Wednesday, May 27, 2009

a sow's ear...

It was so cool to hear about your weather and gardens in different parts of the world. I'm afraid the great weather I boasted about has retreated and we're back to mizzle -- misty drizzle. But for me that equals good writing weather.
In the back of my mind, however, I'm also tussling with decorating issues.
Our house here is really quite modest. It started out as a shed and we've been slowly extending and changing it and it's been rather fun and quite a creative exercise. Currently, I want to get the kitchen better organised and I've been mulling over getting more fitted cupboards built versus finding free-standing pieces which ft better with the country style look.
I've often read in magazines about people who find old pieces of junk at the bottom of a field, or abandoned in some other obscure place, only to turn them into something fabulous, And I've always thought those stories were fairy tales.
But let me tell you, dear reader, I was thinking about my kitchen yesterday and suddenly remembered an old table in the gardening shed that's been there since we bought this place.
'I'd like to take a closer look at it,' I told E. 'You never know...'
So we took off the ghastly linoleum top (lovely shades of maroon and grey) and E scraped back a section through layers of paint -- grey, cream, green, mauve, pink and more... to discover Oregon pine underneath.
You guessed it. It's a really decent, restorable table. And it fits perfectly -- let me say that again -- perfectly into the space beside the stove that I had in mind.
So I've a new project to squeeze in around writing.
Couldn't be happier. Will let you see the results, but I have a book to write so don't hold your breath.

8 comments:

2paw said...

Oh how exciting to have a 'find'. It makes it extra special. I eagerly await photos!!!

Miss Bougie said...

Yes, yes, pics please. I love restoring old stuff. The computer I am sitting at is actually placed on an old schooltable I got for 5 euros sometime back which I stripped and varnished. The chair infromt of said table, the one I am actually sitting on, is a school chair that had been thrown out by my boy's school as junk. It was rather a sorry sight.
But I sanded it down and it's now in the same colour as the table. Perfect match, really. My boy grumbles, saying it remminds him of school!!!
My current task is finding something that could function at storing bits and pieces in the bathroom. Actually to keep daughter's stuff more organized. Haven't had any luck so far, but am not despairing...

Magdalena Scott said...

All I can think is that if your house started out as a shed, then "shed" must have a different meaning there than it does in Indiana!

Congratulations on the table. That sounds like a great project for your spare time. ;)

Barbara Hannay said...

No, truly, Magdelena, it started as a six metre square shed. Admittedly it had timber boards on the outside, and sliding glass windows in the front. The people before us added a bedroom and bathroom. But when we bought it, there was a roller door like a garage door in the living area. That was the only ventilation.
We scoured second hand shops and found old fashioned replacement windows and doors, because we wanted a "country cottage" look, and we've added a dining room and a second bedroom as my study, plus a new veranda and laundry.
We hope to add a sunroom and a third bedroom/ensuite next year. Fingers crossed.

Magdalena Scott said...

Omigoodness! You are VERY industrious! Talk about a sow's ear...the shed transformation sounds amazing. Did you post before/after pictures sometime before I arrived here? I've only been around a few months, so I'm "new."

Barbara Hannay said...

Brigitte, I so understand about your table and chair.
When I first left home to start teaching, I bought an old table for one dollar that I used as my desk. I sanded it back and painted it many times over the years. It became the kitchen table in our first little home and then when our first baby was born it was the change table. It stayed in that role for all four babies (going through various coats of paint) and then my eldest daughter used it as her desk.
When we moved to the apartment we gave it to the Salvation Army, but I've often wished we'd kept it.
I think that's why I'm so pleased with this latest find.

Barbara Hannay said...

I'm really bad at keeping digital photos organsied and have had trouble finding the ones we took when we first bought this.
And we haven't done the actual building. A guy called Nails (yep, that's his nickname) is our builder. And Elliot's restored a lot of the windows and shutters.

Barbara Hannay said...

>> I've only been around a few months, so I'm "new." <<

and very welcome. :)