The moon chair makeover

March 19, 2012

I don’t go into Goodwill nearly as much as I used to. I was going a couple times as week there for awhile and it contributed way too much to my crapification problem. ;)

Now I am dropping off stuff a lot more than picking up. I probably go in once a month now. And last week I went in and found a couple really fun items.

There were six “moon chairs” for $15 each and I kept walking past them, stalking them. I even tweeted a pic, but I just couldn’t figure out where I could use them in our house.

I walked around some more, stalked them some more, then sat in one.

It spun people. Round and round.

That sealed the deal. I had to have them. I sat in one, spinning around like a five-year-old, trying to think of where I could put a couple funky chairs, and it hit me.

Duh. Basement. Play area.

So I got two:

I had been thinking that maybe, just maybe, they were actual vintage moon chairs…how cool would that be? I was all congratulating myself that I had just found the deal of a lifetime.

Then I turned one over and saw the IKEA tag. ;) I laughed at myself for a good five minutes straight.

They were in decent condition, just some nicks in the metal legs and they needed some cleaning. But I had bigger plans in mind for these, so I started by taking off the bottom and back pads:

It was then that I realized they had zippered covers, so I took them off and threw them in the wash:

IMG_0542

I rarely buy anything upholstered second-hand, but I could tell these had been taken care of pretty well.

Then I took the seats off the metal bases using a socket wrench:

After the covers were clean and dry, I put them back on the cushions, then laid them out on the new fabric I found at Joann’s:

covering cushions

I used about a yard for this project and it was perfect.

Some of you might be thinking I made new covers, and you’d be wrong. ;)

I just hot glued the fabric around the back of the cushions:

Oh yes. Hot glue could heal the world.

No one will ever see the backs, except for me. And after some scotch guard, they’ll hold up great. I kept the black covers on so the new fabric would have something to glue to.

I made sure to cut around the holes for the screws:

While I was working on the cushions, the legs were out in the garage drying. They were dull and more of an aluminum finish. I wanted something a little flashier, so I spray primed them and then used some leftover silver spray paint from the dining table centerpiece.

I put everything back together and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out!:

IKEA moon chair redo

I was looking for a fun fabric that would work well with these funkalicious chairs. I wanted something kind of mod, but that would hide marks and would hold up.

This upholstery fabric was PERFECT!:

moon chairs

Each chair came in at $35 each when I was done – for the fabric and chairs.

It was a fun, quick project and I can’t wait to see them in the Bub’s play space in the basement! They may just stay up in the living room till the drywall is done cause the colors work pretty perfectly in there. ;)

Did I mention they SPIN??

Don’t you love a great Goodwill makeover?

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Comments

  1. Am I really the first commenter??? I am sure someone snuck one in while I was typing this but I am laughing out loud....lovin the no makeup thang. Girl you are braver than me. God bless your soul. And I have two hundred times more respect for you for keepin' it real. Love the chairs!!!!

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  2. These chairs are flipping awesome and the fabric just adds to their sweet quirkiness! Love this bargain!

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  3. Oh these are so awesome!!! Girl, you have inspired my house so much!

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  4. Oh my goodness that looks so dang cute!!! Nice work! By the way, you look gorgeous without make up!

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  5. First of all, you're absolutely adorable! Second of all, I'm insanely jealous of these spinny chairs. I want them badly. Third of all, I too have done the "oh my god, this may be vintage" dance and they're ALWAYS from IKEA. I truly thought I found an Eames chair... and it was IKEA. :)

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  6. Love them! I love the action shot of you spinning in the chair too! Too funny!

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  7. Love the chairs - original and redone! But how did you limit yourself to just two of them? ;-)

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  8. Love this makeover & love the fabric you used! So fun!! I also love seeing your pretty make-upless face!!

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  9. You look great!! Forget make up. And LOVE the chairs!

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  10. Love the makeover!! Such a fun fabric choice:)

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  11. I LOVE your spinning picture! So cute and funny. I would have puked trying to do all of that at once. The chairs look great, I'm so glad you got them!

