Thursday, August 14, 2008

Have a Seat!

Today's Wonder of the World is...The Chair!

Which I am going to sit in, thank you!
I'd love to have a seat in this chair because my mom and daddy gave it to me when I first found out I was pregnant with Sarah, and I'm feeling a little sentimental right now.

I'd also need to sit for a moment because I took a look in Sarah's room a second ago and found this.

And this.

Help!
The piles are getting higher! And she's not done yet! We leave tomorrow to take her to college, and who knows how tall the piles will be by then!
How will we ever get all that junk in my minivan?

For now, let's distract ourselves, shall we?
Let's think about something I love. Something I can't ever get enough of.
Let's think about CHAIRS!
Excuse me a second while I move all those linens.

Voilà!

I am crazy about this purple tufted chair. I bought it at a consignment store for $15 on account of the fact that some lunatic who hates purple chairs attacked its arms with a butcher knife. Or maybe not. But somehow the arms are all ripped up.
But I saw that chair and thought: I can fix that! I do re-upholstery all the time. I can rebuild it. I can make it better than it was before!
Well I tried and I can't.
So normally, Sarah's chair wears this cute little scarf.

I know. It's not that great a look, but it's the best I can do.

During my French life I discovered the beauty of la chaise.
It's probably because I developed a terrible flea market addiction. Did you know that French grandchildren cleaning out their grandmere's grenier practically give chairs away at flea markets? They practically chase you down and beg you to take them off their hands!
Well, maybe not, but they're really cheap.

Look at this darling rush seated one. Click on it. Look at the hand carving on the back! It's adorable.

I bought it and its twin for $25! Two hand carved chairs for $25! Can you believe that?
You can't really sit on it because it's old and rickety, but I use it as art.
This irritates my husband. He's always saying, "Chairs, chairs, everywhere! And not a place to sit!"
But he puts up with my chair collection because he loves me.
And because I'll post embarrassing photos of him on my blog if he doesn't.
Just kidding honey!

Here's another French chair.

It's a prie-Dieu, a prayer chair. I saw it at a flea market and couldn't walk away. The top seat flips up for kneeling, and I think it's heavenly.

Here's a stool I bought down in Provence during our French life.

I rode three hours back to Clermont in our teensy car with that thing upside down on my lap, and now I use it as an end table for my cute garage sale lamp.

Here's probably my favorite chair in my whole house!

I love its chippy paint, it's crushed velour yellow seat, and its mod style. Plus, Todd can sit in it!
And best yet, I love its history! I found it at a consignment shop, but it originally came from

the Poinsett Hotel!
Where my buddy George Clooney filmed parts of Leatherheads!

Oh he looks so nice.
I think I need to sit down again.

Here's another chair I rocked babies in. Now it's in Sam's room

with this strange chair.

I bought it at a church yard sale because I sat/perched on it and thought it might be good for my back.
It wasn't.
Sam likes to bring new friends home and watch them try to sit on it. He's evil that way.

I bought this pair of chairs at the same yard sale.

I brought them home and made them slipcovers and was excited to discover they're from Ethan Allen! (Hey, there's my circus poster!)
Tanner was a puppy then. He liked the chairs too.

Naughty Slobber Dog. One day I'll get that fixed.

Speaking of pets, I also love this chair.

There's my sweet Katie! She went to France with us at 13 years old, and lived long enough to enjoy her American life again. Katie was by my side when I discovered that I love pink and yellow and just because they weren't the in colors then, I could decorate with them if I wanted. She sat on the kitchen table beside my sewing machine (she had already been rejuvenated by her newfound love of paté, so she was up for anything) and watched me stitch the slipcover.
And she'd sit on it and go to sleep.

That looks so inviting.
I think I'm going to leave the computer now and my To Do list and take a little break in that chair.

Do you have a favorite chair in your house? A chair with a history? A chair- loving addiction?
Do tell!

Have a Wonder-Full Thursday, y'all!
Love, Becky

16 comments:

Suzie said...

