jammies.

Hubby looks out the back door towards the 45 acre field that backs up to our 3 acres, where a herd of cows graze 9 months out of the year.

He turns to me and says

"I think I see a white plastic grocery bag way out there in the field...You might want to go out there and get it before it blows away."

Me to darling hubby

"I'll get right on it, I wouldn't want those cows to think it's a toy and put it over their heads..that could be dangerous and you know what they say..it's all fun and games till a cow gets hurt"

Hubby shakes head and goes quietly to work

;->

That's pretty much how my morning begins everday!

failblog.org

So what do you think...should I go get that bag?

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

UPDATE:Hubby just called from work..wanted me to get the binocs to see if the bag is still in the field.He is coming home early to retrieve itI'm smiling;->

An Apology

Hello friends...thanks so much for visiting me again. 

This weekend was such a confusing weather mess. A chilly but sunny Saturday which turned into a cold evening. A prediction for 3 inches of the white stuff (not going to say the word).

I rescued some of my beautiful daffodils and brought them in to lightly scent my kitchen.

Yeah....sometimes you have to finish off that Riesling when you have a flower vase emergency  

;->

Woke up to this on Sunday morning!

someone must have been feeling pretty guilty about that, so he gave me roses this morning.

Thank you Lord...all is forgiven!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

My Slipcover Journey or "I get by with a little help from my friends"

  Once 

upon a

time

in a

blogosphere

far, far

away

lived 

a

little Blogger

named Janet

aka..The Empty Nester.

Janet was a happy little blogger 

Janet loved to paint

New England Morning

Whale Watching

Big Yellow

She really loved creating couture aprons. She was an official  'Apronologist' you know

 

Janet was never without her camera

fresh picked peaches

my bluebird friends

In the Winter she would knit and crochet to keep warm

 

She was well known for her upcycled children's sweater

Whenever Janet found herself in fear of something, she would face that fear and conquor it

Remember her fear of zippers??

A thing of the past.

Janet was a pretty happy lady until she saw this..

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Janet stumbled onto a photo of a lovely slipcovered chair and she was intriqued.

It was a thing of wonder and beauty...she needed to find out more about this creature.

She set out in search of more evidence that these wonderous beauties were out there in the vast Blogosphere, breeding and thriving.

Who or what was giving these objects life?

Then one day, while on a discovery mission, she spotted a few blogs with evidence of linen and drop cloth 

life.

She knew that if she found even the smallest samples of painters drop cloths, that meant the blog could support slipcover life.

She was onto something BIG!

First she discovered a distant blog ruled by the Empress Miss Mustard Seed. Then she landed on another blog where Queen Shelley ruled over an army of slipcovers!

These discoveries led her to the Kingdom of Pink & Polka Dot, where every Friday, Janet was treated to a parade of slipcovers.

Janet was determined to create one of these fabulous furniture beautifiers herself.

How on earth would she ever accomplish this...she knew nothing about slipcovers or piping and pleated skirts.

Janet did not ponder this dilema for long, because she was to discover that these Queens of slipcovers where a very friendly species. They had no plans to take over her blog and enslave her...but only to teach and nurture Janet in the mastering of this art form. To prove it, they offered valuable advice in the form of DVD's, online tutorials and slipcover seminars.

Armed with a plethora (don't you just love that word?) of instructional help, Janet decided to create her own slipcover

Janet had purchased this comfy club chair at a thrift shop a few years back. It's simple and clean lines were perfect.

So the pinning and tucking began

Janet pinned...

and pinned...

and draped and pinned some more...and after rewinding her DVD and online tutorials many, many times

she was doing it!!!!! 

Janet was breeding her own little family of slipcovers.

When finally one bright sunny day...she stood back and smiled

She had created her own and very first slipcover..

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Isn't she lovely!

she searched the blogoshere...she honored the wise ones methods and she 

CONQUERED!

I'm showing off my baby on a few fun blogs

Miss Mustard Seed

Pink and Polka Dot

Shabby Chic Cottage

French Country Cottage

Dittle Dattle

Centsational Girl

Where are you Spring?

Hello friends

My little woodpecker is wondering where Spring went to. He is all puffed up and trying to keep warm.

I am pretty much doing the same thing!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Until next time... be kind and stay creative.

PS...here is a sneak peak at what I am working on...my very first one

I'll be debuting her in a couple of days...I'm almost finished

And the Winners are......

Hello friends..it's time! Before I announce the names of the two lucky ladies, I want to thank everyone who left a comment and spread the good word about Janet's artwork. I really loved reading about which Janet Hill print you would pick and why. 

I welcome all the new followers to my little blog and hope you will all come visit me again.

A huge 'Thank You' to the lovely and talented Janet Hill, for her incredible generosity and kindness.

If you have not visited Janet's shop, please treat yourself and run, don't walk to Janet Hill Studio on Etsy.

I enlisted the help of that handy Random Generator thingy and came with two lucky ladies..

Winner of the First Prize, who gets to pick any one of Janet's MEDIUM sized art prints is.....

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#31- Kirsty from KirstyGirl blog!

