Slipcover and a Home Tour

My friend "T" wanted to do a slipcover. I showed you last week how we worked so diligently on it. All I did was some pinning and cutting the fabric. Why is everyone afraid to cut fabric? Don't be afraid...Just cut! She did ALL the sewing. Anyway here is the before and after! It's magnificent! She did a fantabulous job! And I stinkin' love that ruffle skirt! You see that coffee table? It used to be mine. That's one of the pieces I feel remorseful about getting rid of. I told her that she can NEVER sell it...UNLESS she sells it to me! We trade stuff all the time.


How great is this before and after? I love it. I hope she does! Here are some other photos of her home...


Her kitchen cabinets are white and so was her island, but she painted it black...it's absolutely sumptuos! She covered her stools in outdoor fabric to prevent stains.

This is above her desk. She made a bulletin board out of a thrift store frame that she spray painted black and added burlap backing.

Her paint color in her living room is from the seaside retreat collection from Lowe's called 'Porch Swing.' She bought this architectural piece...she says.."when she was single and rich."

This is her dining room. She made the slipcovers for those 2 parson's chairs and freezer art stenciled the numbers on the back...and refinished that farm table. She's crafty...as the beastie boys would say!


Love this vintage suitcase display

She painted her door with chalkboard paint. I love how she hung the coat hooks low enough for her kids to reach! Do you have a creative friend who doesn't blog? Pimp them out! I mean promote them! I love "T"...she's a great inspirational...creative friend!

Lights and Beadboard Ceilings

Victoria Hagan Kitchen

Does any one else have a UFO...interrogation light floating on their cottage cheese ceiling? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for my kitchen, but that light makes me want to start confessing everything I ever did in my life that was wrong! My husband even hates it. And he NEVER says anything about decor in this house...he doesn't notice. So if he said something about the light...there's a problem. And those ceilings? Please, Please, Please Mr. Builder...stop putting cottage cheese on the ceilings...for the love of all women everywhere! STOP! We will be more apt about buying your house if you just say "NO" to the cottage cheese.


OK...I'm off my soapbox and have come up with a some solutions. I will need the help of my brother-in-law who can, literally, do anything. He rocks! I want to put beadboard on the ceilings...like the kitchen in the first photo. It just ooozes fresh charm.

I saw these light pendants at IKEA the last time I was there and thought 3 of these would dress my kitchen right up. These are $29.99 each. Love them! OR...

these...they're simple cottage if I ever saw it! And they're only $19.99 each...also from IKEA. These light fixtures with some beadboard will do a lot for my kitchen's ego! Has anyone put beadboard on the ceiling? How'd you do it? I need to be able to tell my BIL;0)

**Just found out my fairy blog mother is giving away a blog makeover over on her blog! Hurry, she's fabulous-ness wrapped up in a bow!

How to have a Yard Sale

We had a yard sale this weekend. And even though it was cold, we had a lot of traffic. ADVERTISE: I think the only reason for the traffic was how I advertised. I put a post on craigslist on Friday with some pics of my big ticket items that I thought would sell. Then I got a pack of the small fluorescent poster boards and made signs with arrows. Then put them up on Friday. I had to make about 5...but they were all pointing the way. Nothing bugs me more than...when someone only puts up one sign. I NEED direction! Direct me to your yard sale. Please! I want to come!

INVOLVE THE KIDS: My daughter's went through their rooms...(after I secretly did) and gathered stuff they wanted to sell. Then we made cookies and coffee for them to sell. They are little entrepreneurs! Please support kids when you see them selling cookies or lemonade or whatever. It encourages them and makes them feel good.

I found this site for more great tips.

We ended up not selling any of our big ticket items, but got rid of a lot of clutter. I'm listing the other items on craigslist and I've got a couple of things on ebay...if you're interested.

Friday's Featured Slipcovers

People are making some great slips and being very creative about it. Check them out!

Swooning over these scalloped ruffles from The brick path studio.


From reader, Anne...She covered two chairs for $8 bucks!

"Just a quick note to thank you for your instructions for slipcovering - I took your advice but used a cotton poly mix that was on clearance at Mill End textiles for 1.29 a yard! 2 chairs for about $8 each and the sunroom has the cottage feel I've always wanted!"


Check out how Steena made this slipcover from a twin sheet set! Ingenious!

Slipcover Sneak Peek

I was trying to take a picture of my friend's daughter, but that slipcover jumped in and was trying to get all the attention. They are attention-y like that.


This is my friend's sofa that we've been working on slipcovering! Wait til you see the result next week. You are going to die because it will be the star of the room!

This is my friend...sewing her little heart out. She is a big DIYer. I can't wait to show you her slipcover next week...along with some of her home. She painted her stairs too! I love painted stairs, don't you?

