Chair gets a FACE LIFT!

This project started with a great find by my sister Sheri!  She is great at finding STUFF....and then we make it BEAUTIFUL!  She found these not so beautiful chairs and saw the beauty underneath wanting to shine.

She began the process by removing the million+ staples holding the old fabric to the chair frame.  She was careful about saving the old fabric on the back along with the padding so it could be used again.

Orange was her color of choice for the frame once all the cushions and back fabric was removed.
This is where I come in....we started with the seat leaving the old fabric on for support and wrapped the new FACE print fabric onto the cushion.

We were careful to curve the edges to make them as smooth as possible.  Many staples  later the cushion was covered and we were ready to tackle the back of the chair.

We began attaching the back by putting the fabric down on the frame and stapling it to the inside.  The next  step was covering the worn padding with a new later of batting and then the new fabric and stapling that along the same frame area as before.  This was difficult but we managed to get it done. We trimmed the fabric and batting as close as possible so we could put trim on it later.

After getting both cushions covered along with both backs we were almost finished.....

A little blood was shed while stapling...be sure to hold hand away from stapler while loading..lesson learned!

We added the black trim around the back cushion with hot glue and we were all finished!
Job well done...feeling a great deal of accomplishment!
Thanks to S.A.S. Interiors for a wonderful tutorial that helped us with our project!

Audrey Pearl....sweet memories!

Audrey Pearl is my sweet dachshund and as of Thursday night she seemed happy and healthy.  What a difference a day makes.  I found Audrey on the floor Friday at 1am in the middle of a seizure.  She had lost the ability to walk and was foaming at the mouth.  I rushed her to the emergency vet across town and they gave her meds to stop any more seizures or at least that was the plan.  The doctor suspected maybe she had a brain tumor causing the seizures.  She had another seizure at 2 am and then again at 7 am on Friday morning.  I took her to my regular vet and she started giving her seizure meds again.  She had another seizure at noon and was seizure free as of 5:30 when I went to pick her up for the night.  I planned on bringing her back on Sat. morning in order for them to monitor her again for the day.  As my son and I were leaving with Audrey she began to have a seizure in my arms and the doctor took her and administered meds in the IV still in her leg.  After this seizure she had two more very severe ones and the doctor felt like the meds were not going to work and she was getting worse.
Now the hard part comes, deciding to keep her alive and let her continue to suffer in hopes of finding something that would work down the road or let her go to heaven.  My first thought was to keep her here but my heart told me she was ready to go.  She had waited all day and when I finally came to her she let me know it was her time to leave this earth.  I do believe this in my heart but it breaks my heart at the same time.
She was here with me for 12 years. The memories bottled up in those years are too many to count and so very precious.

I have two other dogs and they are special in their own right but Audrey was the social bug of the family.  She never met a stranger...first one to wake me up in the morning...first one to want outside...first one to let me know someone was outside...first one to do most everything around here.  When I woke up this morning I was wishing it was all a bad dream.  I will cherish the time I had with her and I know she's in Heaven running and being first at everything possible!  She will be truly missed each and every day, she was such a sweetheart.

Heavens Newest Angel.....Audrey Pearl

12-9-00/7-20-12

Outdated gets Updated

I finally got around to working on a chair I got at Goodwill about 8 months ago.  It was a bargain at $29 and I couldn't pass it up even though it needed some updating.  Today was the day!

I started the update by sanding the brown stained feet and painting them black. While the legs were drying and I was waiting to put the second coat on I removed the old brass tacks.  This proved to be more difficult than I expected.  Those suckers were hammered in there super tight.  After removing 146 tacks I painted the legs one more coat and then replaced the brass tacks with shiny silver tacks...INSTANT UPDATE...ok...not so INSTANT...it took me about 3 hours to do the whole update but well worth the time and effort.  

The chair will have a new home in my daughter's apartment next week...now on to the next project!

Outdated to Updated....I feel so accomplished!

Tyler Zoo Fun!

