Moving In Together: Our New (Old) Home

To make more room for Caedmon to play and for (potential) future kiddos (no, we are not expecting!), our little nest has been going through some minor reshuffling and redecorating.

Our major obstacle in maximizing our three-bedroom abode was maintaining a space for both me and Wayne to work on our individual projects--me with my scrapbooking and crafts, and Wayne with his... computer games.  (Okay, I guess there's also lesson planning for work and preparing for Bible study... but definitely plenty of computer games.) Our ultimate solution was to purchase a smaller desk for Wayne and move both desks into our bedroom, along with our brimming bookshelves which were originally in the guestroom.   Before babies were in the equation, we both had our own entire rooms, so this moving in together took some adjusting to.  We joke that our new arrangement is reminiscent of dorm life, or that with all this added furniture in one small space, it's like living in an IKEA showroom, but actually, I quite like our new set-up.

Here are some before and after photos:

 Master Bedroom--Before

I can't believe we lived in this sad, sad cell for over four years before putting up any sort of decor or color!  Since it was a room that most people didn't see but us, it became last on my priority list.

After

This is much happier!  And a smarter use of space.  1. Framed fabric, inspired by a friend's crafting post.  2. Wayne's smaller, sleeker desk operates as a work station and nightstand.  Side storage compartment houses messy computer wires and a built-in USB hub.  3. What a difference one decorative pillow makes!  4. Billy bookcases from IKEA lined in the back with shelf paper for a custom look.  5. These lamps from Target placed up high were an economical alternative to recessed lighting.  6. My big, honking desk fits!  Yay!

Wall gallery of photos FINALLY up!

Living Room--Before

After

1. I constructed this window seat using two IKEA Kallax shelves, following this tutorial.  2. IKEA Drona fabric bins in white are painted with fabric paint to coordinate (I used Martha Stewart satin finish craft paint in "wet cement".)  3. Envelope pillow covers are my new sewing obsession!  4. Rug from overstock.com.

 Caedmon now has so much more space to play, and his toys are neatly tucked away when not in use.

Some window seat tutorials recommend attaching legs to the bottom of the structure, but when we did, the seat was too high for my short limbs, so we had to take them off.  Another roadblock we came across was how to level the window seat, since ours rests partially on the rug and hardwood.  What we ended up doing was inserting random pieces of thin wood under the seat on the hardwood (an extra shelf from a bookcase and leftover wainscoting from the previous homeowners)--simple, economical, and effective!

Guest Room--Before

After

This room is definitely still a work in progress, as I'd like to put up curtains and, perhaps, reupholster the armchair, which right now, is a complete eyesore against the grays and yellows. Still, I don't want to invest too much into this room, since it will be probably be Caedmon's before long, and I'll have to change everything again.  I do absolutely love the map art from my sister and brother-in-law; it will work even when this room becomes Caedmon's.

The Truth About Crafts (and Dogs)

This was my latest makeover project--our upholstered metal folding chairs.

Before

 After

Pretty nice upgrade, wouldn't you say?  But what is even more interesting, I think, is the behind-the-scenes footage of this saga, because the reality is, behind every pretty picture of a craft I've completed, is a slew of headaches and frustrations that are lost to the public eye as soon as I post a polished "after" photo.  

This is the truth of crafting that Pinterest will not tell you.

Other mishaps in my past include:
the orange door
our family room

There was also our dining table that I refinished TWICE and still has pockmarks, because apparently, I'm horrible at sanding away pre-existing varnish.  And my purple bookshelf that I painted with such alacrity in college, but learned the difficult way the indispensable importance of primer when all its painted stripes peeled off, taking along with it my hard work and motivation.  I ended up taking a whole quarter (or was it two) to finally finish that thing.

And now these reupholstered folding chairs.

