I'm an 'all in' kind of person. LOL. The horses aren't a 'hobby' for me, regardless of financial output vs. the seriously lacking income from them. It's everything else I do in life that I consider 'hobbies'.
Like my latest addiction...
Restoring furniture.
Actually, woodwork is a return to an interest I've had since I was a kid. I love building stuff and/or restoring things to it's previous beauty and glory.
Kinda like some of the horses I have right?
Looking at used, neglected and often broken furniture is like looking at a horse to me...I never really see the damage....I just see the potential. If the lines are right and the price is right...I'm all over it. :-)
I don't actually have much of anything finished as of yet. Almost all of it is a work in progress...hindered mostly by my limited free time during daylight hours...The horses do come first after all...and a little bit by my continuing to not have and/or running out of essentials, like stripper and sandpaper and I try to limit my trips to town because it takes such a huge chunk of time.
But here are some of my 'finds';
A headboard that just needed a good cleaning and a handrub with some paste wax...
This one IS actually done and installed in the guest bedroom.
This dresser...
Which, once I started stripping it discovered was actually build out of a beautiful southern cherry wood. I was a little like Nicole Curtis with my; 'Why the hell would you cover that up?' (Those of you who watch her show will understand ;-)....
But I was talking with my oldest brother, who is quite an expert on woods (and was the one who told me this was most likely southern cherry wood) and he said that certain woods are less valuable at certain times, throughout history and in the 50's southern cherry was plentiful and cheap, so a lot of nice furniture was made out of it and then lacquered as was popular at the time. Well this baby won't be seeing paint again, I can tell you that. It will just get a nice satin varnish and new handles and then it will join the headboard in the spare bedroom.
In the evenings I have been doing some sanding on some kitchen chairs my mom gave me a few years ago and I've always intended to redo them...
These are going to get sanded down, retightened, stained and then I will redo the seats and backs in either a southwestern material or a hair-on look material, with a studded trim.
I've got another living room chair, very 60's style and an ottoman that I will definitely be doing in the hair-on look material. It's going to be cool!!
As if I didn't have enough to work on, I was dropping off a stack of books at GoodWill the other day and my gut told me to go inside...so I did. I never ignore my gut when it says to go in a thrift store. LOL. It's bad juju to do so!! And I found this...
All it needs is a good sanding and a new coat of varnish and it is done. This one is going back to Colorado with me when I go. I have been looking for a table like this for one corner of my big living room for awhile now and this one is perfect.
And people wonder what I do with all of my 'free' time. LOL!!!!!
7 comments:
Nicole Curtis fan here! Was actually watching her show a couple of hours ago. Ted and I restore stuff too, more so Ted than me, because he's better at it than me.
Now I understand your reaction to the table at my house!
Actually I am the same way about furniture. Of course we all love the antique stuff but I am a huge fan of just simple wood furniture with a natural finish. I don't even care for lacquer as much as I like a nice natural tree wax finish. Sometimes with stain or sometimes with a light burn instead.
I am constantly running across great deals on furniture that I pass up because I don't really need it, nor do I have a place for it. What I'd really like to do is start buying up, and refinishing and then reselling in a store or booth. Unfortunately this full time J O B thing is still in my way! LOL
Oh and I was going to say....do you ever watch Storage Wars Texas with the gal Jenny? She takes so much good furniture and PAINTS it all! I hate her!
I love what you did with these pieces.
Oh, I loved that table Cindy D.. I forgot to mention the kitchen table I have. It is similar to the one you have. Just the top needs to be sanded down and refinished on it.
I've passed up some good deals too because I am TRYING to focus on just picking up pieces for the AZ house. It's hard to control myself. I've kind of wondered if it was worth it to try to do the 'fix and sell' thing too. But I always wonder...Will people pay for it? Is it worth it? I do often forget that everyone is not a cheapskate like I am and/or don't want to/know how to make things pretty again. I dunno. ??
And, Yes! Jenny (and the other dark haired goofy chic) drive me nuts with their 'shabby chic' painting crap. Some of their ideas are cool though. I will only paint or do distressed looks if the wood lacks quality or the repairs are otherwise impossible to hide.
Shirley-I knew Ted did a lot of woodwork. He's really talented at that. I didn't realize you did some too. I'm not as good as Ted, nor do I have the proper tools to do major rebuilds at the moment. LOL
We may have to explore this further...lol!
I spend a lot of my free time in the so called antique malls where you rent a booth and they sell your stuff for you, and most of the stuff isn't really that old, just either made to look "old" or just decent pieces of furniture and yes the stuff does move. (whoa that was a long sentence!)
Well, if you like antiques... I am looking at dispersing a whole house full of them at my parents. Mom has wonderful taste but there is just not room anymore for all of it. There is a wardrobe in the basement bathroom that simply takes your breath away!
All super nice finds! I will send you a pic of the color that I painted an old ugly armour... I think you would love:)
Cool beans!! I wish I had time for this my family used to have a space in a vintage shop but you might hate this we'd paint wood furniture then shabby it up lol!! Love that head board I imagine it in old barn wood. Ranch Boy is a pretty talented rustic furniture maker I should do a post on the lemonade stand he made the kids last summer! :) his mom had a shop and barn full of old furniture that needs to be redone. .... if you ever get bored! ;)
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