I love the chair boa. My chair is very very jealous

Barb said...

Hi Becky,

Girl, you do love chairs! The scarf on the chair in Sarah's room is very creative. The old French chairs were a find and I'd never part with them.

God bless you...that is a lot to try to get in your mini van. You would be fine if people weren't in the car also.

What a cute picture of Katie. It made me think of your book. Certain "piles" on the stairs-lol.

Take care my friend, I am headed out.

hugs,
Barb

LW said...

I have wonderful dining room chairs that I just love…
They were handmade in Canada…painted a pretty teal green and have woven
Raw-hide seats…

adore the boa...cute idea...

Louise

Rosemary said...

Hi Rebecca,
Loved all of your chair humor.
I love chairs as well. I can't help myself if they are cute, I have to get them.
My favorite right now is the new one we bought for our bedroom redo.
It's covered in a soft linen.
You have a great Thursday too!!
Rosemary

Anonymous said...

a) Stop by my blog because I've handed you an award.
b) I love a great big Murphy chair myself, but my favorite is a rocker I inherited from my parents and I've read to all 3 boys while sitting in it.

Liz Harrell said...

It's chair heaven! Love that purple chair.

Good luck with packing the minivan. My parents are having to take my sisters in shifts, their little Jeep Liberty couldnt possibly hold it all at the same time!

Unknown said...

The chairs in my family room (10 of them) don't go well together, but each chair has a story. Even the ugly one.

LarryG said...

isn't there an old saying about "chair and chair alike"
good luck with move in day... we did this recently - only 70miles away - and her boyfriend and his truck were a tremendous assist :)

rochambeau said...

Hi Becky,
So nice that you have that special chair your parents gave you. That chair knows all about your family. It is a friendly chair!

xox
Constance

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Hi Suzie! And Barb, I do miss Katie. And as far as the minivan, Sarah just got out the suitcases and started packing her clothes. We're going to have to take two cars.
Louise, I'd love to see those dining room chairs. They sound so pretty!
Rosemary, glad to hear someone else shares my addiction!
Green Girl, you're a sweetie. And aren't rocking chairs great?
Hey Liz, our two cars will be stuffed. Sarah's school is 1 3/4 hours away, so it's not as if she's moving off to Alaska, but I hope it will fit in two cars. The shift thing could make for a long day!
Sherry, I love a collection of chairs with stories. Much more interesting than a big couch!
Larry G, you are too funny! I wish we had a truck right now. Todd has been wanting one, and now he'll probably be saying, "See, I told you so" all day tomorrow.
Constance, you're right! It feels like part of the family!

May Vanderbilt said...

You could be the Chairwoman of the Chair Committee.

I LOVE Sarah's purple chair. Wow!

Good luck tomorrow. It's going to be hard but good.

StitchinByTheLake said...

I have a favorite chair - it's actually a chair and a half. Don't you love how they named that chair and a half instead of calling it a really big chair? It's sort of an eggplant color and has a matching ottoman. I sit in it every night and do my embroidery or applique and watch tv. It fits my body (not a word about that 20 or 40 pounds I need to get rid of!)and is like a welcoming friend. So, how are you doin' with the whole taking her to college tomorrow thing? blessings, marlene

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I love the purple tufted chair!! Any chair that is cushy and has an ottoman is my fav...
Penny

Unknown said...

Oh, Rebecca,
I loved your chair post! I especially love the picture of the sweet kitty cat, Katie! What a sweet picture. I absolutely adore kitties! I also love it because the chair is a symbol of your discovery of the beauty of decorating with the things you LOVE! How very French of you!
~TattingChic

Anonymous said...

I lovin' the purple chair. Very GIRLIE!

Susan Sandmore said...

You are so handy! My chair of choice is my computer chair. It was blue, but now it's blue with a fingerpaint job in yellow and orange, thanks to my youngest. Oddly enough, this matches quite well in my new office!