Before & After - Wooden Chair

Two weeks ago there was an estate auction with wonderful treasures.

Glassware, pottery, furniture, prints -

You name it,

and it was there.

Of course, I found a couple of treasures.

Well, more than a couple.

A pile of six chairs auctioned off for a dollar.

How could I pass that up?

(Don't ask the boyfriend, 'cause he'll tell ya

exactly how I should have passed it up.)

Anyway, I tackled two of the chairs this week.

This is the first chair.

The seat is terribly damaged.

However, the wood is very sound,

except for some wear at the bottom of the legs.

It's begging for some TLC.

The chair got a good washing and then enjoyed some time in the sun to dry.  After a little sanding, a gorgeous coat of Folk Art's Calypso Sky was applied.

On top of the Calypso Sky came two coats of very watered down white paint.

Sanding began again, topped with a coat of burnt umber paint.

After this paint was applied, I used a wet towel to rub most of it off.

To finish up, two coats of clear wax were rubbed into the chair.

KAPOOOWWW - the color was done.

Burlap webbing was used to replace the missing seat.

The burlap was attached with staples,

then woven to give strength.

After the webbing was in place,

I went back and secured it with even more staples.

It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination,

but for my first attempt, it's not too shabby.

Do you think the butterflies will like the chair in their garden?

If you'd like to visit my shop,

please click on my shop button below.

 

Wordless Wednesday - Photo of My Pa

My grandfather passed away thirty-four years ago this month.

A kind relative sent this photo to me recently.

It's the only photo I have of my grandfather and I.

I was so very happy to get it.

There was only one "Pa" and we loved him very much.

Enter Our Old Blue Jar Giveaway

Before and After - Wicker Chair

Last weekend I scored several chairs and end tables at an auction.

The chairs all need some TLC, a little DIY, and some need lots of luck.

I started with the easiest chair.

This cute little wicker

.

I think he's just adorable.

Wicker is something I've always loved.

It just speaks of older times.

Afternoon tea on the porch.

Time spent sitting and watching traffic go by.

Too paint or not to paint,

really was a big question for me.

The color was good,

but was washed out and whimpering quietly

for a little makeover.

My mother was wonderful and picked up some Rustoleum Aqua for me on her trip out of town.

A good excuse for her to stop in Home Depot.

She and my stepfather love going there.

Don't we all?

So after a bit of playing in the garden hose and washing off our dust laden chair.

He got a lovely splash of aqua from top to bottom.

The bottom should have been first,

as I was laying upside down on the deck,

spraying up under the chair to finish it.

The dogs were laughing,

each and everyone one.

pointing and saying,

You've got to see, what Momma is up to now!

She's trying to climb under a chair!

What do you think?

Isn't he pretty?

I love the seat.

It's just amazing.

I think he turned out quite lovely.

A new addiction is developing.

That mothering aspect in me,

wanting to take in the lost, lonely ones,

atleast chairs won't eat much.

If you'd like to visit my shop,

please click on the button below.

  

Wordless Wednesday - My View While Painting - Please Link Up!

Andy took these while waiting for me to finish painting.
The sound of the cows walking out of the water reminds me of when we would go to the creek to swim as kids.  The swoosh swoosh swoosh sounds much as we did as we pulled our fully clothed bodies out of the water.  We were exhausted and sunburned and loved every minute of it.

Before and After - Breadbox

Last week while out on a round of chasing yard sales,  

I came across a breadbox.

It's quite a solid little piece.

A small but gorgeous little piece of cabinetry.

A makeover was definitely needed.

So with a shower from my little can of aqua spraypaint,

a bit of exfoliating with 200 grit sandpaper,

and a couple of massages with clear wax,

she was transformed.

The knob got a splash of Oil Rubbed Bronze.

I'm still learning just where to distress,

but think I'm getting the hang of it.

Aqua makes me happy!

I just love that small pieces can be made with details that can go into large furniture!

Rolltops on desks and boxes have always been a favorite of mine.

You can find this in our shop.

Off to tackle the next project!

It's Saturday, So There Must Be An Auction!

It's Friday night.

Tomorrow is Saturday.

So tomorrow there will be an auction.

Not just one, but two.

So I have to make a decision which to attend.

I'll show you what I have to choose from.

Auction One

This is the second half of a huge estate auction.

The first half of the auction was amazing.

I'm loving so many of the items listed and in the photos.

Isn't she a doll?

White Hall Pottery birdhouses

Grandma Gerty would have said,

"Those will go for a pretty penny."

Auction Two

 Cute buggies!

Currier & Ives Print

So Pretty!

Someday I'm going to have a set of Jadite Mixing Bowls. 

Someday.....

Old crocks

Grandma once told me about sneaking into the pickle crock.

Her grandmother smacked her hand.

Grandma said it was worth the smack.

