After much web research, found a company offering reasonably priced slipcovers – i realized the material i had was really not suited to everyday use – its the same as the burgundy pillows on the sofa – and decided on a black upholstery grade duck (50 cotton 50 poly and machine washable).  Including made to measure cushion covers.    I ordered Sunday night and when I checked today, it was supposed to be here on Thursday – but lo and behold, the package came today (no surprise since it was only from Woodside NY and i am in Westchester, NY).  So tonight as the Mets beat the Cardinals, i moved the sofa and cleaned up and vacuumed (thank god for dustbusters!) and then pulled and tugged and pleated and folded and arranged the cover.

Ta da my newly covered sofa!

I should take a photo of the window and its treatment to show you how the black ties in with the room’s decor – my battery is recharging (ill add one later).   There are black velvet curtains and a dark blue roman shade (like the wall color) and a swag across the top of the burgundy fabric.  In the photo below you can see the hooked rug (ebay) with its black border.

Anyway, i love it and am thrilled that after buying new foam cushions and a new slipcover I have a semi new sofa for FAR less than a brand new one.  Of course with the cats, i will be forever vacuuming up hair from the black cover – but well, what the hey.

I also tried out a new recipe from the EAT blog – Lidia’s Meat Sauce.  Its really easy but needs to cook for 2–3 hours – she says – the longer you cook, the better.  And its really true – it was amazing to watch and taste it thru the hours– but yes, after three hours of slow simmering – its wonderful.  Its a very basic recipe with no seasoning except bay leaves and S/P, but i added some thyme and oregano FROM my OWN herb garden!  Yes those are some of the plants that MR Ghog has NOT eaten and i have dried some of them already.  Actually need to get out there and harvest more and dry them before it gets too cold and they die.  but thats another day…

Lidia’s Meat Sauce – recipe here

And an older FO – this from last year – its a Pelerine from one of the Spun Outs from Schoolhouse Press.  Its shorter than I really wanted cause I ran out of yarn – but i really wear it around the apt in the winter so i can keep the heating down low and save $.