Purging and De-toxing

A friend told me about this book by Raleigh Briggs. She originally gave me a homemade bleach recipe and said she got it from this book. I hopped on Amazon and ordered it. It's only $7 bucks new. (no, i'm not being paid for this). There are tons of great homemade recipes for health & first aid, non-toxic cleaning and body care...then a whole section about gardening. Even how to build a raised bed. It's very basic and doesn't go over my head. I'm not sure about doing a garden this year...but I have hope that...maybe...someday. I have a black thumb and kill everything green. I may even try to make my own deodorant...yikes! I've also been purging our home. We are planning on having a yard sale this Saturday...maybe? If it doesn't rain and is not cold. I've been listing stuff on ebay and craigslist. (That's the Dave Ramsey in me) So, if we have a yard sale and if you want to come, email me.

Here's a recipe for Homemade Bleach: (This is a great alternative to bleach when washing your white slipcovers)

1 cup hydrogen peroxide
3 T lemon juice
15 cups water
-mix all ingredients together and keep in a large jug.

DIY Chalkboard

I found a cute little picture that I thought would make a great mini chalkboard. I didn't even take the back off. I just painted the frame with one coat of white paint and then painted 3 coats of chalkboard paint directly over the picture! Out of this world EASY! It's darling!

Let them Paint

What do you do with your kid's while you're painting or working on some creative project? When my little ones were babies and toddlers, I would try to do stuff while they were napping. Once I repainted my bedroom while they slept at night. I got everything ready, dusted the walls, laid the drop cloth and when they went to bed...I painted! When they started getting a little older, I let them paint outside with me. They love it! Let them paint.

Saturday, I needed to finish a dresser and my daughter also wanted to paint...the furniture. So I gave her a canvas (sometimes it's a scrap piece of wood) and she went to town! We painted!

I hope I'm instilling, in my children, a love of being creative and to reuse, recycle and repurpose what they've got! Don't lock your children up while you create. Let them create right along side you!

Dressing in Hot Pink and wearing Gold Hello Kitty sandals are pre-requisites to painting!

Friday's Featured Slipcovers

...drooling over this white linen slipcover made by Shelley

I stumbled onto Shelley's blog and fell in love with her. She makes slipcovers for a living! I asked if I could pick her brain and she let me. Here is a little Q & A with Shelley:

{Me} How did you get started? How long have you been making slipcovers?

{Shelley} I started making my first slipcover when I first got married and we inherited an ugly couch. I bought a pattern to make a slipcover and it turned out just like the ones in the stores...big and slouchy and not appealing. So then I started looking at books and pamphlets on how to make CUSTOM slipcovers. Through trial and error I mastered the art of slipcovering, and turned it into a business. I have been in business now for 10 years.

{Me} I read that you service the greater salt lake area. How does that work? Do clients bring their furniture to you?

{Shelley} I do service the greater Salt Lake area....most of the time I pull my little 5X8 enclosed trailer around and do all my pick ups and drop offs once every two weeks or so. Some clients do deliver their items to me...if they want them back in a hurry and if they don't mind the drive. I live in Eagle Mountain which is 45 minutes from Salt Lake and 45 minutes from Provo/Orem. So I am a little off the beaten path.

{Me} What advice would you give to someone just starting out? Someone attempting to make their own slipcover?

{Shelley} Look at books, or flip up slipcovers at stores to see how they did certain parts.... and then make it your own (figure out what's easiest for you). Some books make it way more complicated than it should be. Like who really wants to make a whole pattern out of muslin first???? I pin fit the fabric on inside out. Oh and remember they are slipcovers, not upholstery...so don't stress out too much.

{Me} Tell us a little bit about yourself.

{Shelley} I love to run... I am running in the California Ragnar Relay Race next month. I love bathing suits, hats, and jackets. I love used furniture, yard sales, and thrift stores. I love fabric and decorating. I love a bargain and saving money. I hate debt.... I just paid off our house last June. We have 3 boys ages 9,7, and 5. We have been married 12 years. I try to keep my work to two days a week...when my husband is home to help with the kids (he's a fireman and works 2 days then he's home for 4 days). I love to take trips.

{Me} Thanks so much Shelley! If you guys are in the Greater Salt Lake Area, Shelley can whip you up a custom slipcover. Her contact info is on her blog. If you're not in her area, try the lazy girl tutorial or shoot me an email.

All photos credited to Custom Slipcovers by Shelley

Cook with what you have

My sister just turned me on to this recipe site called Super Cook. All you have to do is enter the ingredients you have in your home and it will give you recipes that you can make. Super Cook searches from recipe sites all around the web to tell you what you can make right now. So, no more..."we don't have anything to eat". I just sat on my couch, and typed in what I knew I had and it has spilled out over 1400 recipes I can make right now! I'm so excited about this, because I was just tired of making the same 5-6 dinners that I know my family will eat. And I'm not a very creative cook. You can also type in the things you want to exclude if someone has an allergy...like gluten or dairy, etc.

