Gettin' That Itch Again...

Every so often (well, almost daily), I tell Darrell that a certain itch is coming on and he immediately gets a bit worried. He knows that this itch isn't that I want another baby or to move to another house, or anything like that. My itch is the crafty kind, which many other mommas and ladies I know get like I do.

During the summer when I am off of work from teaching is when that itch is so unbearable that it needs some Benadryl cream FAST. I am so the kind of person that looks at my house and even though every visitor here gives it such nice compliments, I want to drastically change something about it!

I am also the kind of person that likes to do my research to not only make things beautiful, but also either handmade or handcrafted by me and on the cheap, too. I hunt down bargains at thrift stores, ebay, sometimes auctions, and yard sales.

It all started in June when I decided that for once and for all, I was going to re-upholster 2 swivel rockers that my dear friend, Shannon, had in her house and was about to put on the curb. Naturally, I jumped at the chance and grabbed them from her for a steal. I love that they are SO comfortable and they got both Shannon and I through many days and nights of nursing and feeding/consoling babies! I really like the fabric that is on them since it is floral and toile-ish, but I think they need an update for a new life.

I have researched this online and from friends' suggestions for months now. Everyone has quoted $500 for each chair PLUS the cost of fabric. I know this may be feasible for some people, but not for me. They are really nice Flexsteel chairs with a strong frame, so it's worth recovering them, but at that price, I just can't do it. Sooo... I've decided to do it myself! Yup, that's right. I figure that if they come out that bad that I'll just cover them with a loose slipcover for a more Shabby Chic look, right? ;)

Luckily, my friend Crafty Spice, is very crafty herself, although, she can make furniture, too! I'm not at all that skilled. But I ran into her at a party and we talked it up and she said to go for it. I love her even that much more now!

I searched for fabric for DAYS online and in stores. Okay, so this is the hardest decision EVER. But I have decided that I want to stay in the blue color scheme to avoid repainting the entire room and changing out accessories. Darrell was all for this decision since he is often the painter in our house! I thought I would go for a neutral look to change out my pillows and accessories when I felt itchy again, but that's not me at all. I love prints, patterns, TOILE, and color. Plus, with 2 kids, white, off-white, or even light yellow is not feasible at all. Plus I am not venturing into making my own slipcovers for these. That requires sewing... oh, and knowledge of it, too.

So, I finally found some fabric for a great deal at JoAnn and it's officially on order. It's Waverly's Paddock Shawl Porcelain. I got it for 40% off (on sale) plus did you know that Teachers automatically get a 15% discount at JoAnn? Well, I actually had a Teacher coupon sent to me after enrolling for 20% off. So, I got it for super cheap. Bummer is that I had to pay like $16 for shipping since it's special order. But after looking at my local fabric shop, G Street Fabrics, I have to say that I wasn't all that impressed. I need to be on the lookout for more fabric shops.

I was able to find a bunch of tips by watching some videos from diyupholsterysupply.com They run a little slowly, but I got the basic idea. I got my power staple gun from Sears (again, Darrell was happy with this purchase and will most likely want to use it more than me) and ordered some other supplies from that website with the videos. So, I'm just waiting for the fabric for the real magic to begin!

Anyone out there ever done this before without sewing? If so, I need your tips! ;)

The chairs now in my front Sitting/Fru-Fru Room:

The fabric: