EW!

Its spring break here in St. George and the sun is out in full force! I am loving this weather and the feel of pasty white skin getting some much needed color. Yes please! I thought I'd hurry and post my latest project while the kids are over playing with friends. I had ordered fabric a while back to make curtains for my family and dining room windows. They are super wide which I love because they let in soo much light but curtains of that size are a pain in the A%$ to make because of how much fabric you have to maneuver. I ordered 26 yards between the 2 windows. I had to make 2 double wide panels for each room, soo.. I had to match and sew 2 pieces of fabric together to make 1 panel and line them… EEEW! Meaning

If you watch Jimmy Fallon then you know. Soo great. I hung them with rings. Super simple and straight forward. Its amazing how fabric can transform the look and feel of a room. Before the rooms looked bare, but now they have an inviting feel that makes it more livable to me… Since the windows are soo wide and let in soo much light I snapped a picture of the corner of the dining room to give you an idea of what the fabric looks like. I LOVE love it!

I only have a few little projects left around my house and one includes making a pipe bed frame for Lakers room. Oh Buddy! I can't wait! I am taking the week off and playing with my kids so check back soon for more goodies!

Boy Dance Party

This past weekend I headed up north with just me, my daughter and a bunch of slipcovers. That means the boys were left home. Alone. To fend for themselves! I had a feeling that a Boy Dance Party was going to break out. And I am pretty sure it did! If you watch SNL than you know exactly what I am talking about…Exactly! Their lips were sealed when I got home so that can only mean one thing… BOY. DANCE. PARTY.

My brother and his cute wife are about to have their first baby so we had 2 back to back showers to attend. It was fun to see family and friends and boy did they make out like bandits! They literally ran out of room in their nursery because of all the stuff they got! They have 3-ish weeks left for baby to come and we couldn't be happier for them!

Like I said, the car was also packed with slipcovers to drop off. Most of slipcovers I came back with last month got shipped out, so maybe one day I'll have after photos for you, but the remaining slipcovers belonged to a cute client of mine that inherited a couch and 2 wing chairs that no one else in the family wanted. Well, their loss because she scored! The furniture was in great condition. Just a bit dated. She had made curtains for her front room where the furniture would be going and wanted it all to be cohesive. So she found fabric in like a day (seriously!) that coordinated with them. She picked a blue textured upholstery fabric for the couch and a neutral and blue jacquard for the wing chairs. Normally upholstery fabric is a bad choice for slipcovers because it is soo heavy but she lucked out with this fabric. It was not as stiff or heavy as most and it actually draped pretty well. She kept the lines similar to the original pieces.

Couch before:

Ater:

I was really happy with how it turned out. Here is one of the 2 wing chairs, I did not have a great before picture. Use your imagination. It was pink. Enough said. The fabrics she chose complimented each other really well.

She was soo happy with how they turned out! I was just glad she was patient with me no the time frame..LOL!

My next trip up north won't be till the end of the month when my little niece is born, but I will be scheduling fittings. So hit me up if you want on the list! Until then I am going to enjoy the warm weather, figure out how to entertain my kids next week during spring break and finish up sewing projects around my house.. maybe.

Kids Room, Part Un

I am just getting ready to head up "North", but I'd thought I would post how the kids toy room turned out. I found the curtain and pillow fabric at Home Fabrics in Orem and the Houndstooth on the settee came from Fabric.com. I love the bright colors! ITs a kids toy room so its allowed to be obnoxious. Right? The next project for this room would be to put a fun fabric on the wall, paint the TV hutch and hang some art. But for now, I am just happy I got this done… What do you think??

Before:

After!

I kept the lines the same as the original. I like the casual feel it had plus the cushion is amazing! Its a nice squishy down filled insert and is quite heavenly to sit on. I just did a informal skirt with a simple hemmed finish. I did not do a box pleat on the corners. Its a kids toy room and its gonna get used and abused and I did not want to turn into "Mean Mom" every time the slipcover got messy with common occurrence of fort building that goes on… I really like the casual vibe it gives off!

My next project around the house is curtains for the dining and family room area and slipcovering my couch and 2 chairs. I got a sample of the most awesome linen (I can feel my husband rolling his eyes at me right now)and can't wait to order it! With "linen" and "slipcover" some say good luck with the wrinkles, but when you wash a good linen it does something magical, it gets soft, worn and yummy! I am going for more of a "Restoration Hardware" look that is more relaxed and casual. Oh boy!! Can't wait!

I may have time to squeeze in 1 or 2 fittings friday while I am up north so if you are in need, contact me!

