"hot sewing"

Summer time is just around the corner but here in St George its been underway for a bit now, temperature wise.. Yikes! I am trying to figure out how to survive a summer down here with kids and animals.. My goodness! Poor Bubs is already panting 24-7 and I am going to have to go ride my horse early in the morning (sorry kids! mom is dragging you to the barn mucho early…) but thats better than riding in hot sand! All the horses already have their box fans blasting into the stalls. Its actually kind of funny to see them stand in front of them.

Thank goodness for misters!!

This past weekend we hit a little hike with the kids. We felt it was time we got out and did some "adventurous" things.. Or should I say our friends Kyle and Lacy told us we were going.. But we loved it! He has a list of places we need to hike and see during the summer. Game on! We told the kids we were going to do a waterfall hike (we were hoping that there would be water there period.) They were soo excited! As we began the hike we'd see families coming back with swim gear on so we thought we were good. Wrong.. When we made it to the falls all we were left with was stagnant pools of water that I would not let my dog drink out of! the waterfalls had dried up so the whole swimming thing was a bust. Thanks hikers we past for the heads up..

We still had fun tho! The kids got to explore, climb on rocks and we even saw a bunch of little frogs in the pools. We also encountered some random groups of hikers that included families, BYU students in full safari garb hunting bugs and euro creepers..YA, we had to get a pic of them. they made the trip!

Its always an adventure with this bunch! You better believe we told the families we past with kids and inner-tubes that the falls were dry. Your welcome! After we finished the jaunt we had to go to the city splash pad so the kids could "swim"… and ya, we fit right in with our swim attire… I like to think our outing was a success! Cant wait to see whats in store for the next.

On a slipcover note, I am finishing up a pair of chairs that my hubby hauled back for one of my clients. We are giving them a new look with a white denim top stitched slipcover! Once I finish the seat cushions, I'll post a pic. It is literally a hot box during the day in my garage, so I have to sew early in the morning or later at night. Either way I sweat off a pound overtime I am out there! Some people do "hot yoga". I do "hot sewing".. To each their own..

Check back manna to see the finished slipcover! I am also working on a finishing up a sectional with a gathered skirt and another chair this week and part of next before I head back up north on the 28th. I'll be there from the 28th till the 2nd of June. Hit me up if you are wanting a slipcover fitted while I am in town!

Keep it in the family..

Because my hubby is one of eleven kids (8 boys, 3 girls) I get the joy of having 10 super awesome sister-in-laws! And speaking of sis-in-laws. Tammy, who is super crafty called me up because she was contemplating slipcovering her family room couch and love seat. She has had these couches for ever! But they were old and tired.. She wanted a new look but was not ready to fork over the $$ to buy new ones, especially if they are going to be building a new home in the near future.. I am always happy to come to the slipcover rescue! (Um… Jackie - another sis-in-law. I promise I have not forgot about your cushions.. You will have them soon. well. sooner than later..)Anyways, She sent me a picture of her couches and a picture of what she had in mind for them to look like.

Here is what we were dealing with.:

Not bad. Comfy, just dated. This is what she wanted them to look like:

Nice and light and casual. Its a good change! Instead of getting a brushed canvas she used painters drop cloth. It is cheaper than fabric and washes up great! The back cushions were attached on her couch so we cut them off. Nobody likes saggy cushions that can't be fluffed. Nobody! We also added a simple box skirt to finish off the look. I sent her finished slipcovers up with my husband Monday so she had to put them on herself. I am not gonna lie.. I always get a little nervous when I can't put the finished slipcovers on to make sure they fit perfect. But she nailed it! Here is what they look like now. Happy, bright and fun!

It looks great! And I love being able to help a sister out!! (Again, Jackie.. I swear I have not forgotten about you..)

I am headed up north tomorrow to drop slipcovers off and to do a few fittings. I may have 1 spot open in my schedule. Let me know if you have something you want slipcovered and can get fabric ready to go by saturday. My next trip up will be May 30th- June 1st for my sweet new little nieces' baby blessing. Contact me to get on my schedule! I also have some super fun things in the works right now and can't wait to show you what I have been up too….. Stay tuned!!

The "Ulitmate" cleanse….

