a new beginning

Step 1- mom’s move downstairs.

The focus was all about getting her settled into, and moving around safely in her new 1st flr spaces.  She’s pretty shaky, and I worried about all the obstacles of the furniture-shuffle, and purging of drawers & closets to fit in the smaller spaces.  Putting anything together for myself would have to wait, so I’d just have to deal with the absolute CHA-OS until further notice….ugh.

Step 2- My turn!
Let the Games Begin!

Although I LUV the upholstered & caned bed I made for the guest bedroom I’d been using, I longed to use ONE of the beds I’ve collected and REworked just sitting in storage!  I could totally visualize a fresh room design with each- but THEN I saw this AWEsome bed from Perigold!
I knew exACTly the direction I was taking!

Ooooof!  Can you believe the price?!?
Time for a “Sensible Chic” version!

 

 

My project starts with the most aMAZing bed
found on fb marketplace
last summer!

I popped the panel back in the footboard, but the bottom rail that holds it in is missing.  That’s okay- I only wanted to use the headboard right now anyway.

Here’s the beginning- sleeping on the floor.
The bed downstairs was incredibly high, so this was weird-weird-weird!

The first change!  Still on the floor, but it was feeling better!
I also added a 100yo door I split in half as “shutters.”
And THAT’s a story I’ll come back to later!

Being frugal –cough-cough, CHEAP!
I shopped sales, used a 40% coupon, and still got what I wanted.
$55 for padding, batting, and linen!

The bed box/frame

I bought and cut down pine boards to build a simple box frame to 54″×80″.
I ripped some of the cutoffs down to create cleats & rails to screw to the inside bed box/frame to support the box spring & mattress.

I sanded and spray painted everything with the RustOleum Metallic Rust.
I discovered by accident that it can mimic stained wood, and the Metallic Rust mimics Mahogany.  I hauled all the parts inside-upstairs to assemble.
Just one more of those UMPteen million trips up&down the stairs.
I screwed the decorative legs to the end corners (only had 2 legs) and cut the 2×2 dowel to create hidden legs at the head of the bed frame.
The newly upholstered headboard is actually hung a little higher on the wall,
so the bed itself is a separate piece.

 

I rescued the legs from a wingbacked chair thrown out for garbage!  (then I threw the remains out too!)

And lest you should forget the inspirational bed—

I like mine better!

 

All in for $158.66!

Can you believe?!?

And this is just the beginning!
Catherine

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God smiled on me!

It’s been a tough year.

Barely a project to work on–
mom’s cancer care is my full time job.  Any little project I can find time to sink my teeth into is—a—jOy!
Sure, I’ve found a few cool things to stash till my “comeback,”  but God truly smiled on me over the weekend!

Sunday morn-  slow start-  perusing fb mrkt place, found an 80’s side table with 4 BiG turned legs.  $10.  G o t  it.

–

On my way home with said table—WHAAAAAA???  No way—uh uhhh!

U-turn on a dime.  Jaw dropped, a few eye rubs-  like-  am I really this lucky right now??  A look upward—”Thank You Lord, you knew I needed this, huh?”
A vintage Victorian sofa and a (not matching) chair!

Now, I understand MOST people wouldn’t see my find as a treasure–but it REALLY IS, and I’m thrilled beyond measure!  UNfortunately- I had a wheel chair and now a big clunky table in the car.  How the heck am I getting THIS in here too?  Where there’s a will~there’s a way!

(I’m sort of more like, “Where there’s a will~I want to be in it!”)

But I was determined!  I moved, shifted, shoved, and shuffled until I could fit at least the SOFA in my Santa Fe.  Half IN- half OUT with the tail gate open.  The chair remained on the curb with my teary apologies and promise to “…come back for you!”  I drove the back streets to stay out of traffic.  Plus, I’m sure I looked like an episode of “Sanford & Sons.”

