The Suede Sofa Blog

An inviting place for individuals to share inspiring ideas

Recent Posts

  • Use The Resources You Have

    If you’ve been following our blog you may have seen me talk about dealing with an “All-Or-Nothing” mindset.  I struggle with this thinking and am diligently working to change this crazy TrAiN Of ThouGht.  Here is one thing that is helping me out a GreAt dEaL.  I recently have adopted the thinking, “Use The Resources You Have”.  I actually say this to myself and Lara & I talk about it often.  This gives me “PerMisSiOn” to continue on even when the situation is not “PeRfEcT”. 

    So what, that I’ve MeSsEd uP, had a rough day, got off to a bad start or things just aren’t going like they are suppose to go?  I ReFuSe to have the mindset, “May as well throw in the towel for today.  I’ll start again tomorrow.”  I won’t mess up the rest of my day with that notion.  Instead I’ll use the resources I have.  In this case, it is the ReSt oF tHe DaY – completely free of mistakes and disappointments.  Who knows what good thing may be just around the corner?

    What are you lacking in?  Time, inspiration, money, education, energy, health, a good childhood, etc.  It really doesn’t matter.  What matters is what you Do HaVE. 

    I don’t know if this advice will help you, but it sure has helped me.  Do I have this MaSteReD?  No, but I’m a work in progress.  A LittLe At a TiMe.

    ;)

    Robynn~

  • BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

    HI Suede Sofa readers!

    Bare with us as we may look like a couple of Geeks while we figure out how to run a video on our smartphone :)  Check out our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

    ~Lara and Robynn

  • DON’T THROW THAT AWAY!

    I found this ChAiR left out for garbage on the side of the road and decided to refinish it into a FloWeR PoT HoLdEr.  When I found the chair it had a brown stain.  I spray painted it with a DaRk rEd color to match my house and then got to work.

    I drew a CiRcLe in the middle of the chair that would be big enough to fit my flower pot without it falling through the hole.

    My HuSbAnD (and sOn) drilled a hole through the wood and then used a saw to cut the circle out for my flower pot.

    Now that my hole was finished it was time to make sure the FloWeR pOt would fit.

     

    For only the CoSt of PaiNt…I now have an AdOrAbLe addition to the front of my house that I can use season after SeAsOn!

    ~Guest Writer Robyn, From New Jersey

  • I AM…LIVING MY DREAM {KIM LUEBBERING}

    •For more “I Am…” stories, click here!

    •Do you or someone you know have a story that could inspire other women?  We would LOVE to feature you!  Email us at suedesofa@yahoo.com

     

  • Red Wine Vingar Salad Dressing

    Want a new and RefreshIng spin for your salad?  You must try this homemade salad dressing!  It is super easy and a crowd pleaser!

    RECIPE:

    1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar

    1/3 C. Olive Oil

    1/3 C. Sugar

    Pecans (throw them on a pan in the oven for a few minutes to enhance the flavor!)

    Strawberries (or really any type of fruit–mandarin oranges, blueberries, etc)

    Lettuce (I like using the prepackaged “spring mix”–it is much prettier–but this is all I had on hand the other night!)

    Combine the sugar, oil and red wine vinegar and bring to a boil.  Then place it in the fridge to cool.

    Pour the dressing in a bottle and always shake it well before serving!  EnJoy!

    ~Lara

  • Most Valuable Player

    A month or so ago I had the opportunity to speak to a group of CoLLeGe students about following their DrEaM and fulfilling their PoTeNtiaL.  I took this trophy along and told them how I had wanted so badly to be named the MoSt VaLuAble PlaYer in BaSkeTbAll my senior year of high school.  Instead, on awards night, I took home the “BeSt DeFeNsE” trophy.  Defense always was my best asset.  Still, it was a disappointment, even though I knew that award of Most Valuable rightly belonged to another PlAyEr.

    The point I made by bringing this trophy along for my talk was that each person is the “Most Valuable ____________ (Fill in YoUr NaMe in the  blank)” there is.  There never has and never will be another person with the combination of GiFtS, TaLeNtS, teMpeRmEnt, and PerSonAlity that you have.

    The question is:  are you the best “YoU” that you can be or are you trying to be someone else?  We do a lousy job of trying to be someone else, but when we fulfill our potential we become a truly UnIqUe oRiGinAl.  If you are looking at others wishing you were more like them in LoOks, pErsOnaLity, tAleNts, etc, LeT iT Go!  You were created for a unique PuRpoSe.  There will NEVER be another you, so sit back, EnJoY yourself and take a load off your ShoUldErs wishing you were someone else!!

    :)

    Robynn~

  • Blessing and a Curse

    No matter who you are or where you came from, we all have CharacTerisTics that can serve as a blessing and a curse.  Maybe you are GeneRous with money, which could cause you to struggle managing your finances. Maybe you are easy to get along with, but when it comes to standing up to people, you avoid conflict.

    I have always been a planner.  This QuaLity is a huge asset when it comes to being a reliable source for others, organizing events and activities, or budgeting money.  On the other hand, being a planner is extremely hard in situations that are beyond your control and require you to “let go”.

    It is easy to get down on yourself when you FocUs on the negative qualities of who you are.  No individual is perfect, and we all have qualities that are in constant need of polishing.  Acknowledging your weaknesses is a huge step in the right direction. Although it may always be a work in progress, you will be a BettEr person than if you’d never worked on it at all.

    ~Lara

  • Chalk It Up!

    Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I LOVE oLd-FaShiOn ChaLkbOarDs!   And the cool thing is they are in VoGuE!  So if you have some wall space and you’re not quite sure what to do with it, consider hanging a chalkboard.   You can find chalkboards in stores such as Marshalls or Hobby Lobby or in catalogs such as Ballard Designs.   However, my chalkboard is actually a homemade piece (homemade by someone other than me, although I did do a little of the painting!).   It is a piece of luan board that was painted in chalkboard paint and then nailed to the wall.  For the final touches, this blue trim was nailed around it to finish it out.  

     

    It is perfect for letting your kids draw their MaStErPiEcEs….

    Or your HuSbAnD drawing his!   (Sorry, there are no pics of my own.  I promise you, that would not be pretty!)

    :)

    Robynn~

  • I Am…A Wife of 61 Years (TODAY!)

    •For more “I Am…” stories, click here!

    •Do you or someone you know have a story that could inspire other women?  We would LOVE to feature you!  Email us at suedesofa@yahoo.com

  • Table Transformation

    Check out this old, beat-up table I got for FREE!  Gave it a little TLC and see how it was TransFormed!

    Needed to give the base some chunky legs…so I took some scraps from a 2×4, cut them, screwed them together, and made them fit at the bottom.

    Used a couple cans of black spraypaint, sanded down random areas/corners of the table, and finally gave it a finished look using a glossy varnish.

    And this is how it turned out!

    Enjoy!

    Lara