Bay Window Seat

Does everybody see a bay window in a house and think about lounging there with a book and something to drink?  Does anybody else think it looks like a relaxing place to be?  Well, I certainly have always viewed a bay window in that light and when I married Mike and found the bay window seat in the master bedroom, well, that is what I'm setting out to create. 

The bay window already had some fabulous uses.  First of all, the cabinetry makes a great storage and stash space.  See:

It is a pretty good place to plop stuff-you-don't-know-where-else-to-put.  (Aren't the bonus storage items in the bottom cabinetry really cute?)

When I first moved in here, I began just plopping all the little things I didn't want to give away here until I could find a place for them.  It has continued to be the stashing place for treasures that I cannot yet part with but don't know where their home is yet. 

It is also a fabulous hiding and play space.  See:



When it is used like this it is always full of giggles, wiggles, and whispers.  After these usages I have found multitudes of treasures tucked away down there.  Some such items have been Fisher Price Little People, baskets of photographs, a doll, a toy horse, books, and a plethora of other fun items.

Well, I ran across a beautiful piece of linen fabric that I thought would set off that little space and take me one step closer to the relaxing nook I envisioned.  You can see it plopped atop the cabinetry in a couple of the above photos but the one below really shows the pattern and almost lets you see how beautiful it really is.  Yesterday my mom came over and we (well, mostly she) made a cushion for the seat. 

Don't you just love all the swirls and loops and curls?  It is just a wee step beyond a simple paisley, I guess.  Plus, it is my favorite color!

First, I splurged and got a huge piece of foam at the local fabric and crafts store.  I would advise that you watch for a coupon or some sort of special sale before you invest.  I didn't, and of course the very next week it was advertised to be a sale item and a coupon was in the newspaper.  Just my luck!

Mom brought her electric knife and sliced it up to size.  As you can see, my huge piece of foam was not quite as wide as the window seat is deep and we just pieced it and nobody would even know if I wasn't confessing it here.

Then, while I ran up and down the stairs hauling up the sewing supplies, Mom began cutting bias strips for the piping.  I stitched those strips together to make one long strip and Mom covered the cording to make the piping.  When we began this corded piping stage, we decided that the cording needed to be a bit heftier than the wimpy little cord we had.  So, my brilliant mother landed on the idea of just cutting several lengths and bunching them together within the fabric to form a larger cord.  It turned out fine.

Here is a shot of her beginning to sew the corded piping together.  See the strands of cord knotted together?  She really is a genius isn't she?

While she was doing this, I put a couple of lunch plates together.  (See, I'm not completely useless!)

The next step was to sew the piping to the top and bottom pieces of the cushion cover.  I think Mom thought she was wrestling with a tent at one point because that thing was really a big piece of fabric. 

I think it was when I took this shot that Mom mentioned that she hadn't planned on the paparazzi chronicling her every move for the day.

While she was attaching the corded piping, I cut the strips to form the sides of the cushion.  Again, it had to be a l-o-n-g piece in order to go around that entire cushion.  I think this was the point that I told Mom that for something that looks so simple, this project was really time consuming.  No wonder such a thing is expensive to purchase!  Plus, I guess to add to the expense of buying such a thing, it would have to be a custom creation in order to fit the exact dimensions of the window seat.  I wonder what something like this would cost if done by a 'professional' team?

After a short stretching session, Mom sewed the side strip to the top and bottom pieces to create a sort of envelope.  It seems like at this point one would be home-free to just pop the foam piece in and stitch up the back side.  Well, it didn't turn out as simple as it seemed...  

Then, it was my turn to wrestle the alligator.

The foam tends to stick to the fabric so it doesn't just slide right into the envelope/pillow case created.  I found that I had to squeeze the foam and pull the fabric and place it in the exact spot in which I wanted it to stay to get it all forced down in there.

The most important part is to stick your tongue out and hold your mouth just right!

The last stage is to whip the edges together to enclose it tightly.  This was a bit of a challenge to my old arthritic hands.  However, it wasn't difficult to do - sort of like hemming a dress.  (Mom had already gone home and for obvious reasons I have no photo of this step.)

Finally, I have a beautiful, custom-tailored cushion for my window seat. 

