While Spring and Winter Battle it Out...I've Got a new Project to Share

Has spring done it's thing yet in your part of the country? I was going to say world, but then realized that not everyone around the world is experiencing the transition from winter to spring just now.

The Funky Junk Bunch and I are in Nebraska and spring has been battling winter for several weeks, one little blow at a time until the weekend before last. That Saturday was the most perfect spring day I've seen in a very long time. The temperature was right around 70 degrees, the humidity was low, and there was a nice cool breeze. We even had our first spring storm, complete with thunder and lightning. It was glorious!

By Tuesday we were in the deep freeze again. Winter gave spring a sucker punch! So now we're holding on with that little promise of spring from almost two weeks ago...WINTER! GO AWAY!!


This week I have been hard at work on a little project. Not long ago I picked up a medium sized arched top wood chest. Isn't it cute? I think so.

I do not claim to be an expert on woods, at least not yet! My assumption for this sweet square-arch top chest was that it was oak and had a clear varnish for the finish. So I decided to just paint over it. I started by removing the lid and all of the hardware attached. I was feeling really great, like I was bound for my own HGTV show any day now...

Any day now...

Ok maybe not! What I discovered was all at once frustrating and enlightening. Well, ok, it was mostly frustrating. I heal quickly though so it's alright.

After the paint dried I began freehand drawing a design for the front of the lid with a carbon pencil and to my dismay the paint was just sliding right off with every stroke of my pencil! Nooooo!

So, I did what any level-headed artisan would do (which, by the way, is a total oxymoron). I made the husby  take the chest out back and sand 'er down!

He did a great job. Of course I stepped in after a while. You know, because I'm the compassionate type of slavedriver and I took pity on him. Yes, I am truly a kind ruler.

We were using 36 grit sandpaper and an electric finishing sander. Guess what I learned? Finishing sanders eat sandpaper for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and come back later for a snack! Ugh! We went through at least 9 strips of paper, and didn't quite get the entire box sanded.

It's looking great though. Trust me, it is. Really great. Really, really great.

Ok. More to come. If spring comes back over the weekend we'll be able to get it finished up and I'll share the progress. :)

Ciao for now friends. Stay funky!

~Feistylis