In the spirit of holiday preparation, I have decided to host a GIVEAWAY!

Since the holidays are about doing for others, here's one just for you!

I am interested in what you will be shopping for / making this year. What is the ONE gift you will be giving where you are proud of it's...creativity, ingenuity, or thoughtfulness?  Maybe it's for a friend, your dad, or your kids.

To enter the GIVEAWAY, simply reply to this post with your favorite gift ideas for 2009.  The contest will run through this weekend, Sunday (11) at midnight.

If you are chosen (by random drawing) as the winner, it will be announced on my blog on Monday.  You will be winning a ZIPPY WALLET and GIFT CERTIFICATE to my shop!!

Welcome to my first upholstery tutorial.

Disclaimer:
Do not try this at home.

Thanks to a wonderful Etsy column titled "How Tuesday", I will be featured as the resident "expert" (term used loosely) on furniture upholstery.

On October 6th (a Tuesday of course), the feature will be up with a link to my tutorial on "Emergency Upholstery Techniques"...how to not throw up when you look at your hand-me-down furniture.

Below is the sofa I have remodeled for the project.  I had hoped to post the tutorial this evening...but seeing as it's already 11pm and the wake up call comes at 5am...I will be posting it on Sunday night for a sneak preview to my loyal blog readers.  Tuesday of course, the web waves will be filled with Etsy hopefuls looking to upscale their living room.

Yes, friends, the photos below are of the same sofa.  Stay tuned for details . . . . 

Last week, I was sucked into the vacuum that goes by the name of "Thrift Store".  This particular store is NEW to Mankato and carries only furniture.

Is it just me, or every time you are about to start something new, do you for a brief moment think you will be the best at it in the world? Upholstery was my task last week and although I don't claim to have dominated the sport, I did learn a valuable lesson...you have to be the life of your own party.

Bringing a $10 (on sale from $35) davenport home from the thrift store is something of fairy tales...finding fabric I LOVE on clearance leaves me speechless...having my husband simply sigh at the many adventures of the right side of my brain is...typical.

Amidst a household of doubt, I started the week by tearing off vomit colored, plastic-like upholstery and found a beautiful diamond in the rough piece of furniture.  Not only is this sweet little LoveSeat an antique, it is also a hide-a-bed.

Spending countless hours dreaming, shopping and collecting the perfect pieces of textile for my great find, yesterday I started the process of putting it back together.

Rockin' out to some of my favorite music, I slowly decided that this couch was just for me.  Being my first larger upholstery installation, I figure no one could enjoy it as much as myself...the one who tore it limb from limb, tenderly preserved the old batting and placed many stitches by hand.  Each staple, stretch and fold was made by my fingers after dark; all while picturing the great literature I could enjoy atop it's cushion.  Perhaps I will share Narnia with Axel on this very seat.

Upholstery can be emotional...or was that the Sheryl Crow?  Late last night I hammered my last nail and received a not-so-enthusiastic "great" from Jahred.  I received a fabric critique from my mother and when I asked Jahred to help me move it upstairs, so I could clean up the staples that had missed the mark, he appeared annoyed and said, "when I'm done".  Well, thats when I figured that celebrating yourself may be the only celebration you get.

It lost a little of it's magic upon seeing it in the daylight this morning, but I still believe it's more than "great".  In the future, you can find me on my davenport...it is uniquely mine and I shall use it as a reminder to sit down and give myself a break.

As I cleaned up the kitchen this evening, I saw Jahred looking at my handy-work and then take a seat.  In his own time, he always approves.

At the close of last week, my machine decided it had had enough. Not willing to let go of my greatest Salvation Army find, I desperately brought it to the 90 year old woman who repairs machines in my town.  After a brief lecture on the complete filth my machine contained (Seriously, who has time to take their machine apart for a regular bath??), she diagnosed it with an unknown ailment and told me she "would do her best".

With all my trust in this spry old gem, I left my baby with her for the weekend, complete with notes on how it likes to be treated and all of my "incase of emergency" phone numbers.  Not more than 36 hours later, my savior called and said the Singer would be just fine.

Getting my machine out of hawk cost a mere $20, but also a little shame for the abuse I bestow on it.  I carefully brought the Singer back home, and just stared for the whole of 1 day at it.

Almost as exciting and nerve-wracking as driving a new car, I carefully made the first stitches on the machine.  Smoothly I glided over the first zipper and cautiously I stitched even tough upholstery. For a while I'm sure I'll drive it like a new car, but inevitably things will get rough once more.

It's nice to know that a sweet old fashioned girl like myself has got my back, and values preserving the old as much as I do.  I promised to be back within the year for a good scrubbing and a little TLC.

New fabric...new name.  Formerly "the Girlfriend", now the "amiga" (spanish for girlfriend). The fish are FABULOUS if I might say so myself.

Wearing a scarf for the first time today, I feel like fall is on the way.

My favorite season deserves another favorite of mine...and thats a SALE / GIVEAWAY!

My Etsy shop is currently being worked on to lower prices (check out the SALE section) and new items will be added in bulk over the next few days.

For every purchase of $25 or more (yes, multiples of $25 will receive multiple gifts), you will receive a FREE SURPRISE SNAPPY WALLET!  I know, it's exciting...but don't stalk your mail man, the surprise will arrive soon enough.

Of course I always ship worldwide and custom orders DO count towards the GIVEAWAY!

Enjoy!

After an abrupt end to Tyler's triathlon season due to injury, I was determined to create something that would get him through a winter of rehab and keep is goals in sight.

After searching "triathlon" on Etsy (I didn't really expect to find anything), I came across this great pattern.  

Pattern created by "subitofarmstore", knitting done by me.

How wonderful it felt to spend the last week blowing off the shop and knitting such a special piece.  Complete with his name on the inside. The 40+ hours I spent on this hat requires it be chained to his noggin.

A rewarding feeling to place it on his head, a relief that it FIT!