Stiff as a board

Soo.. I thought Id give you an update while I am working through this wicked stiff neck I have soo graciously acquired. Not! Its the worst! i am beginning to get them a little more often then I'd like. I had a spinal fusion almost 13 years ago due to scoliosis and when ever the weather has a drastic changed in temperature my back and neck are always slow to catch up! So..after enjoying a lovely day yesterday riding, attending parent teacher conference, and enjoying the 73 agree weather at the park with the kids I am stuck with this gem. Boo!!! Its cool, I'll work thru it. But until then I'll just turn my ENTIRE body to look left or right… seriously… What can I say, its the price I pay for perfect posture!

Enough of my little pitty party, I don't have time for it! I have finished up all my clients slipcovers that will I will be dropping off when I head up to Salt Lake this weekend. I have 2 wing chairs, a couch and 1 of 8 windsor chairs to drop off and a few new client fittings. I really hope "Old Stiffy" relaxes by tomorrow.. Yikes! Bring on the Bengay and Bayer. Monday, I was able to knock out a slipcover for another one of my pieces, a bunch of pillows and a set of curtain panels. I have been hoarding fabric for the kids toy room and I finally got around to making stuff out of it. Now I just need to get the curtain rod hung, which is going to be interesting in my condition. I wish I were a fly on the wall to watch this one. LOL! Anyways All you get for now is the before picture..sorry

I got this awesome settee about 5 or 6 years ago when we moved into our Orem house. Before I recognized my sewing skills.. I say that because this settee is slipcovered. And if you knew how much I paid for it your probably slap me! I know I would! and thats with the family discount I get at Thanksgiving Point! But it is super comfy, so I'd say it was worth it. now.

I picked up some fabric on fabric.com when Premier Prints was having that awesome sale. I chose a great twill grey and white houndstooth print. I also picked up curtain fabric for the dining and family rooms. How could you not? The prices were cheap! As for the rest of the fabrics for the kids toy room, I scored a ton of bright and fun prints at Home Fabrics that last time I was up. I hit the mother load! I can't wait to get everything on and up! I still have a few pieces of furniture that need some painting so Id say I have "step 1" done for the kids play room. Step 2 would be art work and step 3 would be painting the hutch (which I am not looking forward too…)

I'll have the reveal up later today after I get the curtain rod hung… Please pray for me;) Also, just a reminder. I will be up in Utah County and Salt Lake this weekend for my sister-in-laws baby showers. I have a few fittings friday but can probably squeeze in a 1 or 2 more either Thursday night or friday evening. Let me know if you want on my schedule. You will NEED to have your fabric ready to go by thursday afternoon. Feel free to text or email me! Now please excuse me while I got soak in the tub!

Pure Luck

So have I ever mentioned that I have a severe cat allergy?? Like I don't even have to touch them, just being in the same room with them can send me into an allergy spiral! I mean if a cat even brushes up against me I instantly hive out and feel the swelling in my throat… I just dropped off a slipcover for a client here in St. George and who has cats and dogs and I am still (an hour later) itchy and sneezy! But hey.. no pain, no gain. The worst is when I am fitting furniture that clients bring to me. If they have a cat, I will know within the first 5 minutes of measuring! Sometimes I feel like this…

Remember "Pure Luck" with Martin Short and Danny Glover?? This is after Martin Short had been stung by a bee in a tinny airplane. Hilarious! I remember watching this over and over with my brother when we were little and laughing soo hard we about peed out pants! I have never swelled up that bad but oh man.. Have you ever tried fitting a slipcover while you felt your throat was closing up, your eyes watering like crazy and sneezing uncontrollably?? Its a talent. Really..

Enough about my personal problems. I wanted to post my latest drop off. Yes she fosters cats and dogs, and she is the coolest lady I have met! Super down to earth and super sweet! She had a pair of antique settees that have been in her family for years. She just had them reupholstered but soon realized that she needed an option to deal with the hair that comes from being a pet foster home.. So what is durable and affordable and not awful to look at? Drop cloth! This was the perfect solution to her problem! Take a look at how great these little settees are.

She used a local upholstery shop for the restoration of the settees, who did an amazing job! We kept the lines of the original settee but extended the bottom by an inch. She absolutely loved them! and so did one of her cats..

Drop cloth is a great alternative to traditional fabric. Its durable, neutral and softens up really nice when washed. Perfect for house full of kids and/or pets.

