it may look like a ticking stool slipcover…

by | Feb 29, 2016 | my business story, Running a Business | 79 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Remember the stool slipcover I made a few weeks ago out of antique blue & white ticking?

Well, this little slipcover that I made in an afternoon has now become a big deal in the history of my business.  It is the first home decor product I designed and made that is being reproduced to sell.

I just felt a little jump in my heart.

I’ve been wanting this for a long time, because I learned a few years ago that I can’t make/find/create/paint enough stuff to sell.  One-of-a-kind finds and furniture have a limit.  I know I could sell dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of a certain thing, but I only have one.  And that’s always been a bit of what adds to the excitement of when I list online or sell at a market, but it’s also a bummer for people who want to buy something and it’s snapped up even before they get the chance.

What if my designs, creations and favorite finds could be reproduced?

Well, this little stool cover is going to be the first chance to find out the answer to that question.

I worked with Decor Steals to make stool slipcovers in three different colors of ticking AND it’s their steal-of-the-day today!  It involved pictures, samples and conversations like, “No, the drop of the sides needs to be a little shorter and the skirt needs to be fuller and doubled-over.”

Until we found the perfect reproduction.

(It’s actually sewn straight, though!  Mine was a little wonky.)

For the colors, I selected a blue, of course…

…a pale black…

mms-5050
mms-5052

…and a red…

A funny little behind-the-scenes thing about this shoot…  That is actually MMS Milk Paint in Linen on the table being used as “flour”.  I was so tickled with my resourcefulness.

mms-5097

We fit the slipcovers on a variety of stools around the studio and I was pleased with how nice it looked on a variety of stool styles.  The slipcover size we settled on was 13″, which is the size of a standard wooden stool.  It will fit on one that is about an inch or less larger and one that is a little smaller.

 (The stool seat above is an inch larger than the slipcover, so it sort of hugs the top.  The stool wearing the blue ticking cover is a little smaller and the pale black one is fitted perfectly.  It can fit on cushioned and non-cushioned stools.)

All three colors can be purchased today at Decor Steals.

It may look like a simple ticking stool slipcover, but to me, it’s a dream come true.

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    79 Comments

    1. Stephanie Boettger

      I don’t own a stool… Or even have anywhere to put one if I did, but I wanted to congratulate you!!! How exciting!!!! Another example of what faith (and some hard work) can get a person! Hugs to you!

    2. Ashlea

      So exciting Marian! What a wonderful little piece of you to share with the world. These are simply darling- the combination of ticking and ruffles is a match made in heaven 🙂 Congratulations on seeing a dream realized.

    3. Karen

      AWW!!! congratulations Marian. This is so great. I just happen to have a stool that would look great wearing this. I’m so happy for you, may all of your dreams come true.

    4. Sandy

      Is it possible that we are as excited for you as you are for you?!! 🙂 I love that your dream came true! It made my day!!!!

    5. Anne McD

      That is so awesome–congrats!!!!

    6. Beth smith

      So very cool!!

    7. Ariel

      I saw it this morning and started beaming, congratulations!!! They are lovely and you are such an inspiration, Marian. Fantastic job!

      I feel the need to get new stools now, just so I can dress them up in these adorable skirts! But I think my husband would be a little less than thrilled if I brought home new stools just for the covers, so I’m off to snatch one or 3 up before they are all gone!

      It is so wonderful to watch someone’s dream come true. Well done!

    8. Christina

      Hi Marian,
      I was so excited when thi showed up in my email today. I immediately purchased the blue one. I can’t wait to get it. Congratulations on this awesome opportunity! I’m sure many people will snatch this up.

    9. Kate

      Great! I’m inspired to make one for a square stool I have (hint). Do you know if they are pre-shrunk?

    10. Carla

      Marian — that is so awesome! I’m sure that in time we will see a whole line of MMS products.

    11. Char

      Wonderful congrats. U never cease to inspire and amaze me. Way to go Girl!

    12. Alicia

      Oh Marian I squealed when I opened my email with the steal of the day-I knew before I even saw your name it was yours! So happy for you-how exciting! Made me wish I hadn’t gotten rid of my round barstools-any chance you will be doing these for the square seats?
      Alicia

    13. SueSchneid22

      Marian- I was wondering what you were hinting about the other day. What a great reveal! Your best yet! I am really happy for you and hope you are able to turn many more of your ideas into things like this that you can share. Great job!

