The Stray Sofa

I encountered something really inspiring recently, a young girl came in and mentioned how she had found this antique love seat in an alley, she explained how she inspected it and then took it home in hopes to recreate the worn piece for her bedroom. While looking through magazines she came across a picture of a sofa covered in a beautiful chintz print from Robert Allen and decided that it was definitely the fabric she was going to use, and no other. Later she phoned me and asked if I could redo this alley love seat for her. I willingly accepted the challenge of turning some persons trash into this girls treasure.

Realizing the wood needed some staining in order to look renewed, the girl and her father decided that they would help restore the little love seat and re-stain the carved wood trim. With the staining done it was my turn to help turn this alley cat  love seat into the bell of the ball.

Using the exact fabric seen in the magazine my team and I began re upholstering. The transformation was stunning, the poor beat up little alley love seat was now brilliantly shining as though brand new. What a treasure, and all because some one saw the potential in alley's garbage.

It was HOOT !!

This is my latest fun project.
 I came across this big comfy chair on craigslist for $40, re-upholstered it in white canvas and got creative! When I started I thought I was painting a large flower and this is what came out of it. I hand stitched a piece of red leather from an altered skirt onto the chair for the large heart, and adorned the chair with buttons I found in my antique sewing machine box. I took apart my old charm bracelet and gave the owl a silver heart broach.

 It was so much fun to stand in front of a chair with a black marker, fabric paint and play. It is what my mother always told me not to do to the furniture !

 As I was having fun with it I couldn't help but think about how much fun kids would have decorating their own piece of furniture. I encourage everyone to think outside of the box and free the creativity we all have inside. It is hard and took me a year to touch paint to the canvas but I tell you it is so liberating and exiting. I hope to play again soon.

Vancouver Film Festival openning night Gala

Last Thursday I attended The Vancouver Film Festival opening gala. What a different world to be exposed to. I had a blast. Moving art displays, 3 amazing live bands, open bar!, delicious food , lots of media and celebs. There were so many beautiful and interesting people there.

I am so grateful my dear friend from Can Am Importique invited me. All I could think about was how I wished I had the guts to show up wearing a dress shaped as a chair and pass out my business cards!