Recovering My Outdoor Swing Cushions (I cheated a little!)

June 6, 2016June 5, 201640 Comments

Last week was our preschool graduation. It’s so exciting for the kids and parents. The children are all dressed in their little caps and gowns, with tassels hanging askew. They can hardly hold still because of the excitement! We make sure all the caps are on securely, everyone has pottied (they are only 5!), hair looks good, and we are ready to go. We walk in a line to the sanctuary and the kids get really quiet. They aren’t quite sure what to expect. The music starts, we tell them to smile, and off we go! Up to the stage, climb the stairs and find the right chair to sit in. All the while, they are looking for their parents and waving. Finally we start. There is the flag salute, some verses recited, a song sung, and then a surprise for the children. Haley put together a video of pictures we had taken all through the year and the kids had no idea! When it started, one little girl covered her cheeks and whispered, ‘What is this?’. Another one actually started to cry and came over to stand by me until she could compose herself. I asked her why she was crying and she told me she just couldn’t believe she was seeing herself up on the screen. Such sweet moments and memories.

Another sweet memory for me is this project. This is one of my highest viewed posts! So I thought it would be a great way to kick off the summer. It’s pretty easy, especially since I cheated a little, and maybe it will give you an idea on how to refresh your outdoor cushions!

My project today was to recover cushions for my outdoor swing. Now, I have to tell you a few things before I start. First of all, I bought the fabric probably 2 summers ago and never did anything with it. Second, I bought it to cover 3 cushions that fit perfectly on the swing. Unfortunately, they got wet this winter and were completely mildewed. Yuck! Third, which I have already mentioned before, I hate to sew! So let’s get started!! Ha!

Here is the before and the pieces I am going to use (daughter not included)

So I had some other cushions I had purchased at a yard sale a couple of summers ago and decided to just make them work for the swing since I couldn’t use the others. Unfortunately, the fabric didn’t work the way I really wanted it to. In order to cover all the cushions, I had to have the stripes go across instead of forward to back. Not my favorite, but the only way it would work. I also was going to have the seam in the front of the cushion. Again, not my favorite, but I just went with it. I can maybe cover the seam with some trim later (yeah, right!)

The back cusion

I started by laying my fabric out. I did this outdoors since my house doesn’t have any floor space large enough, plus it was so nice outside. I placed 2 cushions on the fabric and then cut across, making sure the pieces would be large enough to go around the cushion.

Snip, snip!

Then I cut that piece into 2 pieces so I would have material for 2 of the cushions.

Cut down the middle so I have 2 pieces.

Here are the 3 seat cushions.

Once I had all my pieces cut I could start ~~sewing~~, I mean gluing! Here is where I cheated! I found this idea a couple of years ago on Pinterest and have used it several times since. I covered my other patio furniture this way and this will be the third summer using it. I have only had to re-glue a couple of places. I also glued the pillow covers on my front porch this way, here. With gluing, it is easy to change out the fabric on the cushions if they should get dirty, stained or mildewed, or simply because you changed your mind or color scheme (this is usually my reason!)

See my little helper!

I laid the first cushion on top of the wrong side of the material and wrapped the material around so I could see how it lined up. Once I had the fabric where I wanted it, I made a short line of hot glue and laid the fabric on it. I did this all the way across the cushion, laying the fabric and pressing it down onto the glue. I did about 10 inches at a time, so my glue would stay hot.

Line of hot glue to start covering cushion.

Then I pulled the rest of the fabric over and glued it down so my whole cushion was covered from front to back.

Finish the covering

Here it is glued to the back. I didn’t worry about making it all straight and perfect, because this part won’t show. It will be against the back of the swing and no one will see it. I like things to look nice, but I am not a perfectionist in how I accomplish this. Obviously, this could be done much neater and more professional if you wanted to.

All glued!

Now for the sides. I folded the edges in like you would wrap a present. Then I glued the long side on the bottom up to the top.

Fold the edges like a present.

This piece of fabric already had a folded edge, so it looked nicer when I glued it.

Nice and neat package!

Repeat these same steps with the other two cushions. Not too bad since I had to improvise!

