Grandma’s Swivel Rocker

AR’s birthday is today and AR’s mom wanted to give her “grandma’s rocker” for her 14^th birthday.  But this is what it looked like when I got it.

Before

The back cushion was attached and tufted.

Before

Not what you think of when you think teenager.  Her mom wanted it upholstered so I went to work on it.  This is what it looked like half way through it.

When I started to strip the arm I discovered that the swivel rocker had been upholstered not once or twice but three times and none of those times were the arm fabric removed.  I thought, I could spend the next two days stripping the old fabric or follow suit.  I decided to add batting and the new fabric.  I later found out that my upholstery was not the 4^th but the 5^th time it was upholstered.



Now for the big reveal.

After

After

  And now with the cushion.

Quite a difference.

Happy Birthday AR and my niece Bethany!

Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord!

Shortly after I became a Christian at age15 I began to feel a different tug at my heart.  It was God calling me into ministry.  I clearly remember the day I told my pastor that I was feeling called to the ministry.  I remember telling him I was afraid God was going to call me to go to Africa and I did not want to go to Africa.   At that time all I knew of people "in ministry" were that they were pastors (men only), music directors (able to sing), youth ministers (lively, outgoing, and somewhat crazy), and missionaries.  I could not sing to save my life, I wasn't a man, and I knew I did not want to go to Africa (in my mind all missionaries went to Africa) so I thought that youth ministry was what God was calling me to (if you know me you would never see me as a youth minister).  In college I went on a number of revival teams and soon learned that as much as I loved kids, I was not cut out to be a youth minister.  I went to graduate school and became a social worker.  After I graduated I went to work at a Christian children's home and believed that was what God called me to do.   I ministered to babies, kids, and youth.  I ministered to biological parents, foster parents, step-parents and adoptive parents.  I ministered to women in prison and people imprisioned in their addiction.  I ministered to social work interns and my co-workers.  I ministered for 23 years and 8 months.

In January of this year God allowed me to lose my job and my ministry (or so I thought).  One of my biggest losses was ministering to hurting people.  I thought I would never be able to minister again.  Praise God I was wrong.  In spite of the worry I knew God was in control.   In spite of all the evil that surrounded my losing my job God's plan prevails.   I still do not have a job but believe God's plan is unfolding and continues to minister through me every day.  This week alone I have been given the honor of praying with three friends and someone I had never met before.  Praise God I can minister outside of FBCH. 

Last Sunday I went to Joann Fabrics after church to buy some piping for the next project.  While there I passed by a lady I met at Publix last year while picking up lunch one day.  She was undergoing chemo for her cancer and my mother had just been diagnosed with lung cancer.  We talked briefly and I promised to pray for her.  I saw her again a few months later and got an update.  Last Sunday I passed by her at Joann Fabrics and stopped to talk.  I found out her name and that she was undergoing yet another round of chemo for her cancer.  I promised to continue to pray for her again.  She wanted to pray for my mom which prompted me to ask where she went to church.  She doesn't attend but considers herself "spiritual".  That opened an opportunity to share Christ and invite her to church.  All that to say, God continues to use even my sewing to minister in His name.  His mercies are new every morning and Praise God one day He will turn my mourning into dancing (can't wait to do that dance!).

So do you want to see what I have been up to?

Do you remember the dining room chair covers I made a while back for my first client?  Remember I wanted some for my old dining room chairs?  These are the chairs.

Before

Kind of country looking don't you think?  Well that was ok in 1989 when I loved that style.  Now...  The chairs are in good shape so no need to get rid of them but they need some help.  So slipcovers to the rescue.  Here are the covers on the old chairs.

After

Don’t they look soooo much better?  

Another happy customer. 

The best part is that because they are white I can bleach them which is a good thing because Cody  seems to love the chairs.  (Cody is my cat, actually my son's cat.)

 

With the dining chairs done I started work on my pajama chair.   While I loved the pajama chair fabric I did not have enough to cover the ottoman that went with it.  I did have enough of a new fabric I got on ebay not long ago.

 
It is an embroidered cream canvas that I won for a mere $25.49 ($10.50 for fabric plus $14.99 shipping ).   I love ebay.

I don't think you ever saw the pajama chair prior to the pajama slipcover.  Here it is...

