Antiques

I haven't been sewing as much as I should be, but I am getting some creative projects done. TaDa! What do you think? This is the girls room (in progress). The vanity (which has a great bench to accompany it) was once my grandmother and her sister's, then my mom and her sister had it, growing up I also had it in my room. My mom has been keeping it in storage with the other two twin beds that are antiques from another grandmother. The beds were painted off- white with oil based paint about a 100 years ago so they had yellowed. The vanity was at one time a very lovely lightly stained oak. But time had taken it's toll. I decided to sand all the pieces and paint them to match. I added some cute glass knobs. I think it's so "shabby chic".

Every one's reaction was so funny when we moved these aged, mis-matched pieces of furniture to the new house. They would kind of look at me like, "You are going to use these"???? Or "You penny pincher, buy your children some decent furniture." Even my husband was like, "We can get the girls some nice furniture". But I knew the quality of the furniture I would buy today would not be the same. This furniture is so well made. It is sturdy and beautifully crafted and carved (yes...carved). Now days they just make a plastic mold of a floral pattern and then glue it on. So NOT the case with this furniture. Plus it has history. Why save something in the garage and let it waste away, when you can give it new life. Plus I think my great grandfather visited me when I was refinishing the vanity piece. I only met him when I was an infant, so I don't remember him, but I'm pretty sure we were hanging out and painting together.

One of the new things I want to do in the new house is to only have/use things I really love. And to use things from mine and my husband's family. I have a tendency to save and not use things that are special to me. But if I don't use them then they may not be special to the girls. Or they may deteriorate and I didn't get to use them. Even if these special items don't last forever at least they were loved and not boxed in an attic. It's kind of like baseball. You may strike out, but you better strike out swinging.

So obviously the room is not finished, I hope to crochet a cute rug, recover the matching bench, and hang this adorable fabric flower wall art my sister does. But already I think this room is so cute, and coming together quite nicely. I've made believers out of the doubters. When this room is finished I think even Rachel Ashwell would fall in love.