The pickles were as good as candy.

Where to go?

Hmmmmm

Auction One is my choice,

but we'll be stopping by Auction Two on the way.

Just for a quick looksee.

Which auction would you choose?

Wordless Wednesday - Glass Vase

I so love this vase -

the color

the shape.

The way the sun shines through it.

I've been listing vases in my Etsy shop this week.

You can find this vase and it's smaller sister there

and many more wonderful vintage finds.

Saturday Shopping

Saturdays have been quite crazy for me lately with auctions scheduled weekly.
This week we decided to take a break from the auctions.

A break was badly needed.

So on my morning run to the post office,
I decided to hit a few yard sales.

I'm so very happy that I did.
There were some amazing items waiting for me.

Rolling pins are always on my list of things to find.

This is the third one in a week, so it'll join the other two.

Rolling pins look much more interesting when they have company.

This metal stand looks a little bland.

It'll be all better in a few days.

My youngest was concerned that it was coming apart,

and he gladly put it all back together -

only to find out that he'd be taking it apart tomorrow

so that I can paint it .

He has tons of patience with me,

even when he doesn't quite understand what I'm up to.

I've been wanting a small ladder.

I'm thinking of attaching wire baskets to the rungs.

Storage is always needed.

Wire baskets filled with brushes and paint?

Something to organize my little bottles of this and that?

Or should I used it to hold flowers?

Some pretty petunias in pinks and purples?

Or maybe red and whites?

Decisions, decisions!

I couldn't resist this cute little stool.

The top has little flowers.

Tiny leaves are carved all down the legs.

This is going to be gorgeous

 in a turquoise with some black glaze.

I might even try my hand at distressing it with a bit of sandpaper.

I've always loved breadboxes.

I don't know why.

Maybe they keep things tidier.

But I think it's that they're a small piece of furniture.

Such wonderful work can go into them.

This breadbox is old and quite sturdy.

He'll be gorgeous with some white and glazing.

Maybe I can hide some goodies inside!

These doors are amazing!

I was astounded to see them with $1 on the price tag.

But how was I going to get them into the car?

Sheer will!

With a bit of bending and twisting (me, not the doors),

and after two failed attempts at squeezing them in the car,

on the third maneuver they fit.

It's just very fortunate that I didn't have a passenger with me,

or they'd have been walking,

or maybe holding onto the doors alongside the car on the drive home.

One spindle was missing, but it was located under a seat in the car.

My youngest washed them down.

Tomorrow after they've dried, they'll get a good rubbing down.

I can't wait to see what they look like then!

Boxes, Boxes, and More Boxes!

I've been working hard to gain control of my self made chaos.

The chaos has threatened to consume us all.

Well, not consume.

But I really don't like things quite so disorganised.

So the last couple of days have been spent taking photos.

Editing photos.  Making listings.

So that I can refill my shop. 

And unfill my my home space.

Not that I won't be refilling it.

(But we won't mention that too loudly.)

With all the boxes and crates that have been added lately,

I thought perhaps this would be a great place to begin.

I love researching each of the pieces to learn about them.

Their histories are so diverse.

Here are some of the cool "boxes" that I've been working on.

An old milk crate from a nearby dairy

This is one sturdy crate.

I just love this one!

A salesman's seed box that was used to sell door to door

Flower seed packets were toted about in this.

Amazing the work that went into this little box.

It's oak and has dove tailed corners.

Can you imagine how happy a woman was to see these after a long winter?

It had to be a promise of the spring to come.

An old tackle box, still holding some of it's fishing tackle

This reminds me of one that my dad had when we were little.

It doesn't smell as bad though.

Dad used a special "stink bait" he'd concoct.

It was truly stinky.

A little tackle box just waiting to be filled.

I could see a little boy filling this with Hot Wheels.

Then toting it all over with his treasure.

A pair of Pepsi crates circa 1940 - 1950

I love these.

The wood, metal, and red paint are gorgeous together.

A vintage Oak case used by salesman to sell seed to farmers.

No phoning in your seed order to the store.

The men would come out to your farm to get the order.

A trinket or jewelry box circa 1940

These boxes were sold to tourists in India as souveniers.

It's the fourth box that I've come across this year.

All are similiar on the outside,

but the inside is always done in different fabrics.

The handcarving is unbelievable!

 

A salesman sample of a Lane cedar chest

These were sometimes given to customers when Lane furniture was purchased.

The boxes were at one time given locally to graduating classes.

The smell of cedar lingers in this box.

My grandmother had a cedar chest made by her father.

The smell takes me back to sitting on that chest at the foot of her bed.

A lock box.  Wonder what it once held?

I love the patina on the top of the box.

Amazing that the key was never lost.

Simple boxes, only boxes, but all so full of history.I love discovering them.

If you'd like to see more photos of the boxes, please visit my shop.