Saturday, May 16, 2009

The chairs

I have two of the new dining room chairs finished and I couldn't wait to show you:>) I love them! As I said a can of spray paint and a yard of fabric can work miracles. You can see the "before" photo here. Can you believe these started out as brown chairs with burnt orange velvet seats? (shudder!) I have one more of this kind, without the arms...

One of these, with arms, and a fourth chair that also has a caned back and will co-ordinate but it is a different style. I still need to paint and recover the other two if it ever stops raining and blowing around here!
Of course, like any good project, these chairs inspired a couple more projects...I got the strawberry cross stitch last summer at a garage sale. I think it was a quarter. I always wonder at the women who put so many hours into these pretty things and then their work ends up in a pile on a table for a quarter! I know I don't have the patience or time to do these so I am grateful for the chance to own these handmade pieces of art for so little! I thought the little cross stitch would make such a pretty centerpiece for a pillow. I love this!
And I also thought it would be fun to put a little country twist on the velvet strawberries I see, so I whipped a bunch up with vintage feedsack scraps and bits and pieces of all the reds I have in my fabric stash. Piled in an ironstone tureen I think they make a pretty centerpiece for May and June strawberry season! I'm having a ball making these so you can buy this bunch in my etsy shop:>)
This project has, of course, also prompted me to make a few more changes in the dining room decor. It has been black and cream toile for several years. Now I need to find something to co-ordinate with the red for the valances so you will be seeing more of the dining room when that is done. Yesterday we brought back Victoria from college for the summer! It's so good to have her home:>) today is another rainy day so I plan to do a little fluffing and cleaning that I am behind on. I hope you have a great weekend too!

37 comments:

  1. Kathy!!! Your chairs turned out just perfect!!!! I LOVE the red buffalo check! The white paint really makes all of the details just POP in the chairs. Wonderful job!!

    Of course I am in love with your strawberries! You make the cutest things!

    happy weekend and enjoy your time with Victoria,

    becky
    xo

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  2. I am in love with your chairs! The red and white is so fresh and happy. In my 'design file' that I've kept for years, half of the pictures have red and white buffalo checks. It's perfect.

    Please hook up with us to Flaunt Your Reds on May 29th.

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  3. Oh, I'm glad Victoria's home. Spencer is too and it's such a good feeling. He starts working on Monday...the boy needs to make some money.

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  4. Having our student children home for the summer is wonderful, isn't it??

    As for you making use of rainy days -- the strawberries you made are awesome and look wonderful in that tureen!!

    And the chairs? Girl you are some serious seamstress with a fantastic eye!!

    And the cross-stitch...I did that for many, many years...it's a labour of love really because it is one art/craft that you never really make your money back on. Your berries look fabulous in that pillow!!!

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  5. Hi Kathy, I love your chairs and pillows! Makes me want to re-do my kitchen into reds! Yours is so pretty, can't wait to see the results!
    xxxooo
    Marilyn

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  6. OH Kathy! I LOVE how your chairs turned out. I love, love, love them! Red and white is such a great color combo.

    Your pillow with the cross stich and the strawberries are adorable.

    So glad to hear that Victoria is home for the summer!
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  7. I love your chairs! They turned out just right. And your pillow is wonderful. You did a great job putting it all together. The strawberries almost look good enough to eat! Can't wait to see what you come up with for your valance. ~Adrienne~

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  8. Beautiful!!!! What nice photos of a perfect project. I love your choices and that strawberry pillow...what an addition!

    That year for Victoria went by fast, didn't it?

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  9. Kathy,

    The chairs turned out beautiful! I also love the pillow and pincushions, so adoraable! Thanks for sharing :)

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  10. OOO, Kathy...these are absolutely PERFECT..I have started growing a little tired of my toiles..not getting rid of them, but beginning to replace some of them with other things.
    Your chairs are breathtaking...I love buffalo check in any color, especially the red.
    You are doing an amazing job..and those pillows areto die for...
    Now. Off to your Etsy shoppe...

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  11. They really did turn out fantastic. I too love the red buffalo check.

    Hugs,
    LeAnn:)

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  12. This is definitely something you should be proud of! I am so pleased with the results. The strawberry pillow is PERFECT and you are right, that was a great way to use the cross stitch.

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  13. Hi Kathleen! Just Gorgeous!!!! This made me want to get all the red out I put away for the summer!!! Love the check, dots and cross-stitch! You've inspired me with that pillow to get out my needles and make one!!! I have a strawberry pattern too!! (add to project list!lol) Love those chairs so much I may have to find one to paint! Great Job - Jeannette

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  14. OHMYGOSH...so MUCH cuteness, all in one place! I love what you did and it all looks so fresh and crisp and juicy, just like a bowl of fresh berries! I LOVE the pillow and your creativity so much! Enjoy your fluffin' time...it's been rainy, cool and windy here the last week, too! But...at least everything's green and it's going to make strawberry and raspberry season very, very good! *Ü* (We have a patch of both strawberries and raspberries!)
    XOXO
    Joni

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  15. Those turned out absolutely stunning! I love the red and white together, chick. You did good, honey.
    xoxo,
    Connie

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  16. Well darn it! I went to your etsy to buy those strawberries and see I'm too late! Could you email me when/if you make some more?