Mike doesn't seem to have the same vision in his head.  He seems to think we need to put a TV in there and the bay window seat will be a place for somebody to sit while watching it.  I'm just really opposed to TVs in the bedroom, though, and am holding out on that one for now. 

I think I really am one step closer to having that niche I always envision when I see a bay window seat.  Now, I think I need a couple of pillows to lean against or even lounge my head back on, a lightweight throw for the times when the weather is cool and one needs to snuggle and I guess I'll have to clean that little table off to hold my drink.  Ah...someday, maybe. 

Until then, it is really a pretty good place to sit and blog.  The view out the window is lovely looking onto the vegetable garden, a little wet-weather creek, and the front yard.  (I had to close the blinds to make the photo, though, because the sun is so bright today.)

Maybe I'll be inspired to start that book I've been procrastinating about...

I think I'm getting closer to a before and after posting for our master bedroom.  Until then, I'll just let some of the granddaughters wave.

More Pillow Talk

Yesterday was my second attempt at creating simple, comfy pillows for my bay window seat.  I have always envisioned such a place as a retreat or a cozy niche for reading and relaxing and I got a start at creating such HERE.  In my mind I see:
relaxing rural scenery - got that
comfortable seat cushion - got that
perch for books, drink, snacks - got that
light-weight coverlet for snuggling - need that
a few pillows for leaning and reclining comfortably - now I've got that! 

A couple of days ago I worked on a different kind of pillow from anything I've ever made before.  I had seen the design in another blog and decided I would give it a whirl.  You can read about that HERE.  I was pleased with the way it turned out even though I thought I was putting a lot of work into it at the time I was working on pulling up the gathers.  Sometimes the detail makes up for the extra effort and this is really one of those times. 

I don't know whether I was inspired or whether I felt as if I was determined not to let the pillow project whip me.  I was a bit frustrated with the monogrammed pillow that I created the other day because my sewing machine pitched a little hissy fit and didn't sew the applique as smoothly as I desired.  In fact, if I had an abundance of supplies instead of just a few scraps, I would have thrown it out and started anew.  As it was, I just accepted that it wouldn't look perfect and figured that one of the grandchildren would probably get chocolate or something on it anyway and lived with the imperfections.  I guess there are times when something needs to bring us to the realization that imperfection is what makes everything unique.

When I was out shopping for fabric a few weeks back, I ran across a couple of beautiful linen prints that I thought would coordinate well with the seat cushion and draw in the other colors of the bedding, art, and needlework in the room. 

My two fabrics selected for my pillows.

The pattern on the fabric is quite large and busy, so I knew the pillow would have to be extremely simple. 

I searched through some blogs and sewing websites and came to the conclusion that I needed something simple with a fringed edge or maybe just a flanged edge.  I decided to go with a simple flanged pillow to take advantage of the print without any further fussing.  The fabric is a bit heavier weight anyway; so, I knew that it might get bulky in the seams if I wasn't careful. 

I hate that this photo makes the pillow look sort of limp and lumpy but I wanted to show how it looks alone with nothing to compete with the pattern.

This photo does it more justice and shows how it coordinates and contrasts with the window seat cushion.

I just love how it looks old and worn and as if it was handed down by your grandma or great aunt.  I have good bit of fabric left and I might make another one to go somewhere else in the house.  Hmmm...  Should it go in the back bedroom?  Should it go in the den?  Should it go downstairs in that bedroom?  Decisions.

While I was in the pillow making mode, I decided to tackle another pillow project.  I discovered an old vintage matelasse coverlet in the closet right after I moved into Mike's house.  It is a bit worn and has some places which I plan to patch somehow.  We kept it folded at the foot of the bed and used it all winter to pull up when the nights were especially chilly.  I do want to repair it, though, simply to preserve it and keep it from further deterioration.  It is oversized - probably for a king-sized bed and is a hefty weight.  So, it is warm without being too bundlesome like a comforter would be.  Recently, I found a bonus that went along with the coverlet - two matching matelasse pillow shams.  One of them has some stains that I couldn't get washed and soaked and treated out. 