Back to the house intact, I off-loaded and gawked all the more at my inCREDible luck!  ROUGH shape, a LOT of work to do, but everything’s there!
Just a guess, but- looks like someone stripped it to reupholster, but quit at the daunting realization of the job & repairs.  I can appreciate, but–I CAN DO IT!

Since I had to run back out for the groceries that were forgotten in all the excitement, I decided to live up to that promise and went back for the chair–it was still there waiting for me!  I fully expected someone would have snagged it on my heels.

Another appreciative upward “Thank You for the gifts, I’ll do You proud!”

The fundamental detail differences between them–
NOT a pair, but both are still AWEsome!  And they were FREE!

I’ve got a lot of work to strip them further.  I’ll remove ALL of the springs, the remnants of fabric still hanging on, and the HUNDREDS of tiny tack nails.  I’d ultimately like to strip the wood and leave it raw.  Just a waxed finish!

I’m already picturing the sofa in a thick-nubby linen OR a soft mohair–and guess what?  Under the ugly floral of it’s (???) 2nd life are the remnants of a soft pink’ish-brow MOHAIR!

I’m also picturing it with a caned back to really show off that soft curve-linear form! ♥♥♥

Are you with me?
Can you see it?

Catherine

And now some inspiration!

* It may have originally looked something like this–

If it had to be fully reupholstered again, I like these simplistic elements–

But I LUV the idea of a caned back!

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2 old chairs and a vintage folding table

…just a few more of the broken items “gifted” me.

I L♥VE this table!

I especially love uncovering some of the mechanics & methods that were used–wAy back in the day!

The system they used to lock in the legs is actually pretty ingenious, don’t you think?                                        Although, it is a little bit wobbly, I’ll bet if the long locking-slat was WIDER it would remedy that issue!
In this instance, even though I could make things sturdier- I wanted to leave it “original.”

The table was fully stripped to clean it up–the original finish was NOT cool!
It took a LOT of sanding to further clean up, and then just a clear stain mixed w/a very small amount of tint to REstain the TOP to BOTTOM.
Ugh…yeah…not good enough.  It definitely needed some color.
I finished the top with 3 layers of paste wax for a silky finish.

–

I moved on to the really old school desk chair.  THAT only needed a good sanding, the leftover tinted stain from the table, and I sealed it with a clear coat.
I accidentally got some stain on the (kind of) rusty pedestal—interestingly, it made it look better.  So I hit it all and wiped it down!

The pedestal is “adjustable,” but I left it where it was.  I toyed with raising it the whole way for cleanup, but let’s face it- I went for lazy.
Even without being bolted to the floor, it’s surprisingly stable!

 

Here it is with the table!

And now–
what to do with that old broken kitchen chair?

Apparently, I’ve forgotten all about Before Pics anymore!

It looks like an ugly 70’s or 80’s era oak kitchen chair.  With a missing- broken off back.  Which is actually a bit of an improvement.  A bit, okay?

I gave it a light sanding for a “tooth” and then painted it a blue’ish green I really luv!  I padded and upholstered with one of my big brother’s old, W O R N-O U T quilts.

It’s surprisingly a pretty comfortable seat-

and could be kinda’ cute in a bathroom!

Catherine

*THIS was a really tough post to write.  I knocked over a glass of cranberry juice -which, just like a Bull’s eye- aimed perfectly for my keyboard!  Arrrrrgh!  Now ENTER doesn’t work.  Just try using your computer without ENTER~impossible!

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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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Uncle Fred’s bed

So, long story short~

This was part of my late uncle’s bedroom furniture at Grandma’s house wAy down in IL.  I know –somewhere– there’s got to be a picture showing its original severely dark stain~but I can’t find it.

When we cleared out grandma’s in the sale to cousins, I brought it back to change things up in one of mom’s guest bedrooms, and painted both bed and dresser a soft white.  Seriously– this was already old hand-me-down stuff that moved from Grandma’s farm, up to her hill house, and then to mom’s.

It had a 1904 date on the back side of the headboard I’d never noticed before.

