Thursday, February 5, 2015

Books and chairs and cookies...


Do you have a pile of books atop your bedside table too?

I like to browse some favourites for about thirty minutes before the day draws to a close, and at the moment this one is having a big impression on my plans for decorating...

You see we have three dining table chairs, yes, just three. Our son took the fourth with him when he left home and we've never really thought to replace it.
The chairs are very old but very sturdy, and for the longest time I've wanted to give them a makeover by stitching some simple but sweet chair covers...

...like the style that features in this book. 
Aren't these gorgeous...

...and this one is so pretty!

I like how it buttons around the base...

If only I had an armchair to play with, this would be attempted...

All I need to do now is decide on a design that will work with our chairs, and to get me inspired I've purchased some white Essex linen as the embroidery background...

That aqua and red fabric behind the linen may feature as well. There's something about aqua and red that says 'home' to me.


While pondering a stitchery design to use on my chair covers I took time out to bake a big batch of Anzac biscuits (cookies) for Mr E...


These are Mr E's favourite biscuits and I'm sorry to say it's been maybe a year since I've baked them...

...so when he arrived home from work yesterday I served up a plateful with fresh brewed coffee. 
My husband is still smiling.

What's your favourite decorating or sewing book at the moment?

hugs

22 comments:

Christine M said...

How lovely do those chair covers look! But if I made some of those, I wouldn't let the boys sit down on them. They would have to take them off so they didn't get dirty! I make Anzac biscuits and choc chip cookies every week for the boys' lunches. Today I'll be baking some. Have a lovely day, Jenny. xx

Sherri said...

I think those slip covers look beautiful Jenny. I can't get to any of my sewing books at the moment. Everything has been moved out of my sewing area for Friday when we have new carpet being put down on the floors. I bought two lovely patterns from Spotlight last week, one for aprons and the other for making bits and pieces for the sewing room, so at the moment these are my favourite sewing project eye candy.

Baa. xxx said...

Yummy -love Anzac biscuits! That book is beautiful!

StitchinByTheLake said...

Jenny I love those chair covers! I'm looking for a couple of sturdy chairs right now for a small table I have in my living room. I haven't the right ones for the right price yet...I've been to most of the flea markets but I'm sure I just haven't found the right spot yet. I do have a collection of books but I love the look of yours! I searched my library online for the titles I could see in your stack but only found one. I'll be checking it out on my next trip there. blessings, marlene

Christina said...

Lovely chair covers.

Verna G said...

Would you consider sharing the cookie recipe?

Createology said...

White linen with stitchery and MOP buttons as chair slipcovers equals true Creative Bliss. I am swooning over your ideas of inspiration. Mr. E should be smiling with fresh baked cookies waiting for him upon returning from his day of work. Yum!
Yes I love to re-read and re-gaze upon books of lovely ideas to create.

Christine said...

Lovely inspirational covers for your home. I popped in to thank you for your free kitchen stitcheries. A little late for the party but its looking like a good one. Thank you.

Sisbabestitches said...

Absolutely gorgeous chair cover ideas :) I really love the one that buttons around the back too :)
It's always the little things that show the most love :)

Anonymous said...

I'm not much on decorating, so I don't have those kinds of books around, but I do have a bookcase of quilt and embroidery books, and a stack of novels to read.

All my friends call me a minimalist 'cause so little hangs on my walls - a couple of quilts is about it. =) But, I do have dining chairs that need recovering and it never would have occurred to me to do something like that. Now that I saw that button cover one, it's going to haunt me!

Kriza said...

Yummy - could you please share the recipe for the Anzac biscuits? THEy look lovely, and easy to make, and I feel homesick for my second home, again :-) Thank you!
Kristina

Melody said...

Anzac biscuits are my favourite too. Love those chair covers

Thoeria said...

Oh yummy scrummy Jenny! Those biscuits look scrumptious!
The chairs look beautiful! I can see you making something as pretty...if not prettier!!....than those!

Victoria said...

Oh dear. I have the wingback that needs a new cover. Now I have your great idea. I wish you lived around the corner to spur me on.

Quiltsmiles said...

I can't recommend any decorating books at the moment as my style is unique a bit country, french country and eclectic with a lot of children's art thrown in for fun.

Those anzac cookies look great, would you mind sharing your recipe? They look wonderful and with the grands coming daily after school I think these could be a winner.

Farm Quilter said...

Love all the chair covers - can't wait to see what you end up creating! Your biscuits look a great deal like the coconut-oatmeal cookies my grandmother/mother/me/my girls all made/make (it's my grandmother's recipe) and if they taste anything like mine, they are fabulous! I just need to find Golden Syrup - they don't have any in Washington...but I'm visiting Texas so maybe they have it!

TerriSue said...

I can't wait to see what you come up with. Your biscuits look amazing. I'm going with the other requests for your recipe. I've been so busy de-cluttering and cleaning lately that I haven't read anything. You have given me the bug. The problem would be I haven't started on my sewing room yet. The rest of the house comes first. All in good time.

Lynette said...

I have that same book on loan from my library and I plan to make that buttoned chair cover with white on white embroidery. Love to see what you come up with.
Lynette

Wendyb said...

I love the framed applique/stitchery of the jugs of flowers.....gorgeous. I can just see those chair covers now, but when I come I think I'd better sit on the floor! LOL
xox love ya :o)

Tammy said...

Oh that looks like a fabulous book. I Love those chair covers...Beautiful. And you are right about aqua and red..I love those colors together...

Ondrea said...

You are so clever embarking on such a project. Great idea.

Larissa said...

Oh how I love this idea - covering kitchen and chaise lounges in a white linen cover with embroidery! That is just the kind of thing I would love to do once I get a home of my own (it just would work in our home atm with mum & dad, but I am tempted to try to figure something out for my current office chair, especially on the seat of it as the leather on the edge where your lower thighs sit is slowly rubbing off and we regularly find little black dots of leather covering on the floor beneath it!). My Granny used to have head covers for the backs of her lounge chairs (you know, where your head rests upon the back of the chair) which were of white linen, with a crocheted edging along the visible edge, and some stitchery just above it (the back end was able to be tucked in behind the cushions to help hold it in place, and they would be rotated on a weekly basis on cleaning/washing day). Sweet little touches that make a house a home in my opinion! ... I don't as yet have any decorating or homemaking books apart from a small 'household tips' book I got with good 1950s advice, but I'm keen to get a couple when I find some. I am keenly aware though, that it's a case of having to wait until i have a home of my own before I can really put anything into place. :) Love getting small glimpses of your home as you share them - it really does look lovely!!! xx