Tag: lbgqt

Before & After, furniture

Pride Bench Transformation

lauraleeimhoff

I’m continuing with the PRIDE theme over here, as it is PRIDE MONTH! Plus I still had some of this fabulous fabric left. So far, I’ve created a PRIDE Embroidery piece, plus a pair of chairs, but what I’m most excited about is this bench. It’s definitely a huge transformation for this piece.

PRIDE Bench IMG_3872

Several years ago, the owner of the bar I managed gave me this little bench. It’s been sitting in my studio for quite some time. I thought about redoing the original seat, but I decided to really give it a big makeover using the rainbow fabric. I’ve never really done a lot of reupholstery other than the occasional seat cover. Let’s just say I have a whole new appreciation for those that reupholster furniture. Between the corners and covering some of the structural work… I learned a lot.

The Process

  • Removed the original seagrass seating and swept up piles of dust
  • Sanded down the bench and filled in holes
  • Put in seat support framing and fitted a new seat top out of wood
  • Painted the bench a mustard yellow
  • Installed 3″ foam cushion and reupholstered with rainbow fabric.

This bench is for sale. If interested, please feel free to comment or email me! It needs a good home! (Let me know if you need a pillow to match… I think I have enough fabric left.)

Before & After, furniture

The Prideful Pair (of Chairs)

lauraleeimhoff

I posted just the other day about PRIDE in my “Embroidery with Pride” post. Well, I didn’t think of any reason to stop there. I wanted to keep the theme going for the entirety of June as it is PRIDE Month. That being said, I’d like to show off this fabulous set of chairs I recently refinished.

IMG_3912

The Prideful Pair

FullSizeRender

Several years ago, I refinished a rocking chair right after David Bowie’s passing. I reupholstered it with this loud rainbow fabric. I’ve been holding onto the remainder of it waiting for the perfect time and pieces to use it. PRIDE seemed like the only appropriate time to me. In my mind, these chairs were the perfect choice. Their simple build allows a lot of room for loud paint and the rainbow fabric.

The Process

  • Removed the seat, sanded, filled in holes and dents, then continued with structural repairs
  • Applied sky blue base, then an overcoat of purple and sanded down to achieve the distressed look
  • Continued with a polyurethane topcoat for maximum durability
  • For the seat, I removed two layers of upholstery, including countless staples and upholstery nails
  • Put in new seat padding and reupholstered with rainbow fabric.

These chairs are for sale. If interested, please feel free to comment or email me! They need a good home!

Embroidery, Mixed Media, Uncategorized

Embroidery with PRIDE

lauraleeimhoff

It’s JUNE! HAPPY PRIDE! I just wanted to give a big shout out to all of my amazing LBGQT friends. I will be celebrating and posting in support this month with several handmade and refinished pieces of furniture. Y’all be prepared for an explosion of color and inclusion!

I admit I’m kicking off my creative Pride designs with an item that I made a couple of years ago. I had stitched this PRIDE embroidered wall art for a friend and never shared it with y’all. So here it is, my embroidery for pride. Simple and understated, but I am still pretty excited about the ombre colored thread in rainbow order! 

A Little History

I always like knowing the actual history behind comparative months and days. While I’ve always celebrated my amazing friends during this time, I admittedly never knew the month’s history. Per the Library of Congress: 

“…Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.”

This is just a little snippet, but I’m glad I am able to support and celebrate my LBGQT friends. Although, it’s heartbreaking that these riots were going on in 1969 and LBGQT people are still struggling for equality today. I highly recommend doing some more reading on the history of Pride Month and all of the other things Pride Month stands for. Raise up your rainbows in solidarity and do your part to support the LBGQT community. 

HAPPY PRIDE, Y’ALL!