We survived Costa Rica! Barely.. And I'll tell you why. First off, let me tell you about our little adventure. It all started on April 12th. Our plans were to drive to Vegas from St. George with another couple, fly to Denver to meet up with 2 more couples and then fly from Denver to San Jose to meet up with the last 2 couples and then drive 2 hours south to a town just 20 min south of Jaco. Sounds easy, right. Wrong. Our flight out of Vegas was at 6:45pm. I figured if we left St. George by 1 we would be good because we had to drive 2 hrs to the airport plus there was road construction in-between.. Well I got vetoed by the boys..They felt that if we left at 3 we'd be fine. Well around 2:30pm I was seeing a bunch of activity on instagram regarding traffic coming out of Vegas. Like traffic was at a stand still for a long time. I finally texted a friend stuck in the mess and she said they had been stopped on the freeway for 3 hrs because of the whole Bundy Ranch Protest. Umm.. What?! She said traffic was still getting thru going to Vegas but that there was a huge protest going on and they were blocking the freeway.

At this point we still did not know what was going on. In my mind I kept thinking, "We should have left at 1…) but that news was enough to get the boys moving. As we pulled into Mesquite we stopped at a gas station to get drinks and I kept overhearing people talking about how they were stuck for 3 hrs and that there was like a riot going on and that NO ONE was getting thru now. This protest was literally a mile or 2 down the road from where we stopped. Um… remember we have a flight to catch… So the cashier told us to take a back road to the next exit down and maybe we will bypass the mess. So thats what we did. What we did not know is that the protest moved right were we had to drive thru. As we turned the bend to cross the river we could see tons cowboys driving cattle on horseback down the river. and the protesters were out!! I have never seen soo many random freedom fighters, militia personnel and little ladies carrying ginormous rifles and automatic weapons! It was nuts! We were able to get thru. I guess by the time we got there the Feds backdown so the protestors were in a sense "celebrating".. It was definitely interesting to see.

In our minds we were thinking, SWEET! We dodged a bullet, we are about 45 min away from Vegas and we had 2 hrs to get there. Well, we hit road construction combined with protest traffic. No Bueno! At this point we now have an hour to get to the airport and on the plane. I kept thinking, we just need to get to Denver by 11:30pm to catch our flight to Costa Rica, because at this rate we were never going to make it! Once we got out of traffic and hit Vegas we have 30 min.. Sweating yet? When we got to the airport we now had 20 min to park the car, get tickets, go thru security and run to our gate. The boys dropped us off at the curb and we ran inside. It was the craziest thing I have ever seen. There was not a soul around! I have never seen an airport this quiet. I was the only one in line for security and out gate was right around the corner. When I got to the gate I ran to the attendant and said I have 3 more in our party (I lost one to the checked baggage counter..) and that they are right behind me. All she said was they have 14 min to get here. The plane waits for no one. (Thanks Frontier) I jumped on hoping they'd be right behind me.. I sat there for 10 minutes! Finally at the very last minute they walked onto the plane. Heart attacked avoided.

Now lets fast forward to getting to Costa Rica! We landed and met everyone in Customs. Six couples ready for a great week in the sun! We got thru,got our rental cars and we were off. We had a 2 hr drive to a little "beach town" outside of Jaco. The house was awesome! we all had our own rooms with bathrooms, a pool on the roof and tons of room to play. We had a sweet view of the ocean and the beach was a 5 min walk from the house. We also had a guide that would come to the house everyday to see what activities we wanted to do. He'd set them up for us. Love that Javier! The town was crazy, there were little make shift houses every where. People rode bikes everywhere. And boy did they know how to give a "pump" They could fit 5 people on 1 bike! There was a little market around the corner and a few open air restaurants. Just simple.

The first day we hung around the house and recovered from our travels. The next day we went to the beach and played in ocean. The boogie boarding was phenomenal!

That night we went and ate to one of the restaurants which was delicious but boy were we in for a "treat". The next day i woke up with a stomach ache and the runs (sorry but its part of the experience..) I just figured it was a little food poisoning but Id be fine. I had to be, we were going to the zip lines that day. At breakfast no one else felt sick, just me. I am glad to report that the zip line was a success and that I did not have any bathroom emergencies while up in the trees for 3 hrs.. whew!

Major success! This was my first time on a zip line and it was worth every penny! But, the sickness was spreading.. Now 2 more people were beginning to feel queazy followed by the runs.. Uh oh! Thats 3 of the 12. As the day went on people in our group were dropping like flies. By the end of the night all but 3 people were experiencing the runs. And this was not your typical diarrhea (we only wished it was) we are talking, eat something and 5 min later it was pure liquid.. 2 people we up all night with chills, runs and aches. Me being one of them. I thought I was going to die!! But I also thought I was on the mend and that the worst had passed. Like food poisoning does. At any moment during the day you would see people run off to the nearest bathroom. Mid conversation. It was hilarious and awful at the same time.

