Remember these chairs?

Well, I finally covered it.  

Nope, not it.

This was my first idea., but, as many first tries are, it was a big fail. the non-custom slip over just did not work out.  It really wasn't a sure-fit at all.

While the "off the shelf" covers were not working, I didn't want to spend the $250 that most home decorators and seamstresses were quoting me.  After a bit of searching craig's list, I found the wonderfully talented Stacie P. who was willing to make me a slip cover at a very reasonable price.

It's just perfect. 

If you are in the St. Louis area and would like to contact Stacie with your sewing projects (she does anything from a victorian dress to what you see above), send me an email and I will give you her contact information.

Do you remember these bent wood chairs that I bought for $7.00? One recently got a makeover for the kitchen desk. 

How about you, have you given anything a cute and inexpensive makeover lately?

Hope you had a wonderful long weekend!

*Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway from Book Bound Bindery ending tonight!*

Desks.

I need one.

I want a new desk for my "formal" living room or at the end of the foyer in the family room area.  

The purpose of this desk is two fold.

1) To serve as an attractive workspace in the main living area of our house.
2) To fill some very bare wall space.

The desk will be paired with a brown leather or cream covered parsons chair depending on the desk selected. Brown leather will go with a white/cream desk. Cream covered will go with the espresso desk. You get the idea.

My heart leans toward the mini parsons desk from West Elm, but my mind knows that it just doesn't fit in our house.  I put it in the above collage anyway though...that way it can still nag at me.  It's so petite and cute and has such nice lines and sleekness. Okay...moving on.

Any favorites from the above collage?

Gotta Love Craig's List...

So, I have this list of Things to Find over there in the sidebar.  This past weekend, I scored a mint condition wing back chair with solid cherry legs and the tags still attached to the bottom---made in Toledo, Ohio baby---for $50!  Yes, $50, which means, I, finally, get to cross one off my list.

I've been searching craig's list for weeks for a perfect wing back chair at $50 or under (I'm ambitious in my bargain hunting.  I'm dead set on having one slip-covered wing back in my "formal" living room that I've been working on pulling together for a while now. (I will post about that sometime...)  I want to pair it with an ottoman (maybe a pouf or storage cube), a tiny side table with a reading lamp and a thought-provoking book.  I'm trying to create little sophisticated reading nook.

Now that I've got my wing back, I have to figure out the slipcover situation.

1) Do I buy a cheaper, ready-made slipcover?

or

2) Do I have one made?

The first option is great because it is immediate and cheap.  The second option is great because I will be able to pick the style and fabric of my choice to tailor it to the room.  I'd like to go with a cheap option...but I also want it to add to the room, not take away from it.

So, here are a couple of options for slip-covers.
1) Sure-Fit Cotton Duck in Natural (I actually would probably hem this up so you can see the legs), $50

2) Sure Fit Colette in Cocoa, $50 (This is actually the style I love, but the color is iffy for my room.  I have grayish walls, and I'm worried about them clashing.  Although, it is a brown-gray, not a black-gray/blue-gray.)

My plan is to visit the local fabric shops tomorrow to find some local people who make slipcovers.  If I can find a bargain (no more than $100-150), I will probably go that route.  If not, I will pick from one of the two above.

Any thoughts?