One, Two, Three, Four...Quirky Chairs To Adore?

Sometimes girls just wanna have fun.  Snap your fingers, instant gratification fun. So I purchased four ordinary chairs months ago with the intention of doing them "right away." But right away had to include cool.  Different. And Fun.  And so they sat. And sat.  I'd stare at them and at times I think they stared back. Obviously, inspiration and fun were off on holiday...together. Without me.

Then one incredible day, the idea hit me.  I was off to the races.  First, I removed the caning...

I painted them a creamy white as shown here. Next came distressing and glazing.

I had my dear brother print stylized numbers (1, 2, 3, and 4) in chocolate on my burlap.  Here, I'm stapling number 3 on the back (can you can see the outline of it peeking through?) On top of this went a layer of batting (secured with spray adhesive).

Finally, on went the top layer of burlap.  The stapled edges are hidden beneath french gimp braid (from good ol' Hobby Lobby) in a complimentary hue.

I forgot to show you the seats.  Ughh.  I love pancakes. Just not sitting on 'em.  Take a look at these time-worn beasts before...

Three inch foam and french gimp braid can work miracles I tell you...Here's a seat sneak peek!

And without further ado, I introduce four playful chairs for your viewing pleasure...

I'm pairing them with a round pedestal table...that's next on my "get it done" list.  I'm thinking while I have inspiration in a choke-hold...I shouldn't let go.  Not until it taps out.

What do you think?

Sharing this week at  Wow Us Wednesday and also Furniture Feature Friday

Blessings and Abundant Peace!

Arlene

Just Rockin' That Toile!

Let's start by saying I am so excited to be a spanking brand new blogger! 
During the summer of 2011 B.B. (Before Blogging), I'd just mostly snap some quick pix of finished projects out on my front porch.  Sometimes I'd stage them a little and at other times, not so much.  This vintage rocker in "Scenic Savannah", a black Waverly linen toile edged in burlap was a salvaged sweet up-cycle...

I also took a run-of-the-mill brown pressback & finished it out in my favorite cream...

The original caning was punched through, so I just tore it out and had my dear husband make an insert from plywood.  A little foam, batting, pulling and stapling made this "biscuit" seat...cute? 

But oh, I think that rocker is rockin' the toile best of all...whatcha think?

Thanks for stopping by...I so enjoyed our front porch visit...come back anytime!

Now this new blogger is off try some links.  Oh boy...wish me luck?

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

~Blessings and Abundant Peace~

Arlene

It's All In The Mix!

Call me weird, but there's something really cool about rescuing pieces of furniture that are on their way to the local landfill because some soul has deemed them worthless. To scoop them up and take them home makes me... well, happy.

Case in point:  the chairs below.  They were a mixed bag and needed some serious sanding (aka the glorious grit).  Two of the cane backs were awfully tattered.  But those round seats and fluted legs begged for resurrection!

Re-cane them?  No.

For some reason, removing that spent caning just felt right.  Sometimes the pieces just speak to me.  (Did I mention my moonlighting as Arlene: Chair Whisperer?) More on that later...back to topic. Here's the before:

Deciding to paint them a warm creamy white felt right too, along with a light distressing and an umber glaze to settle into all those nooks and crannies. The satin polyurethane protective finish brought them to a blissful state of finished imperfection. Note to My New-Blogger Self:  Didn't take a SINGLE picture of the painting process... uggghhhhh! OK. Suck it up. Move on.

Anywho, on to fabric selection. I just LOVE mixing fabric textures, so a pastoral ivory/tan cotton toile accented with a coordinating french gimp was used for the inside back, and doubled burlap for outside back and those scrumptious round seats.

Drum roll please.....TaHDaHHHH!

This is the back view...clean and uncomplicated.

 Below, the "open weave" appeared
refreshingly light and airy in its new shade of warm white...

What do YOU think?

It was so much fun to pull it all together!  I told myself that I would understand if no one "got" the quirkiness of this offering. Afterall, I could always bring it home 'cause I loved it.  And so, my dear hubby and son carried it to my spot at the antiques store.  Laura, shopkeeper extraordinaire and owner of De'Ja Vous, had it placed at the store's entry.  What a privilege!  She said I had thirty days...it sold in four.  WOW.

I am amazed...and humbled...and off in search of more pieces in need
of a little Georgia Grace...and Grit.

~Blessings and Abundant Peace~

Arlene