At this point we had been stuck in the house for obvious reasons and were ready to venture out. We went in to Jaco to shop and find "american food" because at this point nothing "native" sounded good. Period. It was fun to see how people there function. My husband speaks fluent spanish so it was fun to hear him translate and talk to the people. As people were on the mend (we thought) we decided to venture a little farther away and go on a waterfall hike. It was awesome! You hike up to this place with 3 waterfalls that had pools you could jump into. It was definitely refreshing and we all needed it after shedding 5 pounds from the runs…

It was soo fun! I think Javier got a kick out or group. I swear he thought the boys were a group of teenage boys..They were so funny to watch! We got to experience a thunder storm one night that was insane!! I had no clue it could ran soo hard and thunder soo loud! It was nuts! and boy when it rains, all kinds of creatures come out…We were sweeping crabs, frogs and ginourmous bugs out of our entry way! My kids would have been in heaven.

The rest of the trip was filled with fun, the beach and playing games! And yes,at this point we all had the runs.. Violent runs! It was such a fun group to travel with and I am pretty sure was all had a blast, minus the being attached to a toilet thing.. But we are forever bonded by Montezuma's Revenge. It is VERY real people. and its frightening!!! My doctor laughed, gave me a antibiotic and said, "good luck!" This experience has forever changed my opinion about international travel.. and NO we did not drink the water… I am happy to report I am almost back to normal almost a week later… as the for others…well, some have not been soo lucky…especially the ones who had no sympathy for us early on. lol! He are some picks of the trip!

Thanks for the "Ulitmate Cleanse" Costa Rica, you shall not be forgotten…

On another note, I am back working like mad to get slipcovers finished before my next rip up, which will be over Mother's Day weekend. Hit me up if you want to get on my fitting schedule. I have 1-2 spots open. You must have fabric washed and ready to go!

Costa Rica baby!!

I am SUPER excited today for 2 reasons.. 1. We are heading off to Costa Rica tomorrow for a whole week of fun! I have heard of how great this place is but I can't wait to see for myself. 2. I finished my family room couch and chairs just in the nick of time!! Not only did I get them done but my new rug showed up too. It was like christmas morning!! I can't believe how different my family room looks. And soo much bigger too! Here is the before:

The couch and chairs were given to us by my mom when we moved to St. George. She got new furniture and I am never one to turn down her hand me downs.. They are pretty much perfect and brand new! I do like the pattern of them but they just did not go well in our new home. I knew that I wanted a more relaxed feel in the room. Its open to the kitchen and dining area plus, we are just casual people.. I decided to nix any kind of skirt and just bring everything to the gound with a little bit of a drag and then finish it with a rolled hem. Simple and relaxed. I also knew that I wanted a soft and yummy linen to complete the look. I stumbled upon Fabrics-Store on line and hit the jack pot! I ordered a few different samplers to get the right color. I had to get 18 yards for the couch and 18 yards for the chairs. I used drop cloth on the decking of the couch and chairs and no joke, I used every last inch!! I probably should have ordered 20 for the couch and 20 for the chairs but that saved me and extra $50 by using drop cloth in the areas you will never see..

Not only did I get the slipcovers finished but my new rug or should I say carpet came the same day! When we moved in we knew we needed a big rug to cozy up the room but have you ever looked into buying a 10'x12' rug?? Kill me!! So expensive!! So… we found some carpet that we loved and have it cut and bound into a custom rug for $500! It has a cool linen weave texture to it and I love it!! Here is the after of the family room

My little sassy pants Oakley insisted that she should be in one of the pictures..Just love her!


I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! It all come together and I could not be happier! I just put the pillows back on the couch because I have not had time to find fabric for them, but hey, they actually work pretty great for now.. I used this linen. Its heavy enough for slipcovers and super soft after you wash it. I did not realize it at the time but the company I bought my linen from is running a contest to see what people create using their linen.. So of cousre I entered my stuff in! Head over to the Fabrics-Store blog and vote April 15th.

Just a reminder, I'll be back in Salt Lake at the end of the month and I have maybe 1 or 2 spots open for fittings. Contact me to get on the schedule1!! Until then… Peace Out!!!