3 little cushions all in a row!

Now for the back. I had to use a couple of different things for the back. I used an old wicker couch cushion and two pieces of foam I removed from another cushion. This was going to be interesting! I measured the fabric long enough to include the foam on the end. I started this part the same way as the seat cushions, by gluing the long piece around the couch cushion from front to back.

Seat cushion

I placed the foam in each end and then had to figure out how to add the fabric over it. I ended up cutting a piece that would fold over the end from front to back. I first glued on one side, putting the right sides together so it would make a neater seam.

End piece

Not sure how this is going to work!

Then I took the loose end and brought it up over the foam and glued it to the other fabric. I’m really not sure how to explain the corners, except that I tucked them in neatly the best I could and glued them in to secure. Here it is! There are definitely things I would have done differently. But because of the change of cushions, I just didn’t have enough fabric. I think it turned out okay, considering what I had to work with.

Here’s the finished project!

Since summer is quickly approaching and we have graduation and birthday parties coming up, I am just glad it is finished. I am probably more picky then most people in the way it looks-they most likely won’t even notice the mistakes!

Do you have summer projects you are getting done too? I really like how summery this looks and now it is done and ready for partying! If you have any questions about any steps I missed, please comment and I will do my best to answer. Here a few other posts about summertime and the outdoors. Have a great day!

How to Make a Rustic American Flag

May 23, 201619 Comments

Hello! Hope everyone is doing well! We are coming to the close of school with our preschool graduation this week and then next week is the last week. I am so ready for some vacation time! I would love to get some more projects done! Lauren and I plan to work on updating the blog this summer and there are other exciting things in the works! Stay tuned!

I have been wanting to make a flag like this for a long time. I figured since Memorial Day is next Monday here in the states and 4th of July is coming soon, this was a good time. I originally was going to use pieces of molding, but that never happened so I decided to use some pickets I already had. Another free project!!

We had gathered some pickets from a neighbor a couple of years ago when he took down his fence. I have used them for a potting table and also a little side table. I wasn’t using the small table anymore, so I took it apart and used the pieces.

Steve removed the nails from each of the pieces, than I gave each one a good scrubbing.

I painted 4 pickets antique white and 3 pickets grey. I didn’t cover them too thoroughly, just enough to freshen them up.

I took one of the squares from the table that was taken apart and painted it blue. After the paint dried, I sprayed a little bit of turquoise over the top and then sanded it down.

These pieces also came from the table and they were attached to the back to hold all the pickets together.

Here is the front with the blue square attached.

Here is my bottle cap collection! My girls and I have collected these for years while taking walks around the neighborhood. We have an alley behind us and there are always treasures to be found. The girls and I picked out caps with blue, gold, silver and a little bit of red. We tried to get them all different and then placed them on the blue square in random order. I used my nail-gun to attach them.

All done! This was such a simple project to put together and I love how it turned out!

I don’t really decorate with red, so I tried to keep this as neutral as possible.

I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and have some time to relax! Here a couple of other posts you might enjoy!

Fabulous Finds and Fashions 5/18/16

May 18, 2016May 17, 201618 Comments

Hello! I am back today with some fabulous finds, but no fashions. I found some great stuff at Goodwill this time, and decent prices.

This pillow was from Target this past winter and it was marked at $3.99. I have been seeing them lately for $9-12 at Goodwill, so this one was a good deal. I will put it away for next winter.

I loved the scrolling and design of this little plate. I put it in Lauren’s room so she can set her water bottle on it and other little items when she stays over.

Aren’t these silver pieces great! The large bowl was half off because it had a blue tag. I believe it was $2.00 and the little bowls were .99 cents each. Can’t wait to use these on my table!

My last find was this bunch of faux pussy-willows. I only paid $1.99 for the bunch.

I’d say this was a pretty successful shopping trip! Thanks for stopping by!

Laundry Room Update! Still Not Done :(

May 9, 2016May 8, 201623 Comments

Is it summer vacation yet! I feel like I am really falling behind on getting things done around the house! This laundry room has been a looooooong process. Honestly, I am not sure it will ever be completely done. I will just keep calling it my ‘half’ room. Half of a floor, half painted, half a washer and dryer… see what I mean? Maybe someday. But I can give you a little update :).

