Early 2015 Finds

I'm feeling overwhelmed, but it's a just punishment for procrastination. I suppose that I prefer painting pieces over writing about them, but since this more closely resembles a diary than a blog, I'll need to break up this post into at least two.

Bought this pub table set for $60.....

...was never fond of mismatched chairs, but it has grown on me.

Paid $27.50 for this massive mirror in an online auction...

....quick splash of white, and it was gone shortly thereafter

Paid $50 for this dresser, but I had to replace all the hardware.

Cloned AS color "Emperor's Silk."

This was on a scary part of town, so $60 was a good price considering the risk.

Used a color called Duchess Blue with some White and some dark
wax, and it was ready to go. Still peeved I left the skeleton key behind,
but there was no way in hell I was going back.

Picked up this bargain on the morning of the Super Bowl.

White chest with gold hardware. You must be thrilled with the
color risk I took on this piece :)

I loved this piece the second I saw it. 

Painted it Duck-Egg blue, and I still carry a bit of guilt for
painting it. It wasn't in the best condition, so I had to.

Paid $75 for this very heavy china cabinet

Duck-Egg blue on the outside, white on the inside, and
replaced the glass on cabinet doors with chicken wire.

Cat's Eye

I have no excuses for waiting this long to write. I type notes on my phone all the time, but I just haven't been motivated to sit down long enough to write. Fucking Netflix.

During my most recent binge (Bloodline....I highly recommend), I caught my cat Audrey staring at me. Not blankly, mind you, but with purpose. I can't believe that I'm admitting this, but I actually paused an episode to ask, "What?"

She's a brilliant cat, and I adore her. She's smarter than most children, and I attribute that to home-schooling. She's not much for socializing with strangers, and I also attribute that to home-schooling. She sits on command. She talks. She loves when I sing, but that's likely because my singing voice more closely resembles the cry of a distressed cat than it does Frank Sinatra. I tell her that she's pretty, and she accepts the compliment as gospel without, "Really?," or "Are you sure?," or "Are you just saying that?," or "Even though I've put on 10 pounds?," as follow-up questions (I have no idea if that is punctuated correctly, and it's irritating me. I hate that I'm a left-brain cliche).

"Meow." Not the most unique reply, but it sounded differently than normal. My mind started to wonder what she meant by that, which further led me to wonder what sweet Audrey thought of me. I giggled to myself when I imagined what her thoughts could be regarding my personal life (non-existent by choice as of this writing). I reminisced objectively, without joy or contempt, attempting to guess what her thoughts may have been (and I wanted to play around with this cartoon balloon program on www.superlame.com).

This post may read as though I thought that I was perfect. I wasn't. Not even close. But in Audrey's eyes, I am.

The Calendar Turns

We've all heard about the biological clock of women (I have been frightened by its alarm a time or two, but 'snooze' button prevailed), but I think my sinuses have one of their own. When late-December rolls around, I get sick. It doesn't seem to matter what life's circumstances are either. This past December offered no exception, but I am finally feeling alive again. It's a terrible time to feel ill, and it's a terrible way to start a new year.

I didn't do too much thinking while sick, but a random thought did occur to me one day in between naps (I hope I haven't written about it before now). I typically don't care what other people think, but when it comes to the furniture I renew, I care a lot. Perhaps too much. When someone buys a piece from me, I feel connected to that person. To them, they are just buying a piece of furniture they like. To me, they are buying something that was a part of me for a brief time. Sure it's a tangible piece that means nothing in the grand scheme of life, but there is a ton of thought and effort that is put forth before and during the process.

My imagination and naivete kept running, and I blamed it on the cold medicine. I started thinking about how all those pieces are being used. I wondered about a desk bought for a child. Maybe that little kid doing homework on it grows up to make some sort of monumental discovery. Maybe a china cabinet that holds the dinnerware on which a generation of Thanksgiving meals are served. A coffee table that, at the time seemed more mistake than art, provides a resting place for cold beers after a day on a Florida beach. A symbol of my work will live in these houses for a long time, and I love that feeling.

I typically request photos from the people who buy my pieces because I like to see how the furniture looks in their homes. Here are a few, though some more recent than others:

Little Dining Table (and I was worried about my own cat's hair)

Painted Cedar Chest at Vacation Home

Desk Bought for Granddaughter

Coffee Table at Vacation Home

Nighstands and.......

.......chest of drawers at Vacation Home

Love-letter dresser in Bedroom

China Hutch in Dining Area

Mirror, but the back story is funny...

....Target parking lot was full, so met her in front
of Asian massage parlor next door

Satisfaction and fulfillment comes in many forms within many circumstances, though I can't imagine myself feeling it any more strongly than when someone else loves and appreciates something that I produced.