Every tutorial I had encountered proclaimed how easy this project was, and you know, after I got that first one done, the rest really were fairly simple, but that first chair.  Oh, that first chair.  I can't look at that pink chair without a little bit of a grimace.  Here is what I had to learn, the hard way:

• You need short staples (1/4") to attach your new fabric, otherwise your staples will go through the top panel. (There was NOT ONE tutorial online that I could find that addressed my problem of staples going through, so I provide a solution here.  See next bullet for solution #2.)
• You need a thick home decorating fabric, (and even then, there are thinner ones interspersed with the thicker ones... don't go for those), otherwise your staples will go through the top panel.  My pink fabric is thinner, and I had to resort to stapling only partially through, so as not to injure my guests who will be sitting in this chair.  (I could have also kept the original fabric on underneath, but the pattern showed through the white part of my pink fabric.  This is another reason to buy a thicker fabric, so that you don't have to go through the hassle of removing the original fabric.)

My thinner fabric requires me to staple only partially through, lest the staples puncture through the other side, stabbing my unassuming guests in the back.

• Use a heavy duty staple gun.  Don't go for the prettier, lighter one advertised to be easier on your hands (EVEN if the packaging has on it a picture of a man stapling together a wooden birdhouse... don't trust it). Otherwise, you will end up with two staple guns and have spent $23 instead of $9, when the prettier, easy-on-the-hands one refuses to puncture anything.  What worked was the Arrow JT27.  

Go for a heavy duty staple gun, like the one on the right.

• When purchasing anything, double check that you have the right items and that they are in working order, like, say, that your spray adhesive is not missing a nozzle.  Otherwise, you will make the untimely discovery the next time you craft, i.e. when the baby is napping, and therefore, you will be home-bound, and unable to move on with your project, you will be left with nothing else to do but twiddle your thumbs.  Talk about a momentum-buster.  
• Speaking of spray adhesive, don't use it indoors at your dining table.  This seems like common sense, and apparently, I don't have any.  If you, too, lack common sense, you will get spray adhesive all over your table, computer, phone, and anything else that's lying within a 2-foot radius of your target.  You will then need to use GooGone and some soapy water to remove adhesive (you're welcome for doing the research for you).
• The bottom panel that you sit on is not a uniform square, at least it wasn't on my chairs.  The back corners are more tapered than the front ones.  Therefore, it matters which way your fabric is lined up.  Lay your fabric on to check if it lines up correctly BEFORE you staple it all on... otherwise, you will find yourself grumbling under your breath as you rip out all the staples, rotate your fabric, and then staple it back on again.

NOOOO!!!

• If you have chairs with these plastic push-in rivets on the bottom, as opposed to metal screws, curse the chair-making powers that be and then decide your course of action.  More on this below, but DON'T try to cut them off with scissors.  It is an ineffective method that will take too much time and will hurt your hands in the process.  There are better ways to remove the rivets.  

Okay, now that I've finished airing my frustrations and thoroughly scared some of you  from attempting this project, let me assure you that it really is quite simple.  ;)  Here's what I did that worked, and hopefully my mistakes will save you some time and headache... though if you're anything like me, you, too, must learn the hard way.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?  Yes, I believe that can be applied to crafting.  

How to Reupholster Your Folding Chair

Materials:

• folding chair
• heavy home decorating fabric (about 1/2-yard)
• spray adhesive (optional, but it helps)
• heavy(ier) duty staple gun
• 1/4-inch staples
• screwdriver

Additional materials you may need:

• hammer or metal mallet
• #8-32 x 1/2" round head screws with bolts (I would actually get ones with larger heads, if they exist, but otherwise, these work.)
• E6000 glue

1. Unscrew the top and bottom panels.  Or, if you are unfortunate like me, your chair panels are attached by plastic push-in rivets.  Use a hammer to pound them out.  If the rivets are not too shredded, you can simply reinsert the panel when you are finished reupholstering it.  (Test by replacing the seat panel to see if old rivets will hold.)  If, though, they are not reusable, or if you want a sturdier attachment, you can replace the rivets with the round head screws.

2. Hopefully, your new fabric is nice and thick and not see-through, so you can simply lay it on top of the original fabric.  However, if your original fabric is in poor condition, or if you want to replace the plastic push-in rivets with screws, then you'll need to remove the original fabric using a screwdriver to lift the staples.

3.  If you are replacing the plastic rivets with screws, pull the cushion apart from the backing and remove rivets and reinsert round head screws.  I used masking tape to keep the screws in place before I flipped the board back over so that the screws are pointed outwards.  

