RJ Ward Design

First of all it's been month's since I've posted anything. I've been working alot more than I usually do and haven't had the time. It doesn't mean I haven't been busy doing things because I have - it's just that I've been scattered all over the map on projects and it's time I started to focus. So . . . . . We've been going to the thrift stores in our neighborhood on Saturdays looking for some sort of something, anything! A few months ago my eye caught 2 ugly looking outside chairs. My husband walked right by these and I had to lure him back. He didn't see anything special about these two! Finally he  gave in saw my vision and for $3 each we brought 2 chairs home. The finish was more of a moldy gray, green color with a rough finish. I took them out on our back porch and gave them a really good scrubbing. We went to the local Home Depot and decided that we wanted to spray them black. I then ran drove to my favorite Kohl's to finish...

I've finally taken all the fabric off the couch. Luckily there really aren't as many pieces that I thought there would be so I'm hoping the construction will go pretty smoothly. There were so many staples that I think the people who constructed this couch had bets on shooting staples into the different couches that they built to see who would win. I think mine won hands down! I started with the cushions first knowing that this would take the longest and be the hardest part. I learned from experience after doing the chairs that this was really going to be a sew. rip. repeat. process. I'm glad I planned on doing this because I didn't get as frustrated moving the pins around. I also wanted to make sure that I was going to like the color of the new couch. I purchased this fabric from a friend who's daughter works for a design house in Chicago and got it for a steal. I consider it a steal because I purchased 27 yards of fabric for $32.00! WOW! So my theory was that ...

Bailey is our 9 (soon to be 10) year old Golden Retriever. She's spoiled - there isn't no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The only furniture Bailey is allowed to sleep on is the couch in the livingroom. Well I have finally started to reupholster the couch since the chairs are finally finished. But . . . Bailey doesn't care! To be continued . . .

Isn't she a beaut? We actually had 2 of these wonderful ladies. Let's face it, times are tough in this economy and these chairs were in some dire need to be redone or donated. The confidence level in my husband was way ahead of mine. So one day I got out the screwdriver, needlenose pliers and started. No going back now! I wish I would have taken pictures of our process of putting the fabric back on her but we didn't. We ran into one hitch and ran out of our 13 yards of fabric when it was time to do the last cushion. Hence the name sew.rip.repeat. Our first project was not only a difficult challenge but we had to put a pattern on the fabric just to spice it up a little. So after 2 months of hemming and hawing, sewing and ripping we accomplished our end goal. Two beautiful chairs to sit in our livingroom. I could have flattend out the cushion before I took the picture but oh well. Now time to start a couch!  I'm going out of my comfort zone and actually putting thes...