DIY: glider rocker re-cover project, or, "what did I get myself into?...

When I was pregnant with Finn, some friends of ours generously gave us a glider rocker.  It had been given to them, and since they were done using it with their kids, they passed it onto us.  The glider had signs of wear for obvious reasons, but it had great bones and we were so thankful to have it in our nursery.  I spent many nights in that rocker, and we sit in it still to read Finn his stories as he gets ready for bed each night.

With the desire for more children in the future, we decided maybe it was time to spruce up the old girl.  After searching on Pinterest for some inspiration, I decided that with Landon's help, I could totally recover the glider myself.  We picked out some fun and bold fabric at JoAnn's, matched some thread, and rolled up our sleeves and dove in.

Now if you know me well, you know that I hate following directions.  I rarely follow directions on recipes, and when it comes to DIY projects, I'd rather figure it out as I go.  This doesn't always work out in my favor, so because this was a more daunting project, I really tried to take my time and do a good job.  We are planning on giving this glider away whenever we are done using it, so we really didn't want to put a lot of money into the project.  We chose to just recover the existing cushions so that whoever has it next can do whatever they want with it.

I didn't take how-to photos as I don't consider myself a professional seamstress, but here are some photos of the before and after.  Landon and I are so pleased with how the rocker turned out.  More than anything I was worried the cushions would look wrinkly and baggy, but for the most part, I think they look pretty good.  It sits in Finn's room in the corner, so not many people see it, which is another reason why we didn't put a lot of money into having it professionally covered.  Trust me, if this was in our living room, I may not have attempted this myself.

There were some hairy moments in the sewing process, and if you look closely at the seams, you can tell.  But it got done, and it doesn't look half bad to us, so we'll keep it.  The only advice I can give if you want to do this yourself is pick a solid fabric if you are type A and would go crazy with the pattern not lining up.  Fortunately, Landon and I don't mind and we really love the fun fabric.

Before!  Obvious need of an update.

a simple diy...

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to a sewing get-together with three other sweet ladies.  It was nice to be able to relax and hang out with some other mamas and all their babies as we talked, sewed, and shared stories.  I was able to make a simple hot pad, then finished up the other one this morning.  We were in desperate need of some new ones, as two of ours are pretty sad looking with stains and burn marks.  I picked out some pretty fabric at the store the other day, along with some cotton batting, and colored bias tape.  These were simple to sew and easy to accomplish in one sitting.

We are having a good week so far.  Finn is sleeping really well through the night these days, the olympics are so fun to watch, and we were able to go an amazing concert on Monday night.  Blitzen Trapper, one of our favorite bands, was playing downtown.  They are so incredibly talented, and we got right up by the stage, so it made it even better!  Side note: I will probably never get a drink at that venue again...$7 for a small can is a little excessive. :)  But...we had the best date ever!  Check Blitzen Trapper out if you've never heard of them.

Today Finn and I are spending a quiet day at home.  I'll work on wedding photos, enjoy some cuddling, and maybe go for a swim later.

**Smile at a stranger today, engage with the gal ringing you up at the store, or call that person you've been meaning to but haven't...there is so much negative stuff going around these days, and I think people miss the point while they are trying to make a point.  The point is to love others, no matter what, no matter who.**

our weekend...

We just stayed in town this weekend...it was so nice to spend some real one on one time with Landon.  I know these last few weekends are going to fly by, and I'm trying to savor them.

After we saw the morning showing of 50/50, which was one of the best movies I've seen in quite awhile, we ate lunch at Panera (score!), then headed home for a perfect midwest afternoon...real cider, college football, and lounging.  Yes, we know how to relax around here. :)

I also got to finish up a little sewing project I attempted for our new baby.  Here are the instructions I found.  It was so easy...if I could do it, anyone could!

Today, I'm going to finish up a project I'm doing for my boss.  I get to edit this amazing and gorgeous Indian wedding they did.
This job is so wonderful!

Real cider from the orchard where we got ours for our wedding!

This is where I want to be on a Saturday afternoon...

Tommy Rees, our amazing QB!

finished!

Homemade bag...