Most of the sham looks beautiful, however.  So, I decided to repurpose the fabric into a smaller, 'leaning' sort-of pillow for the bay window seat.  At first I was going to cut it all up and add fringe or some sort of trim.  Then, I realized that I would be sacrificing the nice scalloped edge that already existed.  Since the stain was primarily on one end of the sham, I decided that I would just cut it down.  I accepted that I would have to have a seam if I was going to have a scalloped edge all the way round the perimeter and set to work figuring how I was going to make this work. 

Eventually, I decided to just cut the sham down to about fifteen inches in depth - leaving the nineteen inch width.  I cut the opposite end's scalloped edge off and opened up the stitching and sewed it all together.  Then, a little zig-zag stitching to prevent the scalloped edging from fraying and I had my new sham.  (Plus, I have a bit left for another project.  I'm thinking I could applique over the stain and have something wonderful.)

Looking really closely at the bottom edge, you can see the seam joining the new edges.

I just love the texture of the design in the sham and how it enhances the print of the window seat cushion!

Mike told me that he didn't want me to get too much up prettiness there on the window seat because he is afraid I will "pretty" him right out of the room!  I think these three pillows do make this niche one step closer to my relaxation haven pictured in my mind's eye.  Don't you?

Here is a shot with the blinds closed because the sunlight is bright today.

Doesn't it look inviting?

I had my breakfast there this morning. (I did open the blinds but at that time the sun was just too bright for my camera skills.)  Soft and inviting is how I see this little niche.  I think of it as something a little like this:

In reality, though, it will most likely look more like this on a regular basis.  Here it is complete with a pair of Mike's socks and my night shirt and lotions where we are scurrying around trying to get off to work!

Still, the invitation is there...

Pillow Talk

I think a home must be just like the people who live inside it - ever evolving and reflecting the personalities within.  Or, maybe I'm just wishy-washy and never satisfied and always wanting change and more and more. 

Since I have moved into my sweet hub's home, I have really just been trying to claim it and personalize it and make it feel comfy.  The upstairs living area was pretty much a blank slate when I got here - well, not exactly blank, I guess.  There was the screams from the busy wallpaper and the cries for a new coat of paint from other walls begging for an update.  However, there was very little furniture and I could easily just walk in and start dabbing and rolling paint on the walls to transform the beautiful bones of the house into a fresh, updated, friendly space.  That all sounds pretty easy but it is an ever evolving process, to say the least.

Combining the belongings of two people is always a bit of a challenge.  Then, making everything seem to coordinate and mesh together in a planned manner makes things even a bit more of a challenge.  Add into the mix that I certainly didn't want this house to be like my last house because I realized that it was a reflection of only me - mostly feminine.  For example, the front door was periwinkle blue.  I had considered painting it a lovely pale pink rose color until my then-college-aged son informed me that if I ever had hopes of a man feeling comfortable coming into that house, I'd better not paint the door pink!  So, it became periwinkle blue and I loved it! 

Living here in what I still refer to as 'Mike's house,' I have been much more cognizant of color, florals, and frills.  I consistently consult him and that is usually a great thing because he has exceptional taste (after all, he did choose me, didn't he?!) and instincts.  I even tease him from time to time and refer to him as Martha Stewart.  Recently, my talented and wise mother came over and helped me to make a cushion for the window seat in the bay window.  (You can read a little about that HERE.) 

I knew even before the seat cushion was completed that I would want to add a couple of throw pillows for leaning.  So, on a recent trek to the fabric store I found a couple of pieces to use for contrasting pillows there.  (I know I was looking for fabric for another project, but this just seemed to jump out at me and tell me it needed to go home and live on the bay window seat!)  Both fabrics were only $2.99 per yard at Sir's Fabrics and the remnants I got had a couple or three yards in them.  So, I'll have extra fabric if I should need it for another project. 

I saw this unique pillow crafted by Suzanne over at Just Another Hangup.  She even gave a tutorial HERE for making it.  So, I decided to try this style for one of my linen fabric pieces. 

Originally, I had in mind that I would need a tan and cream zebra striped piece but this fabric had that touch of blue which coordinated so well with the blue in the seat cushion and I was quickly swept away by it.  I simply followed the clear and easy tutorial that Suzanne provided and my pillow turned out beautifully, I think.

Don't you just love the gathering along edges?

