11th Annual Slipcover Summit

Local Contact: Anna Davis of Anna's Custom Design

What do people do with their furniture, when it is worn, torn or just needing a face lift. Why not cover it with a slipcover! In today’s economy one simply can't afford to just throw furniture away. Is there really an "away"? So why not learn how to sew "your own slipcover".

June 23-25, 2010 the Slipcover Summit, the only event of its kind, will be held at Madison, Tennessee from 8am-5pm daily. It is the first time the Slipcover Summit has ever been in the Tennessee, as it travels regionally each year to various areas of the country. This year is the Tennessee next year possible PA, or WI.

Learn how to make Slipcovers from instructors who are actively involved slipcovering furniture for their own businesses. Class size is limited so each participant has the opportunity to experience hands on. In many workshops participants will make or take home samples.

Instructors are working professionals who have volunteered to teach what they have learned over the years. They have worked hard to put together packets of information and samples for a memorable learning experience. They are giving of their time and experience in the field they know best. Sharing knowledge they most likely have acquired the hard way, through actual experience.

To find out more go to http://www.slipcoversummit.com/, print a schedule of classes to be held, and register as class size is limited.

Click the link below to listen to various instructors teaching at the Slipcover Summit. http://community.icontact.com/p/homefashionsu/newsletters/homefashionsu/posts/slipcover-summit-2010

Donating your time.

I don't have the opportunity to donate my time often for a good cause so, when someone ask me to donate my time and I can, I love to help. As you know I am a sub-contractor for Minutes Matter the drawing program I use to create my window designs. We had a customer email us and ask if anyone would be interested in giving some time on a project she was working on. After reading her story, I knew I could help.

It was really simple they were doing a fund raiser for a sick child and part of the job was to create a rendering of the donated room in different colors so everyone could see what the room choices were and how it would look finished.

Carol sent me links of what she had in her mind along with the color suggestions, headboard design, and the fabric description. No I really did not have the actual fabric to pull from just jpegs of what she was thinking. I thought I would share with you the jpegs of her ideas and then the final renderings.




She needed the bed to have the feel of the bed on the left. They wanted the dust skirt to have the same feel as the purple skirt to the right.




They needed the fabric on the comforter to be white with a Greek Key Embroidery on the pillow shams, no I did not have a JPEG of the fabric just a description of what she needed. I was able to draw the Greek Key in my program and incorporate it into the design.





They needed a simple headboard with a diamond design fabric that would go with anything. I had the information now it was time to use the program to create the design.







Here is the room with a blue wall, loved it. Isn't it amazing what a difference the color of the wall makes in a room and using the same fabrics and colors on the bedding and the draperies remain the same in each sitting.

On the second story board Carol wanted a soft green, green is one of my favorite colors.




The Next colors Carol choice were a deep Terra Cotta and a Melon /Cantaloupe color, I just










loved those, what a difference the color made. Being able to see the difference without even opening up one can of paint, what a money saver.

DSL or Comcast Internet

Which Internet service are you using? I have had DSL for years, I am one of those loyal customers, I admit it I don't like to change things that are working (I find changing Internet service to be a hassle). It has worked great for years. Last year I discovered you could purchase a Network Extender and boost your cell phone reception, it worked great. My business is on the Lower Level so cell phone reception was an issue so I was on board. January 2010 I started receiving complaints that others could not hear me, so we started the investigation, they were right it was terrible. We called Verizon and asked if they had any idea of what the problem could be. "We have DSL". Verizon "let's check your speed"! http://www.speedtest.net/ No wonder you can hear everyone and no one can hear you, your outgoing speed is to slow 3kb for outgoing it needs to be 1mb. We called AT&T, they checked the line, no problems, they checked the speed, no that is all they promise. You are kidding right, "no" they are never faster. Now we are Comcast Internet users. Check out my new outgoing speed is 3.53 MB can you say huge difference. Before my incoming speed was 5 MB that was ok, now it is 20.64 MB another huge difference.

What a difference, had I been told Comcast was faster, of course, me being a loyal customer (and not wanting to unhook, rehook and change everything) stayed with AT&T even though they were not the best. I am still a loyal customer, LOL I am still using the AT&T telephone service, they offer a few things that Comcast does not so I need to stay. Check your speed on your Internet Service; make sure you are getting what you are paying for. I really do like change in many ways anything that can help my business I am all for it, I just truly did not realize that this change was really for the better, I thought ok speed was ok.

Window Coverings for Childrens Rooms

SuperBaby #4 -- Roman Shades, Roll Up Blinds Product Recall from Window Covering Safety Council on Vimeo.

Habitat for Humanity, a great cause.

Our WCAA (Window Coverings Association of America) group had the opportunity to donate our time to a great cause. The Habitat for Humanity which builds homes for needie and deserving families, click on the link to learn more about this organization. Annas Custom Design is a member of the local non-profit group. We could donate our time for one of the nine homes in this project. I made the drapes for one of the single windows in the home. Johnny, my partner and Jerry Green from Dandelion Interiors, could volunteer their time to install the drapes we made , along with several other windows that were donated by other members of our local WCAA group. Jill Robson of Robson Designs by Appointment was responsible for organizing the project and was on hand to steam and dress the drapes in each home. This was the first time our group has taken on a project like this, but I hope it is one of many that we can volunteer for. In Tennessee every County offers Habitat Homes, if you are not volunteering in your community check out this great organization.

Holiday Season Dangers

It is that time of the year when we start to have parties and attend parties. I recently had a few friends over and did the normal thing, clean, cook, and clean some more. Before my guest arrived a ventured through the house and turned on small lamps and lit candles. I checked all the candles and made sure they were in a good location and had protection under the candle. I was sitting with my guest talking and laughing, something brought my eye over to a table I had in the corner. I looked and immediately jumped up and went to the table to blow out the candle; the holder I had put under the candle did not hold all the melting wax. I was just sick; my new silk table cloth was ruined. I left the wax to cool, after the party the wax was now cool enough to remove. I remove the top portion of the wax, but it had gone through to the interlining and the lining. It was at the edge of the table so now my lamp has a new location on the table. You can't see the wax, but I know it is there. So during your holiday season please be careful with you decorations. I have had wax issues before and could remove the wax. When wax is melted on silk it leaves a grease spot that is very hard to remove. I hope this warning will help you to have a safe and mistake free holiday. The trouble maker was this small candle holder on the right the cup was not large enough to hold the candle size "I" put in the container.

Looking for Inspiration

I am always looking for Inspiration. I recently attended a Sales and Marketing seminar by Jeffrey Gitomer in Vegas. While in Vegas we went to the World Design Center, what a great place. There were only a few vendors open, but they all had great inspiration. The first store was the Ethan Allen Showroom. I took pictures at most stores, but I failed to get a picture of the Smocked Pinch Pleated Draperies they had displayed, but I could recreate them with my drawing program, Studio.




Most showrooms were full of great items, they had displays of different drapery treatments all made with the same fabric. This was a great way to display the different type treatments, it was easy to look at the design instead of the fabric they were made with.






One thing I really loved is the building that was across the street from the World Design Center. It was perfect for the location, as you can see it looks like it is falling down, but no it is new and being built this way, I just loved it.





I also loved this bench in one of the showrooms the bench wrapped around the couch, what a great way to add seating in a room where you entertain.