I squeezed in a dresser project!

I stumbled onto this “pretty” dresser for cheap,

then took a much needed, relaxing drive to a very small, out-of-the-way town to go get it!

An awesome drive with some aMAZing old homes along the way—I’d love to make the drive again just to take lots of photos!

Anyway- I bought the dresser.  Sure, I knew it had some obvious issues, but nothing I couldn’t handle, and the owners rapidly loaded it up for me.  When I was home and off-loading it I finally started to see other problems.
Oh boy.

The biggest problem-
a completely broken,
poorly “repaired,”
(& totally concealed) front left leg.  And remember the front is a big curve!

Okay- this is not so much a problem for MY skills as much as, with mom’s full-time cancer care—I just don’t have much time for this.  I just wanted a FUN-EASY project to work on when I can find bits of time.
So -g r e a t- let the fUn begin.

I started with all the veneer problems, and then pondered on that broken leg.  At first I was hoping to clean out the terrible “repair” job and fill it with bondo.  It never set up with enough stability, and I’d NEVER put my name on that kind of work, so after a LOT of wasted time & materials- I ended up cutting away all the damage and just REbuilding it.

*Sorry- no pics to share.  But- I used scrap wood I keep on hand, figured the angles of the straight side to the curved front, glued & nailed in place, let it fully set up—then fine-tuned/shaped with coarse sandpaper in a belt sander.  Now it is  S O L I D.

I also stripped the top and discovered issues hidden under the SUPER DARK over stain job someone gave it at some point.  Looks like it was overly sanded in a few areas, but it REstained nicely and looks beautiful now!

I waxed the top instead of clear coating it—I just think it brings out the richness in the wood more and is softer to the touch!  But that’s just my preference!
OH!  And I heat-set the wax before the final buffing.  The wax becomes a harder, more long-lasting, durable finish. 

Next- I taped off and covered and protected the top, then painted the body with a spongy weenie-roller—about 7 very thin coats.  Left side, right side, front, left side, right side, front, left side, right side………
Each thin coat dries so quickly and all those thin roller-coats finish more like a sprayed piece.
*Hint- I don’t have a sprayer.

Once completely painted–it had several days to set up before I could come back to it.  Actually, it was probably a week later (hospital schedules and all).  I had planned a decoupaged face and the time-lag gave me lots of time to plan the finished look.  AND figure out some other more appropriate hardware.

I was looking through ig and this caught my eye—it reminded me of a poster in my stashes!  That’s how my plan came to be. . . with a few adjustments.  

I measured off, taped my poster to the dresser face, then used a sharp Exacto to cut each drawer section free.  I was careful to save each face-frame part since I still wasn’t sure if I’d use it or not (I did in the end).  A pencil gave quick registration marks for placement to keep everything aligned.
Working from the top down, I pulled each drawer(s) out as I worked on it.  It let me double-check the alignment because 1) paper stretches when it’s wet, and 2) I was already messing with each section by my personal method of “distressing!”

–

–

Yes!  I wad it up
into an abusive ball.
Yes, it gets torn some!
It’s all part of that
“aging” process!

Then I smooth it out gently by hand, apply a really good wallpaper paste and REapply to the drawer face.
I prefer to smooth it out and position it with my hands at first, THEN use a flex-plastic scraper to gently smooth it out, pushing out the excess paste, and finally, wipe it down with a damp rag making sure the edges are well affixed.

Here’s my poster (from Hobby Lobby).

Working on the last drawer-

And then I decided it really did need the slight face frame cross sections after all.
You can also see I added my selection of vintage hardware right away!
SO much better!

*I filled former hardware holes and REdrilled before painting.  I poked through the paper with an awl to reveal the new hardware placement.

Now you can see how the poster was NOT large enough to cover the face,
but I had a plan!  I taped it out to expand the size with a “frame.”
But that wasn’t all.
I used a liquid gold leafing pen to freehand outline the very outer frame edge.
Irregular on the inside edge–crisp on the outside edge.
I just like that subtle contradiction!

I guess I forgot to tell you how I lightly sanded all the wallpapered edges, huh?
In hindsight, I wish I had widened the “frame’s” sides.  Oh, well. . . .

This project was completed in drips & drabs of time.
I bought it May 18th and finally finished it on the 29th.
I loaded it in the car right away and it went to the antique mall the next day where I spent hours REsetting my space to accommodate it!  WoW- my space had become a neglected disaster area!  And guess what?

It sold right away!

Awesome!

But my space is a disaster once again for the new void.
So I found another dresser to work on.  Stay tuned.
Catherine

Not an antique-
not even vintage-
just  O L D.
But pretty now!

