Furniture Friday: Old Leather Belts + Outcasted Chair = Awesomeness!

Normally I post furniture that I've finished, but I found this AH-mazing chair on-line awhile back and had to share it!

There's a great tutorial over at Sally Ann: Handmade Fashion
And seeing this chair makes me want to head to the thrift store and start saving leather belts!  I need to make this!  

Here's a video tutorial too! 

And some other great ideas. I really LOVE the outdoor chair!

I need to head to the thrift store and garage sales so I can start saving leather belts!   So. Awesome!

 

Whatever Wednesday: Brick Patio in a Day

I have an amazing friend, Svenja!  She blogs over at svavvy.com DIY and what she calls "greenish living".  She is clever, talented and funny! And when she puts her mind to something, it's gonna get accomplished - quickly!  So when I told her that I really wanted to make a sandy area of my backyard into a brick patio for our fire pit, she popped right over and was ready to work.

 

Furniture Friday: Antique Folding Chairs

My husband and I both come from large families which means that there is lots of opportunity for our previously very small house to host lots and lots of people for dinners and family time together.  Because of it's size, I often searched garage sales for small chairs that would increase our seating.  So, imagine my excitement when I came upon four antique folding chairs at a garage sale!

Again with the cherry stain.  And the upholstery work was loose and shoddy. 

When you're moving and can't find your staple puller, a butter knife works pretty well!

I found these burlap bags at the Goodwill Outlet for $0.49 each!

Below was the original covers for the chair.  I left this on, putting the burlap over it.

A bit blurry, this picture is illustrating the cut-out of the seat deck (where the seat back hits when the chair is not folded).  I had to cut diagonally on the corner and then staple each side to the corner. 

This one is my favorite chair!  N. 12.  Fun!

This one's my husband's favorite.  He really wanted to make sure that "produce of Indonesia" could be deciphered.

Whatever Wednesday: One Brilliantly-fun Bubble-themed Birthday Party

Tomorrow is my daughter's birthday so I thought I'd share a past Bubble Birthday Party that was brilliantly fun!  Other than the cake and edible bubbles, the whole theme was super easy to put together.  I probably will make edible bubbles again...but not when I have a deadline!  If you decide to make some be sure to give yourself some extra time.   

Summer parties are perfect for Bubble Birthday Parties because it's hot and you can let the kids get wet, and in this case sudsie. 

First of all, think all things bubble:

• Games/Activities: 
• Bubble wrap hopscotch
• Blasting Bubbles (water balloon toss/fight)
• Bubble blowing contest in milk
• Blow large bubbles using random household items.  I had the kids find them in from various places around the house
• Go swimming - who can make the most bubbles while making a Cannon Ball?
• Food:
• Bubble cake - 
• I made ours out of a spherical cake pan. 
• The bubble wand was out of a shortcake mold
• The bubbles were made from the insides of a York Peppermint Patty and out of jello (you check out some tutorials here, here, and here - they're pretty fun and messy to make!).
• Bubble gum
• Party Favors:
• Bubble necklaces and bracelets (iridescent blue bead necklaces from the Dollar Tree)

Then go at it and let the kiddos have a blast!

Getting the York patty ready by cutting all the chocolate off, then rolling the white inside into small balls.

Preparing the jello bubbles for the cake.

Baking the sphere halves and the shortcake shapes.