Above, painted a soft white for a lighter, shabby chic look in the guest bedroom.  Eventually, it got bumped for another 1930’s set.

Below, painted something funky for a teenage nephew to use for a while. . .

And then it all came back –again.  With no one else in the family having need of it—I gave the dresser a total makeover and sold it in the antique mall.  Remember this project?  (it’s near the end of the post link)

And finally– I’ve pulled the bed from storage for

one last REinvention before Nellie’s Barn Sale!

 

I padded and upholstered the headboard with one of my vintage grain sacks.  The foot board is just REpainted, but I did add vintage wood wheels—
I LUV them, they’re just fun, and it’s SO much easier moving a bed around!

I also added a padded back rest and tied-on seat cushion to this petite rocker (the neighbor gave me) with the leftovers from my
bed project—I think they look really cute together!

They’re already getting great attention and feedback from the Nellie’s Barn Sale pages and on instagram!
OMG–I’ll be packing Wednesday, driving & setting up Thursday!
Hope to see you at the show
Friday or Saturday!

Catherine

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a “new chair” for the b’day girl!

My Great Niece is turning 8!

Where DOES the time go?

So~she’s getting a big-girl desk for her bedroom and I’m doing the chair.  An old chair I had for the Nellie’s Barn sale—that didn’t sell.  It’s actually a sweet thing and I’m surprised to still have it.  Oh well–a score for Miss Mackenna!

She actually has GRAND ideas for REdecorating her room and I am to help!  So with the VERY animated descriptions of what she wants, I chose to

REpaint  -and-  REcover the seat with FUN FABRIC!

Here’s the old -sort of a PRESSED BACK- chair. . . that didn’t sell.

I had to cut wood to create a seat, I padded and upholstered it with some really soft & tightly woven sagless burlap.  It looked great, but this is how it went–

• ladies kept walking up to check it out,
• take a little sit down,
• get up and feel the seat,
• give a surprised look at its softness,
• remark on the cheap price tag,

and walk away.

Huh?  I couldn’t pull anything from anyone for explanation.  I still don’t get it.  Was I supposed to gift it to them?

I love the detail in the chair’s back crest!

My new fabric selection.

The stripes would be great for right now—but she wants her room REdecorated, so I’m going with the retro floral.  It will play well with the retro styled desk!

I’ve painted the chair white, then over-sprayed it with Rust-Oleum’s Linen White Chalk spray paint for a soft look with this fabric and her FUTURE room.  This has to be a super fast project–ready to deliver for a party TOMORROW!

 

–

–

–

Everything’s “wet” and I’m running helter-skelter juggling 4 things at once on this Crazy-Busy day, so

it got the TINIEST amount of distressing with a RAZOR BLADE—mostly just to emphasize the crest detail.

I’ll show you the end outcome

WITH the

Birthday girl

later!

Catherine

 

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chair seat slip covers

Do you remember the 4

french ladder back chairs

I REfinished and upholstered last spring?  No?

Yeah–I dropped the ball on sharing this to completion.  Sorry.

Here’s the READER’S DIGEST version to catch you up!

♥

Judy’s had these chairs for-EVER. . . and they were showing it.  We probably talked about this project for a year before doing it.

The rush seats were just disintegrating and those plaid seat pads became a band-aide.

I took them to the strippers.
And I wish I had let them do the whole strip & refinish—it was such a MAJOR amount of work.  But -I- painstakingly sanded all of them.  HOURS of sanding and aching hands.  Sometimes DIY sucks.

–

Only waxing maintained the raw, pale wood we wanted—but it wasn’t enough durability for Judy.  But you can see below that even a simple clear-coat darkened the Cherry wood.  Bummer.

The chairs sat kind of low so we played with varying ways to REbuild the seats—deciding on furniture webbing with a thicker pad for loft AND softness.

