Apology Poem to My Home

My home life is a mess right now-physically!  Many of my own rooms are in transition and the physical complete changes can't keep up with my brain.  Has this happened to you?  I have begun SO many home projects but not finished any of them.  I have drawings, laid out plans, and am ready to go, yet stuck in mid gear.  For good reasons thankfully, my hubby Paul and I have been very busy with our own businesses, but I need to own up to my poor disheveled home so here is my apology to my house:

Ode To My Lovely Disheveled Home

To my dining room that has become a dumping ground

For the unpainted crown molding that has crept all around;

To my bedroom closet that weeps for a new wood floor

That covers the rest of the room but sadly I ignore;

And to my office that I can barely step into these days

The only room that my husband curses me to save;

Oh and I can not forget my basement that I love best

I still need to paint the trim and finish the rest.

I am so sorry to you all dear rooms

I love you much and my good intentions will resume;

I just need a good night sleep and finish one thing or two

And I promise, tomorrow, I will get right back to you!

xoxo,

Shosh

To prove my words are true, I finished one project-adding wood flooring in my closet. I am sorry about the poor picture quality.  

I took everything out of my closet.

My bed looked like my closet threw up on it.  It is actually an episode of Hoarders (just kidding!).

Since everything was out I went through purses I have not opened in years.  It was a wonderful trip down memory lane.  I found all sorts of stuff like my plane tix from my trip to Australia back in 2002; receipts from my trip to San Fran which was the last 'girls weekend' for me and my two bestest college buds; and my Long Island Railroad schedule from my daily commuting days to the big apple when I lived on Long Island.

To be truthful, after cleaning up the tears, I left my mess on my bed and went ice skating with my daughter leaving my handy hubby to install the flooring (I got the better end of the deal).-Nice job P!

Click here to see how I originally designed this closet to work for me VERY INEXPENSIVELY.

Ok now changing the subject to tell you I will be blogging about my new client in Jim Thorpe.  This is a big project, sweet client, and I can not wait to get started.  I also can't wait to bring my contractors in to this beautiful area (it's an hour away from us).  Below is a pic I took leaving Jim Thorpe Friday.  Isn't it beautiful!  It is located at the base of a steep valley carved by the Lehigh River.  

Enjoy your day!!!

My Morning Slip Cover Chair Project Using Remnant Fabric (no sewing needed!)

It snowed this morning so I had to cancel my client appointments, but I got to eat frosted flakes and make a chair cover in my owl pjs.  It was a grrrrreat (per Tony the Tiger)!!!

I didn't mean to do a DIY project but when I came across some Thomas Paul remnant fabric in my office a light bulb went off (bing!).  I have 2 parson chairs that I was going to get slipcovered professionally but as I held the remnant pieces up and stared out the window at the snow I decided to see if I could have some fun doing it myself.  I have never done this before.  

IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW- I don't know how to use a sewing machine (that is one of my goals for 2011).  This was a 'very creative' project (say it like John Wayne would). I used only what I had at my home.  I documented it below.  If you are up for it, give it a try!  There are a million variations of how to do this I am sure, but here is mine:

For this project you need:
-Enough remnant fabric to cover the parts of the chair you want to cover
-parson chair
-Scissors
-push pins
-Stitch Witchery (click here to see what this is)
-Nail heads (can still do project if you don't have it)
-Fabric glue
-Staple gun or small nails
-Hammer
The project took 2 1/2 hours (and I had no idea what I was doing!).

START WITH:

Here is a pic of the remnant and the parsons chair I used. 

STEP ONE

Drape the fabric over the chair.  Play with the fabric to find the best way it will work.  Use pins to hold it in place to work with it better.  

Mine worked best cutting it into two pieces, one for the seat that would be tucked underneath, keeping the legs exposed; and one to drape over the front and back of the chair back, leaving the sides open because I didn't have enough fabric to cover them. 

STEP TWO

 Cut your fabric to include an extra four inches (or slightly less if you don't have enough fabric) on all sides (like the picture above). I needed the extra inches to to fold in the sides of the chair back fabric (step three), adhere the chair back and seat fabric together and tuck in into the seat (step four), and to nail it underneath the chair (step five).

STEP THREE

Iron the fabric (I like to sing a Roxette song while doing this-give it a try "oooh just a little bit dangerous").