It turned out to be a wee bit larger than I had anticipated.  Yet, it is just the perfect size for leaning.  (I've tried it out this morning while I was drinking my coffee and finishing up one of the books I promised students I would read this summer.)

When I finished that project, I noticed that I had a pile of scraps left from the window treatments Mom helped me finish for the front bedroom.  (You can read a bit about that project HERE.)  Before I started, my scrap pile looked a little bit like this:

I also had a couple of larger scrappy pieces of the dobby-striped and a couple or three yards of the plaid.  So, I decided to put this to good use and draw the coordinating fabric from the window treatments into a pillow for the bed.  I knew that with all that pattern going on I would need something fairly simplistic.  I also knew that I wanted something unique and personalized.  So, this is what I came up with.

The entire pillow is made of scraps.  The plaid center is what was left after I made the bias ruffle for the curtains.  The border strips were long pieces from a larger scrap left from making curtains at my last house.  The monogram appliques are just little scraps that were left from the two projects.  So, the entire project was just something that was saved from the trash. 

I think it looks great with the other pillows I already have on that bed and really brings a customized and more personalized look to the space.

I guess you noticed the rose floral piece of fabric lying there alongside the striped piece.  That is probably going to be part of today's projects.  I hope it turns out as well and goes as simply as this one did!

My crafting room is calling!

Summerizing

I haven't shared many pictures of our Master Bedroom here before...

...and for good reason.

Namely because I have always felt it was a work-in-progress.

I still feel this way but I have recently spent a little bit of time summerizing it.  You know, lightening and brightening things up after having things warm and cozy for the cold winter months?

The first thing I did (besides washing linens and swishing dust off surfaces) is do some repairs on a coverlet that Mike's grandmother had given him years ago.  It is king-sized.  So, it covers everything and has a pretty drape off the edge of the bed.  It is matelasse and gives the look of an old white quilt that I like.  There were a few threadbare spots and a couple of holes worn through.  I struggled with how to patch this but retain the original beauty of it.  I wound up adding a flower-shaped patch to three or four spots.  I used the same linen fabric that was used to make the bay window seat cushion.  In retrospect, I wish I had bought a creamy white linen instead.  I guess I can always go back and do that someday.  

Antique Treasures

We have two antique oak beds that are much alike.  We are using the one that came to us via Mike's ancestors in our bedroom.  It has a high, ornately carved headboard.  The footboard has some carving and is topped off with a round piece of wood.  The bed rails are wooden and were much shorter as antique beds from days gone by were made.  Somewhere along the way, somebody cut the wooden bedrail and pegged in an extension to make it longer for more modern box springs and mattresses.

At the foot of the bed is a camel-back trunk that was given to me long, many years ago by my Great Aunt Mae.  There is a hilarious story by my Granny which describes her trip to get Aunt Mae and some furniture that was given to me but that is another story for another day...

On either side of the bed are antique oak tables.  One is a bit larger than the other but both have a shelf.  I have to keep the one on Mike's side simply decorated because he tends to fight something in his sleep I guess and will knock things off the bedside table.  The one on my side of the bed is always laden with a stack of books in readiness for my reading habit.  I have photos of my grandchildren and a humorous one of Mike wearing a Cinderella crown to be the first thing I see when I wake each morning.

My bedside table

As you can see, there is no styling for photos here!  I bought the cobalt blue antique lamp base years ago.  I made a parchment shade for it that was all the rage at the time.  Over the years, the shade became sad and dated looking.  So, I replaced it with the white glass one.  (I think it was on a green wooden lamp base and had fringe glued around the edge when I got it at a thrift store!)  

Above each of the tables is an old watercolor print of some flowers.  They are dated 1948.  The frames were originally a dingy creamy color.  The matting was also cream with a lime green under mat.  I got a wild hair and painted the frames one day.  Then, I painted the cream mats as well a with navy craft paint.  They seam to fit much better like that.  The prints were originally Mike's paternal grandmother's.  

Bed Linens

I love the mix on the bed right now.  First, there is the coverlet and the hand-made quilt my mother made us for Christmas a couple of years ago.  It is thick and warm and usually covers the bed during the winter months.  Because it is so colorful and we treasure Mama's handiwork, I just drape it across the foot of the bed to be handy if we get a chill.  The blue matelasse shams are treasure that I picked up at Goodwill for a couple of dollars each.  When I saw them, I knew that blue color would work well with the quilt and the bay window seat cushion color.  One of the white pillow shams had some stains on it.  So, I cut it down to make a cover for a throw pillow in the bay window.  The other sham centers up the bed nicely.  I think I must need a king-sized pillow to fill it out properly, though.  

