Thursday, February 25, 2010

Martha Stewart's Great Beachy Ideas for you to create for your own outdoor living area

GREAT BEACHY IDEAS FOR YOU TO CREATE
I was thinking about how cold it's been and thought although it's cold now..

it's a great time to start planning for Spring and Summer...while I was surfing the web
looking for something else... of course..I ran across Martha Stewart's website.
and realized it's been a long time since I have checked her stuff out...her 
website is amazing ..I couldn't believe how much she has on it...(actually i haveto confess) 
I have loved Martha Stewart 
forever ..the good, the bad, and the ugly. She inspired me years ago.. 
when I first read her book Entertaining...and 
learned how she got started... she is truly an amazing woman...
we all may not have the organizational skills she has 
but "wow" what a gift she has...so enjoy the photos from her 
website... for ideas ..the how to do it you will have to look up 
via the one link I set up...
so.. while you are all bundled up inside drinking your latte ...
find the time to get ready for warmer weather...
cause' I just love being outdoors...and 
I'm getting ready.












                                                        make your own outdoor lounge covers

paint some baskets pastel beachy colors...
clam shell candlelight...
and check out ....
the folding screen ...above ...
what a great idea for someone who doesn't have a cabana bath.. for kiddies to change into their bathing suits...(hint I would paint with outdoor paint)                                                              


Bamboo Candles "lovin' bamboo"Enjoy ....










Thursday, February 11, 2010

TOP 10 THINGS EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT WHITE SLIP COVERS ....and creating a beachy style......HOW TO MAKE WHITE SLIPCOVERS YOUR FRIEND

Have you ever wanted to have WHITE SLIP COVERS but went...

 NAAAAH my kids ...my dog ...my cat...excuses excuses...

I HAVE HAD THESE SLIPCOVERS FOR OVER 10 YEARS...I love them and everyone who comes to my house is shocked

that I have had them this long...here's how I did it on the

cheap...so to speak...I went to Walmart (when they used to have a fabric department) and bought this white canvas- 

like fabric for $4:50 yd (it wasn't duck cloth) it's too stiff and rigid ...I will go into that later...My friend Susan Tancer also was in love with the slipcover look but... it seemed impossible 15 yrs ago to find anywhere to purchase such a thing...
so Susan (my inspirational friend who 
now handpaints canvas bags with a partner Liz Krieger) http://unframedartbags.net/default.aspx   
knew a lady from the Northeast who specialized in slipcovers who eventually made all of my  slipcovers for me.

Believe me I went around the bend before I found someone like Florence (now retired)...my first lesson learned was I used this oriental woman who was an upholsterer who said she could make them...she tried to talk me out of slipcovers ...she said "too old fashioned well she made them alright..  and guess what she knows upholstery... not slip covers...  Over 15 years ago... 

I started out with these 4 parsons chairs from 

a thrift store...check out the fabric 

underneath in the picture..ugh! ugly 70's fabric...  well, anyways, here is what I think are the.... 

Top 10 things you must know about White  slipcovers...

1.CUSTOM MADE vs MANUFACTURED -
 For custom made..You need to make sure that the person you are going to use understands slipcovering it's not just about sewing there are many ways to do a custom slip cover..i.e. ties in the back or sides,zippers, and velcro... yes velcro (i will go into detail later about that)

Manufactured easy to find now (which I couldn't find way back when) like POTTERY BARN, BALLARD DESIGNS, RESTORATION HARDWARE..etc follow there instructions for care and use...manufactured ones are everywhere.  Where were they when I needed them?

2.FABRIC CHOICE
Pre-washed or YOU PREWASH  I chose to pre-wash my own as the fabric was so inexpensive..here's the kicker If YOU pre wash you need a large capacity washer..I have some really big oversized pieces so I cut the fabric every 10 yds then washed it in a front loading washer I have the Duet ones..if you do not have a large capacity washer or dryer I would take to a commercial laundry mat.  I wash the fabric in hot water and rinse with cold 
and then dry the fabric...press it, unless your slipcover person will do for you...mine wanted hers pressed..I already told you where I got the fabric now... another WHITE fabric choice... Denim looks great also..you can choose a blend or all cotton..mine are all cotton. Remember it doesn't need to be too heavy, but thick enough for no show thru.

3.DESIGN STYLE:  
There are many styles (look though catalogs and magazines to show your sewer what you are looking for BE SPECIFIC. Traditional - which would include skirted or non skirted with a pleat like in the picture above picture.
SHABBY SHIC OR BEACHY CASUAL you can do more of a ruffled skirt long to the foor or short)
MODERN OR CONTEMPORARY  (no skirt) CLEAN LINES I have all three..see pics

4.CLOSURES: TIES,ZIPPERS,OR VELCRO
Ties are nice for a certain look but they need a piece (see picture to make sure the furniture underneath isn't visible)
this is more of a casual beachy chic look also.  Let's talk about zippers most commonly used ...but, here's the thing depending on what's holding your cushion together they can break over time from washing them... they can get stuck on the cushion underneath etc...you get the picture...my favorite is velcro (shown here)sorry tomorrows photos ..I know it sounds tacky, but if it's done right it will make a world of difference when you are taking them on and off as I do once a month or so...

5.SIZING:  

I have had so many slip covers made over time and seen other slipcovers of my friends made that were problems.. and here is my suggestion... even though you have pre-washed to allow for shrinkage you still need to make them slightly larger because trust me... it can be tough when they are fitted to a tee...
think: trying to get a square peg into a round whole...no fun.