Using the fabric that will be placed on the chair back (not the seat fabric), you want to hide the cut edges along the sides of the chair by folding them over.  I placed the fabric print side down and using the extra four inches (or less if you didn't have enough fabric), I folded the edges, ironing it with stitch witchery so they stayed folded.  Make sure that with your folded edges your fabric still covers the width of the chair end to end like above.

STEP FOUR

I placed the chair back fabric and the seat fabric back on the chair.  I used stitch witchery to adhere the seat fabric to the chair back fabric; Then to hide the seam, I tucked the seam down into the chair as shown above.

STEP FIVE

 

Lye chair down on its back and begin pulling the seat fabric tight, hammering tiny nails in  underneath chair (a staple gun works also).  For the corners, pull and wrap the fabric like you are wrapping a gift. *I found that standing over the chair kept the nails straight as I hammered them.

STEP SIX

On the back of the chair, I ran a line of fabric glue down the sides to adhere it to the chair. Instead of fabric glue you can use nail heads (like the front side in step seven).

STEP SEVEN

Turn front of chair towards you.  Add nail heads down front sides of chair back (you can use them down the backside also instead of fabric glue in step six).  I placed them 3" apart but use more if you like the nail head look.

You are done!!  This chair looks good from all angles!

 There are so many variations you can come up with for this project.  You can use velcro to hold the fabric on underneath, you don't need the nail heads, you can use ties on the sides so it can slip on and off easily, etc. 


p.s. - I hope my steps are clear because I didn't have much time to write them.  My daughter came home early due to the snow.

BEFORE                                                                  AFTER

I am working on the other parson chair I have using another Thomas Paul remnant.  I love the way it looks at my kitchen table.  Can't wait to see how the other looks!!

"Hey Thomas Paul, what do you think?"

If you try this project or have done one similar, please let me know and I will post your pics.

How To Create a Photo Gallery On Your Wall

Do you love how groups of frames look on a wall but afraid to try it at home?  Seems overwhelming but it doesn't have to be.  As an Interior Decorator, I have done this dozens of times and will share my secrets with you.  By the way you can include much more than just framed photos as you can see below. You can include shelves, masks, mix artwork in, hooks with something hanging from it like necklaces, antique trinkets, etc.-anything goes!  

Read my easy step by step process to hanging frames then check out some of the photo galleries I have done.  This is a great project for one person or fun for two!

ONE

Measure the height and width your wall space.  This is important so that when you lay out your wall art you will know how wide and high it can go on the wall.  If you have a small wall you don't want to come up with an arrangement that doesn't fit.  And on the opposite end, if you have a large wall you want to make sure it fills up the space.

TWO

Make paper templates of each frame.  AND using the point of your pencil, poke a hole exactly where the nail will go.

THREE

Give each frame a number using painters tape.  Then write the same number on its template.  Set the templates aside.

FOUR

On the floor create a layout using all of your frames (and whatever else you wish to add on the wall).  

FOUR 

When you have a layout you like, using your paper templates, arrange them on the wall.  This is where the numbering system comes in.  Just follow the numbers on each frame.

Tweak it until it is where you want it.

FIVE

You are almost done....hammer the proper sized nail through each hole you made in Step TWO for each paper template on the wall.   

Now hang your wall art!!!

To see more step by step instructions CLICK HERE. 

TIP ON FINDING FRAMES 

Arrange Your Gallery Right At The Store

Before I show you some other fun wall art gallery combinations I want to talk about finding the frame itself when you are at a store.  Don't be shy.............

Spread out the frames down the aisle.  See how different frames, mattes and arrangements look together.  This could take a while but can be so helpful.  I always get looks from people walking by, but it is in amazement, not that they think I am crazy (that is what I choose to believe:).  

My Advice On Giving Your Gallery Life 

Be brave with your selection of frames and mattes-don't match 'em.  Use varied colors and shapes.  Hang personal achievements with photos, and mementos.  Use black and white photos on a bold wall.  Use colorful photos on a neutral wall-and FILL THE WALL UP!!!!!!  

Wall Art Gallery Combinations To Try

Try adding frames of your child's artwork to your gallery.

Stairwell walls are great places to include a large gallery.

Get creative using two different color mattes.

Try using black and white photos with white mattes against a bold wall color for interest. 

Try hanging shelves and then leaning  your framed photos on them as well as other special mementos.

A small arrangement brings interest to a built in.

Mix and match frames for an eclectic look.

A corner of a room to perch upon a chaise is a perfect place to stop time through a beautiful mix of cherished memories, awards, prized possessions, from your childhood to now.