100 year old bench

I would estimate this piano/vanity bench is over 100 years old.  I have recovered it three times.  

After I unscrewed the top half, you could see the layers of different fabrics.  It was a dirty process, but I removed them all.  

I wanted a neutral color and I happened to have this creamy yellow on hand.  

Below you can see a swatch from each recovered layer.  I dated the scraps that I had replaced.  The black and gold piece on top is the original fabric.  What a simple connection to all the housewives that had fun recovering the little bench.

I saved and stored the fabric swatches in a bag under the bench.

I needed a place to drop my purse in the front room.  Perfect spot now.  A kind of sofa table.

I think it needs some Annie Sloan Chalkpaint to brighten and lighten her up?  What do you think?

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My Favorite Things

So waaaiiittt a minute...

Makes me want to shout, throw my hands up and shout...

Weren't we just talking about the names for the twins?  Weren't we just at the hospital waiting for their arrival? Wasn't I just helping them their first week home!?

So when and how did they turn one!?!!

Raylyn came to say Happy Birthday!  For now she is Hadley and Layton's only cousin.

Of course you wear a birthday tutu!  See Layton is practicing her toe touch.

Pretty paper!  And Mom is letting me pull on it. Wow.

Hadley and Layton making a mad dash for presents.

 We loved our giggling new babies.  We loved everything!

Our Mom had special treats made.  She always makes everything so pretty.

Hey, Layton why are you licking your lips sister?

I'm not so sure about the texture of this cake.  

Really Hadley, it is great, you should give it a try!  Stop crying, Mom went to a lot of trouble you know.  Just eat it, it isn't everyday we get sugar right before bath time! 

WAIT a minute, just a fast, this one is over four months old.  Raylyn loved Lala's new super soft blanket.  I swear this child has a smile on her face always.

My first try at upholstry

We inherited a tiny wing back ladies chair.  This will be its third fabric change since we have had her, but my first try to upholster.  I did get a bid for $375, yikes.  Gee, maybe I could do that myself.

Here is the little ladies chair in red. This was my first attempt at a chair slipcover.  my only attempt

Now she is a sassy little thing.

I will try to take you through the steps I took.  First,  I removed the red slip cover and removed as many nails as I could.  I would need to staple the new fabric to the frame.  

I then cut the slipcover apart into sections and used them as patterns for the new bold fabric.

I cut and placed the new fabric where it would end up.  Basically to make sure I didn't miss any spots.

I did watch some you tube tutorials.  They used a tool to push the fabric through the creases.  I used a shishkabob skewer.  It worked like a charm!

One piece complete and then I took a break to you know... grand babysit.

Sorry, after the above process, I was so wanting to finish her and I didn't take another picture.  Basically, I covered all the staples with black braid.  Hot glue and black fabric nails.  Then sewed a new cover for the cushion, and called her done!

 

I am still not sure about the silk fringe on the cushion, but will try and live with it for a while.  But, I like the fresh new little sassy chair just the way she is for now.

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Fall front porch

and baby watching...

Look at her eyelashes!

She is keeping watch over the violas.

While we kept watch over this cutie!

Happy Fall Y'all!

around the house.

My hubby and I both agree it is much easier to keep one baby Raylyn than the two twin grand-daughters.  How quickly I forgot, because we had twin daughters too.  But, we weren't in our fifties and we had them first, so we didn't know any difference.  

Mini pumpkin pie muffins

Yes, I even have a Pinterest board with the title "Pumpkin Yum!"

If you want a bite, or two, or three of pumpkin pie, this recipe is for you.

My Pinterest picture inspiration

The recipe called for full cupcake size and it made 12.  I used my mini muffin pan and made 36!

You refrigerate them, add a dollop of whipped cream and try to only eat a few.  

You can make two bites out of one.  Or pop the whole yummy thing in your mouth.

They are great warm out of the oven, but chilled it tastes just like the yummy inside of a pumpkin pie.

Pinterest recipe below.  

Since I made mini's, I reduced the baking time to 15 minutes.  I sprayed my pan, worked wonderfully. Clean up would have been easier if I had small foil cupcake holders.  

I didn't have pumpkin spice and made my own.  One teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon each of Allspice and nutmeg.  

The Crazy Coupon Lady blog

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners, foil liners sprayed with cooking spray or just spray the cups with cooking spray.  Either of these three methods will make it easy to take the cupcake out after it’s cooked. Paper liners make it difficult to remove the cupcakes.

Mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk.  Add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture. Fill each muffin cup with 1/3 cup of the mixture. Bake for twenty minutes and let cool for twenty minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice on top and serve. Makes 12 cupcakes.

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