No Throwing in the Towel
There is nothing more challenging than a project that has no end game. No time pressure. No one waiting for its completion . . . it’s just there haunting.
Dennis had wanted to refinish our $5.00 garage sale find highchair. Dennis had no idea what he had let himself in for. I promised myself I was zero in that refinishing. Oh . . . I did observe from time to time then hurriedly got out of the garage so Dennis wouldn’t see my lips bleeding from having bitten while keeping them silent.
When Dennis said “Uncle” I did not question him. The highchair was delivered into my sewing studio for the rest of the story . . . that being taking the bare wood and finishing it. I did not take any steel wool or sandpaper into the sewing studio. I took it as it was turned over to me. Out came the stain and the polyurethane. I believe in the adage that one cannot fail if one does not try. I actually turned that into a ditty and sang it to myself . . . often.
As I contemplated several options, I remembered what Lena taught me when I was learning the finer points of all types of sewing and stitching. The essence of that advice was that if you cannot change how a project is shaping up, do something that will take the eye off of the less than good seam or stitch and make that the point where the eye will travel to first. Give me a high-five Lena.
As of today, the highchair is completed. It has turned into a sweet confection. I recalled how small children had a rope of beads that was used for playing or chewing. The portion of Dennis’ highchair that could have the illusion of beads got that extra special treatment. I had forgotten how steady my right hand was . . . NOT! Slow and cautious. After the final finish was permanent, it needed a bit extra.
I made a stencil that resembled the string of colorful beads from times gone by. In my era, there wasn’t a single small child that didn’t try to chew their way through the rubber like beads. Out came the Tri-Chem paints from the 1960s. The $5.00 highchair has no reason to hide. It is quite eclectic, much like me. Be sure to give the thumbnail a click to check out a “One of a kind, found only here on Stauffer Avenue.”
Dennis has no inclination to seek another piece of furniture at a garage sale. Woodwork and furniture refinishing is no slam, wham, thank you. It takes countless hours and most of it is elbow grease rather than motorized tools. I think the only tool with an electrical cord that Dennis didn’t use was the skill saw. I am looking forward for no longer be haunted by this little chair that never really bothered anyone. It had been content to sit in the corner of the patio porch nurturing all of its blistered and peeling paints of many colors.
For me . . . back to the thread and fuzz.