Changing From Outdoor To Indoor Projects

15 November, 2012 Reply
What a sad sight this is.

What a sad sight this is. My reading nook before I fixed it up. When I looked at this picture today my first thought was, “Yikes.”

Now that it’s getting colder outside my focus moves to indoor projects. Last spring I shared with you that I was going to redo my reading nook. Get it all spruced up. Well, I got things started, but ran into a couple snags in figuring out how to put the cushion cover together.

Getting Pattern Done

The first thing was I had to find a zipper long enough to fit the back of the cushion. I was amazed to only find it at one store and only in white. Luckily it is totally hidden in the back so nobody will ever know.

Second thing was the material wasn’t long enough to make the front strip all in one piece, going the direction I wanted to go. I thought on this for a long time and decided, since it was only a few inches short I’d piece it.

I had the same problem with the back. This wasn’t a big deal, except that I needed to be able to sew through extra layers of fabric and a zipper.

Once I had those figured out I was well into the growing season and it got sidelined for several months. Well, last weekend I finally pulled it out and put it together in one fell swoop.

I was going to do a how-to on this project, but with all the finagling I had to do, I decided I’d give all the steps on an easier project, like the big window-seat cushion I’ll be making soon. Suffice it to say that my worrying about it was a big waste of energy, as the whole thing went together easily once I sat down and just did it.

Now it's inviting.

Now I have a serene, inviting place to spend my reading and meditation time. What a difference a little fabric can make!

Just What I Wanted

The results are great. I now have an inviting and comfortable place to read and meditate. I have my real tree branches hung from the ceiling with wire and decorated with little lights for reading by, giving it a special low light ambiance. There’s a comfy prayer shawl to put over my shoulders (made for me by my best friend), and a blanket for those cold mornings.

I’m still going to make a couple extra pillows and recover one  I have, but that will be after I get the window seat done. Then I can get all that extra chopped foam out of my closet!

So, now that the weather is getting colder, start to think about things you’d like to spruce up inside. Maybe it’s paint a room, sew some new winter clothes, redecorate a space, or even fix up a cute little reading nook like I did. Bring your Green Avalon inside and create an inviting space inside, as well.

Share Your Projects

I’d love for you to share your project.

Being Comfy In Your Home Office

16 February, 2012 Reply

Right now I’m in the middle of a dilemma. My work area in my in-home office is downright uncomfortable. I started to notice that my back and neck pain was worse when I had a long day at my computer. Of course some of that is caused by the lack of movement when you’re sitting still for long periods, but I learned a lot when I worked for a physical therapy office about how your equipment can cause problems.

Comfortable wrist rest

If you're getting calluses on the heel of your hand a wrist rest can help.

I’ve checked to make sure I’ve got everything set up ergonomically correct, so now I have to look at the equipment itself. Lately I’ve been having pain on the heel of my hand and wrists where they rest on the table. In looking for a solution I ran across some sheepskin products that look like they might be helpful. I’ve tried the gel filled wrist rests and they are OK. After awhile, though, the fabric covers on them usually start to irritate my skin. The sheepskin rest looks like it wouldn’t have that problem.

The other thing is that my chair is uncomfortable. I even stole the office chair from my husband’s office trying to find something that was comfy. It’s better, but after sitting for extended periods I still have tired butt (TB) and my back is not comfortable from the improperly curved backrest. A sheepskin seat pad might be the answer for TB, but in all honesty I think I need an entirely different seating arrangement to take care of the uncomfortable backrest.

If your office is your car you might want to consider sheepskin seat covers to make all those hours behind the wheel more comfortable.

Etsy Mama

9 January, 2012 Reply

Posted by Virgil Burks

Maybe you can turn your craft into a home based business.

I started making things in my home years ago but it was more for my own pleasure than for any other reason. I certainly didn’t expect at some point to start making money off all my creations but here I am cashing in on that site Etsy! My husband got us a CLEAR wireless internet package last year and since then I’ve been online a lot more than before. I love that there are so many sites dedicated to crafters now and this all started when I realized I was able to order my product online. The fact that I can get what I need without having to drive an hour into town made it so I was able to do custom orders and you know, the rest is history. I think it’s really cool that I’ve been able to make some side money doing this and that I’m getting better at what I love to do. Crafting isn’t just a hobby, it’s an obsession, and that’s the honest to goodness truth!