Vintage Napkin Kitchen Chair Cushions

I found this tablecloth/napkin set for $2 last summer.  I didn't really have anything in mind for it, but bought it just because I love the color!

Four napkins, all in great shape.  I decided to make cushions for my kitchen chairs. 

I love the way they turned out...Hobby Lobby has the Smart Foam Chair Pads 30% off this week so I used them.  They are not foam but a compressed sort of batting that is supposed be better than plain foam pads.  I got the 15 x 17" pads and they fit perfectly into the napkin cushion cover.

I sewed the napkins together inside out on three sides.  I sewed the two inside corners to make square corners for the front of the cushion.

The back I turned under about 1.5 inches and sewed the edges together after putting the pad inside the cover.

I made placed a ribbon on each side inside the seam to attach to the back of the chair. 

They look great in the kitchen and I have a coordinating tablecloth!

It's the little things that get me....

I was digging through a drawer today and found this...

My Dad bought it for me at a gas station in Henderson, Kentucky. He had just picked me up from nursing school in Evansville, Indiana on a Friday evening to take me home for the weekend. I have always loved ladybugs and he saw me playing with this moving ladybug...

So he bought it for me.

It's the little things that make me realize Dad is gone...and that I miss him so much.

My Mom was in Columbia this weekend and I realized when I saw her I was expecting Dad to be with her.

It has been a bit over three months, but I still expect to hear his voice on the phone.

My son plays baseball and he used to call Dad after every game, on the way home,
to tell Dad how the game went.

This past week, my son had a double and a triple and played really well. I noticed he was holding his phone in his hand all the way home...I asked him if he missed talking to Grandpa after his game.  There was no answer, but I saw a tear running down his face.

Sparkler fun

Sam's been working at the fireworks tent the past few weeks...

Clearly it is a seasonal job, but it is his first job.

He doesn't really have any shifts left to work, but is on call for the next few days...

He came home tonight with a box of fireworks that were given to him...they have opened or damaged packages, so they would have been thrown in the trash.  We had a lot of fun trying them all out...

Skeleton Key Wall Hanging

I have been seeing these skeleton key pictures around blog land and I wanted one.  I have seen a few of them in the stores but they were too pricey for my tastes!

Hobby Lobby has a clearance sale now on some home decorator items--80% off...I liked that!

I was browsing and found this framed piece.  The frame was more like a shadow box, so I thought it might work for my skeleton keys which I had purchased on etsy. 

When I saw the price tag, I was sure I could make it work.  Yes, that's $3.60!

I spray painted the frame black.  There were two wooden mats inside, I spray painted the top one chocolate brown and the bottom one black.  I pried off the cross on the inside wood and sprayed a heavy duty adhesive on.  I cut out a piece of flax colored felted wool and stuck it to the back. 

Then I marked the area that would be visible inside the mats and arranged the keys as I wanted them.  I realized then that the keys were close to the same color as my background.  So out came the black spray paint again and I just hit the keys with a very light coat of black paint.  I attached the keys with a dot of E6000 which is my favorite glue of all time!

I really love the finished product!  And my total price was...$7.60!  I already had the adhesives, the wool,and the paints, so that made it even better!

Button Bouquet

I found button flowers like these at a fabric store near St. Louis.  I thought they were really cute and a great way to use up some of my old buttons.

I used green 20 gauge wire to string through the holes on the buttons...

very cute with only one problem.  I found that almost all my big buttons are white!  I need to get some large buttons in colors!

This is an easy craft that would be good for young crafters.  The only tool  I used was a jewelry pliers to cut the wire and twist the stem underneath the buttons.

I am loving it on my table with my black-eyed Susan bouquet.

I will probably take it to my sewing room, I have a shelf it would look great perched upon!

Wicker Stool Makeover

I found this cute stool at the Goodwill store....it was $5.  The original price tag was on underneath and it was $34.99.  I thought it had some potential so it came home with me!

I didn't like how the pattern in the fabric wasn't centered.

I took it apart and it was pretty easy.

I took all the staples off the underside of the cushioned area and then used the fabric to make a pattern.  I found the brown circle fabric at JoAnn's for $3 a yard.  So for $1.50, I recovered the cushion, adding some thick quilt batting for extra padding.

I spray painted the wicker a satin black.  And I started stapling the new fabric cover on.  It was at this point that my cheap electric stapler started malfunctioning, firing two staples at the same time and making me feel rather cranky!

So I forgot to take any pictures of the process...but here is the finished product...

I am really liking it...I like how it looks with the leather chair.

Woolen Wreath Giveaway at Along for the Ride

I am offering this giveaway on Laura's blog Along For The Ride...The wreath is made from recycled felted wool sweaters. 

It goes with any season because the ribbon is not attached and can be changed...I can see a bright red polka dotted one for Christmas time or a bright yellow ribbon for spring time.  Anyway, go visit Laura's blog to find out how to win this beautiful wreath!  And while you are there, check out the rest of Laura's blog for her great ideas!