Before

Baby blue gingham while pretty in a baby boy's room not so good in my living room.

Here it is in its pjs.

After - PJ's

And now all dressed up!!!

After

Isn’t she beautiful?

Have I thanked you lately for stopping by?  Thank you!  For looking and for indulging me as I share my adventures in sewing and my adventures with God.

May He bless you this week.

Adventures continue...

MY SON

Early this summer my son came to me.  He is a rising senior at FSU.  He and 3 other guys have been rooming together and were moving to an unfurnished house.  He had seen his mom dramatically change her furniture and asked if I would do the same for him.  If you know me, you know that I came by my nickname "Zippy" for wanting things done as soon as the thought comes in.  If one of my children asks me for something I attack it with a vengeance.  Within a couple of weeks I found the fabric.  Nothing beats Joann Fabrics red tag sale when you have an additional 50% off.  Shortly thereafter I found his couch in Goodwill.  $60 couch $45 fabric.  Brand new couch for $105.

It is a slipcover but I doubt the boys will ever take it off and wash it.  My nephew's comment, when he saw it, (he is one of the roommates) was to suggest I make a slipcover for their "leather" love seat.  My son was quick to suggest that it could wait until next summer to which I was extremely relieved. 

My nephew decided that his room could use a chair.  I found one for free and will be slipcovering as soon as we find a good deal on black fabric.



FRIENDS

My friends have been encouraging me to start a business.  I love to sew, I like to see the transformation, and I have the time while I look for a job.  My first "job" was for my neighbor's daughter.  It was a cute love seat.  Wish I had the pictures because it truly was adorable.  I made that slipcover in one day.  There were no cushions to cover (which by the way is in my opinion the most difficult part of making a slipcover).  A month later she brought me a chair .  The chair took two days to complete.  Here is the before.

Before

The back cushion was attached and tufted.  I detached the cushion.  However, the cushion was thin and bowed in.  It did not look good.  It really needed to be tufted.  I love a challenge.  Here is the finished chair. 

After

After

 

She loved it.

That same week I did my first slipcover for someone I did not know.  She wanted to slipcover four chairs.  Actually they were very pretty chairs and I hated to see them covered.  She sent me a picture of the covers she wanted and trusted me to recreate them.  This is too much fun.





She loved them.  It is so nice to be praised for the work we do.  I liked them so much I started making plans to make some for my dinning room chairs.  I will show you mine when they are done. 

UPHOLSTERY Adventure

Did I tell you my friends think I can do anything?  Well, at least one does.  She thought I could upholster.  She had a chair that was crying for a transformation.  Here is the before.

Before

Had I known how hard it was going to be I would have run the other way.  I must say, the hardest part of upholstering is actually the demolition. 

Before

You have to pull and pull and pull.  It is not for the weak.  It is not for the inpatient.  I must have removed over two hundred tacks ...

Finally it was time to start putting it all back together.

The arms were the most difficult.  Actually using an electric stapler was the hardest.  I ended up taking it back to HD and getting a small compressor and staple/nail gun.  Boy is there ever a difference.  Night and day difference.  It took no time to finish when I finally got the right tools.

After

I love it.  I cannot believe I did it!!!  Who knew I could do this???  My God knew.  Praise Him! 



In the beginning...

I lost my job in February of this year.  I was used to getting up and going to work and now had nothing to do.  I started making a list of projects I had wanted to do but had no time for when I was working.  I soon started sewing again.  My first project was my couch.  It was in good shape but was in desperate need of TLC.  I had always wanted a blue slipcover.  Dare I spend money on fabric when I have no job?  It was either sew or go crazy.  Fabric was cheaper than therapy so my adventure began.

Here is the finished couch, and pillows.

Next came what my next door neighbor calls my pajama chair.  She says it looks like men's pajamas.  I got the fabric for a mear $5.99 a yard and rather like sitting on pajamas.  If you can't be in them then sit on them I say.

 



The only problem was my pajama chair didn't match with it's yellow companion.  What is a girl to do but buy more fabric and start sewing.  If I am going to be home waiting for a job it might as well look pretty.  I found some matelasse fabric for only $7.95 a yard which is unheard of for matelasse.  This is my favorite one.  Doesn't it look classy?