-my next dresser-

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she thinks I’m a magician?

Sure- I do love to REcreate and REinvent some crazy stuff, but,
seriously, it’s come to this?

“I have this broken rocker and thought of you.
I just know you can do something with it!”

Um. . . thanks. . . ?

 

Rocker treads eat up space
-that I don’t have so much of-
so I hung it from the rafters in front of my wall of paints thinking it would be out of the way until I figure out what to do with it.

Honestly- I was thinking to just part it out into other projects, but, I don’t know yet.

I hit my head on that dang thing more than once.  One time, SO hard I saw stars.  And had a headache for a day.

 

When I get mom and all her things settled each day, I’ve been -trying- to give myself time in my studio, where so many projects await my attention.  OMGosh, it’s just nice to be IN my studio.  And even with my loooong absence–I’ve had enough of that rocker.

Do I take it apart, or to another level?  Hmmmm. . .

Have you ever seen a rocker for 2?  A rocker and a half?  A chaise-rocker?
What if I deconstruct part of it & just REmake it into something… W I D E R?

 

¹  The LEFT side was the broken and missing parts side, so I removed that side’s legs & rocker tread and made the numerous repairs.  I gave the re-glued and clamped parts 24 hrs to fully set up.

²  I used heavy card-stock paper to make a template of the right side seat contours.  I ripped some leftover 2×6 lumber for the width & thickness to create an extended seat.

³  I flipped & copied that contour to the new left side, cut it out with a jigsaw, sanded, created pocket screw joinery for some areas, and pre-drilled for 3″ screws at other joints.  I also had to REshape how the 2 fronts join together. 

Above you can also see I REdrilled with a 1″ mortising bit to REfit the legs and rocker tread.  What you can’t see in these pics is that I also pre-drilled for large dowels to join the legs together for stability—
aka STRETCHERS.

Until I was able to go buy the appropriate size dowel, I just moved on to prepping and painting.

I added extra supports for the seat (& the new padding).

I heavily padded, then upholstered the seat.

I was actually a little disappointed.  I only wanted to have an upholstered seat TOP, maintaining all the wood edges and frame.  But when I had to put screws into the front for support (even though I could have counter-sunk & plugged them) I nixed it for the ease of a wrapped seat.

During the week I was able to get a couple 5/8″ oak dowels.
I shaped/tapered the ends to fit snugly into the mortised holes.  These dowels are now the stretchers that tie the legs together and bring stability
to the chair.
The last thing was to run & apply welting for a clean finish.

–

Here it is at the antique mall!
That seat is really comfy seat!

A Rocker & a half
—jury’s out, huh?

Catherine

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omg! A project!

Stealing an hour here, a half hour there,
I’ve gotten to work on a few projects!

A broken rocker, a vintage folding table, a really old school chair,
a broken kitchen chair, I cleaned up a small, very simple old dough bowl…
and REdo a REpurposed 2-tiered stand.

I was SO happy just to get to work on –something!

–Summer 2017 was the last one my mini-me-niece asked to spend with me.
She’s older now and would rather hang out with her friends—
I say with a pouty bottom lip, they grow up too fast.

* She went to the gym with me all summer.  We played, goofed around, annoyed & harassed each other, experimented with all kinds of vegetarian dishes–and she wanted to work on a few projects with me!
*Gosh, I hope she still favours me above all others.

She discovered pinterest that summer and saw something she wanted to try making.  We dragged through my stashes for interesting parts.  We cut up and sectioned parts of a bed post, and I happened to have some wood rounds.  I made all the cuts, and gave guidance on how to put the parts together, but she did everything else and had her own ideas for what she wanted.  She seemed pleased in the end, and loaded it with mini cupcakes for a family bbq—and then wanted to sell it for the money!  That’s my girlie!

Unfortunately, it never did sell, and I think she’s long forgotten the project–so I pulled it out of my antq mall space and painted the whole thing just plain ole white.  It actually looks awesome now, and I’m not sure if I should tell her about it.  But it’s back in the mall for sale again!

She primed and painted all the parts, and I helped her create a fanciful top with chandelier and lamp parts.

I helped her drill center holes to join everything together with a wooden dowel and wood glue.

The wood rounds were sanded, then I ran them through the router table with a 1″ round over bit.  She sanded away with a variety of my sanders.  I think she found them all kind of fun!

I can’t find the picture showing it all loaded up with cupcakes,
darn it, and it looked really cool!

Catherine & Aleigha

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REfacing a pair of trays

At some point I found each, bought, and used these trays in my decor.  Then at some point I didn’t need them anymore and offered them up for sale.  One was black~the other red lacquer.

