After Much Pain & Suffering

So I purchased two matching wing chairs in a (lovely?) dusty rose color this spring.  I paid $30 a piece.  Not bad at all! Oh, I'll just quickly reupholster them and finally be able to complete the room I've been working on.  Yeah, right.  Here it is, at least six months later, and I've only finished one of the two chairs.  If you've ever wondered why getting something reupholstered often costs more than just buying new, let me tell you.  IT IS NOT EASY!  It took me at least 7 days just to rip off the old fabric!  It didn't help that my chairs had a very solid, hardwood frame, either.  Getting the old staples and nails out can really mess up a girl's dainty hands.
This is what the original chairs looked like:

I suppose it would have been easier had I any actual training in the reupholstering department.  And the proper tools.  But I've always believed in the tried and true 4-H motto:  Learn By Doing.

It was also quite the chore to find a fabric I liked for the re-do.  The stuff (in the perfect peacock blue color) I really wanted cost $90 per yard.  I needed 8 yards per chair.  Not happening.  I finally found this beautiful blueish-with-a-slight-green-undertone velvet fabric for $17 per yard.  It was regularly $150 per yard, so I practically stole it!  And it is actually great for kids since spills bead up and wipe right off.

The nail-head trim was another pain in my side. Did you know I had to pre-drill every single nail?  The hardness of the frame caused the nails to bend if I tried to hammer before drilling.  I probably ruined 75 nails that way.  But never fear, I repurposed them by sticking the ruined ones into my pumpkins this year.  Waste not, want not.

What do you think of my refinished chair?  I'll be starting on the second one this week.  Maybe.  If I can bring myself to do it.