I took a break from boxes a couple of days ago and spent some time out in the fresh air.Rebecca has been sleeping on two mattresses piled on her bedroom floor because the bed I had in mind for her had rusted from years stored in a damp basement.
Husband: "Take it to the dump".
Me: "NOooo! It was the first bed I bought when I moved to Kansas City!"
(Therefore, it was an heirloom of sorts.)
I found this bed frame at a flea market and the appeal was that although it looked like a Jenny Lind, it was metal, and the fake wood grain was chipped off in places (bonus!)
Just my showing interest in it immediately knocked $10.00 off the asking price and I happily took it home feeling I had gotten a bargain.
It got my mattresses off of the floor!
Fast forward 22 years.
The wood grain is no longer evident and is replaced by rust. The frame would be more at home stuck into a garden and planted with a "bed" of flowers.
But I am undaunted.
The bed was coming indoors once again, with a new look. If my son needed a twin sized bed, I might have just steel wooled away the worst rust, varnished it and preserved the aged look.
Rust is so IN now!
But the bed was needed for a little princess who wanted it painted pink. Thank goodness I couldn't find Rustoleum in that color at our local Walmart.
She would have to settle for white.
I passed on the spray cans, deciding that brushing it on was more cost effective (and the paint wouldn't be blown away by the breeze).
A cheap, $1.00 brush (disposable!) and a package of steel wool and I was equipped to "transform".
Oh how I hate sanding. It's just no fun, but it is the most important step if you want the paint to last. Rebecca even helped a little until she saw her little neighbor friends come out to play, then suddenly vanished.
POOF!
I was on my own to paint two thin coats of paint, which was probably best.I used barely half the pint can of paint and patted myself on the back for my frugality.
The frame looks marvelous!
A bit of unintentional "character" I must point out.
Lucy, our St. Bernard, brushed past the tacky paint in pursuit of a motorcycle she heard roar by our yard. I didn't try very hard to remove the neat flag of fur she deposited, thinking more paint would cover it. Not! *sigh*. I was 98% done with the bed at that point and too tired to think about cleaning, sanding and repainting her mess. Oh well. Just one more reason to never part with this bed. It now has our dog's DNA imbedded in the finish!
It's definitely a family heirloom now!
10 comments:
special and more special in no time
sanding is not the best part of refinishing anything is it...but so worth it in the end
I always feel good about things rescued and given a new life...you done good lady!
oxo
You did do good! And Lucy helped, too! Nice work!
What a wonderful old bed frame! Knowing that it took you 22 years to git 'er done only helps me feel better about my stash in the basement too! Big giggle on the dog's donation to the project. Never fails....! Xo
Lucky Rebecca, this is a really cute bed frame. I agree about the dog hairs, you can't possibly get rid of the frame, ever. I painted the kitchen cupboard doors in our last house and our dear dog at the time, Pepper Daisy, of course made sure she squeezed past one door, embedding loads of hair. I cried real tears leaving that door behind (we had by then also lost the dog to leukemia).
Well done for persevering with this project, it was well worth the effort.
xxx
Bet that felt good - and it looks fabulous - dog hair and all!
I have an white iron bed frame I got for $19.00 at a flea market 4 decades ago - still love it to this day!
I so love your wit and humor about all the little day to day things in life. Here's to wishing many happy days and nights to you, your princess, and your heirloom. Blessings, me
I called by here from Patty's and love your bed refurbishment tale - it had me laughing aloud. Everything in my hair has dog hair on/in/under or around it. I tell people we only share our dog hair with the truly special among our friends!It is so lovely here. penny
Wow -- I hate sanding too -- all that dust! But boy -- it sure looks worth it! Lovely!
That was major elbow grease! And too funny about DNA! I wonder how much DNA gets into all the stuff we make and restore and repair :)
Yes, I agree, it HAS become a family heirloom. Great job!! I actually agree that the rust look was NICE!! neat bit of character, but... white IS more suitable for pink-loving girlies. Sweet memories attached that that bed, huh? :-)
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