New kitchen faucet - finally

New fixture

Finally replaced the kitchen faucet. I did not particularly like the old fixture and not only because the flow/pressure was bad, but the hose feature was awkward. I tried replacing the aerator to fix the flow problem but was not able to find a replacement.

The new fixture greatly improves the flow/pressure, and the extractable hose reaches where it needs to go and does so easily.

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Old Fixture

Celebrating a friend's milestone birthday

How about a trip to Ashland, Oregon, to celebrate my friend Jill's milestone birthday (No. 70). There were some travel snafus so I didn't make it there until Saturday (was originally scheduled to arrive on Friday). The birthday was Sunday so all turned out well.

Birthday day was spent participating in a sound float at Country Willows Inn. A group floats in a pool and a team of people use recorded sound, Tibetan and crystal bowls, and other instruments to create a sound bath. I was apprehensive of it being to new-age-y but I totally enjoyed it.

Birthday dinner at Beasy's in Ashland with friend Robin. Then a search for the milky way.

Jill's birthday also is Flag Day

Deer outside the front door

Returning this lizard to the great outdoors

New sofa and cushion slipcovers (UPDATED)

New sofa. No slipcovers.

Finally got a new sofa. I've been wanting a wood armed sofa for quite a while and this one was at Room & Board's Outlet store thanks to my friend, Bud, for finding it.

It is smaller scale than the previous blue upholstered 3-section one from Burrow but now I'll have room for an armchair and possible footstool. Additionally and hopefully, Maggie won't be able to scratch the arms.

Fearing the dreaded cat hair situation that occurred with the previous sofa, I decide to make slipcovers.

I went to TJ Maxx in search of a twin sheet set. I figured I could use the fitted sheet for the bottom long cushion and see if the pillowcases would work for the back pillows.

The fitted sheet was good. Definitely the right length and currently has safety pins keeping it in place.

The twin set only came with one pillowcase and it was too small, so I retrieved the very old Montgomery Ward's sewing machine from my storage unit and decided to custom make pillow cushion covers.

Mockup. Pillow sham design.

I decided a pillow sham design would be the easiest - no need for closures like zippers or buttons. I used the pillow shams on my bed as examples.

First, I measured and cut out a paper pattern and made a mockup with an old full-size sheet that I had saved. Once I was good with the mockup, I used the twin flat sheet to make the slipcovers, however, there wasn't enough fabric to make both the fronts and backs so used the old full-size sheet for the back material.

The old sewing machine is not particularly reliable but with the help of some YouTube videos I was able to get it to work well enough. However, I can neither cut nor sew a straight line but since this project is just for me, I stumbled through and am very happy with the results.

Slipcovers.

I did prove to myself that when I put my mind and effort to a project, I can get it completed in a timely manner.

UPDATE: I originally just had safety-pinned the fitted sheet together but knew that wasn't a long term solution.

I sewed buttons onto the fitted sheet and used elastic from the pandemic mask-making project to fit the fitted sheet to the long cushion. It looks a little rough in the photo but that's the underside.

Maggie likes the new sofa very much.