Sweet Magpie
Our children have been growing up, as children tend to do. When our kidlets were very small I kept tiny fingers out of my projects by putting WIPs on the table, out of reach. This worked for a
Phase two was the guest room. I’d push the bed aside to make room for whatever I was working on if it needed to be left out. What they don’t see is less of a temptation, right? Out of sight, out of mind? Sort of.
Do you ever wake up in the morning just wanting to make something? Although I hate having to get out of bed, about half an hour later, post-tea and pee break, I’m ready to create. A few weeks back I got the bug to make a knitting/sewing pattern for the Billow Pillow. And today I’d like to share it with you.
Let me take you back to last June when I was digging through all of Knit Picks’ yarn for the perfect colors to match this beautiful mixed media piece of my grandmother. My aunt made back in the ’70s and it hung in my parents’ home for years, so when I look at it I not only enjoy the simplicity but have all those lovely nostalgic feelings mixed in too. See exhibit A for my inspiration:
I’ve always had this idea that refinishing furniture would be a fulfilling, joyous project to undertake. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t learn otherwise until my second chemical burn in fifteen minutes (boo! to paint stripper) and was too far in to bow out gracefully. So, before you start your first refinishing project, let me give you fair warning:
Refinishing furniture is a work of love. It costs more and takes longer than you think it will. It takes time, patience, and several very thick pairs of rubber gloves.
Still with me? Bravo. Splendid. Well done. We shall begin.
As previously mentioned, my husband and I have produced a few children. We wanted to set up a kids’ computer on the main floor – we hear computer literacy is big these days – but didn’t have room for a full desk. My search on Varage sale found me a wooden child-sized table and chair for $10. Perfect.
The table and chair looked something like this when I got them:
The table and chair had taken a bit of a beating in the past, as well as being painted in bright primary colors. Now I have nothing against bright colors (you should come over and see my house sometime), but this 90’s retro-chic just wasn’t what I was going for.
So for my first ever furniture stripping project, I decided to tackle the table. I’ve done a fair amount of painting over the years, and figured refinishing would be a roughly equivalent amount of effort. Right? Riiiight.