While we are working on ottomans......

Hey there! I realized how busy I was this week when I looked over last week’s post! So I had just finished up the bamboo ottoman.  I then grabbed two vinyl ottomans from my storage and was off running!  By Friday I was at my upholsterer getting him to make me a few buttons.  I have logged many hours on my sewing machine this week.  Here is a picture story of my creations. 

I love this Ikat fabric so much!  I sold the rocker and it is now at it’s new home in North Carolina.  I hear my client was thrilled! I have a trusted delivery partner who hand delivered to her for a very reasonable $185.  I could not drive it there for that price.   

I really took time to center the pattern and I am thrilled with it! The coordinating piping steps it up a notch.  It’s all about the detailing! 

Here is a look at the underside.  I reused the cardboard since it was in good shape.  

This beauty is listed and ready for a home!  Next I decided to glam up the round ottoman with that awesome pink velvet I used on the x benches!   

I made my piping this time.  The bench went smooth although sewing through the thick felted back velvet was challenging in multiple layers! 

Blush is such a great color! It looks good with neutrals, blues and greens.  A soft accent which you will pet frequently!  

This one is also listed and ready to go! ☝️

Next up I am working on perfecting my sewing skills so I can crank out custom pillow covers. I used the ikat for my prototypes.  Adding zipper access is important to me so I am working on my skills.  

One down! This fabric looks incredible with the cobalt couch!  I may just throw this set in for whoever purchases it.  My stitches are wonky and it’s not perfect around the zipper but I am pleased with the pattern.  I will be finishing up the second soon. 

The reason I was hot for pillows is I want to start making some for my Adrian Pearsall couch which I plan on picking up in the coming weeks. It needs a full restoration which I will be coordinating and I figure if I get the pillows made it will excite me even more!  

I posted a video this week where I was working on getting basement musty odor out of some 1971 Knoll yardage my aunt gave me. I used a vinegar steam and in 2 treatments, it is pretty much eradicated!  Stop by my Facebook page and have a watch.  The fabric is Dynamic, which was reissued a few years back and currently available at $165 a yard!!!!!  So before I cut it I wanted to clean it, now I am practicing pillows! Ha.  

THIS WEEKEND: I will be camping in the Catskills.....pretty much off the grid.  I may randomly get alerts or emails but I know for a fact there is no service in the campground.  I will respond to inquiries as soon as possible but after we arrive Friday through Sunday when we leave, do not expect a response.  All orders purchased after Thursday night will ship the following Monday.  I am pretty much shipping same or next day at this time so I would not say this is much of a delay, but just know it’s only because I am out of town. I am having an eBay buyer picking up some blow molds at our campsite to save him from driving all the way to PA from northeast of Binghamton! I love working work into my trips and glad to save him from a crazy road trip.  Plus Jesus, Mary and Joseph will be our copilots on the trip! 😂👌 Thanks for all your support!  I have been shipping out at least 2 orders a day recently! Lots of textiles on the move.  I just restocked Kantha Quilt placemats and have 7 more sets available.  There are some at my mall space locally as well.  

Have a great week! 

XO MALISSA

Seek and Ye Shall Find, MCM Style: How Custom Shopping Works.

A while back, one of my clients asked me to keep an eye open for a nice walnut low dresser for her.  It's been on my mind overtime I am out sourcing.  Finally, I found a fabulous piece that was in great condition and I thought she may love it.  I sent a pic, and my initial thoughts on condition which I call a once over.  Meanwhile, my brain is going crazy processing the issues and trying to determine a strategy to repair and blend in the issues.  My initial pics were in the shop it was found and of course, these items do not last long so it was imperative that I pounce on it to secure it for my client.  I am lucky that she is easily accessible and we went back and forth via text for a little bit as I answered her questions, checked the dresser for smells, drawers work, structural issues and finish issues....plus the ever important dimensions!  She quickly decided this piece was for her (and I agree, that it is a totally stellar piece!).  There was a matching dresser and night stand and for as much as we hated to leave them behind.....I saw today they were already sold so no going back!  As soon as I had her blessing, I purchased the dresser and got it home to spend the rest of the day cleaning, touching up and filling a large gash on the left front corner.  As I worked, I really fell in love with this piece!  It was totally not the average low dresser and wow was it cleaning up fabulously!  I kept her posted with pics of my progress and she is totally excited to meet it!  Delivery is this Friday and I am so excited to see it in her home.  I love to get to clients homes since most of my customers are around the country, it's not always possible.  This lovely lady has quite the eye for design and it is a treat to see my awesome finds displayed in her amazing space.  Her color choices are bold and stunning.  The home is a sprawling MCM ranch in a charming neighborhood close to where I went to college. I always enjoy the visit! 