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  12. What fun chairs :) I love the spinning photo and you are gorgeous makeup or not!

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  13. Love the chairs! We're getting a Joann's this summer. Can't wait to find some fab fabric.

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  14. Cute chairs! But even cuter blogger! And I am SO EXCITED that you are going to be at SNAP!!!!!!!

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  15. I love that fabric! And thank you for saying "scotch guard". I never thought to do that to my kitchen chairs! I will do it ASAP!

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  16. OMG!! Those chairs look great! You are sooo talented and it's nice when people keep it real! Not that I could do it, but my hat's off to you! ( course it helps to be young! haha)

    Thanks for sharing the tip about gluing the fabric. My sister uses her staple gun and I want to redo my breakfast table chairs and now I can do them by myself! Yay!

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  17. The style of chair/fabric are so not me, and yet I think they are so cool and you are a genius :)

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  18. Amazing makeover! Love finding stuff with possibilities at GW. Good job!

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  19. Wow! Those chairs are ridiculously cute!!! What a great find! Wish I looked as good as you without makeup...when I don't wear any my husband always asks if I feel well. ;-)

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  20. i like them the fabric is so good on the chairs.

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  21. Amazing transformation! I love the new fabric. Makes me wish I had an excuse to get funky :-)

    I really enjoy reading your blog and getting ideas on how to be thrifty about decorating. We just moved into our (hopefully) "forever" home, so I'm itching to decorate everywhere! I know I have time, but it's hard to not want to ignore the budget and run to the store to buy up everything I think is cute.

    If you could create a beginners toolkit for thrifty decorating, what would be in there? Obviously hot glue would be on your list, as it helps to do quick projects, but what other basics would make it so that I could go to Goodwill, find a goody and make something cute over the weekend?

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  22. To reiterate what everyone else said, you are so beautiful! And you work out? superwoman. The chairs are awesome, I love all your tips and tricks!

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  23. Love the Chairs! Love that you called them Funkalicious Chairs even more! LOL! Fabric is PERFECT!!

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  24. Hey, at least with your workout, all you have is a headband on. Try trying (how's that for a tongue twister) to look attractive in a bathing cap! Not gonna' happen! And those chairs do look funky!

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  25. cute chairs! Love the last picture of you spinning!! :o)

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  26. I have been reading your blog for a year and look forward to it. I've even made some things that you have made - a great hanging lampshade was my first project. I think it is so fun that you are including pictures of yourself! Keep it up. The chairs are fab! Thanks for all the inspiration.

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  27. Those chairs are just too stinkin' cute! Love 'em!!!!

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  28. OMG! I love them! I wish I could find a Goodwill find that awesome! Love the hot glue part and especially the no makeup part! Thanks!

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  29. These are SO much fun! Love the new fabric you chose--perfect!

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  30. You are brilliant! These chairs are fantastic and I NEVER would have thought of doing that! Love love love!!

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  31. Very cute and fun chairs! I like mixing things up and think they look great upstairs. I'm sure they will also be nice in the basement as was your original vision. And, to chime in, you look fine, even lovely, without makeup. Debbie

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  32. First time commenter, long term reader.. sending a lot of love for keeping it real.. love the moon chairs :)

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  33. They are sooo cute! Seriously, adorable.

    Kim

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  34. love your funky chairs and your sweet spinning shot! hehe! :)

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  35. Hey beautiful lady! I am so jealous - our Goodwill never has anything that cool. I love the fabric you chose to recover the upholstery.

    ~Nadine In Nevada

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  36. The chairs are TRES CUTE!! Just right for a playroom....cause they SPIN!

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  37. You crack me up! Nice chairs! You look great! (The ears thing is all in your head...my bff had hers surgically "pinned" back. I should show you before pics...trust me you look great...but I understand it.)

    Good to see you in front of the lens.

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  38. I love what you've done here. So much fun for a playroom! And can I just say that I love the term "crapification problem". Must use it more often!!

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  39. So, so, so jealous! I would have snagged them in a heartbeat! And your touch on them is perfect!