    Love the red buffalo check! I've been looking for some black but haven't found any yet. White and red is my favorite color combo! So pretty!!

    Manuela

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  17. KATHY!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE those chairs!!! And the strawberries :) Everything you make is so pretty. Your home makes me feel warm and comfy. I love your style!
    Hugs,
    Amy

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  18. Hi Kathy
    Your chairs are fabulous!! Isn't it amazing what some paint and fabric can do? And I love the little strawberries. I have wanted to find some large red and white check just like that for awhile but never found any here. I'll add your name to the porch party list and if you can't do it just let me know. Enjoy your weekend.
    Hugs, Rhondi

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  19. These are Awesome!! Love the fabrics and colors and your accesories you made to go with it is just beautiful!!

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  20. Those are BEAUTIFUL! I love how fresh and pretty they are now!!


    Thanks for sharing them!

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  21. OOOOOOO I love it all. I love red in the kitchen. Beautiful...Hugs..m.

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  22. I'm seriously trying not to covet here my friend!! Every single bit of this would look absolutely PERFECT in my new little cottage kitchen/dining area :o) I LOVE the chairs...when I saw them in your original post, I saw the potential, but didn't dream they would turn out THAT awesome....the scale of the buffalo plaid was a good choice for the size of the seat..a gingham, for example, would have been lost. They are truly fabulous and you can't beat the price tag - KUDOS! And you couldn't stop there - no - you had to go and make the world's cutest pillow out of the most adorable vintage strawberry stitchery (I collect all kinds of vintage stitchery)...it turned out great....excellent follow through from a previous purchase! OK, finally you had the audacity to make these charming strawberries with vintage reds and then go and display thenm in a beautiful bowl...what are you trying to do tome here!?! :o) Kathy, you amaze and inspire me continually....wonderful job on all the kitchen decor....can't wait to see more as it unolds!!!

    Welcome home to Victoria...I hope you two savor every second of that sweet fellowship only and Mother and daughter can share all summer long...

    Hugs & Blessings,
    Becky S.

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  23. Kathy

    I find it so amazing what you can see with your artistic eye! These chairs look crisp, clean, gorgeous!

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  24. LOVE the chairs!!! I love red and white. And the strawberries you created! I mentioned you on my blog today. :)

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  25. Kathy
    I really love your chairs. They turned out lovely. Where did you find that great fabric? I also love your pillows and love that red fabric with the tiny white polka dots! Perfect!

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  26. Oh my gosh, Kathy. The chair looks spectacular. And, the pillow is perfect.

    I know you will enjoy your time with Victoria.

    I'm on the hunt for a pretty chair pillow with a pink rooster. Have you seen anything like that in your travels?

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  27. Two thumbs up girlfriend!
    WOW....... I love love love the chairs and fabric and pillow!

    Where did you find that wonderful buffalo check? I'd love some for my cherry kitchen! Too cute!

    Enjoy your time with Victoria.....

    Hugz and Blessings,
    Dolly

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  28. Oh Kathy,
    The chairs came out beautifully, and I love the red. Your new projects look lovely. Everything that you create is so warm with a touch of love in the ingredients.

    Karen

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  29. Adorable! The chairs, the strawberries - EVERYTHING!
    Sooooo cute - I love them!


    xo,
    Kim

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  30. Your chairs turned out so cute! Love them! Love the strawberries and the stitching! They just doll them up just right! :)

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  31. These chairs look 1000 times better! I love them! The fabric is perfect! Also the little pillow with the crossstitch is adorable. I use to crosstitch and it is very time consuming. I think that I will pull out some of my old pieces and repurpose them like this.

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  32. Oh Kathy, they turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!! And I just love your little strawberry pillow -- so charming! You're so lucky to have your daughter home. My son is staying in Philly for the summer. :(

    Hope you are getting some nice weather. :)
    xoxo,
    mary

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  33. You are such an inspiration! I have a chair in mind that I will do...the one I am sitting on! Beautiful job and I love the red!

    Hugs,
    Maryjane

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  34. They are gorgeous chairs! You did a fantastic job!! Very envious. ;)

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  35. Your chairs are turning out so cute! Love the red and white check, along with the pillow and the little strawberries. So So Cute. Mimi

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  36. I knew I was going to love your chair makeover. Now that I see what you've done I'm gah over them! The fabric!!!!! Just give them to me. LOL The pillow is wonderful. The stitcher of the strawberries would be so pleased that her work was still admired. I look at my sons with a beaded eye and tell them I know my crochet will end up at Goodwill some day. I like to make them squirm sometimes ;-) The strawberries you made--the late bird misses the worm, er strawberries. Darn!

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Thank you for taking the time to say hello :)