Thifty Chicken: A lovely $4 chair

With the arrival of Spring, my annual 'clean and re-decorate the house' illness has struck.  Again.  I do believe that I am genetically programed to re-do the nest on a near constant basis, but it decidedly reaches fever pitch in Spring.  When I can see the hiding dirt.  And the furniture in daylight.

So thank goodness for op shops.  I. LOVE. THEM.  Because, you find fantastic stuff that you wouldn't otherwise find, at an unbeatable price, the money goes to a good cause, and the house gets a change up: WIN/WIN/WIN/WIN!  But you already know that!

I have completed a few projects recently which I hope to share with you soon, but I wanted to jump ahead and show you this adorable chair.  It was purchased as part of my table dressing for Chicken Ink. Creative at the upcoming summer markets, but of course I could not deny Miss 4 the joy of having it in her room the other 99% of the time.

Throwing caution to the wind (i.e. with no training and no research into upholstery) I jumped into this little project, and crossed my fingers and toes, hoping for the best.  Because really, there isn't much you can't do with a staple gun.  Is there?  Did I tell you that I have an electric staple gun?  Look out world! 

This is the BEFORE and AFTER:

Cute, no?  While you're you're having a squiz, check out the other items in the room, which are either second hand, re-decorated, or handmade:

• Chest of drawers - was my grandmother's. It was dark wood, and hubby re-painted in Antique White USA.
• Mirror - was already distressed and awesome, bought from an op shop when I was in my 20's.
• Little shabby chic box - recently purchased for a song at a local op shop.
• Photo frame - ok that one was from the Reject Shop (so not quite but nearly).
• Cushion - was a lovely pink napkin, already embroidered and sitting all by itself in an op shop, turned into an appliqued cushion be moi.
• Bunting - see it in the reflection, also by me.
• A Calamity Bolt filly - because Elke does the BEST horses in Australia.
• And of course, the new chair.

And here is a bit of a visual step by step of how I did it.  Yes, I did use a nappy box as part of the upholstery.

Don't 20 month olds make the BEST helpers?  Except when they try to insist on using the power tools.  And hammers.  And nails.... 

The whole thing cost me under $10. I had the fabric and everything I needed in my stash, including the box which I used to help me create a stable back to wrap the fabric around.  I did have to get some new upholstery nails, but that was it.  And there are stacks left over for another job. 

So here is Miss 4, showing off her new chair.  I am glad she likes it, cos I am not changing it now!

Do you like to thrift, re-do, renovate, up cycle?  What was your best project?

Cheers, Chicken