I don't think I will ever be too old to enjoy the Zoo!  I imagine the animals are waiting for me to visit along with all the other guests.  I know they must enjoy seeing people come admire their beautiful selves!  At least this is what I think...might sound like a crazy lady talking but I'm not crazy...just crazy about animals!

My son who is 19 went with me, a son after his mother's heart.  We are both animals lovers and we took it to another level about 2 1/2 years ago and stopped eating meat of any kind.  It really isn't that difficult when you imagine what you are eating. It started off as my son Austin's idea and I decided to follow in order to support him in his meal choices.  The choice has lead me to search out recipes and substitutions to eat which has been a challenge at times but rewarding at the same time.  It's amazing what you can find and how much better I feel not eating meat and the bond Austin and I have developed on the journey is an added bonus.

Back to the Zoo...HOT but lots of fun.  As we drove home we were already planning our next Zoo Trip! Fun times are waiting for us and I know the animals are looking forward to seeing us!

Zoo Fun!

Sunflower Update!

A little update on my sunflower garden.  I planted the seeds in May and I can't believe how fast they have grown....super FLOWER POWER!  The sunflowers just keep popping up and are more beautiful each time.  I really had forgotten what types of sunflower seeds I planted and have been so amazed at the different flowers that appear.  My favorite if I had to pick is the beautiful red sunflower that bloomed last week.
I planted both giant and dwarf....I didn't realize the giant really meant GIANT!  The tallest in my garden is over 7 foot tall and looks like it's still growing.
The sunflower garden is thriving, the birds love their secret hideaway!  I will be planting this every year from now on, I didn't realize what I was missing!

1st day of summer...Bring on the FLOWER POWER!

Porcupine Watermelon...!

My pinterest inspired watermelon critter!  I was asked to make this cute creation for a party!  It was pretty simple...you just have to go for it and start cutting.  The eyes are blueberries attached with long toothpicks and the nose and feet were created with the leftover watermelon. I gently scooped the watermelon out and cut it into cubes and stuck long toothpicks into the cubes on the top layer.  It was a big hit at the party!

 Original Watermelon Porcupine Picture

Summer time fun!

Sunflower Power!

My sunflower garden is doing wonderful!  I love watching them pop out of their green centers and blossom into the beautiful yellow flowers.  I plan on collecting the flowers and drying them in order to get the seeds for my garden next year.  This is my first time to plant sunflowers but it won't be my last.  I am so excited to see them grow taller and more beautiful throughout the summer!

God's Creations!

How does your garden grow?

Spring has sprung and my flowers I planted a month ago are growing like wildfire!  I love sitting on my back porch and admiring the blooms along with the birds, butterflies and the dragonflies.  I hung a hummingbird feeder recently and have been able to catch a glimpse of a beautiful hummingbird coming to visit.  You have to be quick with those little birds, they flit about so quickly.  I have my camera sitting on the table by the window in hopes of taking a quick shot, but I haven't been quick enough yet...but I will keep trying!
My husband helped me plant some sunflowers in my backyard.  I can't wait to see the big beautiful sunflowers pop their heads up, they are my favorite flower.
God's blessing bloom right in front of our eyes at this time of year!

God is Good!

Sweet Sweet Taffy....

The day started off with a visit to the vet for my pet rabbit, Taffy.  She has been having some problems with her back leg.  I was not prepared for what I was told, her leg was broken.  Not sure how it happened, she lives in my laundry room in her own cozy space....but the vet said it might have been because she was 9 years old, which is apparently old for a rabbit.
We got Taffy April 15, 2003 when my kids were 10 and 12.   Today when the doctor gave me my options it didn't look good.  He could either amputate the leg which would be difficult to heal at her age or put her to sleep.  I hated my choices but after the doctor said he felt she had lived a long life and the surgery would be hard on such an old rabbit we both decided letting Taffy go to heaven was the best for her.  I have had this experience with dogs in the past because of health issues and it never gets any easier. When I walked out of that office I cried like a baby.  Taffy gave us lots of great memories and when I came back home to her empty room...the tears flowed again.  I am going to miss our daily one-sided conversations Taf.....!

Taffy....you have a special place in my heart always!

Life is so fragile!