Luxurious Pillows

Recently I gave Bridgette a couple of scrap rectangles of fabric and asked her to embroider mine and Mike's monogram on them.  Then, I took them and made them into a couple of throw pillows.  It turned out to be a project of headaches when I was constructing them but I still like the look of the tan initials on the cream and blue paisley linen fabric.  I think the textures and colors on our bed are wonderful and restful.  

Reading Corner

Standing just in front of my bedside table and looking across the room at the opposite corner, you can see my reading corner.  I bought the chair years ago at the Nashville Flea Market for $35.  I love the size and shape of it.  I want to make a slipcover for it or have it reupholstered but I cannot decide with what fabric I want to cover it.  I first thought I wanted to use the damask print I used on the Bargain Ottoman.  However, I don't really like how that fabric is wearing - it must have enough polyester in it that makes it look worn in a way I don't like.  I am leaning toward using a canvas drop-cloth or a linen fabric I've been saving back for some special project.  I've just got to decide if I want lots of pattern or simple and basic.  Dilemmas!  

The dresser is one that was handed down to Mike from some dead relative.  The little table to hold my iced tea, coffee, or ice water (and lotions and creams) is a Longaberger stand.  Above the chair is a cross-stitched sampler that my Mama made for me in my favorite shades of blues.  The painting above the dresser is one I got several years ago at a starving artist sale (and paid about the same for the frame as for the original painting).  The old oil lamp was converted to electric and it was given to Mike by one of his ancestors.  I bought the silver frames, jewelry box, and blue and white jar at a thrift store and gave a whopping $14 for all of it!  Yes, we have a ceiling fan in the room instead of an elegant chandelier.  Don't judge.  You will be old and have hot flashes one day, too!

Across the Room

Sitting in the chair and looking across the room you will see a cheap little pine chest.  I don't think it is old.  I just think I liked it and it was inexpensive when I picked it up at an antique consignment store.  I used it as an entry table at my last house but this little space between the east, front-facing windows seemed to be the perfect spot for it.  It holds a thrift store vase and lamp an a cute little pitcher and bowl that was gifted to me by my son's mother-in-law.  Above it are a couple of scherenschnitte pieces that I made years ago.  I liked the pattern because it reminded me of my children.  The sheers filter out the morning sun and make the bedroom a bright space in the daytime.

Adjacent Corner

On the opposite side of the bay window seat is another oak piece.  I bought it from a friend years ago to hold clothes for one of the kids.  I liked it because it had a mirror mounted on top and provided a mirror and lots of storage.  Mike set up this room and I haven't moved any of the furniture since he placed it.  I love it just as it is!

Opposite Direction

Standing in front of the chest and looking at the opposite corner, you can see the entry to the bedroom and my plate display.  What started this was that there were a couple of nails hanging there when I moved in to join Mike here.  So, I hung a plate that had come from my paternal grandmother and one from my great-grandmother.  I wound up leaving them hanging there and just added a few to it.

Plates

The heirloom plate from my great-grandmother Noland is the gold-rimmed one on the bottom.  The china dinner plate on the right with the floral border is the one that was my grandmother's.  The rectangular dish is one of a set that I bought when I was in college because I liked the colors.  All the others are thrift store or Goodwill finds.

We have tried to create a restful haven for our bedroom and I feel like we are getting to a more finished state...for now.

New Pillow

About a year ago my daughter-in-law, Jessica brought me this beautiful remnant of fabric she had picked up at a fabric store local to her new home.  I knew immediately that I wanted to get as much out of it as possible but didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with it or where I wanted to use it.  Well, this week I made my first project from the fabulous linen fabric.

simple pillow

It is a simple little pillow with no trim and just a quarter inch flange.  I really just wanted the beauty of the colors and design of the fabric to take center stage.

bay window seat pillows

I put it on my master bedroom bay window seat with the other one-of-a-kind pillows there.  I just love the softness and old-fashioned flavor of it!

