Recovering our Chairs

It's funny to think about the family in Houston two years ago who threw these chairs on their curb for trash pickup. They have no idea that some lady (Hi, Mom!) would spot them, call her newly-a-homeowner-with-an-empty-house daughter to describe the trashy chairs that had "good bones" and potential once you looked past the faded purple-gone-brown stained and dog-furry fabric.


Here are the beauties before.
stained fabric (although awesomely geometric)

mysteriously sticky

and torn

But free :)


And...Fast-forward to when I get around to recovering these trash-to-treasure finds. Here's a peek at my process.


Demo and deep cleaning

primer & paint

meet fun Ikea fabric
staple guns

All arms and legs were used to pull the fabric as taut as I could.

Here's how they turned out. 

I decided to trim the chairs with double welt cording because I read it is the most forgiving trim since it's nice and wide. My favorite local fabric warehouse (remember, the place where I scavenged for my table runner pieces...) makes double-welt cording for a few dollars per yard. It turned out perfect...I love the quirky Tim Burton-y feel of the black and white diagonal stripes.





I love the hand-drawn quality of the Ikea fabric I picked for the seat of the chair and the backside. 




We're happy to have our old chairs a little bit freshened up :)

Vera: textiles

I love our new vintage Vera kitchen linen from my mama.

Vera Neumann was an artist who started designing textiles in the 40s. Based on the cute little ladybug logo, I think mine is from the early 60s.  Read About Vera Neumann if you don't know her work.

I love it!

September Calendar

Wishing you a sweet September.

"By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer."
-Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885

Just click on this image to make it bigger, then save it or make it your desktop image from there.

Graphic design: Honey Do

A cute little invitation for a couples shower.
A sweet friend {pun intended} gave me the concept from another one 
she had seen - and I drew it up. I love this sort of thing. 

Names and numbers changed to protect the innocent :)


Has anyone been to a Honey Do shower with bride and groom together? Definitely a fun idea!

Wedding Portrait: NYC

Talk about dramatically romantic in Central Park. 


I was commissioned to take this gorgeous engagement photograph and put a painterly spin on it as a surprise gift from groom to bride.


Architecture + portrait.  I'm in. 


He wanted to include a sweet quote she loves. It happens to be from Winnie the Pooh.



Congrats and blessings to the newlyweds!


Acrylic - 18" x 24" 

August Calendar

A new month, a new calendar for your desktop.  Don't be shy :)

au·gust

   [aw-guhst]

–adjective

1.

inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity orgrandeur; majestic: an august performance of a religiousdrama.

2.

venerable; eminent: an august personage.

Wishing you an august  August.

Just click on this image to make it bigger, then save it or make it your desktop image from there.

graphic design: Southern Harmony

A talented friend is part of The Women's Chorus of Dallas. Bam.


They are a non-profit group who serve the community by raising money through their performances. And with an upcoming concert by the Secret Sisters, she was charged with designing a logo for the event...and wanted some creative help. I was recruited.  


Here's her email:

Coming up in September, there will be a concert by the Secret Sisters (from what I understand, they are kind of country bluegrass) and all of the proceeds from the concert will be donated to TWCD.   So I have been tasked with designing a logo for the event. This logo will then be plastered all over the web, posters, mailers and most other media you can think of announcing the concert. 

 SOUTHERN HARMONY, a benefit for the Women's Chorus of Dallas

Um, right up my alley!  A few of us got together, brainstormed on:
Feminine, southern, bluegrass....and with the vintage, cute vibe on the Secret Sisters website....


 Here's what we came up with.




A little song bird on an old-timey Shure 55 Elvis Mic. Lots of fun.