1200 Staples Later...

Originally, when I knew we'd be moving, I wanted a dining set that resembled something like this

West Elm

And actually, revisiting this picture still makes my heart hurt....BUT, I gotta be practical.  And practical is a small budget.  So imagine my delight when I was able to score an  old table and chair set from the classifieds for pretty much the cost of 1 or 2 of those chairs pictured above.  Not originally what I'd had in mind, but at least chairs that I could make my own, and a table that I wouldn't have to worry about with a bunch of yay-hoos running around. 

 

Before

SO, back to those chairs that I could make my own.

Picking fabric--easy.  Getting staples, extra padding--easy.  Finding the time--seemed easy enough to complete one night after Jude went to bed.  Amount of work--wayyyyyyy underestimated.  And hence the title of this post.  In reality, this project took me a weekend, and multiple nights, and I had to recruit some help from Dave and my mom. 

After

Yes, I really did use about 1200 staples.  My hand was in a chronic claw-like state for that whole week (it's the claw, you're afraid of the claw. dink. dink...anyone? anyone?). 

Much love and respect and a few fist pumps goes out there to all those legit do-it-yourselfers.  I don't think I'll ever look at Design*Sponge or Apartment Therapy the same way again.