Slipcovers by Shelley

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Sitting room slipcovers

March 3, 2017 by Shelley

My client wanted new sitting room slipcovers for her master suite area. She had a darling shaped loveseat and a wingback to work with. She chose a white denim for the loveseat and a blue/white print for the chair.

IMG_6274Chair-BEFORE—sturdy and great lines, but she wanted to update the colors.

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Chair–AFTER! There was quite a bit of matching, but it turned out beautiful! IF you need tips on how to match painlessly and efficiently check out my “Get it Covered” Advanced Slipcover guide. Use code APPRECIATION for 30% off.

IMG_6276Loveseat–BEFORE- with the back exposed to the room, she didn’t want the slipcover to ride up and shift and show the green fabric underneath. I installed velcro under the arms and the upper outside back to help keep it in place.
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Loveseat–AFTER!! She decided to switch it up and drop a skirt to the floor and had me make a set of arm pads to keep the arms protected.

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Side Notes- I realize my blogging is getting less and less! I do post every few days on my instagram account @slipcovershelley. Follow me there if you want more updates, and mid project photos.

  1. Every January we go on a couples trip to someplace warm with a beach. This year we headed to Maui. Four other couples joined us, it was AMAZING! It was 85 degrees and the sunset swims at the beach were my favorite. I booked us a few condos and minivan rentals and we used points to book our flights, and cooked at the condos.

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2. Since I paid off our BYU condo rental last summer, I’ve been saving up to buy another condo rental. We just went under contract this week! It’s definitely not as scary this time. I’ve been obsessing about buying a second one for the past 2 years. I’m clearing up some head space by just doing it already! My plan is to pay it off in 2.5 years. I’ll be applying rents from both condos and my income to pay it off asap, so then it’ll be cashflow after it’s paid for.

My biggest tip for getting ahead if you are a two income family–live off one income and save the other (invest, pay off debt, save). My husband is a fireman and for the most part we live off his income, and mine has been used to pay off our house, cabin, cars, and condo rental.

3. I’ve been obsessed with learning about retirement stuff. It’s our next phase that I need to plan for. Over the past year I’ve been listening to a few podcasts about it. I was so confused how much we even needed. Here’s what I’ve learned…

a) Yearly spending at retirement age x 25= how much you need to retire. Then once you retire withdraw 4% per year to live on. That’s a safe withdrawl amount that your lump sum will never disappear. Basically that 4% is the interest. So let’s say I think we will be spending $3,000/ month after the boys have left home and we no longer need to feed them 3 dinners per night, that’s $36,000/yr.  $36,000 x 25= $900,000 is needed to retire.

b) Saving for retirement? Invest into Vanguard Total Index Fund (VTSMX ticker) with a target date retirement–it matches the market and every money podcaster guest that I’ve listened to TALKS ABOUT THIS FUND. It is the LOWEST in fees and it is diversified and matches the market. Don’t try to beat the market and invest in separate stocks–you’ll get eaten alive in fees.

c) We are planning on retiring in 10 years! Heber will have 30 years on as a fireman and will be ready to retire with his pension. I want to supplement that pension with 2-3 condo rentals. That’s the plan for now.

 

 

 

Filed Under: chair, kick pleat skirt, matching, money, travel, white denim

Cream velvet dining chairs

January 8, 2016 by Shelley

 Turned these bedroom chairs in to Cream Velvet dining chairs. Harker Design commissioned these chairs for one of their clients. They took a set of existing bedroom chairs of the clients and turned them into host/hostess chairs for the dining table. Since the client is located out of state, I didn’t get to see them finished in the dining room. I bet they looked stunning though.
BEFORE–Here were the drawings they sent me of what they wanted. Baseball stitch, ties, and waterfall skirt to change up the whole look.
BEFORE

AFTER–I prewashed the velvet since they would be in dining room–that way they can be washed.

