Refinishing Furniture....... the joy it brings, renewal.

I've been refinishing furniture for years now, probably 10+ years and let me tell you if I find an old piece of furniture and it has good bones, looks good, and can serve a function or two, I'm buying it and refinishing it!

I LOVE IT.  I actually think I love furniture.  My grandfather was a carpenter.  He built homes.  He loved flowers. I love flowers.  When something is natural and apparent to me, I just go for it.  That's how I feel about furniture and flowers.  I prune and I paint.  Here's an Adirondack chair (thank sister in law here) I received the pair

Do you just love this chair?  It's begging for some stain so I added white paint.  My favorite pristine white for an Adirondack chair.  I love the way it turned out.  Our view here faces the US Naval Academy.  I thought it perfect for a view of the coast line, even if we aren't the Hampton's or the Cape (Cape Cod that is).  These chairs are comfortable and they were free.  It took me a couple of weeks to get them prepped, sanded, and painted.  While I painted in the garage, my neighbors commented on how long I worked on these chairs.  (I really didn't put in strenuous labor, it just looked like I did).

I think what amazes me about refinishing furniture is the sheer pleasure I get from taking something old, something maybe you would throw out and making it come alive again.  We are the culture of renewing, recycling, and refurbishing.  Mom (my Mom) told me that former US President Jimmy Carter's non profit Habitat for Humanity fame has a store in Leesburg, VA.  There they take items from people's old homes, items they didn't have a use for, flooring, sinks, and kitchen cabinetry and they sell it on a deeply discounted ledge and the profits go back into Habitat for Humanity.  Amazing.

I LOVE THIS IDEA!!  Our world is shifting.  We can teach our kids that loving something old is not a bad thing; that you don't have to shop at Crate & Barrel to have the best dishes, tables, or CHAIRS.  I'm teaching my four and a half year old twin daughters that because something is rough around the edges doesn't mean it's not worth saving. By the way they helped me paint the chairs; they were good at it too, minus the drips.  Girls' watch those drips!!

Sophie if you sat in Mommy and Daddy's chairs, would you get a splinter?  Yeah, you just might. It won't hurt you.  Don't blame the chair.  That's Mommy's chair and it only cost me two cans of spray paint ($8.00) 

Give me your beautiful finger and I'll take the splinter out and we'll start all over again.  Let's look at the stars together and I promise you won't be disappointed.  We will watch the stars in this beautiful white chair and it will deliver, splinters included.  Anyone got a band aide?