Priscilla/Lucy the Secretary

I picked this secretary and bookcase up from a really nice elderly lady that inherited it from relatives that lived in Minnesota. When I first saw them hanging way back in her garage, covered with 20 years of dirt, I initially wasn't even certain that they went together.

The first thing I did when I got it home was give it a proper bath or two.  That's when I got really excited about my find! Original leaded glass in great condition, a leather writing pad on the inside, and all of the drawers actually worked! (Most of my pieces that are "rescues" have some sort of issues with them or I as my husband tells me, why bring home the good stuff?) It did, however, have to make a trip to Gramp's Workshop to shore up the base and fix the trim molding.

So I decided to try ASCP Old Violet on "Priscilla", so I wouldn't be tempted to keep her because she would not coordinate with any room in my house! The interior was painted in Old White. The drawer handles got a good scrub and they looked great. However, after I painted and waxed her and brought her inside, I loved her so much I was tempted to repaint and redecorate the entire downstairs so I could keep her!

Fortunately (for my husband, at least), she went to a great home to a lovely young lady. I was so impressed with her work ethic (she saved up to buy this herself) and her love of antiques.  Reminded me of myself when I bought my antique bedroom furniture as a teenager from earnings teaching piano lessons and scooping ice cream!

She renamed Priscilla to "Lucy". And here she is in her new home. Does this girl have mad styling skills or what?

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I'm linking up to the Metamorphosis Monday Party at the blog, Between Naps on the Porch.

The Pain in the Neck Buffet

This was the first piece I acquired with the intention of painting and selling. The "before" picture was your typical vintage serving buffet with bullnose pull handles.  It was in pretty good shape and I didn't have to do too much to it in the prep department.

I learned a lot of valuable lessons with this piece. First, don't pay too much for it (I did). Secondly, start with a protective coat of shellac on mahogany before you paint or you will experience "bleed through" (I didn't) or you will have to paint MANY coats of ASCP Old White for even coverage. And finally, when you fall in love with a piece and decide to keep it and move it in your house by yourself, your neck will go out (it did).

But these weren't the biggest problems with this piece.  The biggest problem was that while I was painting it, I fell in love with it and "named" her. Now I will be the first to admit that I "lifted" the naming of furniture idea, and I honestly don't remember where I read this. And frankly, I thought it was a little corny when I first read this idea. But something happened to me when I started working on this piece. When you spend so much time on a piece alone, you start to talk to it, and before long I was imagining its previous life and owners (and yes, my family thinks I'm crazy). And so, this buffet became "Buffy".

It eventually went to a good home. And I'm still constantly on the lookout for similar pieces because these old buffet pieces can be beautifully repurposed to transition to today's homes and lifestyles. They can be used as a dining room buffet, a media console, a bedroom dresser and even a changing table. I'm sure there will be another "Buffy" or two in my future!

I'm linking up to the Metamorphosis Monday Party at the blog, Between Naps on the Porch.

In the beginning....

This crazy furniture journey started last fall when I was shopping for a cabinet in which to place our new GINORMOUS TV. With a house full of testosterone, I was persuaded that a 500" inch TV was necessary to their very existence.  And since I love watching my beloved Bruins and Dodgers, I was easily convinced.

I found a beautiful "Ballard" style console on Craigslist. And when I walked into this woman's house I was blown away by her beautifully refinished and painted antique furniture.  I was actually more excited about the paint she was using, how she did it, etc. than the console!  She was very gracious and shared all of her techniques, the brands she used, and told me how to find an Annie Sloane retailer. Oh, and we brought home the console.

Now I've done DIY projects all of my life, and come from hearty DIY stock, so I'm not a novice to painting furniture. But I was initially skeptical of this no fuss, no prime paint. But when I started painting an end table, I was an instant convert!  Great coverage and the wax finishing step was the bomb!

Pretty soon I was painting everything that wasn't tied down in the house!  And thought what if I could actually sell my pieces?  Then I started perusing garage sales, flea markets, estate sales and the strange but wonderful world of Craigslist. (One of these days, I'll have to tell some of THOSE stories.)

Next up...my first piece that I purchased with the intention of selling.