Red Chair Makeover

I have been fixing up a crafty area in my house for awhile now. I decided I needed to refinish a chair that I could set things on sit in when I craft.

I found this old chair at a Salvation Army.

I removed the cushion and sanded the chair.

I wanted to paint it a glossy red color.

I put a couple coats on it...

While that was drying, I ripped off the old cushion.

I traced it on the new (recycled) foam I was going to use. (My mom helped me, thanks Mom!)

Here are all the layers.

Time to staple everything together.

Trim it up.

Staple on the fabric.

Trim it up again.

Put it all back together.

A lovely place to sit.

I will link to these parties this week. And Get Your Craft On @ Today's Creative Blog.

A *Safe* New Year

This was a monumental New Year for us! You see, when we moved into the house two years ago, it came with a safe. It is lodged deep down in our basement and has been facing the wall. It is the thickest piece of metal I have ever seen.

Thick = heavy.

Heavy = not movable.

Not movable = never been opened since we bought the house.

What if there is a million dollars, or precious gems, or diamond necklaces or tons of crafting materials in it?? How could we not have attempted to open it until now? How dare us!

Actually, I was a little afraid of what we would find. You see, a few days ago, I was working down in my craft room and I smelled a stinky smell. Like an animal had died or something. Gross, I know. So I immediately blamed the safe because what else do I have to blame? My husband was no where near the room.

Anyhow, you know how when it is the last day of the year and you are partaking in festivities, it is a time for reflection and idea making? Well, it was my husband and his friend's idea to go turn the safe. My friend and I stayed upstairs, but soon we heard some grunting... and some pounding... and some loud noises, we had to take a look. This is what we found:

Yup, that's my husband in the white with his ear to a glass "listening" for the combination. By the way, can you see how when I painted the basement wall, I painted only up to the safe because we couldn't move it out of the way? Yikes.

Maybe their muscles were a little tired from moving it, but upon further reflection, the safe was not actually locked. They just had to pull really hard and the safe opened to reveal...

Another door!!!!

But that door had a key!

And this is what we found inside...

It is really dirty, but definitely doesn't have anything dead inside! Oh, it also didn't have any money, diamonds, or gems either. I am thinking that we will check into the story of our safe. So far we know it survived a fire in a jewelry store and fell a story or two into the basement. THEN I am thinking it would make a super cool storage chest for something special (crafting supplies? a mini-bar?) I will keep you posted when we decide to do something with it. Any ideas??

Hope you all had a *safe* New Year!

Don't Agonize, Organize!

We've heard it before: “Don't agonize, organize”. Yet here I am agonizing. Could it be the agony in my lower back, after spending hours sitting on the floor in my living room? Yes. I recently received a BUNCH of crafting items from my Aunt and Grandma. Look at all the goodies I scored!



How do I organize it all?? It's official- I am going to need to create a crafting space in my house. Call the hubby- he has some dry-walling to do! I would love a place like this. I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I will just have to improvise.

I may not have a "crafting space," but I certainly do have all the supplies to fill the place including these adorable cans from the original crafter of my family, my darling Grandma! These will definitely have a special place front and center in my (future) crafting station.



I had to chuckle because if you look closely in the picture above, you will see the cute duck-shaped pencil holder, hand-crafted by my wonderful Grandpa. It comes complete with scribbles on the sides, crafted by one of the grandchildren many moons ago (maybe it was me?). I can't wait for that little guy to sit next to grandma's cans. The thought of it "quacks" me up. (Get it? hehehe)

All this organizing led me to a grateful moment. I am lucky to come from such a "crafty" family. My grandmother, the artist; my grandfather, the woodworker; my mother, the fellow red headed crafter (she used to own her own crafty store); and my father, the fixer-upper of anything. (Just to name a few.) Where would I be without these people to inspire me?

What inspires you? Leave a comment and let me know!