Son-in-law Chair

I was having so much fun doing these chair art projects that I decided the next one would be for M.  I went thrift store shopping.  If you know anything about thrift store shopping  you know you have to do it often and don't expect to find what you want right away.  So planned my day, something I do often (OCD),  and wouldn't you know at the third store that day I found not one treasure but two!   So that's how I found the Bailey chair.

Yes, that is $9.98, but don't worry it was half off that, so this chair was basically $5!  It was pretty old, but one of the best chairs I have ever done.  It was super heavy and when I stripped it down we determined that it was oak.  So the staples were harder to get out.  

Here is a good before.

Striped.

Always the first job is to put the front piece on.  Stripes can be so cool looking but I like them perfect which is not always possible.  I am sort of drawn to stripe fabric yet I hate working with it...

So here's the story:  I have this theory that I must pass along a bit of my DNA in every project I make, especially for loved ones.  This usually happens with a bit of blood.  In the quilts I have made and in the finishing I usually prick my finger with a needle, oh how it hurts, then just a couple spots of blood.  I usually leave a bit on the work.  This time I did it good.  These staplers we use are something and they will go through to bone.  So I went to class a bit tired which is not a good idea working with the equipment we work with.  I was putting the red fabric on the arm.  I was holding the fabric in place and shot the stapler in the right direction.  It totally missed the intended target but I immediately knew something was real wrong, it was in my finger!!!!!, oh crap!  I tried to pull it out all the while telling another lady there, I stapled myself.  She came to help but I couldn't pull it out.  Then I realized both parts were in my finger so I pulled the other side and the whole thing came out and blood spurt all over everything, had to clean the floor.  At first I thought I  hit an artery because it continued to spurt a lot of blood.  It felt real weird not counting that it hurt.  I thought part of the staple was still in there.  It was stiff and super swollen.  So off to Urgent Care for an x-ray.  No staple in the finger, but I did hit the bone.  That's why I couldn't pull it out right away.  It was stuck.  So if you are squeamish, I'm sorry for the details.  So M, I left a bit more DNA on yours than others, but you will never see it, and it still means good stuff.

So here is many steps later.  I lost some of the pictures of the steps in between.   With these Indian/Mexican blankets I love putting the focal point somewhere so it is the star.  More on this chair later...

So we all have these places we go online.  I am sharing my favorite ones here.  Each state has it's own way of keeping up with road conditions, and during the winter it is more widely used in states that have a need to check out the road before you go on a road trip.  Colorado has the best site.  They have live webcams set up and you can get a first hand view of some of the most beautiful mountain views on any given day and hour!  Today Monarch Pass is closed due to avalanche.

But the views are amazing.  Even in the summer.  Another place I go is a blog by a realtor in Westcliffe, CO.  He puts out a picture each day of Westcliffe and gives a brief weather report.  Thanks, John G. Johnson.  

2/9/14

Intellicast  is my go-to for weather radar.  Yes, I check it every morning.  Yes, I am a weather geek.  Yes, I love Joe Bastardi.  Just happens to be something I love.

Every time I bring a new chair into the house to strip, the kitties have to check it out and then it becomes the place of choice to take a nap.  They sometimes fight over who gets it.  Maestro won.