I played with varying things to makeover the black one—but let’s face it,

everything I tried landed in the FAIL zone.  It happens.

Above is my attempt at change to the Black tray, the Red Lacquer tray I left alone because it was really beautiful at Christmas.  Apparently, I was the only one who thought so–it didn’t sell.

So~I had another idea and ONE MORE attempt before I throw in the towel.  And THIS time I think I got it!

–

◊ I painted both with a rusty-brown paint

◊ I pulled some of my stock LATH–I love its thin, rough texture.  I sanded the long strips smooth and cut to length to fill and REface the interior.

◊ I stained and sealed each and at last

I think they look

awesome!

And I won’t even mind if they still don’t sell!  ; D

Catherine

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sewing cabinets- part 1

Yes– SO many things to do with those old sewing machine cabinets.  Here’s my latest!

This was probably from the 70’s–based on style and construction.   The machine itself was “fairly easy” to remove, BUT THEN, I stashed the cabinet until further notice. . .as it took forEVER to figure out what I wanted to do with it!

W-e-l-l  guess what?  I needed something medium-big to fill a “hole” in my antq mall space–so let’s get THIS project finished!

How about a side table with a drawer?  Nice by a chair OR a bed!

The crux of the job~

The first issues—the controls to the sewing machine left holes in the face panel, and the door that enclosed it didn’t work with my plans.  SO- I made a new face frame that would accommodate a drawer.  I also dragged through my drawer stash for the closest size/style and modified it.

THEN I went in search of the original top—WITH NO LUCK.  (You just know it’ll show up when I least expect it)  It’s generally no problem to create a new top, but my “supplies” were low and nothing was “working.”  With perseverance, I stumbled on to the top of another discarded sewing table top.  It had a great edge detail, but unfortunately was WAY too big and had to be cut down.

–

–I did give the new top a run through the router with a smaller, simple Roman Ogee bit.  Sadly- the top was actually particle board and painted black with a thick acrylic (NOT a top for stripping~stain), so I sanded it smooth and painted it white.

AND, if you look closely you’ll see little white edges–like it was outlined!

The new table is painted a soft watery-blue with white accents.

And you see it’s at the mall filling that hole!

Catherine

*Another sewing cabinet project tomorrow!

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a ceiling tin “pocket”

I’ve had this  2ft × 4ft  unusual piece of ceiling tin

for quite a while.  I’ve ALMOST used it in a number of projects, but just couldn’t cut it up–or surrender the whole piece.  I guess it just wasn’t the right project–or I was (cough-cough) hoarding.

*Now cut—I still have this left-over!

I was thinking about a “POCKET” to hang on a door with greenery or flowers.  Something  –in lieu of-different from–  the STANDARD DOOR WREATH.

◊  I played with several round objects of varying sizes—to make a half circle bottom for the pocket.  Then I played with height—by way of the tin AND what felt natural.  I totally over-thought this part and went back and forth on both fronts for way too long.

◊  I cut the half circle with the jig saw, and the back on the table saw–free hand, because of the diagonal shape.  *I honestly wouldn’t suggest this without a LOT of table saw experience~it’s easy to get a “kick-back.”

Yeah- forgot process pics.  But this should explain the 2 parts!

 

It’s hard to see, but, there’s a slight flair making the shape get wider at the top.  Think CONE shape.  Hopefully you can see better in the following pictures!

Fast & SIMPLE (haha)

and I’m pretty sure to cut a handle in the top.

Catherine  

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on the subject of Birdhouses. . .

Seriously–

not trying to beat the subject of Birdhouses to death-

BUT–

Back in November of 2011, roaming around one of our local ReStores, I saw this gargantuan light fixture.  Presumably for a 2 story foyer.  $34

I saw interesting parts.

Even back then- my thoughts gravitated towards the ROOF of a birdhouse.  Two of them!

Do you see it?

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe this helps?

 

Obviously, I bought it–  and promptly deconstructed it!

But sadly, any kind of project got back-burner’d into my stashes.

–

So now I’m thinking about this potential project–again. 

I just think the two BIG “roofs” will make super fun  -and even biGGer-  Birdhouses!

Btw~ yesterday I ran back to the antique mall with a few props for my latest two favs!  I really love them—and if for some reason they don’t sell- I really won’t be so terribly upset about it.

So you see- my mind is stuck on spring. . .  if only Mother Nature would get on board!

Catherine

 

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my bespoke birdhouses

. . . something I’ve never built before–a birdhouse.  You?

The construction of both was actually a lot of fun, and a project I see taking on again—I have some other ideas!

