For months now I've worried about how to fix the worn seat and black dirty arms on our big leather chair in the living room.
You may remember how that big leather chair became Eli's chair from the very start...
About a year after our log cabin was built, Poppy and I went out shopping for just the right living room suit. We wanted leather, big, soft, supple, leather...real cowhide, and a creamy rich color, no matter the cost, and this is what we got. It was beautiful, new!
but lots of wear and tear...
So, instead of relaxing in the living room or watching a little TV, I sat and studied about how to cover the arms and seat of that chair. The upholsterer said it would take a cowhide for each cushion! Expensive!! Here's what I came up with...
Some time ago I found several yards of this nice heavy upholstery fabric in a thrift store for nearly nothing. So glad I bought it...
Sorry! I just go on and on about anything! Here's something sweet...
Do you remember this sweetest baby doll I found at the thrift store some months ago? Well, I simply love her.
Holding her is almost like holding a real baby...almost. :(
I found this precious "Beatrix Potter" Collection, newborn size gown at the thrift store. It fits her perfectly and the little cap and booties too.
Adorable little feet!
Can't help but think about my friend Sandy from New York, a blogging friend. She doesn't have a blog but we visit through emails and found that we both loved dolls growing up. We both had a Tiny Tears doll and grew up with much the same things and interests.
Blogging friends are the best! I appreciate you all so much. And I have a new blogging friend and follower, Maria. Thank you.
Good grief! This is a post and a half. Bet most of you have signed off! And this post was supposed to be about aprons. Oh well. :)
Love,
Henny
PS Look what I just found...
Nope- I didn't sign off- stayed on to the very end. That was a great idea for the leather chair. There is a lotion leather cleaner that works wonders though, too. I have used it on a couple of really bad arms and they looked 100% better.
ReplyDeleteLove your sweet baby doll. I only ever had 3 dolls growing up. I still have one of them. The other two were made out of that old rubber that just emulsified and rotted away. I love that you have found someone that is similar to you--so much fun to have friends like that.
Have a wonderful night and upcoming week- xo Diana
Love the solution for Eli's chair.
ReplyDeleteJust love your blog Henny. I Always read...but don't always have a chance to comment! I love your solution to the chair problem! and your baby doll looks sweet in her new duds. I too had a tiny tears doll with very dark curly hair. I remember her so well, along with a few other dolls I loved when I was growing up. Love your blog....Eli and the kitty too...is that dumperoo? Hope to see you back here soon!
ReplyDeleteMy old dog Zelda was a wild dog and she was always doing the wrong thing given the chance. We kept her in the hallway. With her leash looped around the doorknob. It was a system that worked. She could get out of it if she really tried, but she had her space and liked her little situation. But she got off her leash one night and we caught her sleeping in the living room chair.
ReplyDeleteI have another friend who is a doll lover. I don't know if she is a follower of yours but I bet y'all would get along wonderfully. I've had to banish my dogs, from the living room. They shed so bad and of course, their favorite place to be is on our couch. If they had black hair it probably wouldn't be so bad but they are white and light tan. They aren't happy about not being allowed in the living room but I will get to enjoy my furniture for a good long time...and I won't have to constantly use a lint brush before I leave the house. I should just cover it all. Seems you aren't the only one who loves that sweet baby doll.
ReplyDeleteGrace & Peace,
Pam
Dear Henny - what a super creative way to fix a chair. I just love it. Isn't it wonderful when we come up with a solution that makes something last and is pretty at the same time. Your dogs remind me of mine. I have a female shepherd who thinks the love seat was made just for her - perhaps it was :) Oh well I so enjoyed my visit here. Hope your week is a blessed one.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely post. I love how you figured out how to cover the arm cushions, that was a brilliant idea. I just bet other bloggers with sofas like that are going to be copying your idea. Your doll is so pretty. The first time that I saw one of those life like dolls was when I was the activity director at an assisted living building. That was the job that I retired from. Anyway I invited a doll collector to visit and bring her dolls to have a show and tell session. While she was there she told a story of going into Walmart to shop one day and she had her life like doll in a basket on the backseat and someone called the police. They traced her car and announce her name over the intercom to come to the front of the store. After all she had a locked car with an unattended baby in the backseat, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to your apron post, too . . . I love popping in to see what you're up to and your aprons and bonnets are beautiful.
Have a sweet week.
Connie :)
Oh, how clever of you! The seat and arm covers look wonderful and the color and pattern of the fabric is just right. How nice to come up with a solution in your head and have it turn out just like you planned.
ReplyDeleteThe doll really is adorable. Love those little twisted toes------they look so real.
You seem to be able to sew anything you put your mind to. You did a great job covering the seat and arms of that chair. And that baby doll? She is so sweet and I can imagine how cuddly she is too.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing pictures of Eli---he is so gorgeous! And his big fluffy tail looks so much like my dear sweet Gypsy's tail looked, swish, swish, I can almost feel it still. I miss her so. Anyway, Gypsy was jet black and Mr.Eli is snow white. Great idea for the chair for sure! I love seeing everyone's dolls too since I collect dolls. Fun to see what everybody has.