      Sue

    14. Cindy

      Congratulations, Marian! You are so inspiring.
      I wanted to make one after your post, but I have too many other projects going, so I am so happy. I snatched up a Red one just now. Cool!
      Thanks!
      Cindy

    15. karen piehl

      marian, so fabulous! and before i started my own business, that is exactly what i was looking for too — to make something reproducible instead of making OOAK items. and i happened upon a pattern business. the stool cover is an understated, homey item! really complements the painted items.

    16. Jelena

      Oh, I love the red one, and it would fit perfectly with the colors in my living room! Now, if I only had a stool…

    17. Carol

      I knew that little stool cover was special! And when the Decor Steals email came this morning, there it was! Congratulations and I do believe this could be just the start of Marian’s French Country Line of home decor!

    18. Susan

      Love these so much. I do hope they are made in the USA?

    19. Ruth

      Wonderful! Looking forward to many more ideas becoming available!

    20. Deb Holton-Smith

      Congratulations on fulfilling your dream….and making others smile.
      Very happy for your creative success! You are inspiring!

    21. Debbie Reynolds

      Congratulations, Marian!

    22. Jennifer Ross

      Woo hoo??.
      Congrats Marian. Many people, especially women, go their whole life without realizing their dream. You are one of the lucky ones.

    23. Krista

      Congratulations! They are adorable! Now I just need a stool! How awesome for your business to continue to grow and grow! I can see a day where you’ll have an entire line of home furnishings and such available out there in the retail world!

    24. April

      On ward and up ward! What a perfect addition to your talents. Love the stool cover and looking forward to all the design ideas that will follow. You go girl!!!

    25. Lisa

      Congrats Marian!!! I love the look! Being a “stool lover” it seems a perfect fit for me! Ha ha 🙂

    26. Gina

      Living the dream! You go girl!

    27. Alice

      I am obviously missing something, as I do not see a link to buy these.

    28. Fiona, Lilyfield Life

      America – the land of dreams coming true. Well done Marian
      Fiona xx

    29. Sharon Hankins

      How exciting! Good on you.

    30. krista

      Congratulations! I’m so excited for you!

    31. Sherry Parks

      I actually thought of you when I saw today’s “steal”.

    32. Sheila Morrow

      Congratulations!! I am so happy for you! And you deserve it. 🙂

    33. Rita C at Panoply

      I am so excited for you, Marian! Great collaboration, and I wish you a boatload of sales!

    34. Dale Ballard

      Congrats! They are great – boo for me, Decor Steals doesn’t ship to Canada……

    35. Michelle

      Congratulations! I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am not just for you but me. I have a stool similar to the one you used for the original cover. I won it at my very first auction three years ago. It is in need of some TLC but I coundn’t figure out how to make the seat pretty. So it has been sitting in my basement waiting for me to make it pretty. When you blogged about the cover you made, I almost contacted you to see if I could buy it or to have you make me one. I just bought one and can’t wait to finally give my stool a much needed makeover. Thank you!

    36. Deborah D

      Congratulations Marion. I’m so excited for you and I’ve already orders 2 red ones and am thinking about ordering 2 blue ones. I am so happy for you. Keep up the good work.

    37. Margaret

      I thought they knocked you off!!!
      Ha ha

    38. Susan

      Actually, they are calling the black one chocolate. I love them all, but I’m a blue girl like you ? Ordering right away.

    39. B Folk

      Yay for you! I have been hoping that you would get a line of your own someday soon. Love them all, but (if I had stools, which I don’t, and no room for any more furniture) the Red is my favorite. This is just the start of an exciting turn for your business. Congratulations.

    40. Cheryl

      SWEET!!! Concratulations? spreading the love and inspiration?

    41. Leslie OBryan

      LOVE these! Don’t have any stools, but might have to get one so I could buy a cover for it!!

    42. Ginny

      CONGRATULATIONS Marion, they are adorable!! So happy to hear they are made in the USA!!

    43. beth

      Those are adorable! You are an inspiration!!!

    44. Debbie w

      Love these!!

    45. Susan K

      What a great idea! I was actually thinking about something similar just this weekend. I need a slipcover for a wing chair, and I thought, “If only I could buy one from Miss Musrard Seed…” I sense big things coming for you!