4.  Laying the panels on top of your new (and ironed) fabric, cut out pieces with about 1-1/2 to 2 inches extra on each side.  Be aware of which sides are the front and back of your panel, and align your fabric accordingly.  Use spray adhesive (outside!) to secure fabric, and then start stapling.  Start in the middle of one side, and add a couple more on either side, spaced evenly apart.  Pull the fabric taut, and repeat on the opposite side.  Continue on the third side, and then it's opposite side.  

 5.  When you get to the corners, be sure to pleat the fabric before stapling, working around each curve.

6. Cut away excess fabric that may be covering the holes for your screws.  Realign your panels to the chair, and screw back into place.  If you replaced the push-in rivets with screws, attach bolts now.  If you kept the old push-in rivets, all you need to do is snap the seat panel back in position.  A little wobbly?  Or maybe you were too lazy to replace the broken rivets?  Use the E6000 glue.  This is an easy solution, but you won't be able to take the panel off again.

7.  And that's it!  Enjoy your chair! 

Easy, right?  Haha, I guess you'll have to find out.

As for Lucy, she's content to play with protective plastic wrap and paint silly expressions, even when her chairs don't turn out.  No sweat.  Maybe I should take a page from her book.

Taking a break from her painting project

How To: Fix a Broken Flip-Flop

I broke one of my flip-flops the other day, and just as I was browsing Amazon for a new pair, I decided to search online for a way to salvage it.  I do love the internet, because sure enough, I found a tutorial that helped me do just that, and it was so easy!

This round nubby thing that holds the flip-flop thong in place is the part that broke off, so instead of throwing away the whole sandal, I just made a new "nubby thing".

1. Punch a hole at the end of the broken thong where the nub fell off.  I used a hammer and nail.

2. Use pliers and a small paper clip (or some wire) to fashion a new "nubby thing".  Straighten out the ends of the paper clip so that it looks like a bobby pin and clamp down on the "U".

3. Thread the flattened paper clip through the hole in the rubber thong.

4. Using the pliers, bend the legs of the paper clip.

5. Trim off excess wire so that your "nubby thing" fits in the recess.

And voila!  You've raised your broken flip-flop back from the dead!

See, easy, right?  I must say, I'm pretty proud of my MacGyver self, tinkering away in the garage like that.  It's not quite saving the world, but it's something!  :)

ArtBEAST in Sacramento

I am so excited to have found ArtBEAST in midtown, an open studio art space for kids to explore, make art, make a mess, and have fun.  It's also a nonprofit establishment, with ALL proceeds going to Tubman House, a local transitional living program offering coursework, childcare, community support, and counseling to help young homeless parents and their children get back on their feet.  What a noble and worthy endeavor that makes me feel that much better about coming here. While Caedmon is having a blast, I also know that we are making a small contribution toward a greater good.  

And Caedmon definitely had a blast.  

In the courtyard, he was free to play with water, among many things.

I loved this giant wind chime-esque construct that offered raucous clashes and clangs with each satisfying swat of the pole.  Still, I wondered... are we just teaching Caedmon to hit things with sticks?

 Lunch break!  We paused in our play to munch on the lunch I had packed.  In the background, on the left, you can see the sand pit area where kids can transport sand in different containers and pour it through hanging sieves and funnels.

Inside, different rooms invited children to paint on easels, sculpt with clay, crinkle crackly paper, and bake cookies and partake in high tea on play kitchen sets. On the top floor, there was an infant area that was gated off from the rest of the older kids, allowing for safe play for the littlest ones.

A mini ballet barre offers stability...

an opportunity to make funny faces...


and when no one is looking, a comforting snack.

Caedmon loved climbing up this plush jungle gym...

and sliding back down on his tummy.

Even Dad had fun!

Here, Wayne made a game for himself by tossing boiled wool balls into a basket across the room.  (There were no other kids in the area.)

In the basement, there was a stage complete with costumes, along with puppets, a fort, a tin spaceship, and musical instruments, including a piano and guitars!  Yes, it smelled a little like pee down there, but .... it's okay?

While Caedmon was too young to fully enjoy most of the activities at ArtBEAST, I think he still had a rocking good time. This is definitely a place where he can creatively grow, and I am so, SO excited that we have a venue like this in Sacramento!  We'll be back most definitely!