ReplyDeleteEli must really like his chair now with the material instead of leather! You did a great job on it.
ReplyDeleteEli always look so sweet and I love the picture of Dumperoo with your baby doll. You are brilliant to cover the arms and seat of the chair and to make it removable for washing! It looks really nice. We have a leather couch that gets cat scratches on it. I got some leather dye to match and it covers them up fairly well. Our animals are part of the family too!
ReplyDeleteHeHe! It has to be said...Everyone has a favourite
ReplyDeletechair, sometime in their life...Even animals/pets
have them, and, l think dogs are very possessive,
of their chairs..My daughter has two Staffy's and
they are, especially Zeeva..but then..she's a tart! :).
I have to be honest..l always am..l'm afraid l don't
like the dolly..something weird about it...HeHe!
"Willie..you love weird"..No! Don't like it...! :(.
But..Dumperoo..I could sit and look at 'ALL' day....
Bless!x /ᐠ≗ᆽ≗ᐟ \
You're not the only one who likes that baby dolly! LOL Great save for Eli's bed, er, chair! The fabric looks like it was made for it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful solution for Eli's chair, I really do need to do something about Mickeys its starting to look tatty. Beautiful doll.
ReplyDeleteI can only echo everybody else, that fabric and your cleverness are perfect. We've been playing around with our dirty-looking sofa that we can't wash, by throwing a large piece of upholstery fabric over the sofa for now. It doesn't match the rest of the room but at least it's clean.
ReplyDeleteI like dolls but I like them when the look like dolls. This one looks real... however, she is very pretty and I adore the little gown. You've got a good eye for excellent finds. It must be a Virgo thing because my mom also picks up good stuff at the secondhand stores, and she is a virgo...
: )
Great idea for Eli's chair.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet baby doll. I love that last photo with your feline family member cozying up to her. ;-)
Have a great week ~ FlowerLady
No wonder you have so many blogging friends! Because you make us all laugh :) A post about aprons!!! Hooray :) Sweet Eli. He looks so comfy in his chair. I hope he likes the new covers okay? Or will he pull them off when you're not looking? :)
ReplyDeleteLove what you did to the chair and eli will be happy too. I have a ginny and cissy doll my niece sent to me and have to make new clothes for them one of these days. hugs, lj
ReplyDeleteYour posts are always so good but this one was special.
ReplyDeletePhyllis
Hi Henny Penny, What an adorable post! Eli is worth every penny to be sleeping in that chair and your slip covers are lovely. The doll is so cute and the cat by it looks adorable. Who cares about making aprons when you have such sweet animals to post about! Nancy
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea the cushions for the chair you made are. Seems the perfect solution.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a clever lady when it comes to making things like that cushion and arm covers for the chair! And that doll looks so real...especially the little toes. :)
ReplyDeleteEli looks pretty attached to that chair. Good solution too.
ReplyDeletexx Beca
I love the cushions, well done.
ReplyDeleteLove, Carla
I had a Tiny Tears doll, too! I loved her until all the soft hair was nearly rubbed off her little head. Your chair looks very nice now and I love that the arm covers come off for washing. You have given me an idea for doing something similar on Paul's chair, thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteI love your solution for covering the chair. The fabric is a wonderful look with the soft leather. I am sure Eli will love it too!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea for the chair!! The baby doll new gown is so cute!! Love you bunches
ReplyDeleteLove your baby doll, I also love my dolls I have an unopened Betsy Wetsy on the shelf and I am so tempted to take it out and platy with it , have you seen the latest craze the "reborn" dolls ? They have many videos on you tube.Lisa @ Sweet Tea N Salty Air
ReplyDeleteWell, hello Dumperoo! Timothy is roaring around bug hunting this morning. He gets crazy in the early hours.
ReplyDeleteI love your furniture. That's what I want, too. Soft and comfy, natural looking . . . I love how you've jazzed up Eli's chair. PRETTY!
Take care, sweet Henny.
A sweet post-the last photo will make me smile all day!
ReplyDeleteLove the chair and how you've fixed the problem 'drool' stains! The fabric is wonderful. I still love dolls too-love making them, even though it's been a year or so since I made one. But as a child-I either had my stuffed duck under my arms or one of my dolls. I was lucky my grandma loved to sew clothes for my dolls. Sometimes my duck got to wear them too!
Love the upholstery fabric on the leather chair, you did a wonderful job, but being so creative and talented with a needle just seems to come natural to you Henny :)
ReplyDeleteLittle Dumperoo knows a sweet spot when he sees one .....
Hugs,
~Jo
Oh, I love that Eli. He must be the cuddliest fella.You did a great job with the upholstery but then you are a wonderful seamstress, I fix a button on something and I think I'm all that.
ReplyDeleteYour little doll's face reminds me of my youngest grand-daughter. Same cute expression.
Hi Dumperoo.
Hope your summer is going well so far. Where did July go? xo