Projects completed & A Happy Birthday!

I have projects up to my ears, all of the time every day offers me, and somehow they are all half done or not even started! I am proud to say I have finished two of them last week that have been bugging me forEVER!

Project number one: Ugly Mauve wing chair.

Driving up the hill one Saturday I saw a yard sale winding down and spotted this chair sitting unwanted and alone.

As I got closer to the chair I realized why nobody had taken it home. It was covered in cat hair! Honestly. If you have a fairly nice piece of furniture you want to sell, clean it people!!
I snatched it up for $20. I should have tried to talk them down but I was tired. I took it home and put it on the patio where I \proceeded to vacuum, and vacuum it. Then I got out the old Bissel Steam cleaner and guess what? Other than it's ugly color, it wasn't a bad chair at all!

Then it sat in my house for three years.

I bought some great fabric last year and it sat in my closet waiting and waiting.

Then one day a few weeks ago I got busy. I don't know what changed in me. Maybe it was the sunshine or the fact that I hate the color mauve and had put up with it for three years.  I tackled the cushion first. I had some nice firm foam from the making of our window seat so I put it to use. I also sanded and spray painted the legs a glossy black.

 Next I took the chair outside and pulled that sucker apart! I carefully documented on a note pad and with my iPhone camera the order that things came apart so I could put it back together in reverse order. It really saved me a few times when I couldn't recall what when when or where...confused? So was I!

 It was a bit tiring and took a long time to make everything look right. I'll admit I took a few shortcuts and improvised here and there. I'm not selling it so it's not nearly perfect!

I am so happy with the results! It makes the living room feel light and more cheery.

Will I be recovering another chair anytime soon? NO. It was not easy and not for the faint-of-heart!

One project DONE.

The next thing I tackled wasn't nearly so hard. The trim on my lower stairs needed to be painted since last September. We finally got rid of the carpet on the steps. I have been so happy! It is so much easier to clean oak steps than it is to try and keep that carpet clean. This is the main path from the garage up to the kitchen so it was always dirty. See where the old carpet came up against the white wood molding? Yes, it was that simple. All I had to do was sand and paint.

Nine months later...

 I feel so accomplished! I took the paint up and around the corner Once you get started with fresh, white trim it's hard to stop!

Third on my list is my pantry. It's a mess. I have involved a couple of drawers and my spice cupboard in this one. I'll let you know how it comes out!

Today is a special day around here too. My baby. My only boy turns 18! Here we are, Dee & myself when we first met our son. Richard was 9 lbs. 4 oz. and hungry when he was born!

Tears in his eyes. Sweet!

 I'd literally been awake all night...OK?!

 Here is our boy all snuggled up at home in the same bassinette that I slept in as a baby. Those pajamas he is wearing were make by my sweet sister Sharon when I was expecting Sarah, the first of four girls. She had embroidered "Dee's Boy" on them. We finally got to use them! I love the peaceful look on his face here. He has been a blessingto me from day one.

 Memorial Day 2013 at the Orem Ciyt Cemetery. Richard by the cross for his great grandfather Deward Holden, a WWI vet.

 Food in mouth, hair standing straight up. Typical morning look!

I'll write more about this guy a little later. Right now I have to go clean up a garage.

 Fun.