A WING CHAIR IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SLIPCOVERED

I actually have finished and delivered this slipcover, but I thought I'd show you the process of cutting and fitting that takes place.

This technique is the reason why I MUST go to your home to be able to make a slipcover that fits your particular piece of furniture.  A wing chair is a perfect example.  There are about as many different styles of wings chairs as there are people who have them.  

This fabric is a really heavy duck cloth that has been pre-washed and shrunk.  I cannot emphasize enough that it is not possible to cut a slipcover to allow for shrinkage.  All fabric shrinks at different rates and it would never fit properly if I tried to figure out how much it would actually shrink.

As with all furniture, except a one-arm chaise, I cut only half of it because the other half is a mirror image.  If I was not putting buttons down the back, which in this case are just decorative, the back piece would be all the way across.  After I cut, I carefully label each piece.  Once I have it home and begin work on it, it's just flat pieces of fabric that would be a lot more challenging to put back together without knowing specifically which piece goes where.

Tomorrow I'll post the finished chair and ottoman.

SLIPPER CHAIR AND OTTOMAN

I finally got this chair and ottoman finished.  I think I originally cut them at the end of May.  I did have other jobs ahead of them, but it was never supposed to take as long as it did.  If it wasn't for my back, they would have been completed about 2 months sooner.  Luckily, every single one of my clients has or has had back trouble themselves and were beyond understanding of my predicament.  I have always had, and continue to have, the best clients.

It's always a bit of a gamble when you send people out the get their own fabric.  What seems obvious to me is not always the case with everyone else.  You cannot tell from the photos, but the fabric is a kind of almost open-weave, gauzy synthetic.  Not really a first choice of mine for slipcovers.

I think I am making it sound much worse than it really is.  It's not bad and shrinkage will definitely not be a problem.

In any case, my client was happy with the end result.

And, really, even with a less than desirable fabric, the 'afters' are so much better than the 'befores.'  I forgot to take a picture of the chair, but you can see it in the background.

Her lamp also got a new slipcover.  This did not photograph very well.  In person, it looks much less like a silk sack and more like a lamp shade slipcover. As with the furniture, the finished product is a vast improvement, even if it doesn't show that way in this picture.

GOOD FRIENDS ARE THE BEST

A couple of weeks ago, my very good friend, Lisa Michelle, who actually lives in Miami, was in Los Angeles for a job, so she hopped on the train and came to visit me.  We met as models in Barcelona in 1989 and have been friends ever since.

We acted a little like tourists while she was here.

There is nothing like having your picture taken while driving across the Coronado Bridge.  I thought it best to keep my eyes on the road!

This was taken in March 2001, right after I moved to West Hollywood from Chicago.  Lisa decided that I was NOT driving out alone and flew to Chicago to make the trip with me.  We took 7 days to drive, 3 of which we spent in Santa Fe.  Anyway, this is us all dressed up with someplace to go!  

The glamorous girls!  For sure not my usual style, but when someone offers to lend you diamonds and furs to attend Oscar parties, you don't say no!  

IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG

I cannot believe the last time I posted was 11 August.  Where does the time go?  I had every intention of posting yesterday and, well, that just didn't happen.  Oh well.  I am finally getting back in the swing of things and posting here is a big part of my 'normal' routine.  My back is so much better.  I have started on some core strengthening exercises that will, hopefully, keep me from EVER ending up in bed again with  a thrown out back.  It was not fun.  As for my mother, she is healing as well.  Maybe a little more slowly than she'd like, but getting better nonetheless.  Thank you again for all your messages and e-mails and positive thoughts and prayers for both me and my mother.  

Now back to my work:

I delivered this sofa last Saturday morning.

Back view with the ever-present buttons.  In this case, they were actually needed to get the slipcover on.

There are two of this chair.

In the case of the chairs, the buttons, though functional, are strictly for looks.

Even the chairs at the bar in the kitchen got new clothes.  

It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures,  but the fabric is linen.  

Below are the sofa and chairs that I slipcovered.  What a difference!

And this sweet little face belongs to the son of my client.  Isn't he just the cutest?

Not only have I not been posting on my own blog, I haven't even been reading anyone else's either.  My other intention is to catch up with all those blogs that I love.

SUNSET ON CORONADO ISLAND

Yesterday I was on the beach at sunset.  For the 8 1/2 years I have lived on Coronado, I do not recall ever going to watch the sunset here.  Pretty pathetic, huh?

Since Coronado doesn't face directly west, the sun sets behind Point Loma, which is what you can kind of see at the bottom of the clouds.

The Hotel Del Coronado

I rather like this sea gull standing at the water's edge, but was told that you shouldn't take pictures of certain things, like pigeons and sea gulls, because they are too easy to shoot.  Oh well, I did it anyway.

I am still trying to get back in my regular routine with work and with posting.  I haven't even been good about reading other blogs either.  Part of it is I have to sit to do these things and that is still a little painful.  Not bad, just not back to normal yet.  Slowly, but slowly I AM getting there.

A REALLY CUTE OTTOMAN

I started this ottoman before I threw my back out.  It was all cut out, except for the lining for the skirt, and I had even serged everything.

Then, as you already know, I spent 6 days in bed.  I thought about this slipcover a lot but couldn't do anything about completing it.

Finally, I was able to work on it.  Of course, it took about three days because I couldn't really sit down for very long.  I am still doing my best to get back to work.  Now, as much as anything, it is fear that I will hurt myself again and have to go back to bed.  The short-term solution is using banquet tables pushed together.  I'm going to have to get the extenders to make them higher, as they are currently about 13" too short for me.  Long term solution is to have a work table built and turn my living room into the workroom that it already is.  The sofa is getting put in the garage, but it's not like I sit on it anyway and I will need the extra space.  My finished table will be 12' long. 6' wide and 43 1/2" high.  Rather large but what I need.

