this week...

 ...has been busy.  But not as busy as the next few will be.

The fabric arrived for the 100+ year old chair I purchased a few weeks ago, so I set about getting that project done.

The wood base for the seat looked like it was a slice from a very large tree that had separated by what were the "rings."  There was no glue between the layers that I could see or feel, and it wasn't any type of modern plywood.  I put wood glue between the layers and placed five heavy jugs of water on it to level out where age had warped the wood.  The chair will be a catch-all and not necessarily used for extra seating.  I wanted to keep the original wood because of the history and the stories the tree could tell.

Along with keeping the original wood, I also kept the natural cotton padding (top of above picture) that still had pieces of the plant in it.  The original fabric was the blue that had faded and darkened from dust, dirt and wear.  It was "tacked" to the wood with handmade steel tacks.  The burgundy striped fabric (seen on the chair in the original picture I posted on the 5th) was stapled, and those had rusted considerably.  There were no bugs in the padding, and I didn't see any reason to keep the old fabric once I used it for a template to cut the new fabric.

The print was larger than I expected, but I still love it.  I had it printed on a durable upholstery denim and purchased it from Spoonflower. [<link]

The base for my mattress arrived.  This was actually a Rodger-rigged project.  The head- and footboard are also 100ish years old, and while it came with side rails, there were no slats to rest my mattress (from a box) on, and I didn't think it would stay on the rails alone.  Box springs don't seem to be made or marketed like they once were, and this setup is actually intended to rest on the floor.  I used zip ties to secure it to the rails once it was all together.  I still feel the need to put a box or something underneath it in the center just for added support, but I'm trying to figure out what that will be.

All finished.  His Highness, Charles, gets his own pillow to sleep on, and The Queen, Gracie, will sleep on the pillow behind him.  It is the only time that Charlie tolerates her presence so close to him.

💔💔💔💔

Tuesday morning, I learned that my nephew Justin's remains had been found in Utah.  Identification was confirmed with dental records, so he likely died in December 2023 not long after he went missing.  It was not the outcome we had hoped for, but it at least gives closure to his family.  His 38th birthday would have been Sunday, and his son just turned 14 in January this year.

💔💔💔💔

If you know someone living on the edge right now, please don't wait until they disappear to try and touch base with them.  Reach out now. Ask how they are.  Listen.  Just listen.  

Should'a, could'a, would'as are the worst part of hindsight.

With hugs and love... Ci💚