Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A little bit of Randomness

I have been incredibly busy at work lately, so my free time has mainly been spent relaxing, not blogging! So, sorry for that, but I'm back! I'm finishing up some plans and specifications for a new school, and I'm about to start up the first big project that is just mine! woo hoo! I'm renovating a big board/conference room for a non profit organization here in Abilene. I'm very excited about it because I'll get to show off my skills as a designer!

Enough talk about work though, what I want to know is...
Does anyone else do this?

When I go grocery shopping, it seems I just grab whatever paper is closest that I can write on... Sometimes it's envelopes, sometimes its a wedding card, you never know what it's going to be!

I wish I could say I was one of those people with a cute little paper pad with a magnet on it stuck to my refrigerator, because let's be honest, that makes much more sense. But I'm not. I have thought numerous times that I should invest in one of those things (is is an investment?) so that as we run out of things, we can write them on the little note pad and I wont have to try and remember everything before I make the trek to the grocery store. But oh well, at least I keep myself on edge and have to cook with what I've remembered! You could stretch it and say that I'm "going green" by recycling old paper.. but don't say too loud, I live in West Texas and I'm a designer. I know that most of that stuff (not all, to you eco-friendly people) is just a hype to get you to spend more money for a "green" product.

So I'll stick with my envelopes, cards, and miscellaneous papers to write my grocery lists on, it makes me a better person.

On another note, I have been on the mission to recover two chairs that I have had for some time now. They were originally my Grandmother's and then passed down to my mom, and then put in storage only to be taken out and cleaned up for their debut in my college house. When I got them, I bought some inexpensive fabric and did the cheap and easy way of "recovering" them, but it looked more like a slip cover. I wanted to bring the true character of these chairs back, because nothing is more fun than updating old furniture!

The original fabric reminded me of a toile but it had historic buildings from the colonial days on it. I was searching and searching for something different fom what I had. Something bright and fun. I looked for weeks and weeks.. even in Dallas, with no luck. Then one day I saw a sign that said "half price sale" infront of Hancock's fabrics here in Abilene, so I decided to go in.

I didn't want to spend all that much because the point of re-doing them myself was so I could have something unique and not have to spend very much. I could probably just buy two new chairs for a couple of hundred dollars, so anything above $20 a yard was out of the question, but I also wanted something that was uphoulstery grade and would last for a while, because I wasn't going to be re-doing them again.

I found it! The perfect fabric that was what I was looking for! And guess what! it was on sale for $10 a yard! I bought up enough for both of the chairs and some throw pillows for our couch.

We have two of these chairs and a big chocolate leather couch! I can't wait until they're done!

This one obviously isn't finished, you can tell by the bottom, but I can't wait until it is done and I start on the other! Don't you just love the fabric?

I guess that is all for now! I hope you have a spectacular Tuesday!

5 comments:

  1. Kelly, I'm on your blogroll!??!! I'm surprised and honored! :) Your blog is adorable, by the way. I must say that I am one of those nerdy people (read "former teacher") who has the magnetic note pad on the fridge...I actually have 3...it's a little sad. :) And I L-O-V-E the chairs! Can't wait to see them finished and in all their glory in your living room!

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  2. Oh, and Camryn really wanted me to tell you HI! ;)

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  3. The chairs look great, nice fabric collection.
    The more important question is, who is eating pop-tarts, and what is that person's favorite flavor?
    I haven't had a pop-tart in forever... but if I were going to buy them at the grocery store today I would want a mixed package - half strawberry half of that brown sugar cinnamon one that used to always be at home. I don't believe I could commit to an entire box of just one pop-tart flavor.

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  4. first of all, i do the exact same thing for any kind of list i have to make! i love love love the chairs! i have a couch that i really want to recover, but i think it might be to complicated for me to do myself. how are you going to finish the bottom of the chairs?

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  5. Sarah- I just saw that you had a blog and I wanted to add you! I really wish I had one of those magnetic things, I think it would really make my life easier, ha! tell Camryn I said hi!

    Christy- it's me who is eating the pop-tarts.. I mean, not really though. I always seem to buy them for some reason. I guess I just like to have them in the pantry as a last resort when I"m running out the door and we don't have anything else for breakfast. and I get the brown sugar cinnamon, it's probably your best bet..

    Marie- I need to sew some welting into some of the fabric to use as edging. Then I'm going to take about a 4 inch piece of fabric with a little batting underneath and edging on both sides to give it a finished edge. I don't know if that even makes sense, but I'll be sure to post some pictures when I'm done!

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