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  40. Could be my favorite project you have done - fabulous! and Fun, and great pics! Take care ,Laura

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  41. You look great... and the chairs look terrific! The fabric is perfect. Good find in the chairs, and a fantastic makeover.

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  42. Great job! The fabric is so much fun... and the chairs spin!!!

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  43. Hahaha, oh my. That last picture has me cracking up. It looks like you just want to yell WHEEEEEEEE!!! Loved this post. :)

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  44. You are so smart.....and inspire me....I look forward to checking in with you online....it's like having a new, cool friend....Smiles!

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  45. I read EVERY post that you write but I never update. I'm a certified stalker, but I figured that since you posted a pic of yourself then I should comment. Your chairs are awesome, all of your projects are awesome.
    You are gorgeous ... you even look fab with no makeup and headband accentuating your ears (which are not big) ... just wanted to tell you that!!! SAM

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  46. Great find and so cute in the new fabric. The hot glue was an insanely smart idea!

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  47. That is beautiful! I love the fabric you chose to update the chair. My husband and I will be doing some redecorating over the next few months and I will definitely be giving the Goodwill store a gander!

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  48. Sarah, that was the best picture...the one at the end of you spinning! lol I love that with the blurry background swirling behind...so fun! Love that sassy fabric you chose for the chairs...great makeover!

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  49. I have never been so jealous of someone else's Goodwill luck! Those chairs look amazing!

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  50. Awesome find! I so wish I could fins stuff like that in my Goodwill... no go there, though. I live in Redneck, USA and I rarely have that great of a find. But LOVE those chairs! Glad you didn't pass them up!

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  51. How fun! They look awesome with the new fabric. And you look like a fresh-faced teenager with no makeup. Way to be courageous!

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  52. How fun is that! Wow, you were lucky to find those chairs at a Goodwill in the first place. I love our local Goodwill, I have found some cool stuff there but I agree going too much can add to a crapification problem! :)

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  53. Those look great! I absolutely LOVE that fabric....have never seen it at my Joanne's though. Was it recent that you found it or has it been in your stash? I love spinny chairs!

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  54. I'd say you found the deal of a life time....these chairs are amazing!

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  55. Wow, they look great after the TDC touch, and I thought they looked nice before! Love the colors..

    Nope, don't worry about makeup at all. It was fun to see a photo of you with your socket wrench! Ha.

    I thought Ikea right away. Love how you personalized them. And I particularly like how you got to them right away and knocked out the new look! No storing a project! [for very long.]

    Chrissy

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  56. OMW - you are sooooooooo funny! Double snaps for the self portraits. And the chairs, obviously, are total awesomesauce. IN LOVE!

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  57. Love the chairs! What a makeover :-)The colors are perfect & don't even about the self pics, you're gorgeous!

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  58. They are very cool and turned out great!

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  59. These are so fun! Love how they turned out. And P.S., I wish I looked that good without makeup on. :-)

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  60. I love the photo of you spinning in the chair. It's good to be able to be silly even as grown-ups! way to go on the chairs, they look super cute....now I'm off to Salvation Army;only because I don't have any Goodwills close to me :( )

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  61. Oh my gosh - I wish I could find those in my Goodwill!! I have a formal living room that is crying out for furniture (I gave away what we had in there...) and I keep stalking Craig & his list for 2-4 matching chairs. Love these! Great score!

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  62. I have to say, I thought those chairs were super ugly when you bought them…. BUT now, they are super fantastic! Love the fabric, well done!!

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  63. How cool are they? I love the fabric perfect for the chairs.

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  64. what a sweet find...I think those chairs are De' BOMB..Great job

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  65. Love what you did and I adore that fabric!

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  66. I love love love these! So cute and fun.

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  67. Geez, only $15? My Goodwill charges that much for a nasty vase or pair of shoes. The furniture is always crappy and very expensive.

    Good find, Ikea or not.

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  68. You look great and I love the new look of the chairs! That definitely is a fun fabric.

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  69. What a great find! The fabric you used works perfectly with the style. Spinning chairs, so fun and perfect for a play room!!!

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  70. Awe I want em!!! Those would rock in our playroom!! As always super awesome stuff you do!