A pair to share

I realize my posting has been less frequent but with good reason.. I am still working like crazy only all I have to show for it are "before" pictures. You'll just have to wait to see the afters when I head up North at the end of the month. You'll have plenty to look at then;) In the meantime I have been sewing 3 chair bodies and 3 couch bodies. Now Ive got to get on the cushions. Its a lot! I have also been working on getting my chairs and couch covered and I am trying to get them done before Friday because the hubby and I are heading off to Costa Rica on a spur of the moment trip with some friends! I can not wait!! Maybe because my husband has been gone for 3 weeks or because I get to sit and do nothing for a whole week.. Its a toss up. Anyways, I have a lot to do before then.

Speaking of the hubby, he came home for Conference weekend to spend time with me and the kiddos. We had a blast! And of course I had to use him as my "Furniture Mule" to get clients stuff down to me.. Sorry honey, but hey, those ladies sure do love you! I am just happy I am able to continue to do work for my clients while I am down here. It keeps me sane.. I had to bust out 2 dining chairs and 3 euro shams Saturday morning because they were going back up with him after the weekend. My client picked a fun geometric print for her chairs. She selected an indoor/outdoor fabric which is actually great for dining room chairs considering its waterproof. We did a box skirt to the ground because she did not want any of the wood to show. It really turned out great and I love how the fabric is just happy!

Before:

AFter:

I love Conference weekend! I love the messages that are given and I especially love the breakfast!! Steve is happy camped out on the couch all day but for me, the second my butt hits the couch I am a goner! I don't stand a chance so… I fitted my chairs. I HAVE to be dong something, its hard for me to just sit. I may have a problem.. Anyways I always retain more if I am listening while doing something so I figured, Hey, I can kill two birds with one stone by doing this. Listen to Conference and REMEMBER what I heard and get my chairs done. Win win! I would have done my couch too, but then Steve would have had to move… ya. right. Anyways here is a sneak peek at them..

Before:

um..i guess you could say, "middle":

I am beyond thrilled with what they are gong to look like!!!!

Also, some exciting news for me. I will have a booth at this years Swiss Days in Midway Utah August 29th-30th! You will be able to find me at Midway Country Corner across from the park. I am super excited about it and will have some really great slipcovered pieces for sale, along with pillows and possibly curtain panels… Anyways, stay tuned for more details!!

March Madness!!

Well I think it is safe to say that everyones brackets are a bust… Bye Bye billions. Oh well, there is always the lottery. Right? This month has been a busy one for me. I just got back from visiting family and dropping off/picking up slipcovers in Salt Lake last night. The kids and I ran up to see Steve, he has been gone working for 2 weeks now! He is crazy busy with landscape work up there but he is being well fed by his mom and mine. Its funny how when you move away you all of the sudden get bombarded with work that pulls you back. Its a good thing we have awesome weather down here to play in to make it manageable.

Speaking of work, I was able to drop off a bunch of bench and cushion covers, a few chairs and an ottoman on top of fitting 2 couches and a chair and bring back more random little projects for clients all in 1 day. Um.. thank goodness for grandmas! Here is a chair and ottoman I did for a cute client. She loves the way white slipcovers look and went with a white denim for both. Her husband though she was crazy since its white and they have kids but I think we did a good job at changing his mind.. Before:

I just copied the lines of the chair to give it a clean look and then did a box pleat skirt on the ottoman. They turned out soo cute! She loves them and I think her husband did too!

They look so great and they really brighten up the room. Here is the other drop-off I did while I was up in SL. My client searched for fabric for months and finally found the perfect one. We are slipcovering her large sectional next month and this fabric will compliment it perfectly! Now this chair is the perfect "Sunday Nap" chair.. Down cushions and the perfect size to curl up on. She has had this chair for a long time but it was in desperate need of a makeover. It originally had a red denim slipcover on it but the sun did some major damage to it. The red faded into a rusty color and it was no bueno. So she sent me home with the original slipcover to rip apart and make a pattern for the new slipcover. I love how it turned out and she didi too! It will look great with her sectional once we get it covered! Here is the after picture:

This week Ill be working on 2 couches and a chair as well as some other projects I was sent back with. I am also super excited to get my couch and chairs covered too! My fabric arrived from Fabrics-store.com before I left. I got a nice heavy linen. I can't wait!!! I will be back up in SL at the end of April first part of May. If you are wanting anything slipcovered, contact me now to get on my schedule. You need to have your fabric washed and ready to go when I come.