I will be up North Feb 27-March 2nd. I have a few fittings already scheduled. If you want anything slipcovers, contact me to get on my schedule and I'll fit you while I am there!

The Carleton

I survived the week of family! We had a blast! But it feels great to sit down and relax. Ya right! I have been really busy this week and its only Thursday. Geeze! This week I worked on an oversized chair and ottoman from Pottery Barn - The Charleston.

I wish it was called "The Carlton"… click on the link. I dare you.

Remember this guy??

How great was that dance? How great was that show!? My darling client just bought the cutest house in Sugar House and wanted me to revive their sad chair. The chair itself is in great conditions, but the slipcover she had on it was dying a very sad and slow death! I told her that I have to make a pattern with the existing slipcover and that she would NOT be getting hers back. She literally jumped for joy and told me to burn when I was done! lol! The slipcover was not all that bad, for a luxurious brown velour that had been bleached by the sun.. and looked like burned chocolate. That would definitely not go with her cute newly remodeled house.. But you know what she found that would go amazingly with her house? This!

She scored this at the Midvale Home Fabrics. They had exactly 15 yards on the roll. It was just the perfect amount! After I destroyed her existing slipcover I was able to construct the new one. I was able to match up most of the noticeable pattern on the chair like the front, cushion and arms on the chair, but I was working with limited amounts so I had to cut carefully! I kept all the lines the same from the existing slipcover. Its hard to believe that this neatly folded pile of slipcovers is a chair, 3 cushions and an ottoman - 15 yards!!

So use your best imagination to picture the chair covered in this. Pretty cool! Her sweet Mother-in-law who happens to be a good family friend will be down in St. George this weekend so I am sending it back with her. So you'll have to wait for the after pics..

I am working on slipcovers for a pair of antique settees this weekend for a client here in St. George. Stay tuned!

My next trip up to Utah County will be Feb 27th thru March 2nd. Hit me up if you are wanting slipcovers! you need to get your fabric before then.

"Mortel 8"

I have been busy this past week and half with family dropping in. My mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law came down last weekend to golf, play and celebrate my mom's birthday.

And this week I had my in-laws plus my husbands 7 brothers and 1 of his 3 sisters.

They do an annual "boy golf trip" in St. George every year and now that we live here, we have opened up "Mortel 8"! I have never washed so many linens in my life! And I make slipcovers… Its a good thing I splurged on my washer and dryer. Sorry honey! But seriously.. Once you move to a "vacation" spot the masses come. I honestly can say that we have really had maybe 2 or 3 weeks since November that it has just been our little family. But it is soo fun to have friends and family come stay. But I am not gonna lie. I can't wait till our casita is done!!! Poor Laker thinks his bed is on the floor in his sisters room..

Last Sunday I headed to The Winter Market in Vegas with my mom. She goes down there every year to buy for Thanksgiving Point and this time I got to tag along. Um…It was like a textile Disneyland for me! this was the first thing I saw when we got there:

So many amazing fabrics, furniture and just stuff to see. It was super inspirational for me and gave me some great ideas for the future.

Today I just shipped out an ottoman cover and 2 cushion covers to a client in Provo. She is going to have to send me pictures when she gets it, but I fell in love with her color combo when I went for her fitting. She had me slipcover her ottoman that looks just like this:

We kept the box pleat skirt and I added a band around the top to break it up. She chose a black duck cotton for the ottoman and cushions. I took all her measurements there and put it together here.. Lets cross our fingers the ottoman fits..lol! She has a great white slipcovered sofa in the same room and is going to be doing pillows out of these two fabrics:

umm… they are pretty great! I love that she is mixing these in white black and white! I immediately ran to Home Fabrics in Orem to go see if they had enough for a few projects around the house. (Actually I had just bought fabric earlier that day for the kids room settee, curtains and pillows and I was immediately jealous that I did not go that route..haha) Luckily for me they love me there and I was able to swap out my fabrics, but sadly they did not have enough of the blue large ikat print. sniff. sniff.. But thats ok. I worked it out. I am really digging the blue and white right now. Soo fun and soo bright! I did just place an order today for the kids settee, dining room and family room curtains. Can you say Houndstooth!!! I can t wait! But lets be honest.. I still have to cover 2 wing chairs, 2 oversized chairs plus ottomans, 2 parsons chairs and now 2 settees here in town…

I scored big time on my fabric tho! Fabric.com is have a 20% off Premier Prints right now and they have really added some pretty great prints to their line up. And at $6 a yard you can't go wrong! So have a great weekend! I know I will. My horse is being brought down tomorrow and I can't wait!!