Whitniffic Whatnots

OK... so originally, I was going to call this the Pucci Gucci, but now that it's done that name doesn't fit. It looks more like it belongs to a cool hipster boy dog from Portland. At least I think so. If you've been following the progress of my Repurpose for a Reason project, you'd recall that I picked up this old suitcase from the ReStore for a buck fifty, along with a couple rolls of upholstery fabric for a grand total of $16.50. I didn't technically buy them though, because I agreed to "flip" this stuff to raise money at an auction for Habitat for Humanity. And here's the finished product! The old vinyl (NOT leather, as I think I stated in an earlier post) was shined up and cleaned with car interior detailer and a microfiber cloth, giving it a nice shine while preserving the character that has accumulated over the suitcase's life. I made a wrap for the handle out of the patterned vinyl and secured it with gold snaps. I also adde...

It's coming together! I'm really excited about how the cushion cover turned out... and I have to say I've impressed myself. It looks pretty darn professional. And my product tester is happy. :) I started by cutting the top and bottom fabrics to size. This particular suitcase is about 18.5" x 28.5", so I cut my rectangles to that size, plus an inch for my half-inch seam allowances. The top of the bed is the only piece I cut out of the green pixel fabric. It's softer and cozier than the brown vinyl, but I really wanted to get a bit of the cute pattern onto the top surface, since the majority of the bed will be hidden within the suitcase. I decided to add some decorative corners- it looks adorable, and it makes the corners more durable in case Mr. Pooch likes to dig a little. Howie seems to like to stuff his nose in the corners (must smell interesting?), so I can imagine some digging might happen. To add the decorative corners, I cut two 7" square...

I had better get on this Pucci Gucci dog bed! I had Ragnar relays two weekends in a row at the end of September, so I've been a bit MIA. Any time I've actually spent at home was dedicated to attempting to catch up on housework. BUT... November is creeping ever closer, and this project is definitely one of those "have to get it done" ones. The event is taking place on Nov. 9, and I'd like to have this completed well ahead of time. If you recall from my previous post , I got pretty much everything I needed- aside from thread, zippers and little embellishments- from the ReStore. I also needed to find some fluffy stuff to fill the cushion. I'm really trying to do this as greenly and economically as possible, so I considered finding an old couch on the side of the road and stealing the cushions, but that just seemed kind of gross. Then I got the idea to reach out to our local Verlo Mattress Factory about potentially getting some scraps from their manufacturin...

Sometimes I think I shouldn't be allowed access to the internet. It's dangerous. I got sucked into an auction site the other day, lured by a beautiful antique green leather tufted couch that would be the most gorgeous prop for outdoor family photos... the bidding was only at $5, but I just don't have anywhere to keep such a thing! Especially considering that I only do portraits every 3 months or so, for a very select group of friends. It looks like it belongs in an enchanted forest! Or a steampunk bar... On the same auction site, I came across a really neat old knitting machine, and then a cool vintage scale and a steam-punky old barometer gauge... A sweet vintage Brother knitting machine Honestly though... what the heck do I need this for? And then I started getting ideas. Christmas will be here before we know it (!!), and I had better get a start on my gift shopping... or making, I guess. My hubby is notoriously hard to buy gifts for. He pretty mu...