HGTV is My Crack

     True story. I love that channel with a passionate yearning deep in my soul. I swoon over shiplap. Farm sinks have me clutching my pearls and fanning myself. And don't even get me started on industrial chic pendant lights! GASP! 

     If you so much as peruse that channel from time to time, you've probably noticed that there's been a movement as of late for restoring or repurposing old, or discarded items instead of buying brand new. Well, kids, I'm an author that makes nowhere near J.K. Rawlings royalties, so the concept of restoring instead of spending money I don't have is one I can get behind in a big way! The seed of an idea got planted in my busy little mind, and POOF! a fun, new hobby sprouted. 

      I started small by repainting my Grandmother's cabinet that dated back to the 1950s. My mother gave it to me shortly after I got married, at which time I replaced the missing knobs, and called it good. The front of one of the legs was broken, but--having not yet been schooled by HGTV--that was a flaw I chose to overlook for a time. That, my friends, is called the "just don't look down" approach to decorating.  

BEFORE

AFTER 

     I took the pressed wood designs out of the glass, repainted the entire piece, applied funky contact paper to the back of the inside, fixed that broken leg, got new knobs, and added some stencil art on the outside just for fun. When it was finished, I was beaming over my masterpiece. In true form to our social media age, I immediately shared it everywhere expecting everyone to marvel over it as I was. To their credit, some did. While others hated the funky approach I took, and argued it looked better beforehand.

     That, furniture scavengers, is lesson number one I can share with all of you: not everyone will love your finished product. AND THAT'S OKAY! Let each item you refinish reflect YOUR style and personality. That's what makes it unique. That's what makes it stand out above the mass-produced items you buy in stores.

     My first few posts here will be sharing some of my earlier endeavors in a basic, "show and tell" format, since enough time has passed that I may not remember all the steps and products that I used. That said, since this little hobby seems to be growing, and I have family and friends asking for the play-by-play of the processes and products, I now have an outline where I can lay out all the gritty details. Yes, I mean gritty. These projects aren't easy. I try. I fail. I fix. I swear ... A LOT. (Ear muffs, kids!) But every single time, I am left with a beautiful new piece that has a fun story behind it, and those are the kinds of items that--in my opinion--make a house a home.

     So, I thank you for being here. I can't promise you'll learn anything you didn't know to start. But, you'll see some cool projects, and might just be inspired to take on a few of your own.