The sunshine and light breeze today inspired me to haul some unfinished pieces out of my shop for painting. I got dressed in my painting clothes, laid a tarp on the ground and got down to business. I have had my eye on a beautiful antique oak kitchen table and chairs that have been waiting patiently in my shop for their makeover. The table slides apart in the middle and a set of gears roll the leaf into place from underneath, expanding the table another foot in length. It is truly an awesome piece with gorgeous lines. The chairs are just adorable (a word I don't often use). The table and chairs all had slight imperfections when I rescued them, so I got to work sanding, repairing and tending to all of the old wounds. Once everything was nursed back to health and prepared for painting, I soaked up the morning sun, breathed in the clean air and cracked a can of paint. I decided to give the set a French look, assigning each chair a different color, and painting the table an antique white. "Versailles" and "Provence" are two of the paint colors I used for the chairs. The paint dried quickly in the sun, allowing me to move quickly. When each piece was sufficiently coated and dry, I lightly sanded the top coat of paint to smooth out the surface and did a heavier sanding on some of the edges. Next, I prepared for the wax finish...the moment of truth..the moment when the pieces come to life, have their pride restored and take on a whole new personality. The finishing stage requires a lot of "elbow grease" and is a true labor of love because it can be exhausting when working on large, detailed pieces. After finishing up the last chair, I stood back to admire my work and relished in the sense of satisfaction that I always get at this point in the transformation. Sometimes, I swear that I can hear the furniture whisper, "thank you".
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