Monday– I started working on the 2nd design idea I had in mind.  I got a late start, but got the key parts laid out and cut out.

I discovered my choice of dimensions and angles made for some tough construction.  Well, actually–CHALLENGING CUTS.  THAT slowed me down and challenged me to problem solve just HOW I would make some of these cuts.  I messed up one of those cuts not just once but- twice.

So maddening—I really hate wasting materials.

By end of Monday night the birdhouse was constructed.  Tuesday was really busy and I was lucky just to get it painted.

Thursday—something was bothering me—it was the roof line.  It had an awkward overhang.  But easily remedied by a saw!

I took my painted birdhouse over to the strippers asking if they would “wreck” my paint job!  They already think I’m nuts so this was not a very strange request.

Perfect!

I gave it a light sanding and REcut the depth of the corbels I’d already made for it.  I had to do a bit of paint REtouch, but it was more a matter of rubbing it down with some Natural Oak stain to “age” the white paint and darken the exposed wood.  I seal coated everything—

But something was still. . . felt. . . missing.

I added a very little FINIAL!

Like any good pediment would have!

Both of these birdhouses can be hung on the wall, but can become a table top piece by detaching the corbels!  Both are large-

yellow  27w × 26h  —  white  30w × 13h

Catherine

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the Trefoil table & bench

–

It’s a completed project–that’s about all I can say.  I love the construction of both pieces, but that’s where my affection ends.  I guess things fell apart at staining the wood tops.  As I said last post~it’s all the same wood used in several other projects that I LUV’d!  It looked EXACTLY the same raw, yet finished COMPLETELY different.  NOT in a good way.

◊ Did it squash my inspiration?

◊ Did I just run out of steam in a tough week?

I don’t like painted tops—and I was about to go there,  I really hate them that much.  Things like to stick to them in humid weather.

But I left them stained and began the struggle with the color of a painted base.

White–too easy.

Popular pale gray–I’ve done several in a row already.

Green–WAY too cliché here.

Blue, barn-red, mustard—uhh, NO.

I still had out a range of pale beige & peanut butter, so I mottled them together in a sloppy finish.  The finish looks better in person, but just –EH– with the stained tops.  I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever buys them REpaints them.

At the end, I waxed both completely to a silky smooth touch.

W e l l– I guess not every project can go 100% right.  Moving on. . .

Catherine

 –

*It’s really tough getting good color pics in the antq mall with all the fluorescent lighting.

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the misc -and- my TREFOIL project!

I’ll start with my

TREFOIL project!

I’ve always known about a

QUATRAfoil

so –duh– I guess I’m working with a TREfoil!  Although~did you know that each “leaf” is called a LOBE?

Thanks people for cluing me in!

 

My project is actually 2 parts.

A sofa (or console or hall) table & a bench!

I shared my LAZY-girl’s pattern-making and cutting it out in my last post.

Sunday was so aMAZingly beautiful that I got to open the big overhead door to my work shop– blow out the excess sawdust and let things air out!  AND, it meant I got to play with –and problem solve– my SIMPLE table design—OUTSIDE in the SUNSHINE!  YaY!

Sometimes SIMPLE is pretty complicated.  I want to nestle a bench under the table, which means no bottom shelf or stretcher connecting the legs for support/stability.  Finding the right angle for the legs to flair out became a bit of a game—5° seemed to be the magic number!

THEN– to leave the legs/sides solid and plain or cut in a design.  Leave the very bottom of each side SOLID or cut them to create FEET?  Without “feet” the table could wobble on an uneven floor.

I ALSO FOUND– that the Trefoil design was hidden under the top and I needed to lower it.  2″ seemed enough to still clear a bench.

AND– what about a bench design?  To be a MATCH or just be a fun bench?

This was Sunday night—

Monday I loaded everything up and headed for the strippers.

They gave me their thoughts on the 5° angle of the legs and “yes” to cutting in “feet” for stability–but not too deep with soft pine!

AND they let me use the pressure washer to clean the boards for the top, and the bandsaw to cut my bench legs!  I owe them BIG!

I’ll have finished pieces to share next time!

Until then~

Hello Spring!

And with SPRING comes BIRD FEEDERS!

I playfully made one from misc lamp parts laying around!

 

 

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Parts from a hanging lantern, a mercury glass cover from a ceiling mount light fixture, the center rod for a lamp, an escutcheon plate for a chandelier, and a very large lamp finial!

AND- last week I drilled holes in 2 Noritake plates to make a cupcake/goodies stand!  I used my diamond-encrusted drill bit, water          –and a DEEP BREATH-  at a little slower, steady speed!  I have a collection of those tiered handles!

Catherine

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