And this lovely piece of furniture is the ottoman before it got its new slipcover.  The after is much nicer, don't you think?

SOMERSET HOME

My pink denim folding chair slipcovers are in the new Somerset Home.

UPDATE:

My back is getting better each day.  I am almost back to 'normal,' whatever that is!  I am ever hopeful that I can get back to work as well.  I may even be back to blogging on a regular basis again soon!  I've missed it and missed all of you.

My mother is home from the hospital and is also getting better each day.  Thank you for all the well-wishes, nice comments, e-mails and extra prayers I received for both my mother and for me.  It ALL helped, I am sure.

SLOWLY BUT SLOWLY

It's been a while since I've been able to post.  And just so you know, the pictures you are looking at now have nothing to do with anything.  Basically, it's just more of my playing in Photoshop and not wanting another picture-less post.

The above picture is the original.  I set these vintage bottles out on the table in the backyard because I needed the tupperware container they were in.

This is the photo inverted.  I really like the way this looks.

Another angle, with the blue bottle back in the group.

Same picture with color added.

Doesn't it look cool inverted?

Okay, now for the update on my back and what else is going on in my life.  First,   it was a very frustrating and painful week.  It took much longer than I had anticipated and longer than it took last time I did this.  The good news is, my back is better.  I have still not been able to work yet, but I am hopeful in the next couple of days, I'll get back to it.  I have to share with you the amazing, and dare I say miraculous, process I came across for helping in that healing.  I saw a blurb about it in the Oprah magazine and promptly googled it.  It is called The Alexander Technique.  Luckily, there are a couple of people who teach it in the San Diego area.  I ended up going to Eileen Troberman and after only one session, I had significant relief.  She made me a believer.  I have since gone an additional time and will go 3 more times and then re-evaluate my situation.  All I can say is she changed my life.  I wish I had known about this years ago.  Go check out the web site and learn about it.  It is so hard to explain what she actually does, but whatever it is, it works.  

Secondly, and not good at all, my mother had a stroke the same day my back went out.  She is in the hospital and they are giving her physical rehabilitation.  At this point, it is a day-by-day thing.  Her mental capabilities are fine and that is proving to be part of the problem.  She's a doctor and she's in the hospital and not happy about it.  Please say an extra prayer for her.  Because of this, I am going to be taking a break from blogging.  My mind is all over the place and I need to concentrate on my mother and getting my back 100% healed.  I will do my best to visit your blogs during this time.  Thank you for your understanding and I'll be back soon.

SUMMER HAS ARRIVED

This is the first time I have attempted a post from my iPhone, but it is my only option right now. Yes,summer seems to have finally made it to Coronado. Better late than never, right? So why no photos to go along with this post? And why am I posting from my phone? Well, I am in bed, with a totally spasming back. Supposedly, after tomorrow, I should be okay. That's how it went last time, but it sure doesn't feel like I'll be able to move so soon. Let me just say that this really sucks. This is pain like no other. It's not like I can just isolate my back and get on with it. I cannot sit, walk, lie down(at least not comfortably) and all I really want to do is cry, but I know that will hurt my back. Just now as I was writing this, I sneezed. Not a good thng and a bad word slipped out as it happened. I don't think I will, or can, die from this pain, but the way I feel right now, I can't see how I'll get through this. It's funny how our minds block out traumas and this is no exception. It's been about 12 years since I last experienced this and though I remember that it occurred, I don't remember the specific details, like did day 2 feel just like this? The main difference last time was I was married and my husband could help me out. I had to call my neighbor to come feed Emily last night and this morning I was able to make her breakfast, but I couldn't put it on the floor. My exchange student is up now and I asked him to set it on the floor for me. Have I mentioned that this SUCKS?

So even though I am home, I still won't be doing any blog reading. I hope you are all enjoying your summer and out having fun. At least the marine layer is gone and we have bright sunshine, even if I am only able to enjoy it from my bedroom window.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

I'm home from Denver and trying to get back in my routine.  I had no computer access while there, so I haven't read any blogs in 6 days.  I think that's the longest since I started on this blog journey.  I have so much catching up to do.  Denver is a very nice city.  It's very clean and very green.  The city has over 200 public parks.  We were staying in downtown, right on the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall.  I went from the wonderful (NOT) marine layer to rainy, overcast weather in Denver.  Luckily, it did clear up after a couple of days,  and I got to enjoy warm, sunny days.  I took lots of pictures on my trip, but most would be boring in a post.  We also went to the Denver Zoo and I could do an entire post on pictures of the backs of the animals.  Had a terrible time with them all facing the other direction.  

Someone decided to fancy up a construction site fence with crocheted flowers.  I've never seen anything like this and it was quite pretty.

A big (40' in fact) blue bear looking in the Denver Convention Center.

Giraffes.  Not quite their backs, but not facing the camera, either.

I am not a fan of snakes, but the color of these boas was just too pretty to pass up.

A little monkey sitting on a larger gorilla.

My brother Brian, nephew Benjamin, mother Patricia and me.

LEAVING (AGAIN) ON A JET PLANE

This time I am headed for Denver.  (It is so nice having a built-in house sitter in my exchange student.)  I'll be back Sunday and will have to catch up with everyone then.

Pictures taken on my trip to Georgia in May.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

And to all a safe and Happy 4th of July!!!