I still have a piece of the fabric left.  I wonder what I can do with it?

Recent Project

I have a To-Do List this summer.

(Did you notice the capital letters?  That means it is important to me and I REALLY intend to get those things on that List done!  See...capital letter again.)

The first thing on the list has been for me to recoup from the sinus/ear infection and rest up.  I know I am getting really old to lead a fast-paced life, but, still, this school-year really sapped my energy.

One of the things on my list was to spruce up the sofa on our back porch.  The cushions were originally bought as a make-do sort of fix.  You see, this sofa frame is one of those things which belonged to some dead relative of Mike's.  So, even if we didn't like it and even if it didn't sit well and even if it was hideous and horrible, we would have to keep it because SOMEBODY is very sentimental and leans toward being a hoarder.  And the good news is that the sofa is not any of those things - well, except it did belong to the dead relative and Mike inherited it.  It is really a comfortable sitter and I like it and it is nice and wonderful.  Only...

It didn't have any cushions when I first met it.  It was just a bare, sad, lonely frame crying out for some cushy goodness.

So, I went to places like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Trees-N-Trends, Lowe's, and Home Depot looking for cushions for that bare, sad, lonely, crying out for some cushy goodness sofa frame.  I had in mind something Martha-ish.  (Now that she is out of the Big House she is in almost every store imaginable, isn't she?)  The least expensive thing I could find was about $100 for one set of cushions...and it would need three cushions...and even then those cushions would not fit precisely...and I could buy a whole new sofa, cushions, and companion chair for about $400.

***Sigh***

So, I tried to figure out a way to make-do.  I stumbled upon a sale and bought several chair seat cushions.  I think I got about eight of them for less than $40.  We made that work for a while but, honestly, nobody wanted to sit there because those loose cushions just kept falling over and tumbling around and attacking whoever was sitting on it and it just wasn't very comfortable.  So, I wound up giving the cushions to my daughter, Bridgette, who turned them into something wonderful at her house on a Craft Day.  So, it was back to the drawing board for me and our sofa.

First, I thought I would just buy a couple of long foam cushions and cover them.  Then, I remembered my Bay Window Seat project.  The one piece of foam for that was about $100.  Then, there would be fabric.  Then, there would be sewing.  Then, there would be wrestling the alligator-like piece of foam into the cover.  And...I decided buying the pre-made cushions might be a better option.  So, I began pinching my pennies and planning my budget to include this luxury...

Then, one day while I was at Old Time Pottery looking for an outdoor umbrella after a spring storm had destroyed ours and... there was my solution... a chaise cushion.  It was exactly the correct length and the price was only about $25!  Deal!  I decided that these were a bit thin and wrangled three of them into my cart - two for the sitter and one for the back.  I chose this cute, snappy, red, geometric print that looked so cheerful and I thought it would provide a wonderful contrast to our green and white house.  Then, when SOMEBODY came home from work, the cute, snappy, red, geometric print that looked so cheerful and contrasty to me...did not look so to SOMEBODY.  So, I was back to the store with that set in a couple of days and got a bright-but-conventional-striped set of cushions that my daughter-in-law, Jessica, helped me select.

Those have served us well but the stripey colors were looking rather tired, sad, and faded. Plus, they had been subject to abuse from the cats and Scientific Trials.

So...I began looking for something to update them last fall when there was a wonderful sale on outdoor fabrics at Sir's Fabrics.  The table with odd pieces of outdoor fabric was labeled $4.99 per yard.  Deal!

I found a print that is all scrolly and geometric and modern and traditional all at the same time.  The colors are black, cream, and an olivey-hunter green.  It is perfect to coordinate with everything out there.  Plus, it is fresh and up-to-date.  If you don't believe me about this being something that is new and fresh, just look at THIS PIN of mine on one of my Pinterest Boards.

So, last week I set to it and stitched up some simple covers.

I'm not sure if I like the looseness of the fit of the covers and I may go back and do a bit more stitching to make them fit more crisply and snugly.  For now, though, I like the freshness and trendiness and cushy comfort of the sofa on the porch!

Plus, the bonus is, I have about a yard left and, when I can think of what I want to do with it, I will have a whole new project for free.  Deal!