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  71. Those are AWESOME!! How could you resist?!? I love the redo, you must have wanted to go back for the other lonely chairs :) Love em!

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  72. Great job on those chairs! Really perfect for the basement play area and making them your own, even better. I think you look great too in your photos. Lovely smile!
    Thanks for sharing this and all that you do in your blog. It really is one of my favorite blogs and I never miss a post.

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  73. Groovy, man! And you are a much braver blogger than I. I don't really think anyone's interested in my wrinkles, but I see you got some respect for "keepin' it real"! Unfortunately, my wrinkles are all too real. Certainly, you look like you had soooo much fun with these chairs. I love them!

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  74. Wow! They look so great! I wish that the Goodwill in my neighbourhood had anything as cool as these!

    And you look beautiful, don't worry!

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  75. I LOVE those chairs and Goodwill! Awesome! I've been only dropping things off for a long time now. I haven't really considered going in because it seems to defeat my purpose of dropping off...but if they have chairs like this inside...I might have to pop in next time.

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  76. My Goodwill never has super-duper bargains like the ones you find! Great job! Love the fabric!

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  77. I am in love with your chairs; great find

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  78. Love the chairs. How come I never find good stuff like this in my Goodwills?

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  79. Just awesome! Your chairs look stunning! I am speechless....

    Sight, why does my Goodwill never have anything nice like that?

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  80. Those look AMAZING! That fabric is perfect, and I am so envious of your Goodwill finds.

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  81. Love the last photo of you with the motion. It made me smile and then sigh because I want a spinning chair too. :)

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  82. This is definitely a case where the after is better than the before! Awesome makeover, love the fabric.

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  83. Those are so awesome! I was thinking they looked pretty cool before but the makeover took them over the edgeo to awesomeness! My kids would be so excited if I bought them some chairs like that.

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  84. Love the fabric! They look super cool (huh?) and I'm sure your son and his friends will love them! I also like the makeup free pictures...you go girl!

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  85. You look super skinny! Did you lose weight? I know you've been working out...

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  86. To use your words...Lurrrrve!!! Now if it would stop blizzarding here I would go to Goodwill myself and get a fun something!

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  87. This is seriously one of the coolest things I've seen! I love the fun fabric, and the fact that the chairs spin? Such a great find!! Love the spinning picture, too!

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  88. So the big question is WHICH Goodwill and how long ago? Because if the remaining 4 (or even less) are still there . . . I'd run there TONIGHT! (AND YES, I'm in the Indy area, so this could happen hehe!) If it's been recently - message me at hollymccrory at yahoo dot com. :)

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  89. Love!!!!!!Makes me want to hit a thrift store right now.

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  90. Your too hard on yourself, those are great pics. Also, great job on the chairs they look awesome. I absolutely love Goodwill Redo's and sometimes I bring home stuff I have to take back to them to!

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  91. These chairs are rockin'! I love everything about them...the modern shape, the new fabric...you did awesome! Oh, and I LOVE the pics of the thrifty chick herself!

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  92. The chairs turned out SO cute!! I have to admit I was skeptical when I saw them with the black, but they are SO adorable now with the new fabric :)

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  93. Holy guacamole, those chairs turned out AMAZING! I can't believe you haven't run back to Goodwill to get the rest of them.

    Sue

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  94. So funky and cute!

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  95. You have the best luck! I stalk my local Goodwill and rarely find anything good. I also live in the Indy area and would love to know which one you go to. Please message me at cedge29 at g mail dot com

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  96. Oh, my goodness! I loved them in the before picture and was thinking 'Score!' when you said you could wash up the covers. But the after? Oh, MY! Perfection!

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  97. Sarah! I'm in Indy..which Goodwill did you get these spinners at?? I need to go see if the other 2 are still there! :)

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  98. Gosh you find the most awesome pieces at your Good Will! SWEET! They're adorable!

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  99. Good find! They look very 70's with that fabric. Sooooo...having lived through that period as a high school student (yeah, I'm old! LOL!) I might have been inclined to pick some different fabric. But hey, whatever floats your boat if you're cool with that :-)

    Interesting re-do...just using hot glue. That'll probably make them easier to re-do when you're ready for a change.

