back in town...

 

...but just barely.  We spent the last stretch of summer at the lake, working on the house (I will update you soon with some photos), but mostly having fun with the children and friends, in and out of the lake (the weather was absolutely gorgeous!). However, last week we hurried off to Montreal because, very sadly, my mother-in-law passed away -- at the beginning of summer, we got the sad news that liver cancer would probably only give her two more months with us and sure enough, two months later, she slipped away from us on the day of her birthday... Her pain near the end was unrelenting, and after many moving and very earnest moments spent with family and friends, she finally let go -- I do hope and pray that she is at peace.

So, I am back in Vancouver now... heavy-hearted, but very busy with the children as we start up yet another school year. Along with re-organizing my work area (a never-ending job in my case!), I have lots of new project ideas germinating in my head... One of the projects I did manage to finish this summer was giving an old leather chair which I purchased for $5 a new look -- what do you think?

  

 

(Don't you love before and after shots! -- If you're into furniture before and after's, check these out...) I have to say that I didn't mind the chair in its original shabby state, but I was worried that my kids would very quickly make it so there would be no leather left at all on the top seat... (Yup, my kids are animals!) And, I also really wanted to try the idea of blanket stitching the fabric onto the leather seat -- I actually enjoyed doing it except for the fact that I got very sore fingers while doing it (I don't like using thimbles!).

    I do have another old leather chair which I'd also like to perk up a bit with some fabric -- in this case though, some of its seams are ripped and the leather has cracked on the chair back instead of the seat, so I'm thinking of touching it up with fabric a bit differently this time ('show you when it's done...)

 

 
 
If you're like me and the thought of autumn gives you an urge to whip up a patchwork quilt or two, I recently received a heartwarming email from Annette who lives in Switzerland in which she mentions the quilt she just completed for her daughter -- take a look here at how sweet is! I also recently received a note from Beth who pens the inspiring blog give1save1.com asking me if I'd like to donate one of my pillowcases as a giveaway, in order to raise money for an orphanage in Rwanda to buy 50 new beds and mosquito nets for the children living there. So if you have a moment, please, please take a look at her post about the GIVEAWAY --  whoever wins the giveaway will have a choice of any one of the pillowcases which are in my shop at the moment. And that's about it for me for now... 'Hope you are taking the time to enjoy the beauty that September has to offer, wherever you may be...

 

Comments

[andi]

I'm so sorry for your sad loss this summer.
Andi x

PS LOVE the chair make-over!!

[riitta raitala]

I love all of these!!!

[Liz]

Sorry for your loss. Cancer took my nephew away too this summer. The chair looks fabulous. :) Liz

[simo]

ma che splendido lavoro, complimenti! Come hai fatto????

[Ana]

Very sorry to hear about your mother in law's death. Hope you're all healing.

I love the chair! It's a great choice of fabric, and a great idea!

[Claire]

Hello, I love your chair makeover. I have been given an old green leather chesterfield sofa. The leather is very worn on the seats and your chair has given me an idea on how to resurrect it without replacing all the leather. A question about your chair: did you sew the floral fabric onto the leather before blanket stitching? Or was it just a piece of fabric laid on the leather and then blanket stitched around the edges.
Thanks, Claire ( from Australia)

[Vintage Fairy Tales Rebecka]

Hi there!
I love everything you do:)
This is awesome!
Becky

[Pink mohair]

So sorry for you.
I do love the blanket stitch you've done. Lovely

[sue]

That must have killed your fingers it's so even and neat.

[Pina]

so sorry to hear about the passing of your mother-inlaw, I understand how the last few days and hours are for the family to say goodbye, as I lost my mother-inlaw to liver cancer, she also passed away on her birthday which made it extremely hard for us to cope with. ending on a lighter note I like the chair very much and i have to agree with Sue that must have killed the fingers.

[Donna]

Sorry for your loss.

Love the chair make-over. I always forget to take the before photos!

[felicity]

so sorry for you all, take care,

i love the chair make over xxx

[Check Insurance]

Sorry for your loss. Cancer took my nephew away too this summer. The chair looks fabulous.

[Jean C.]

As others have mentioned I too am very sorry for your loss. Cancer has taken some of our family members also. Seems you can't go anywhere without it affecting someone's family/friends.
I come and visit your blog every now and again and just wanted to tell you that your chair make over turned out nicely. You may think this rude (and I really don't mean to be) but I'm afraid that all your hard work with the blanket stitch may be in vain... yarn is a very hardworking thread... we use it on so many things and in so many ways, but I'm afraid that you will find that it will be what will wear out the fastest on your chair make over. It's just not made for that sort of hard work. I wish you luck that it will last a long, long time... but unfortunately it we had a polyester quilt that was quilted with the same weight yarn (same color too for that matter) and after 10 years (which isn't too bad) the yarn just started to pop and fall apart.
The fabric you used sure makes the chair "pop"... it really is cute!

[בגדי מעצבים]

Great job done by you. I like to do such awesome work. Thanks for sharing this one. Stay up the good work!

[elliptical reviews]

No offense, but if there's a facebook like button, it'll be much easier for me to share.

[Carola]

I loved the idea! And how it turned out!
I'm having the same problem with my chairs: My daughter keeps on pulling the broken leather.

Did you have to disassemble the top part of your chair for this project?

CONGRATS!!!
Can I mention this project on my blog? :)