pending

My man painted the frame

and fashioned a simple top

to create a sweet side table.

Apparently someone else thought so, too.

It sold within minutes on a Facebook site.

Pending pickup tomorrow!

pleased as punch

After many hours of contemplation,

we decided to leave this hanging rack in its rustic condition.

My wonder-working husband dismantled an old, useless ladder

to fashion this 57 1/2" long piece.

I envision it hanging in a laundry room or entry hall.

I have neither --

so we're posting it on a few Facebook buy/sell pages.

Meanwhile, I'm "pleased as punch" at this re-purposed item!

I looked up the etymology of that phrase and found this at Mental Floss:

The pleased Punch in question is not a drink, but a puppet. 

The traditional, ages-old Punch and Judy puppet shows feature the married couple 

battling each other with clubs. 

 In the original story,line hunchbacked, hook-nosed Punch 

eventually beats not only his wife to death, but also his infant child, 

with a policeman, a doctor, a lawyer and the Devil. 

Punch is deliciously self-satisfied with his sadism, constantly uttering his catchphrase: 

“That’s the way to do it!” Punch’s strutting pride in his awful deeds is what led to the coining of the phrase of being “pleased as Punch.”

Hmmmmm.  Maybe it's NOT a phrase I should continue using! 

cushionry

 After a week of a malaise,

 I just MAY be on my way out of it!

 This morning,  I had desire and "spark" enough 

 to cut out two sides of fabric to cover this cushion

whose previous cover was ragged..

 Using the old one as my pattern,

 I simply stitched around the outside edges and called it "DONE"!

 This is the chair I sit on at the table to eat, play games, and converse.

 Without the cushion, the seat is hard.

 With it - PERFECT!

next...

I couldn't wait for the second coat of paint

to show your our current project!

The pedestal had sat in our garage for a LONG time.

(Found curbside, as I recall.)

Last week as we drove to a house walk in West Central Neighborhood of Fort Wayne,

I noticed a round table top sitting at someone's trash can.

I told my husband to back up and check it out.

It fits.

And the paint is a quart of blue we'd picked out for the cupboard 

we just completed.  

We thought of using this color, but at the last minute 

I changed my mind.

I DO think it's perfect on this table,

don't you?

By the way, there were also 4 legs sitting by the round top.

I already have a plan for them!

just imagine

Well, now that you've seen how we restored the (free) vintage stereo,

just IMAGINE how this cabinet will look restored!

Seen here lying on its back, it stands up beautifully 

and has several shelves to its credit.

I can't wait to show you how it looks when my husband is finished with it.

(It was discovered in the very back of a garage of a house uninhabited for nine years

as friends conducted a garage sale before auctioning the house.)

the diamond

The "Diamond"

(See previous post for the details.)

Suffice it to say that we chose the safe and sophisticated color of black

to finish our stereo.

ready-to-paint

 Just about ready for paint....

the chest above purchased for $5,

repaired/patched on the top left hand corner,

and fitted with some new legs.

This one, I have a plan and a place for in our home.

The desk below was found on a trash pile

covered with maps glued over several - maybe 3 - coats of paint.

My husband rebuilt parts of this desk and added the two legs.

We'll try to sell it since our home is already overrun with desks.

There's always a market for sweet, small desks like this!

sort of....

 Transforming some mismatched frames 

 into a set.

 Sort of...

Now to find a place for them!

spending $5

 Found!  Today at the Rehab Store where we'd gone for a break in our day!

Five dollars went a long way!

My husband went right to work cleaning the enamel top

 and removing the paint from the legs

After the store visit, we took Dad to the historic (100+ years old) Coney Island

in downtown Fort Wayne, IN for (you guessed it) coney dogs!

It was pretty ironic to sit a a table that appeared to be the same size

and built of the same materials as the one we'd just purchased!

***

Our sweet day was enjoyed even more as the sunshine slowly emerged,

replacing the cloudy sky that had hovered gloomily over us

for the past few days...

guess what

 Guess what WE're up to?!?

Below:  in the painting station my husband rigged up after one coat.

(I'm hoping it appears a little more "blue" than black after the second coat

and when hung in our living room.)

OK.  Finished and rehung.

In certain lights, it's blue.

In other light, it's a shadow and doesn't show the blue as well.

It doesn't "pop" as much as I'd hoped,

but it IS consistent with other blues in the room.

two things

 #1 This piece which finished EVER so nicely!

(I showed it in progress a few posts ago...)

It sold minutes after I listed it on a Facebook site.

#2 This view of one end of our living room

for absolutely no reason at all.

I was giving my eyes a break as I read Village Centenary by Miss Read

(also mentioned in a previous post).

I know.  There's a bit of clutter up there!  No staging for me!

second thoughts

It's heavy.  It's not "real" wood.  It's in poor condition.

BUT...

the price was right (free),

there is potential,

and the pulls are impressive.

 My husband is ON it!

Creating a shelf for the bottom of the opening where two very-damaged drawers existed

will make this piece highly desirable when painted white!

Though my first inclination was to sell it when completed,

I'm definitely having second thoughts!

significant results

After painting the base, My Guy attached it to the top.

A final waxing over the stain resulted in a great looking board.

It just fit the space it was meant for!

I put pottery pieces on (and below) it....

but looking at the photo helps me see that there are too many "smalls".

I shall work at arranging this to be less cluttered.

I learn much from My Guy who accomplishes so much.

I watch him patiently fill his spare minutes and hours 

with chores and tasks (small and large)

 that add up to Significant Results.

 Above:  Improvement
Below:  A different mirror was the perfect finishing touch.

almost. not quite.

Almost.  Not quite...

One more coat of (homemade) chalk paint, a coat of wax and a buffing...

Stay tuned.

miscellaneous on wednesday

For what's going on with the sewing machine, click HERE.

And yesterday, I was especially thankful for my cell phone's camera

when I came across these like-new golf shoes in one of my favorite thrift stores!

I texted the photo to my husband who said, "Yes!"

Finally, here's the potting bench my husband's been working on with a base coat of paint.

Can't wait until it's finished!

what he's up to...

 Always SOMEthing!

Using planed-down, old boards (some of which were free),

he's fashioning a potting bench.

I'm giving advice -

like "That's too long,"

or "Add this (or that)."

I'm thinking a shelf, maybe some hooks....

 Yes!  Like that...

go figure

 Just in from the trunk of the car....

 this fine, old mirror ready for a face-lift!

 Hubby has his project now.

 And how could I resist this heavy, salt-glaze flow blue plate?

 Orange tags were 1/2 price!

Go figure! (19 cents, including tax.)

Yesterday.

Two stores.

Two treasures.