Congratulations Kirsty! Please contact me with a mailing address and print choice, so Ms. Hill can put your chosen print in the mail to you.

Winner of the Second Prize, who gets to pick two gorgeous greeting cards from Ms. Hill's greeting card line is ...

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#5-Stephanie from The Ladybugs Garden blog!

Congratulations Stephanie! Please contact me with a mailing address and card choices (2)

You can find Janet's beautiful greeting card line here. I think they would look fabulous framed.

So that's it! Thank you again for the wonderful response and I wish all of you a lovely week.

Until next time..be kind and stay creative.

I dare you not to smile!

Ok...ready?

courtesy of a friend

You're smiling, aren't you? 

Have a lovely Spring weekend

Until next time...be kind and stay creative

PS...you still have time to enter my wonderful Janet Hill Studios Giveaway. 

Enter here

Many thanks for all of your kind comments on Janet's art. She is a gem, isn't she?

There's Gold in Them There Thrift Shops! Plus a Fabulous Janet Hill Giveaway!

Hello friends..old and new. Speaking of new...WELCOME to all of you who have found me via my recent Farmhouse kitchen post. So happy you have returned to my little blog.

So this weekend I got up early on Saturday to check out a 'moving sale' up the street. A little rambler of a house where the last inhabitant was getting on in years and moving in with a family member.

Walking into this house was like entering a Time Warp back to the 1960's!

Lot's of vintage items, but not in a cool vintage way...if you know what I mean. I did manage to spot these adorable old gingham dishtowels all washed and starched. I think they look great on spray painted thrift shop table.

 I also took a drive over to my favorite thrifting place, Salvation Macy's. I always find great treasures and today was no exception.

Digging through all the handbags, I spotted this big, sleek, black leather shoulder bag. I immediately spied the Kate Spade logo on the front..at this point I was holding my breath while checking out it's condition....PERFECT!!!!!

I paid $7.00 for her....$7.00!!!! 

When I got home, I googled Kate Spade and found this bag selling for $349.00...crazy, right?

To sweeten the deal, when I got home and opened all the inner pockets, I found this...

Letters spell LOVE

A beautiful Brighton business card case!

not too shabby for $7.00

I'm telling you ladies, if you do not frequent your local thrift shops, you are missing out on some fabulous bargains. Gone are the days when these shops sold only old nightgowns and threadbare
t-shirts..there is gold here!
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Ok...now let's talk GIVEAWAYS!

I have been wanting to do this Giveaway for so long. When I first found the Etsy online shopping website, I fell in love with the work of a beautiful young painter named Janet Hill of Janet Hill Studio.

Janet's artwork is displayed in many private collections throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Asutralia. she lives in the beautiful Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario, where she paints in a small home studio. Janet lives with her husband John and their cat and dog.

Isn't she pretty?

I found myself coming back to her site time and again. The gorgeous colors, scenery, clothes and vintage looking women...I was in LOVE!

Take a look at what I am talking about..here are some of my favorites...

I adore her 'leg' portraits!

I am a proud owner two of her prints

'The Flowering Orange Tree' & 'Hot Chocolate'

Janet's colors fit perfectly in my new kitchen. My sweet sister Maddy gifted me the top print.

I am fascinated by Janet's long brush strokes and the way she creates ruffles and lace. Don't get me started on the gorgeous legs she often paints. 

 And the colors...OMGosh...the beautiful colors!

I think the dress and shoe paintings would be fabulous in a young girls bedroom. Especially if she is a girly-girl. Her chic room scenes would be fabulous in a home office or studio.

Janet and her husband live in Canada and she works out of her small home studio. Janet runs a very succesfull Etsy shop and also posts all her new paintings on her own beautiful blog. Be sure to wander over as there are so many more wonderful works of art to be shared. 

 So...who would like to own their own Janet Hill print??

To help introduce Janet to all my readers, she has very generously offered to donate one of her MEDIUM prints as the prize in my Giveaway. The winner gets to choose which Medium print she or he would like.  All shipping costs will be included and the print will be mailed directly from Ms. Hills studio to the winner.

This Giveaway is open to ALL my followers (that means you guys across the pond also!)

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But, that's not all!

Janet has also agreed to award a second prize of some of her beautiful stationary which she sells in her second etsy shop, Janet Hill Ink

What do you need to do...

1. Simply sign on as a follower of The Empty Nest blog

                                2. Visit Janet's blog or Etsy shop and come back here to leave me a comment telling me which piece of art catches your eye. I dare you to name just one...yeah she is like potato chips without the weight gain ;-)

I think I've made this easy enough and I hope all of you take a moment to enter...someone has to win, why not YOU!

This Giveaway will expire Monday, March 21, 2011

Thank you Janet for being so very generous.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Ps...I would like to send a huge Thank You to all of my fellow bloggers who took time out of their busy blogging schedules to give some special attention to my Farmhouse Kitchen Restyle Last week. You all sent me such warm and friendly traffic and I now have many new blogging friends.

Thank you:

Kate@Censational Girl

Gina @ Shabby Chic Cottage

Jennifer@Hope Studios

Kellie@ This Blessed Nest

Rhoda@Southern Hospitality

joining these parties

Hope Studios