Remember the lockers? They are successfully installed into the laundry room! I love them! Haley keeps telling me I need little chalkboards on each one labeling what’s inside! Steve added some shelves inside a few of them so I could store more items, like cleaning supplies and such.

Here you get a little peek at them on the sides. The big door hides the water heater plus stores a few other items like the mop and broom. Steve added some wood around it so it wasn’t just a big piece of plywood, but obviously that is only half done too. I haven’t got the painting done yet.

I also have been working on a sign for the room that should have only taken a couple of hours, but has been weeks instead. I think this whole project is just not supposed to happen! It has just been one thing after another.

I took a scrap piece of wood and painted it white. I had a frame which was cut down to fit around the piece of wood. But…it didn’t fit quite right either. Wow. Oh well. I used it anyways.

When I started writing this post, I realized I didn’t have the pictures for the letters that spelled out ‘laundry’, but I did have ones for ‘patio.’ So that is what we are going to work with! I have had these chipboard letters for years and I am trying to use them up by making words with whatever is left. I had some for ‘patio’ and ‘laundry.’

I picked out pieces of scrapbooking papers that were in the colors I wanted to use. I had lots of pieces at home, but there are lots of pretty designs at the craft stores too. Then I figured out the order I wanted them to go in. Play around with different layouts until you find what is pleasing to you.

I turned my paper over and laid the letter on it backwards. I traced around the letter and then cut it out.

Now I am ready to attach them. I used Modge Podge for mine. I brushed some onto the letter and then smoothed my paper down on top. I also brushed some Modge Podge over the top of the paper after it was aligned with the chipboard.

After all my letters were dry, I glued them onto the board. I laid them out first so I could see how much spacing I would need. I used tacky glue to attach them. I weighted them down with some book for awhile so they would be firmly glued on.

Now that you have all seen the ‘patio’ letters, let’s move on to ‘laundry’, shall we?

Here it is! The letters attached really well after being weighted down. Just that corner thing…

Here’s the corner, in all its glory. Maybe I can figure something out to cover it or put over it. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear it!

I hope you all had an enjoyable Mother’s Day weekend. Here I am with my ‘little’ girls!

Have a wonderful day!!

Toolbox Restyle-Blue Coastal Style

May 2, 2016April 30, 201616 Comments

Hello! How was your weekend? We spent Friday night watching our local Triple A baseball team play, Saturday was a catch-up on blogging day and Sunday, I volunteered at the shelter after church. I would say it was successful!

I also worked on this Toolbox Restyle. As you know, I love the coastal and beachy style. And Lauren is kind of moving that way too when she moves into another place. She made this toolbox years ago as part of a 4-H Woodworking project. I have mostly used it outdoors with candles and such, but decided to fix it up for her to use in her new place. In the meantime, I get to enjoy it in my living room!

I cleaned the box up and gave it a good polish and then wound some rope around the handle. I secured the ends with a little hot glue.

Next, I searched around the house for a few things to fill it with. I tried to add a little bit of navy blue, since that seems to be what Lauren is moving towards.

I found this old paper spool of ribbon in Lauren’s stash. It had pink lace on it. I removed the lace and wrapped white and silver ribbon on it instead. I love the old spool!

This bowl had been green. I liked the design and the shape, but not the color, so I spray-painted it white. I added some white rocks to the bottom, ‘planted’ the (faux) succulents and added a little garland of seashells. The bowl was the perfect fit for the middle section.

I didn’t get a picture of the mason jar, but it hold some seashells and rocks Lauren had been saving. I covered the top of the lid with some scrapbooking paper.

This candle holder was purchased by my mom from Goodwill. It came in a set of three and I liked the height in the back of the box. Lauren and I talked about possibly cutting the little part off the top so she could use a pillar candle instead.

I found this block of wood in our wood stash and added some burlap and navy blue ribbon. A blue candle is perfect for the top and the block fit perfectly in the toolbox.