Tag Archives: inspiration

Finished! My Reupholstered Victorian Chair

17 Sep

FInished Chair

So it may have taken a year, but this chair is finally complete! I put so many hours into this piece and enjoyed every single minute of it (except for maybe the multiple tacks I hammered into my fingers).

Here’s a shot while I was adding the double welt around the edges…

double weltI made each button on this chair by hand and secured each individually. I folded and unfolded so many times to get the seams and crevices aligned perfectly. I fluffed and set the horsehair and hoghair inside the seat and the back to get it all arranged just right. I tied each spring in the chair eight ways and tacked the twine into place.

The devil is in the details, but the details are what make this chair stand out!

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The chair has definitely transformed from its previous (and original!) fabric…

Chair Before

While I did enjoy the original design, the fabric was worn and dingy, especially on the seat. I tried to mimic the original design in my version. The instructor of the class was very impressed with the original details (which made me feel like a horrible person for tearing it all off!) but was also pleased with the amount of effort and thought I put into the redesign.

Classes were always exciting and there were plenty of points I wouldn’t have even thought about, so having a teacher who has decades of experience in reupholstering the right way was a blessing. There are two ways to do things: the easy way and the correct way. While it takes a little more patience and time, I like to opt for the correct way in situations like this, especially if I am using energy and time to learn a skill.

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There was a lot of “measure twice cut once” running through my head. To further complicate things, I had to be sure to cut the fabric so that velvet all ran in the same direction…otherwise it would have affected the colors matching perfectly…something I probably would not have come up with on my own.

I ended up giving this chair to my mother for her birthday, as it was nice to be able to gift something I made with my hands (other than food for a change!) and to give her something that held something special as opposed to something store-bought. It also fits in nicely with her circa 1881 home.

I’m looking forward to my next reupholstering adventure soon!

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Union Square Donuts.

10 Oct

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So I had a REALLY great time shooting and writing this post on Union Square Donuts in Somerville, Mass…

Are donut parties something that people do? They should. And every single one of those parties should be catered by Union Square Donuts in Somerville, Massachusetts. It is guaranteed I would never decline an invite.

donut-6I’ve heard folks around town talking about this donut shop for the better part of a year, so I’m delighted to report that I finally got my hands/mouth on one of these. (Okay, fine, I tried six flavors – if we’re being honest.)

 

donut-7The popular donut making operation started out as the brainchild of Josh Danoff and Heather Schmidt. After a mere two months at their first location, the duo’s creations were in such demand that the business had to relocate to a larger space (its current location at 16 Bow Street).

donut-3donutThe donuts are (does it even need to be said?) made fresh daily. I arrived at 10 AM the morning of my visit, which happened to be the release time of the special Fluffa Nutta donut, a marshmallow Fluff topped donut with peanut butter cream filling.

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I mean, seriously! Fluff was created in Union Square and is a bit of a local celebrity – there is even an annual Fluff festival, at which these will hopefully be making an appearance.

See my full post on Union Square Donuts at Eat Boutique.

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Rainbows and bunnies, for real.

17 Jun

rainbow

I made it home from work right before the skies opened up and an hour or so long thunderstorm rolled through. When the thunder stopped and the storm eventually fell apart, the skies cleared from west to east as the sun began to set, casting a rainbow over the Boston skyline. 

I first noticed it out of my living room window.A clearly defined double rainbow making its way through the trees and roofs. (I thought it was “rooves”, but no. It’s not. That’s hooves, apparently.) At the same time, the humidity in the air broke, and I had no choice but to wander outdoors to follow it further.

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On my way to find a bigger slice of rainbow, I ended up having conversations with strangers on three separate occasions, something which rarely happens in Boston – and to have it occur three times in twenty minutes? Crazy (and welcomed). I also saw a brown rabbit and a twenty-something year old dude standing three feet away from it taking pictures of it eating. That doesn’t happen much here either.

I arrived at my vantage point about 10 minutes after leaving my house. Here are some shots I took with my phone of the Boston skyline, on what I have dubbed Boston Day (because the date is 6/17, and also, our area code).

As I turned to leave, I looked at the sky to the west. It was missing the rainbow, but had the sunset, and was equally as awesome.

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Stitch by KMIDesign – Cambridge, MA

9 Sep

Here’s a post about one of my favorite Massachusetts designers Kate Maloney Interiors (written/photographed by my favorite person!). Check out Kate’s storefront, Stitch, in Cambridge, Ma and see all of the uniquely awesome items she’s picked up to pass on to you!

Joe And Sometimes (y)

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Ever look at a shelter magazine or blog and see spaces that look frigid and sterile? You sit and wonder, “Does someone actually live there? Ok, clearly these people don’t have kids or pets or personalities.”  Well if that is your impression of what high-end interior design looks like, look again.

Cambridge based Kate Maloney Interiors creates gorgeous spaces that are meant to be lived in by the whole family.  Kate and her team infuse each project with a quirky mix of pattern, color and texture.  Though usually not one for labels,  Kate’s style could possibly be coined as, “Cantabridgian Chic” or perhaps “Boho Modern.” Whatever the label you come up with, each home is always a great balance of the old and new; creating spaces that are timeless, stylish and always functional.

Established in 2003, Kate’s design office recently expanded to include a new retail venture called Stitch. “After…

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Radio Flyer Herb Garden.

9 May

I found this old Radio Flyer wagon while driving down the street one day. Someone had put it out with the weekly trash to be picked up and destroyed. I couldn’t have that. I love old things too much, and my car had plenty of room to fit it.

The wagon has sat in my basement for a good three years, holding random boxes of tools and supplies in the workroom. However, this weekend while in New Hampshire I found a great little nursery with tons of annuals, perennials, vegetables and herbs. Each pot of herbs and veggies only cost $2.99. I couldn’t resist buying some.

Last year I had a couple of potted herbs sitting on the patio. This year, I now have a few more to add. I wanted them in one central location, out of the way, but easy to access for cooking. I saw the old wagon in the basement and decided it would be repurposed as the home of the herb garden.

It’s in a spot that gets a decent amount of sun, but with the wagon, I can easily move it to other parts of the patio if I think the herbs could benefit from even more sun. Once the herbs start to really grow, they should fill the wagon in nicely.

What did I plant?

  • Basil (a must-have for any garden)
  • Cilantro (for taco night and guacamole)
  • Pineapple Mint (for Mojitos to accompany whatever I use cilantro for)
  • Oregano (basic herb, but great fresh flavor)
  • Lavender (for cookies, butter, homemade cleaning products, etc)
  • Thyme (This survived the mild winter we had and never really lost leaves from last year’s growing season)

I ended up placing an extra solar yard light I had into one of the potted herb plants. It will add a little more to the evening atmosphere of the yard and patio. I also had some room to place a small watering can in the wagon as well, so that I can use the rain water it captures to hydrate the plants when they need it. Another thing to note…I drilled a few holes into the bottom of the wagon to drain any excess rain water. This will prevent your herbs from being overwatered if there are holes in the bottom of the pots that are used.

And I also was able to finally fill the raised garden bed I built last year (Post: How To Build A Raised Garden Bed). I’m looking forward to filling that with vegetables and updating their progress here.

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