6. WHAT ARE YOU COVERING OVER?

If you have an existing cover that you plan to keep on make sure it isn't some funky design that will show through or will bleed through.If this is the case spend a little more and get your slipcover person to make a liner cover out of an inexpensive fabric...my slipcovers have lasted forever because they were made right.  It's an investment..but you'll thank me when it's all said and done.

7. PILLOWS: "PIMP" OUT THE PILLOW

I like to stack the back of a  sofa with 26x 26 inch euro size pillows and fill in with 18x 18 or 20x20 for seasonal change.
see Abbey and COCO sink into heaven..

The 26x26 back pillow can be any white fabric that matches the base slipcover or the exact same fabric. This is where the "PIMP" my sofa out comes in... I have bought 26 x 26 euro pillow covers from WEST ELM and filled with 2 king size down or down alternative bed pillows...(COSTCO has them 2 for 17.99) I like them cushy, not stiff. I want to sink into. COCO and ABBEY love them.

8.WHAT TO COVER: NEW or OLD

Anything and everything (almost) can be slipcovered...I joke about my home being one big giant slipcover...I have bought pieces from antique and thrift stores and even ROOMS TO GO brand new and then had slip covers made for them.  To keep the rooms unified I tried to stay in keeping with the same fabric.  If you are not buying new be careful to inspect older pieces for any wear and tear and anything else depending on where it came from.

9. OUTDOOR SLIPCOVERS

I always use SUNBRELLA fabric it's expensive but worth it you also need to know that if you are covering something that was not made to go outside choose the right kind of foam rubber or filler that is made for outdoor pillows. (i will focus on that in another post.. OUTDOOR LIVING WITH WHITE.

10. VERSATILITY

The greatest thing about having WHITE SLIP COVERS is the versatility.  Having White does mean you can't live...when your kids or pets are lounging ...sometimes you need to lay some throw blankets down(easily washed) or spot clean every now and then... big deal...to me  having white is like having a fresh new canvas every season to change the look of my home... have any questions please comment or email me 
suzannepignato@mac.com
enjoy the pictures of white slip covers...more tomorrow my brain needs a slipcover  ...
the end







OK OK this is totally Rachel Ashwell....this just sends me right over the edge....

thanks Rachel for making slipcovers so wonderful...


  
      


Morning star Kelly Ripa: I love you, Wellington! | Jose Lambiet’s Page2Live.com

Morning star Kelly Ripa: I love you, Wellington! | Jose Lambiet’s Page2Live.com
Ok I wanted to add this photo to my blog on meeting Kelly Ripa and just figured out how to do this...so go to Jose's link and you can read about her in Wellington, Florida and West Palm Beach.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Kelly Ripa Is the bomb...super Bowl sunday

ok super bowl was a blast ...but last nite my hubby/boyfriend had a great time....(we don't go out too much we are really home bodies...) at a
little boutique bar /restaurant called the Kontiki in Wellington ,Florida. Two nites in a row here...am I crazy? Friday nite was girls nite out friday nite.... Kelly Ripa was in the HOUSE at Kontiki she is so much fun, precious and extremely personable.... I really do not like to encroach a celebs bubble but she was too engaging and we had to address that I had a minor thing in common SUNSHINES in NEVIS (north of Trinidad) a half mile from the 4
Seasons HOTEL.... a shack on the beach where they totally take fresh to the next level ...you want a lobster tail? BAM... a kid literally puts a mask on and dives for it... spears it ...then brings it back for Sunshne to cook with his special sauce unbelievable...not too mention the KILLER BEE a drink they serve down there that will also take you to another level... Kelly knew a lot about the Killer Bee ....she is way cool...ok what does this have to do with creating a beach pad ...absolutely nothing but tomorrow will have some great ideas for you to consider when you get ready for Spring...and if you are afraid of white ...let me just say one word SLIPCOVERS my dear are the way to go...more later on this subject.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Ok I found out more info today but I am not really liking the wordpress templates they look to business newsletter looking...that is totally not my style so i did add som blogs to my blog list and i want to see if this works I think I need to highlight while I am customization or new post mode the place i want to give credit to like ">My Sweet Savannah...so here goes

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

It's time to get an Expert involved

I am typing away as you read...
I am trying to smile while i work.... found this at HomeGoodsthe other day couldn't resist a recycled sign from different tin cans...love typography
these are in my office wish they were real ...tip add water to a clear vase of really great looking silks ...and it fools the average person ...i didn't do this in this pic but will show u in next go around...of pix

ok so today i am getting ready to go to a website to do some research on Wordpress ...like Blogger but more options.... as I decided to get an expert involved...instead of spinning my wheels all day... my girlfriend Bonnie Carter who owns Adworks Agency told me that Word press would be a better blog for me, for what I am trying to accomplish ....which is everything under the sun...why not?.... anyhow she gave me a wealth of knowledge and I encourage you to contact her company if you need help with these kind of things ....she's creative and technical... hard to find these days.....hopefully, I can add a link to her website and you can contact her ...so meanwhile back to more wheel spinning... i will fill you in later.... the goal today.... picking a template ...she said pick a template then we can customize to your taste...ok well see you in a few hours lol...

Monday, February 01, 2010

February 1 thinking of hearts and cupids






February 1st.... already thinking of pink and white icing and hearts and angels....this all brings me back to cutting out paper hearts... putting them in a handmade envelope we used to hang on our desk at school waiting for that certain someone to check... a box on the valentine or note... do u love me? check the box yes...no or maybe...I got a lot of maybe's... i finally got one yes and he's been saying yes for 22 years...love my hubby

" Beauty. . .

when

you look

into a

woman's eyes

. . . and see

what is in

her heart. "

~Nate Dircks

music for Your soul ...you may turn the music off if you don't need any soul...