Picked this up (literally) on a very cold winter morning before my walking buddy and I went for our morning walk. She helped me get it into the car (spider eggs and all), put up with my stopping at home to unload it, and helped me get it into the garage.
What follows is the tale of what we vintagettes must do to bring an item to the point where we can sell it.
This is what it looked like when I brought it in, (minus the spider eggs and nicely aged and worn hardware). Then it was sanded and the drawer was removed and the first coat of paint was applied.
What is not evident are the slightly water damaged wood feet (under the curved part of the leg), the drawer bottom, which was in 3 separated paper thin layers that would not support anything, the bottom layer of which caught under the drawer when opening and closing.
Then, when I looked more closely at the drawer, one side was completely split from front to back.
I think you get the picture: imagining a finished product is easy (sort of). Attaining that finished product often requires much work and/or money before it is ready to be shown off. I (or John, or someone) must glue the side back together, cut and fit a new drawer bottom into the existing grooves, fit the dove tails back together, (some "tails" of which are also split), paint and sand lightly, and paint again, etc.
My inspiration, in this case, is a table I found on a blog (and I cannot find it again:() when I was browsing.
It, too, has damaged feet and a scuffed and imperfect finish, and this is the feel I want the finished table to have (even though it is nowhere as ornate as the table pictured.) I am hoping it will be at Just A Second this weekend while Stella & Notte's Spring Celebration is happening, March 28 and 29. You can be sure I will post it if I am successful. Looking forward to your visit.
Yes, a change of scene is good, but what makes it really special is the
new little person who joined our family on February 19. Catherine Ann
arrived as the first little girl after two boys, and it is a good thing.
When the oldest, Andrew, was told there would be a new baby in the
house, but that it could be a baby brother or sister, he proclaimed that
it would be a girl, because he already had a little brother and didn't
need a another one.
And obviously, they think this tiny little person is quite special.
Nana put a sign on the door of the shop, packed up a few girly outfits, and a bit of nursery decor and headed west to Salt Lake City.What a nice change of pace: cuddling a new baby, and cooking for a family of five instead of for just the two of us, walking outside in sometimes 60 degree weather, visiting with daughter Elaina and being around a couple of very active little boys, who actually couldn't wait for papa to arrive because he is a lot more fun.
And, of course, we had fun dressing little Catherine.
And
did we mention that she has shoes. One of Elaina's friends has a girl
who has outgrown some shoes and she sent a couple of bags of them to
Elaina for Catherine. Apparently people love to buy shoes for baby girls.
It was certainly a full 10 days and we were a bit sad to say goodbye. We won't see them again until May, and there will be such a change by then.
I do wish families were not so separated from each other. It was really
nice to grow up and raise children in the same city as our parents
where we could just drop in, as could they, have coffee, go to lunch,
etc., but, we will be grateful for messages and emails and photos -
until we meet again.