 

 

 

Since the velvet was too thick to make ties–they decided to go for a deconstructed look. I serged two layers together face out–so the ties wouldn’t be too bulky.

No piping–just topstitch

I pieced the inside back to create the X back they wanted and opened up the seam and stitched on both sides.
SIDE NOTES–
I’ve been mulling over different goals for the year, and haven’t really nailed any down specifically. My overall thoughts were just trying to figure out what my dream is. Everyone has a different dream, half the battle is figuring out what your’s is. It’s kind of my new saying– you know when your house is trashed, and the kids are fighting…”Living the dream, baby…living the dream!”
Lots of times, it’s just making things happen and writing them down on your to do list.  What gets you excited? Is there something new you want to learn? What things do you want to make happen this year??
My Ultimate dream–own 5 BYU housing condos that are paid for which create passive income ($42,000/yr after expenses), so I don’t have to work as hard, and can take more trips. We bought our first BYU condo last February and are on a 3 year plan to pay it off. Once it’s paid for it’ll be an income stream. Then I’d just have to do that 4 more times. Which sounds a bit exhausting to me right now–so maybe 3 BYU condos?? I guess just take it one condo at a time.
My biggest inspiration was finding the AFFORD ANYTHING BLOG, I was completely enthralled reading her posts. At this point we already had one condo, but after reading her site and doing some math–I decided I wanted 5. Dream big, right? I already look at local real estate monthly…so it’s what I get excited about. Plus I love projects and decorating.
What’s your dream?? I really want to know…post in comments. I love hearing what other peoples goals and dreams are.
One bucket list thing I put on my to do list for this year is to hit up the longest yardsale on Hwy 127 from Alabama to Michigan. Aug 4-7!

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Filed Under: armed parson chair, money, white denim

Wood armed chair

November 29, 2015 by Shelley

Happy Black Friday Weekend! Use promo code APPRECIATION to receive 30% off any of my tutorials!

1.How to Slipcover DVD

2.Get it Covered-Advanced Slipcover Guide

3.Pillow Talk–Sew pillows with piping and a zipper ebook

4.Whole 9 yards–starting and running a successful slipcover business

 

My client picked up this wood armed chair off a local Facebook Yardsale page. She wanted to redo it in a brushed white denim with ties and box pleat skirt.

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Chair BEFORE

IMG_5200 Chair–AFTER! Her room was BEAUTIFUL!! It fit right in! We decided to ditch the saggy back cushion and replace it with a 24″ down pillow with 1″ ruffle.

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I did 1.5″ blind hem on the skirt to eliminate bulk. The fabric was a decent weight and with the pleating–self lined wouldn’t have worked.

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Side note #1— Many of you know of my bestie, running partner, other half– Camille about 4 years ago I slipcovered her sectional in a turquoise canvas. She loved it, but it has faded being next to the window and she decided to switch it up! She tested the arm pads 1st with some Navy Rit Dye to see how it would work out. AMAZING!!!

She dyed the whole slipcover Navy blue with Rit Dye. Here’s her instagram post! It is seriously AMAZING in person. Best idea ever! Now it’ll hold up at least a few more years, and every time she washes it she can add some more dye to keep it from looking faded and worn.

 

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Side Note #2– Last month I turned 40! I decided to plan my own party! Eight of us girls flew to LAX and rented a beach house in Newport beach for 3 nights. BEST TIME EVER! Hot tub, beach, bikes, ferris wheel, treats, naps, and sleeping in!

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bikes on the boardwalk

 

Side note #3–the week after my bday in LA, my family and I drove to Seattle for my nephews wedding. It was an amazing wedding with the best Dance Party EVER! My boys didn’t know what to think watching their mom and dad dance like it was 1999!photo-35

Side note #4- My little guy is still making knives! Check out his latest! He cuts saw blades with his Dremel that my brother gave him.
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Filed Under: box pleat skirt, chair, exposed legs, white denim

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