UPHOLSTERY

Just a couple more photos to share. Enjoy!

UPHOLSTERY

Most of my friends and family now know I have begun to tackle upholstery. I won't add it to my list of things to do for clients but I love doing it for myself, friends and family. This wingback chair was in my hubbys office for eons....like 30 years. When the office closed all the furniture was donated to a local humane society. I was able to snag this chair and recover it. Not an easy job as I bought a close-out fabric that I didn't realize was a half drop repeat. It turned out great but soooooooooooooo much work. Tearing it down was the hardest but when I did I found a solid wood frame. I picked up a small foot stool from a thrift store for $7 and covered it to match. It now sits in my hubbys man cave.

CHF ACADEMY

I recently taught classes at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in Charlotte, NC. They were titled, "Outdoor Living" and "Marine Applications". They lasted 3 days each and were very fast paced and fun. I had 7 students that came from all over the country......New York, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Lots and lots of sunbrella upholstery fabric, sunbrella marine fabric and naugahyde vinyl were used. The student fabricated a waterfall cushion, an outdoor umbrella, a sunshade, a vinyl boat seat, a sunbrella cockpit cushion, outdoor grommet drapery panel and an entire boat cover. The classes are being taught again; the second week in April, second week in July and the second week in September. Check out the CHFA website and sign up for a class. You will be so glad you did.

Cockpit Cushions

I have made a few cushions for sailboat cockpits but these are my favorite. I absolutley love the green naugahyde vinyl used for these. Their canvas is green with some light tan mixed it. These were not easy. The shape was curved along the back and needed templates made for the foam to be cut. These clients are good friends of mine and they were more than pleased with the results. We used flow-thru foam and zippers along the back. They have been through the test of rain and no water collected in them.

GREAT STUFF!

I LOVE to tackle projects I have never done before. No joke. It is so much fun to be challenged. I watch the HGTV channel like most people watch soap operas. I just can't get enough. Recently, a good friend gave me a chair that had been in her family for 3 generations. It was beat to a pulp, outside, and needed lots of TLC. With my great friends from the CHFA school I decided to revamp the chair. After working on it for hours and hours and hours I decided to keep it for myself. I rubbed 4 coats of tongue oil into the wood, removed the existing rotting wood seat and rusted springs. I think it turned out super. I was also asked to recover a cornice board for a gal that had very little fabric. I had to piece the fabric together and there are 4 seams....and even one of them is horizontal! I can't find them so I'm sure you can't either....LOL.

PUPS, PUPS and more PUPS!

Most of you know that I am a HUGE dog and cat lover. I have owned dogs & cats my whole life. When our last precious angel died she was 13 years old. Our beloved golden retriever was named Honey Bear. Our daughter saved her money for 5 years to buy her when she was in middle school. When she died in 2010 I decided to help with fostering and rescue. Here are a couple of great family pups I recently met. Gus is the yellow lab. I met the English Bulldog at the Grove Park in Asheville, NC. Love these fellas. The Lynx Point Siamese is Sissy and she belongs to me :)

LONG TIME....NO POSTS.....OOOPS!

Things have been super busy around here. My first grandchild was born 6 months ago, I have moved my shop back into my Lake Waccamaw home, and I have been hired by the CHFA in Charlotte as an Instructor. If you don't know about CHFA then you must google them asap! They are the ONLY drapery workroom school in the country. That's right. AND....they are located in Charlotte, NC. It seems like I have been wanting to teach there for eons and it finally came to fruition this year. Yea, me! I am scheduled to teach 8 classes in 2013. One is Outdoor Living (cushions, grill covers, outdoor grommet panels) and the other is Marine Upholstery. Please take a look at their website and attend a class. You will be so glad you did. Here are a few photos of my students this year.