Author: Staci

Staci blogs about travel at TheVoyageer.com.

Friday Funday

I’ve spent the last few days publishing the bi-monthly newsletter that my church puts out. It has kept me busy and it’s the most fun and creative part of my job because I get to experiment with simple design and page layout. You’d think that the church web site would be the most creative and fun but…. it’s not. It has caused me nothing but problems from day one. I absolutely adore wordpress for blogging purposes but it’d be nice to have a little more control over the website design. Or I guess I could teach myself .php. Maybe there’s an evening class in Wichita…?

Doug and I at In N Out in Dallas; my brain had a hard time understanding which state we were actually in. The photo will make more sense after you see link #1.

Anyway, Friday link roundups seem to be very popular among the blogging type. It’s not something I’m gonna do weekly, because face it, sometimes everyone links to the same stuff in a big-ol-circle of viral internet sharing. Kind of like pink-eye in a preschool class. You’re welcome for that comparison.

I am going to share a few cool things that have stood out to me this week.

  1. For our next cookout (we have a grill now!) I’m going to attempt this In N Out Double Double (animal style) copycat recipe.
  2. This “chicken chapel” is giving me big ideas for Mosey’s eventually-to-be-built doghouse. The only question is to start attempting to build it this fall or wait until spring? Maybe build it in the basement during the winter and then assemble outside? I’m getting excited.
  3. I would love to come up with some signature writing styles for this more modern take on calligraphy. “Why yes, you can pay me to address your wedding invite envelopes for you! ” Actually, not yet. Still have to practice more.
  4. Can I find a way to incorporate some kind of ribbon art installation (scroll down a few pictures, you’ll know it when you see it) into my house’s exterior? What kind of ribbon would hold up best against “the elements?”

Feel free to share something AWESOME that you did/saw/learned this week in the comment section.

She’s baaaaaaack!

So, confession time. I was looking at today’s stats and was perplexed as to why today didn’t get as many views (compared to other days when I actually make posts). Then it dawned on me–I got the post all prepped to publish on my lunch break but had to rush away before actually publishing. Wa wa waaaaa.

The danish modern sofa I got from my grandma has made her way back home from the couch doctor upholsterer!  (Evidently, the couch is a she).

Now we have some REAL before and afters to talk about here. Lately I feel like everything I have to offer is “before, before, before.” The ball has begun to roll and now I can begin some afters. Well, at least, something I can call “in progress.”

I don’t know if you recall the “before,” but I sure do:

And now, with new foam, new binding (underneath the cusions) and new fabric… a whole new couch!

Here’s the GREAT part. The custom cushions I was thinking about ordering online (I fiiiinally got the fabric samples the day before we left for Texas last month–they didn’t “wow” me AT ALL) were going to run me over $300, and that’s without factoring in shipping and handling. I have no idea how much S&H would have been. Anyway, in Dallas we grabbed some GREAT dark gray microsuede(?) on clearance. The couch was going to require 6 yards to cover but since the fabric was a remnant, there were only 5 for sale. We did some quick brainstorming and decided to cover the back side of the back cushions in a different fabric for an interesting look! Anyway, we got all the fabric for less than $50, and the reupholstery (including labor, new foam, and new binding) only ran us $140! Can you believe this work of art is ours for less than $200?? I can’t either.

Here you can kind of see the texture of the fabric.

We’ve decided to keep the blue couch around for now. Unlike the light brown chairs (that Mosey camouflages into when sitting on them) the blue couch is suitable for napping and can sit 3 if people want to get cozy. More seating! With the two mid-century chairs (you can see one peeking in on the right side of the photo) completing the rectangle, the room can now easily seat 7-10!

I’m in love. With a living room. Once I fix the curtains (cut them up the middle to turn one into two) the light will be able to pour in!! I can’t wait. Well evidently I can because I’m procrastinating on the curtain project…

Curtains, 2

Yesterday’s post really should have been way, way, way more gushy. I seriously can’t get over these green IKEA curtains. At first, I was worried since they seem to be popular on design blogs, I don’t want to be like “everyone else” but now that they’re on the wall I’m never looking back. I seriously just dig ’em.

We hung curtains in the dining room to break up the big wall’o’windows and I like the effect they give. We got rich brown to tie in with the darker brown in our living room rug (snagged on sale from World Market a week ago).

The only problem is that I have to let the hems out. Wa wa. Right now they look like high-water pants, but I think by letting the hem out I can gain the necessary 2 inches. Maybe I’ll even add a little somethin’ special down there, who knows!