As I finished cleaning up this piece, I was contacted by a shopper on Etsy about a pair of dressers I had listed.  She was interested in both pieces.  (Yea!  I hate separating sets!!!!)  Would I deliver to Maryland outside of Washington DC?  Sure would for these pretties!  We set the delivery up for the following day and I get them ready and packed my car. The family and I headed down and delivered these gorgeous chests and we got them all moved in.  They were perfect!  My client sent us on our way with the most delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies I ever ate!  As we talked and she said she was interested in some more dressers for the other bedroom, I showed her a pic of another set that was for sale and I just loved so much.  She loved it too!  So today I got all the specs and did my run down on condition plus checked how much dirt was really on it and how it would clean up.  Well, this set is amazing in a kitchy and fun way.  I am happy to report I will be purchasing this set and getting it ready for delivery in early July!

Seriously shopping?  I get around!  I am always out looking and some things I choose not to invest in for various reasons including size, price and budget.  If i know you are looking for something, I would totally shop for you.  My goal is to get you a great price so that I can still price the final product under street value in my markets.  This means I will purchase on your behalf, go over it with a fine tooth comb trying to clean, erase imperfections as best as I can and tend to any structural issues that it may have.  Your freshly cleaned and touched up item will be shipped or delivered with the same care I take with the inventory I invest in.  You will get my honest opinion on condition and what I think I can do to get it up to snuff. I do not buy stinky or smelly stuff!  You can trust me to shop for quality items!  In most cases, I will ask for a deposit when I make the purchase with the balance due upon shipping/delivery.  If we have worked together in the past, however, you will have my trust on this. My services are offered in good faith that you will purchase the items secured for you.  Please reach out!  I will do all I can to help you find the piece of your dreams!  Good things take time, so do not expect an instant score and especially so if you give me a very specific list!  Walnut low dresser was easier to locate than say a Broyhill Brasilia 9 drawer dresser.  So the more flexible you are, the quicker this may go. 

Stock update:

Both Frank Lloyd Wright stretched fabric frames are complete and listed.  I can make more but have 4 of the smaller 'Design 107' pattern and 3 of the larger St Marks Print pattern ready to ship! They are very simple, fabric stretched over an artists canvas.  Please see them in the etsy shop.  Reach out if you would like me to order yardage from this line for you.  Even if you only want a yard, I would split the minimum order with you as they seem to require a 2 yard purchase.  They are also selling pillows made to order.  They are not cheap, but if you are interested, please check the schumacher.com website for available prints (search Frank Lloyd Wright and they come up) and I can work up a quote for you.  All pillows are 2 sided with the print you select. Expect to pay around $200 per pillow and most are 18" square but I saw they had the velvet in 16" square, most likely because the velvet is crazy expensive.  Reach out!

We are shoving off on vacation in a few weeks.  I will be totally off the grid for most of it.  I will probably put my online shops on vacation mode so I don't have any mad shoppers.  Although I expect to get into town every few days and access wifi, I am positive we will not have internet out in the Adirondacks where we are primitive camping.  If you need something, please reach out to me before Jun 22nd.  I will most likely not be coordinating any deliveries that week either or large furniture shipments. Hit me up now if there is something you love so I can get it shipped out or delivered for you in the next week or 2.  I will be crazy packing as we will be living in our VW Vanagon for 10 days or so which takes a lot of planning!! haha  

Special thanks to Darcie and Debbie who have been the most gracious clients and I just adore working with you! xo Malissa