It only took 15 years to recover!

I bet you are thinking it took

me 15 years to recover from the embarrassment of my 

previous post!

Maybe.

But this post isn't about mean kids, potty accidents, eating paste,

and chewing pencils to relieve anxiety!

Honest!

This is a story about a chair that had me at Hello

in 1998...or was it 1999...

anyhow, it was a long time ago!

This is the part where I tell you about living in the best neighborhood

EVER to raise children!

... and how there were 21 kids in a 12 house culdesac.

...and how MOST of the families got along amazing.

(Hey I said best, not perfect neighborhood)

Many of us are still very close friends today, and the kids are too!

One of those sweet friends was Uschi.

My lovely German neighbor in the house with the pink trim.

She made the best "Uschi noodle soup" according to Jordon.

Her husband was retired military and they were the oldest couple in our very young family neighborhood.

But they weren't old at all, more like my age now!

But with their children grown up, 

they enjoyed all the activity around them of little children on bikes, scooters

and the constant sounds of boys vs. girls.

Uschi had an adorable house filled with antiques and knick knacks

from Germany. But she loved yard sales and a good deal too!

So, to the point of the story...the chair!

One day we were out hitting the yard sales and I spotted an

Amazing french style chair. 

The upholstery was ratty and greasy at the headrest,

but the legs were curvy and it was a beautiful

feminine chair.

The price tag was $20.

That doesn't seem like much, does it?

But I was a stay home mom at the time, and after our mortgage

and other expenses, we had literally $50 between paychecks for emergencies

or eating out.  So, $20 was way out of my league.

I was soooo sad, but I didn't know the first thing about re upholstering it anyway,

so I had to walk away. 

Uschi loved the chair too, and she bought it.

I was so happy for her because the style would've looked nice in her home.

We lugged it into the truck and hauled it back to her place.

A few weeks, or maybe even months went by

and I still had that chair in the back of my mind, hoping one day to find

another one like it.

Then, one day, my sweet friend flags me down in the culdesac.

"Hey, do you want that chair?  I don't have a place for it."

"REALLY!?"

Yes, yes, and yes!!

She didn't want a dime for it.

I think she may have bought it for me all along.

Her heart is kind and giving, and she remembered what it's like to be financially strapped with a young family. 

I was so happy and grateful to have this ugly duckling beautiful chair!!!

Poor ugly duckling.

She got moved from one room to the next, covered in blankets to hide the fabric

but expose her gorgeous legs. And eventually she was shunned to the garage 

where she was piled with soccer gear, bike parts and sleeping bags.

Awkward...ok just ignore this crazy couple, and you can see her under the white blanket in our living room....

And at another time... you'll see (in the blur)  her tucked away in the corner of our bedroom.

My husband was tired of her.

She was a mess.

Just taking up space.

So, one day last Fall I decided I was going to rescue her 

before she'd be sent away to the thrift store.

I mean, she was part of the family!

15 years with us.

I called around and got estimates from the local upholstery shops.

$900 - $1200

*gasp*

I decided to try it myself, how hard could it be?

I brought her into the living room. 

Then, I stared at her worn out exterior for a few months while 

trying to get the nerve to start.

I used the estimates I'd received to determine the yardage, etc.

I finally purchased the least expensive upholstery grade fabric I could find that I liked.

And I used a 40% off coupon.

 $50 for the fabric. I could live with that.

 Not too expensive.... in case I royally messed her up with my upholstery work.

But God works in mysterious ways.  

As I was getting the fabric cut at the counter I met

a woman and we started to talk.

I do that a lot,

talk to people in lines.

My kids always told me I'm so embarrassing.

"They don't care about your life mom!"

Well, sometimes they do!

Because this lady told me about a class at a different fabric store near my house.

They had a chair re upholstery class for $98!

4 Saturdays for 3 hours...or was it 3 Saturdays for 4 hours?

Anyhow,

Just bring the chair in each week and a professional teaches you how its done!

SOLD! SIGN ME UP!

I forgot her name, the nice lady who saved the day.

I have many friends without names.

Sorry if you are a friend of mine without a name. 

I still love you.

I had the best time learning how to take the chair down to its frame,

tying springs and gluing foam.

Taking her apart, down to just the frame!

Old string on springs. I took this all apart and did it over!

This all came off and was replaced.

Putting her back together again...

I paid the store to make my buttons for the tufting, and I also paid an upholstery shop to make a new cushion & double piping.

I didn't have a heavy duty machine and wanted it to look good.

BUT

I did every.single.part of the rest...

including the tufting in the arms and the back...

All by myself!!

Before the cushion was made and the double piping was put on.

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS CHAIR

All in all, it still cost about $400 to finish.

 Did I mention I'm so proud of this chair?

I willed it to my kids.

Kind of, I mean I wrote on the foam seat with marker.

"Made by mom with Love, Easter 2013"

So that one day...

when she is once again old and ratty and in the garage

and needs a facelift...

My kids will take her apart

and see my message and smile.

I think if you look really close...

She is smiling back.

xoxo

Jodi

It's about time!

A hundred times. At least. That's how many times I thought about you. AT LEAST a hundred times.  I've poured a hundred cups of coffee. I've sat in my blogging chair and stared at the screen at least a hundred times. Not all in one day of course, that's A LOT of coffee. But I couldn't find the words.

I wanted to tell you every detail of of my daughters gorgeous vintage inspired wedding...LAST FALL.  About how happy I was for her and Justin. And how my oldest son played guitar as she walked with her daddy in his uniform down the grassy isle.

And the 130 jars of jam we made with raspberries from our garden & shipped to Pennsylvania. I thought of you as I made the bouquets with fabric and antique jewelry.

I wanted to tell you about the day that we had to say goodbye to our precious Sampson after 15 years of his unconditional snuggles and licks.  And how I swore we would not get another dog because I was too sad.

And how this little girl found me when I needed her deep brown eyes, slobbery kisses more than ever. I wanted to tell you how this ten pounds of precious has turned me into one of those silly ladies that talks to her pet in a baby voice. You would've laughed with me when I put the pink vest on her so she wouldn't be cold when we took her to the beach to go clamming last Spring.

I couldn't wait to tell you how proud I was to see my baby graduate high school this year and get accepted into Wyotech to pursue his passion. And show you pictures of my family all together under one roof after nearly a year apart.

I should've shared my joy on Christmas morning, when I opened my gift from my husband.  A new camera. A fancy kind. Way to fancy for me. He said it was so I could take pretty pictures for my blog. My heart swelled. He believes in me and my little blog. I just needed to believe it too.

So, I took a ton of random pictures...good and bad...of my newly painted living room...

and dining room....and kitchen....and of course, Izzy my sweet girl. Obviously, I still have much more to learn about focus, lighting and editing. I'm working on it.

There were at least 85 other reasons I wanted to grab my computer and share life with you, the sweet friends I've never met.  But I didn't because I thought no one really read this little blog anyway. I was wrong. I've been told. There are a few of you. And I thank you. The truth is I should've just kept on writing....I feel happy when I'm writing, and maybe I make you happy too. 

xoxo
Jodi