Saturday, April 17, 2010

No Respect

If my wood pieces could talk they would empathize with Rodney Dangerfield and say:

"I get no respect!"

My last post for "N" week is refers to the way I treat my wood pieces and antiques.


I really don't care much for wood. It's not that I am all "anti-environment" or anything like that. I just don't really like the look of wood in my house.
I think I can count on one hand how many natural wood pieces I have in my house.

Hang on, let's see (1, 2,...)

4, I think I have 4.

Here is one of them:


I got this secretary at an auction. I wanted to paint it, but hubby wasn't really on board with that idea (tree-hugger...)

I sat with it like this for a few months, then one night...

I decided to at least paint the inside of the glass doors (or rather the back of the cabinet you can see from the doors) light blue. Yes, that same light blue that everything seems to be turning in my house. (You can see it here.)

For some strange reason, I said something to hubby about it (with the paint can and paint brush in hand.) Here is the conversation:

Me: (walking into kitchen with offending items in hand) "I think I'm going to paint the backs of the secretary."

Hubby: "Why?"

Me: "Cause all that brown is driving me nuts. It's boring."

Hubby: "Molly, please don't paint that. It's an antique."

When he called me by name I knew I was in trouble.

Me: "For real?"

Hubby: "Yeah, please don't paint it."

This is is the point where snarl my nose and let out an audible sigh (very much like a 14 year-old) and turn and walk out of the room.
I am completely in shock that he actually told me I COULDN'T do something.
What is that about anyway.

I go back into the dining room, pout, and stare at the field of brown-ness. I really hate not getting my way. Wait a minute...OOOOHHHH....I know!

I started my new plan by going down to my decorating closet and getting the liquid starch and the floral fabric my roman shades are made out of.
(I did all this WITHOUT telling hubby my new plan, I couldn't take hearing NO again!)



I snuck into the kitchen and got a mixing bowl and poured the starch in. Then I measured the size of each area I wanted to cover.
(It was pretty loosely measured because I am just lazy that way and
impatient too...)


I then soaked each piece in the starch.


I squeezed out the excess liquid and placed each piece on the area I wanted to cover. I smoothed it out with my hand and voila!




The best thing about this trick is that you can take the fabric right off and it doesn't damage the wood. You can also use starch to apply fabric to walls or just about anything. Pretty cool technique and because you squeeze most of the liquid out you really don't use that much.

I am going over to Funky Junk Donna's, come on over, she will be glad to see you!
Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special
I am also joining up again at Alphabe-Thursday. Alphabetizing...a woman after my own heart:
Jenny Matlock


P.S. I was informed by hubby that he was misquoted in my "Never Satisfied" post. I have since corrected that mistake. Sorry hun!!

13 comments:

  1. Here from SANCTUARY ART and I'm so glad I came. I have an antique armoire that has driven me crazy for decades.....Now I have floral material patterns dancing in my head.....* MUST * BUY * LIQUID * STARCH *

    And I'm also wondering if I could put water based polyeurathane over the fabric when it dries....hmmmm

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  2. VERY cool technique!! I had no idea you could do that. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  3. That was a very good idea. Did he notice? :)

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  4. Very good solution. Smart thinking.

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  5. Brilliant!
    And what was your husband's response?

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  6. That is too cool ... i'm off to find fabric and liquid starch! Thanks so much for the inspiration.

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  7. I never would have thought to put fabric in the cabinets.

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  8. Molly, what a great idea. What did he do when he saw that? I've done something like that with paper but I like the fabric idea more. Thanks for sharing this technique.

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  9. Molly, You taught me something with this post. I had no idea that you could do that. Wonderful N post. Stop by to read mine if you get a chance.

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  10. Molly this is my first time visiting. I just love your N post. We've inherited some furniture from my husband's family, some his grandfather made. It has been very clear to me that I am NOT to paint it. I hate being told no but I do respect my husband. This is such a great solution. I wonder just how much of the furniture I can pretty up with some fabric. I'll be sure to post about it when I do. Thanks for saving me from the wood blahs and my marriage too.

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  11. it looks great! What a smart idea to use starch...it would have never crossed my mind. thanks for the tip! coming by from jenny's place

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  12. Great idea! I don't like alot of wood either, but I would have a hard time painting an antique piece (unless it was in HORRID condition anyway) This is a great compromise! Kathy

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