Cube with a blocked view.

But it looks so easy on TV!

Well, we all know by now that I'm on this journey of self discovery/learning/growing... blah blah blah. I think we've all heard enough about the reasons why. The interesting thing is where it's taking me.

Down the somewhat uncharted road of home improvement and do it yourself refinishing. I've painted my bedroom and come up with a solid plan for what is going to happen in there. It's all limited by budget of course. (ugh, budget!) Fabric swatches and patterns for bedskirts, pillow shams and duvet covers are already mixed and mingled with paint samples, tools and artwork. And I've just started.

In my bedroom, I'm waiting to pick out a third fabric as the two I've got are slightly too dark to work as the headboard. Once that's complete, I need to pick out a 4th co-ordinating fabric to recover a wing back chair and ottoman I got for a steal at a garage sale on the weekend.

Next, I need to look into how much work is going to be involved in sanding down a rusted, powder coated metal patio set to prepare it for a fresh coat of rust proofing paint and seat cushions to match.... something.

But wait there's more! Life would be no fun if I just wanted to focus on recovering one chair. And let's face it, reupholstering isn't something to tread into lightly. So, why not find some kind of chair to practice on...like that mustard yellow one that has been collecting cat hair in the basement. Yep, that'll work.

And, oh yeah, I know I should be cutting out muslin for that bed skirt I mentioned previously, but the adventure of starting on this reupholstery project is just too much. So... I currently have a partially naked, mustard yellow, tufted-back rocker in my living room. Along with a mug full of staples (Dear GOD the staples!) and a bag full of ugly old fabric. There's also a stack of fabric that's numbered and commented on that will be used to create a basic pattern for the new fabric I buy.

But what could I possibly use this chair for? My living room is fully furnished in red. My bedroom has the newly purchased wing back chair and bistro set. Wait! The spare bedroom could use a chair! And in sticking with my plan to make it tropical, light and airy, I'm going to reupholster this chair in a white/off white/bone colour and use sea green/blue cording to accent the white.

Yikes.

Things I bought to help with my redecoration efforts include a nearly new ceiling fan for $20 instead of $200, a red glass pitcher that will become a vase or simply decoration, a sewing chair to use in what will become my sewing room - the basement, and a couple of painting/decorating magazines for inspiration. Like I need any more of that.

But there are several benefits from what I'm doing. Increased confidence is the least of these benefits. How good will it feel to walk into a well decorated, tasteful home that I've played a big part in designing and working on. The sense of accomplishment sitting on freshly upholstered furniture will give me.

Now is a time to enjoy life. Try new things, experiment with things I've always wanted to try. It's a time when making mistakes affects no one but myself. And I can do this with the help of encouraging friends and loved ones. People who see my potential and give me that kick in the butt to buy the fabric THAT DAY instead of going home to think about it and get someone else's opinion. People who understand the meaning of "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

And there's a snag. It's a button tufted rocker. The back cushion of which is not merely fabric stretched and stapled over the frame and padding layers. Nope, it's an actual cusion. Sewn together, tufted, and then attached to the frame. Taking that apart isn't going to be as easy as I'd hoped. So, I'm currently investigating modifying button tufted to a plain backed chair and covering it with padding as normal. I'm a tad worried that the curved shape of the back will make this harder. But...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Living in fear won't get me anywhere and I learn more from doing than by not doing. So to throw one more quote into the mix... "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."

I like to think I can.

posted by Erin @ 11:14 AM