So this is what kept me busy all afternoon yesterday.  I found this sweet tote bag tutorial from Design*Sponge, and had to try it out!
This bag was actually pretty easy to make once I figured out the pattern...I'm horrible at measurements and patterns period, so it was a bit of a challenge to make sure I got it right.  The straps are a bit different than the pattern calls for too.  I actually used a belt I got from Goodwill for 99¢!  Landon was kind enough to help me get the grommets tightened up.  I think I'll look for a thinner belt next time, or just use fabric straps.
But now I have a great little bag for books, groceries, knitting, whatever!
Today I am going to knock out the rest of my book.  It's due at the library and they won't let me renew since there's such a big waiting list.  Sheesh.

xoxo
Leah

afternoontime

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this is what i'd like to do today.

i think i'm going to find a great soup recipe from one of my cookbooks.  it's raining here today, so soup sounds perfect and cozy.

we may go out for a little coffee date later...those are the best times for us to talk meaningfully.

ok, so i don't have the book Organized Simplicity yet, but it's definitely on my Christmas/birthday list.

i'm in the process of sewing a Christmas bunting, and I just need to finish it up...i can't wait to hang it up in our little apartment for the holidays.

i hope you all have a wonderful Saturday afternoon.

Love,
Leah

Hang a little bit of cheer for me...

Ahh, I've been so neglectful this week in blogging. For shame! I have maybe 5 different posts running through my head, but I won't sit down and actually do them. This week was so busy with work, and by the time I get home and eat and visit with my husband, I'm too tired to write anything inspiring down. So these next few posts will be a bit of a catch up to present day Rife activities.

I finally finished our living room curtains!! I'm so happy every time I look at them, and they frame our window so very nicely. This is the first time I've ever made curtains, so I know they aren't perfect, but they will hold a special place in my heart I think. They were super easy too...I didn't use a pattern or anything, but Landon helped me decide how large we wanted them. Here's how I went about my business.

1) Measure window. We allowed about 3-4 inches above, below, and on either side of the window frame.

2) Buy fabric. Landon and I spent a bit in JoAnn Fabrics finding some lovely printed textile fabric that went nicely with the preexisting colors of our other decor and furniture. We bought three yards at $9.99 per yard, so $30. This was a little bit more expensive than I was wanting, but these are the exact colors and print that we wanted, so it was worth a bit more.

3) Buy curtain rod. As much as we thought we wanted a nice wooden rod, we felt that it would darken and shrink the space around our window too much with the white walls, so we opted for a slim, silver metal rod instead. Target, $7.99.
Landon measured and hung the curtain rod for me, thanks babe!

4) Buy curtain rings. I was going to sew on my own fabric rings, but found some awesome clip on rings at Target!! Will this make my sewing experience less time-consuming....I think so! Sold! Target, 2 packs @ $4.99 each, $10.

5) Cut and pin fabric. I cut the fabric into two equal panels, then pinned a 1 inch flap on each side.

6) Sew! I ran a straight (well don't look too closely) seam along the pinned edges and that was that!

7) Clip the rings in equally spaced spots along the top edge of the curtains.

8) Hang and admire!

This was a great and easy sewing experience for me. While our total for curtains came to around $48 total, the satisfaction of making my own was priceless. These will last a good while and we love the colors.

Here are the pictures of the curtains, and also a yummy summer meal we made this week. Ham and cheese wraps with Sweet Vidalia Onion dressing, sweet corn, and Ugli fruit. If you've never had Ugli fruit, then you should. It's a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit and it is so refreshing and delicious!

Have a wonderful evening!

Cheers,

Leah

Warmth and Honey

Now that I finally have a sewing machine, I'm ready to attempt all sorts of lovely projects. The first on my list is curtains for our front window. Landon and I went to JoAnn Fabrics and found a beautiful printed material that we love. The colors fit so well with some other things in our apartment. I particularly love the burnt yellow and maroon together....it's so warm and cozy. A cool website I found has some really neat vintage patterns and fabrics. It's called Repro Depot. Check them out. Etsy also has fabric by the yard for sale.

I've been researching online some ideas for what style of curtains I want to make. Hopefully I can decide and get these up soon!! It's been so long since I've sewn anything with a machine that I need to relearn how to thread the bobbin and all that jazz. But it's worth it since I can make cool things for our nest on the cheap!





Landon and I shared a nice evening together on Friday last week. I picked up some hard cider and we poured it over ice and stirred in some honey and drank it with some nice fluffy bread. Delish! (We love bread way too much I think.) Pair with my favorite show, Jeopardy, which Landon records for me since I get home from work after it's over, and we had a wonderful evening. It's the simple things in life.












Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Cheers,

Leah