    46. Karen

      Proof, right there….never give up!

    47. Jamie Bowers

      Congratulations!! You deserve it!!

    48. Marlene Stephenson

      Very exciting and congratulation.

    49. Jane

      Love it! I ordered the brown stripe for one of my antique white wood stools! They are wonderful and I am so happy to own one! Congratulations! Jane Flora Doora

    50. Margaret Mills

      I grabbed up a red and blue stool cover even before I knew they were yours because of your website, so I was delighted when I started to read about the covers and they were by MMS. The “steals” website had available red, blue, and chocolate brown striping, but in your blog, you described it as pale black. Which is it? It may make a difference in whether people purchase it or not. I love to follow you daily and feel like I know you. I’m trying to talk myself into trying milk paint because I’m not the most creative person on the planet. Thanks again.

    51. Deb

      Congrats, sew exciting!

    52. Cassie

      Congrats Marian! I can only imagine what’s going on behind the scenes now, because I KNOW you have plans for more reproductions!!

    53. Gail

      Great news. Sounds like a good move toward your future. Wish you much success.

    54. Dee at the Carlton

      Congrats – it looks ‘sew’ cute & it is very exciting to see the colours ….

    55. Zee

      Love it are they made in the USA?

    56. Robin Leach

      Oh! What a wonderful thing for your business! now, if we could just get Home Goods, to carry the MMS line! Slipcovers, rugs, bedding, accessories, come on Marian, you can do it! I want it all!

      • Mechelle

        Amen!

    57. Lisa Carter

      How wonderful for you! Congrats! I never cease to be inspired by your posts and this is yet another. What happy news! <3 <3 <3

    58. Lin

      Oh hate that I missed this sale!! I was out of town and unable to read your post. Hopefully you will have them again soon. That is just the cutest little stool cover! So happy for you!!

    59. Jane

      Congratulations! I purchased one for our master bath that we just finished renovating. I have a milking stool like the one you have pictured…hope it will look cute next to the clawfoot tub.

    60. Melissa

      Congrats how exciting! I love that you also did a black so pretty!

    61. Naomi S.

      Way to go, girl! I hope you make a ton of money and that this is only the beginning!

    62. Anya

      You are so awesome! Now we will all be on the lookout for a stool to cover!

    63. Mimi

      Bravo, Marian!

    64. Judy

      How exciting!! They are an adorable addition to any stool and I love all three colors!!

    65. Lauren

      Oh that’s amazing!! Congratulations and I love them, I wish I had stools!!

      Lauren | Lovely Decor
      xx

    66. Jane

      My cover came today! It is fabulous! I am posting it on my Flora Doora blog! Wish I had ordered more though. Just wonderful! Jane

    67. Susan Spencer

      Congratulations!!! I was so disappointed that I didn’t read my email in time to catch the sale. Are we able to order these through any other site by chance? I would love to get them for my antique ice cream parlor stools.

      I always look forward to my Mustard Seed emails!!

    68. Corinne Avery

      Hi Marian…I LOVE your ticking stripe stool covers and bought a set of three from Decor Steals when they offered them. Funny thing is they were delivered today…and only two came (I ordered and paid for three) …I tried to get ahold of Decor Steals to make sure they were still intending to send me the third one. sadly, they didn’the include an invoice sheet with the delivery. 🙁 If they don’t come through for me…what should I do? Mine were blue…could they already have been out of stock and have a backorder? If all else fails, could I possibly order one directly from you?
      Dissapointed in Decor Steals. ..Corinne Avery

    69. Debra

      Am I the only one who FINALLY received her stool cover today? It’s adorable.

    70. Chelsea

      Are these still available to purchase??

    71. mercedes

      Hello Marian, I was wondering if this is still available? I went on Decor Steals website and couldn’t find them… bummer. Did I miss the boat on them, will there be others offered at some point? I just purchased th cutest old stool, specifically for your ticking cover 🙂

    72. Teresa

      I hope these come back, I missed out!!!

    73. Melissa Taylor

      Do you know when these will be back for sale on Decor Steals? I missed them and am dying to purchase!

    74. Nancy

      Will you sell them again? I bought one that day and wished I had bought several more! I LOVE it!!

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