Matelassé was ordered–from Italy!  We ordered enough for a boxed covering, but discovered the chair construction dictated wrapping the seats instead—and that took much less fabric.  So the extra matelassé was used to also cover the 2 pressed back chairs I recently shared with you.

*We also tackled REfinishing the Bird’s eye maple table.

You know~I’ve always been pretty efficient with my cuts  -wood, fabric, whatever-  but even I was surprised at how far I stretched this yardage!

So I’m making chair seat slip covers from the very last of the fabric!

I’ll leave you here for the moment,

I’m still working on them.

There’s a twist to reveal at the end~so check back!

Catherine

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the pretty frenchy bench

I’m just now circling back. . .

. . . it’s actually such a sweet bench  A N D  awfully tempting to keep!

I was digging through my big closet of fabrics hunting for my staple supply of matte lasse to reupholster the newly padded bench top.  But instead~

I REfound something I LUV and FORGOT about!

Something a bit UNexpected—which makes it all the more fun!

You can see by the picture above that it’s almost like the top/seat is a little small.  I, personally, didn’t think anything of it, but I overheard a few harsh comments about it  -AND it’s UGLY covering-  while at the antique mall.

So to address that weird transition   I added a new 2″ thick pad and wrapped it down the sides to make the seat BULKIER.  Just NOT enough apparently.

It’s better for sure—but the gap persists.  Arrrgh.  And unfortunately, the top edge stands out being lighter than the sides. 

The simple solution would be to run welting, but I didn’t have enough fabric.  I was thinking some vintage crochet’d trim might be interesting—hmmm.

I tacked it on VERY lightly with hot glue.  Lightly enough to take back off if I didn’t like it.  Or someone buying it doesn’t.  This way~IT’S OPTIONAL.

I sort of just want to keep it now, I mean~

you can always use a bench!

And I LUV window pane plaid!

Catherine

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the juggling act

—also known as—

multi tasking?

The dresser project is not  quite  going as planned so I stepped away for a minute to look at a BENCH project.

An UNsold item from the Ottilia Catherine estate sale.

No one. . . seemed. . . to like it. . . ?

So I ran it over to the strippers asking for one of those “Quick & Crappy” strip jobs.  They think I’m nuts most of the time.  But I like the PATINA of RESIDUE!  Yeah-yeah, Nuts.

I  ALSO  LUV  RAW  WOOD  just waxed!

That’s the “original” needle point top. . .

so I thought.

I removed the needle point (for another project) and discovered THIS was actually the original bench top.   Uh~ wOwza!  And~ gag me.  And in case THAT wasn’t a good enough view—

Y i k e s,  right?

Stripping opens wood grain~ that’s why you have to sand.  But I didn’t want to sand away that cool stripping RESIDUE!  So I buffed it with extra fine steel wool to a silky smooth touch.  For MYSELF, I’d WAX it—but this is REsale.  So I grabbed a Matte Clear Coat to give it a more protected finish.  BIG mistake.  BIG.

The wood sucked in EVERY drop of hydration and gave it a STAINED look.  Oh, sure, it DOES look pretty—it’s just not the look I was going for.

The look of RESIDUE is lost now so I’ll grab my Behr Pecan Sandie paint I like to use for “oxidation” to highlight those nooks and crannies in carved pieces!

AND~ I’ll dig through my remnants of Matte Lasse to reupholster the seat, then it’s back to the antq mall!  Any one?  Any one?

Catherine

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this, that, and those other things

. . . there’s a missing wall in this space.

Because it used to be ONE – HUGE space and is now subdivided.

And the neighbor has this large 3-paneled screen.  With a dog.  A ridiculous dog.  Annoying me to NO END.  So I’ve come up with a remedy I’ll work on today.  Otherwise, I’m trying to take it easy today—I need a day off!

I NEED that beach I’m dreaming of…sigh…

Okay~ dream over~ well, deferred

~

WHAT doesn’t belong here . . . hmmmm . . .

Catherine

AND there’s WaY more waiting for space to free up. . .

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