Sauteed Shrimp with lemon and garlic

So tonight I may try this Sauteed Shrimp with lemon and garlic or... Basic Chicken Scaloppine

Zesty Lemon Bars from Martha Stewart

And for dessert...these zesty lemon bars. Has anyone heard of this or tried this site?

Painting Subfloor

Loft Space from first a dream

I've been thinking about ripping up the carpet in my living room and painting the subfloor. The rest of the downstairs is all hardwoods. We eventually want hardwoods in the living room...but it's not in the cards right now. It just seemed like the route to go...if I want to lay hardwoods in the future.

Painted Fake Wood Floors

I found first a dream and she has has painted most of her home's subfloor. She has some great techniques and lots of pictures. She also just did a post about how they're holding up after a year and what she would have done differently. I saw more here, here and here. Has any one else done this or thought about doing it? Did you like it?

Before and After Slipcover

I don't think I've ever shown the before picture of my sofa...well, here it is. I actually made this slipcover before blogging. So, I used the opportunity to take a before shot while washing my slips! It's a green check...not my style, but I loved the bones and the shape of it. And also the big fluffy cushions. I did buy it at a thrift store. Someone asked me about smells of thrift store furniture. Febreze can only do so much. I always sniff before I buy. I have passed up some great pieces because they didn't smell great. Use your best judgement.

I also, wanted to say a big "thanks" to everyone who participated in the Slipcover Party! I loved seeing all your before and afters and the slips you dressed your furniture in. There are some super talented, super detailed people out there! Make sure you check through all the links to see what and how people are making slipcovers...to continue to reuse what they have. I'm sure we'll do this again. I hope we've inspired you to make some slips and to make your furniture new again!

Slipcover Party!

Get your slipcovers on and show us! Whether you've covered a chair, a sofa, an ottoman or a table...we want to see it and be inspired! Even if you have slipcovers and you personally did not sew a stitch, you are still more than welcome to join! Link 'em up!

There are a couple of rules:

1) Make sure you link to your specific post with your slipcover or it may get the slip;0)
2) Grab a Slipcover Party Button below and link back here from your post...so other's can see all of your great talent and join in on the fun!

Have fun!

<a href="http://pinkandpolkadot.blogspot.com/2010/03/slipcover-party.html><img src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s272/carriesue425/Pink%20and%20Polka%20Dot/125slipcoverpartybuttoncopy.jpg" width="125px"/> </a>

Slipcover a chair in a day

I remember reading this post by Nester...so I emailed her to beg if I could help her make a slipcover. We met a few years back...before blogging, so I wasn't just some stranger asking to come into her home. I'm no professional seamstress, but I pretend to be. It's nothing permanent like pouring concrete or anything. It's a small investment and a little time for a grand result!

She said yes, and had me into her lovely home. Her friend Tiny Twig also brought a chair over...so we got to slipcovering...sustaining ourselves on Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and coffee.

Here are a few pics from the weekend...head over to Nester's and Tiny Twig's to see the finished chairs. They both did a fantastic job! Gorgeous Transformations!

Instant Cottage Makeover

With Cute Baskets

I was at IKEA this past weekend and got 4 baskets to put above my stove. My friend did this and it was such a cute cottage look. I measured the space in my cabinets to make sure I would get the right size baskets. I think they were $5 or $5.99/each.

With Cabinet Doors

Without Cabinet doors...showing all the mess.

My cabinets just unlatch. I still need to remove the hardware on the inside. But, it makes such a difference to me. It feels more like my cottage home! I'm, also, thinking of painting the back wall of the cabinets. I.hate.that.toaster.oven. It's gross and yucky, but we use it all the time OR I'd shove it in a cabinet.

Living with White Slipcovers

I have slipcovered my sofa, a loveseat and a chair. I've also helped a few other's do the same. I have a love affair with my white slipcovers. I do not freak out about them. I love living with my white slipcovers.

We eat pizza on them, but I couldn't find a picture. I promise we do...for our family movie night.


We sleep on them.


Ally sleeps on them.

We read on them.

We have friends over for Oscar Parties and drink red wine on them.

Have there been mishaps? Yes, but I don't freak. I want to live in beauty. And to me the white slipcover is beautiful and it really is easy to clean!


So, having said that...Make sure you come to the Slipcover party on Friday and link up your slipcover. And No, you do not have to have a white slipcover. It can be whatever color or pattern you love. Just make sure YOU love it! Anything goes, a slipcovered sofa, chair, ottoman or a table. If you slipcovered it, you can link it! I can't wait to see everyone's!