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  100. You crack me up! I think I visit your blog not only for the helpful tips, tricks and cool ideas, but for the laughs! Keep them coming!

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  101. So wish I lived close enough to score some of the chairs you left behind. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

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  102. I wasn't even going to comment with the 108 you've already gotten, but what the hell... ;)
    I like you without makeup, you do NOT have big ears, and your little boy and a future friend are going to have A BALL spinning around on those chairs in a couple of years. :)
    Best,
    Gloria
    P.S. Oh yes, I forgot to say: you did a great job with the chairs, but you already know that. I liked them just in black too. Go back and get two more. LOL!

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  103. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! i'm just about to another chair and came across your site!


    door251.blogspot.com

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  104. Very mod and fun! Nice transformation but most of all a great find...lucky you.

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  105. Love this post, love the chairs, the spinning & face with no makeup!You are just the coolest ever!

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  106. Are you even serious? These are AWESOME! Great job. Beautiful.

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  107. These chairs ARE so awesome! (I had to pin them!) Great job making them better and keeping it real with your beautiful face...it's great to see the real you instead of your hands! ;-) You are just too fun!

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  108. Thanks for your humor and creativity! I love a great Goodwill makeover, that and the fact that you were brave enough to post pics of yourself with no makeup! You go, girl! Also love the new word "Crapification." I too have a problem with that condition. It's best for me to keep outta the thrift shops till I can tame the inner beast, so thanks for entertaining me and sharing your crafts while I wrestle my inner thrifting demons!

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  109. These look great! I mean, they looked nice with the black fabric, but I REALLY like them with the fabric you put on them!

    I really need to get my butt back into goodwill and see what kind of fun stuff I can find!

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  110. Glad you didn't pass those up. They look fantastic. And why is it that impromptu photo shoots always seem to happen after a good hard workout?? Regardless, you look great in the pictures, especially if you'd just survived Spin. :)

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  111. Fabulous! I am green with envy:D What an exciting find, price was right and what a great addition to a playroom:)

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  112. LOVE how the chairs turned out ! You are too funny - I just found your blog, I'm a new follower, can't wait to look through more of your blog. Thanks for sharing it all with us readers :)

    http://talesofadomesticmama.blogspot.com/

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  113. What is the IKEA name for these chairs? So cute!

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  114. Love the chairs and I mean LOVE!!

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  115. When I first saw the chairs, I thought "you did not"!!! Then I saw the finished product and then thought "you are a freaking genius!" Okay, they don't fit into EVERYONE'S decor - translated: mine - but they are too cute. I think you should have bought four and put them down in that basement around some funky table that I'm sure you'll find!

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  116. Wow, so lucky to have spotted such an ikea bargain on the store! lol, it's so creative what you did with the covers, i can't wait to have my own house to add cute stuff to it :)

    Lily
    www.visuallycurious.com

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  117. 1. Those chairs are the cutest!
    2. Hot glue definitely can heal the world!
    3. I kind of hate you now - really? That is you - make-up free - Um, I wish I looked half as good without make-up! You need to do write a skincare post - you have really beautiful skin- what do you use?

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  118. what a wonderful job you have done...the 'made over' chairs looke really gr8.
    like the way you present your work...

    nd am sure you dont need any make up..you look lovely as you are..your smile shines thru your eyes

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  119. Love those chairs! It's been awhile so I don't know if you'll see my comment, but I had to say you look perfectly pretty even without makeup. And your ears look just fine to me too. I was a pro makeup artist for 12 years and let me tell ya, women look pretty without a drop of makeup 99% of the time. If anything think of it as something to enhance and accentuate. If you (or anyone else) is feeling self conscious, back away from the "women's" magazines/beauty shows. There's just to much pressure, which is really all about selling us stuff. I bet your husb (like most men) doesn't care if you have makeup on. Some men even prefer women bare faced.

    Anywho, keep up the awesome blog and love yourself the way you are. :)

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