Progress [of a Sort]

The process of moving to the 'other house' has begun in earnest.

HLW and I were scheduled to see the chiropractor this morning, so I first loaded my vintage kitchen ware into the van and then went with H. in his truck.

Behind the quilt is a 'display niche' with horrid narrow shelves, which I disliked on sight.

Gina suggested that I hang a quilt to cover the area.

H. put up the brackets and rod so that I could fold a quilt over it.

This was hand-quilted for me by the local Amish women. 

Later I may create one exactly sized for the area; for now I can enjoy the colors of the quilt which complement our paint choices.

As I finished tucking the quilt in place, Jim appeared with the van laden with oddments, followed by Devin and his friend, Chris, primed to help shift furniture.

We returned 'home' in a convoy--Jim with old 'Snort'n Nort'n the flatbed Dodge, me driving the van, Devin driving Howard's truck--D. being on the very short list of drivers who are allowed to touch a vehicle owned by H!

Howard stayed behind to install towel rods in the bathroom--probably glad to work for an

 hour in peace. 

I try not to cringe or hover or give advise as furniture is wrestled out of the house, heaved onto a truck, strapped down for the 10 mile trip to the other house.

Smaller items which I regard as precious ride with me in the van!

Our vintage kitchen collectibles made the move intact and have been lined up a-top the cupboards.

Probably not the final arrangement, but there they are.

We can only hope the cabinetry was properly installed and won't crash off the wall.

By the end of the day, Jim's recliner, a large bookcase/hutch, several wooden chests, my favorite rocking chair, and the drop-leaf table had all made the trip. 

Our over-sized washer and dryer are there--up one flight of basement steps here  and onto the truck--down the steps from garage to basement at the other house. 

This maneuver was not without incident: the washer had to be balanced on its side to descend the stairway, the heavy lid flew open and caught H. smartly above the eye, leaving him with a bloody gash in his eyebrow.

[H. is not meant to be moving/lifting anything heavy until his shattered wrist has fully healed--it has been marvelously reconstructed with titanium plates and screws!]

The washer and dryer which H. purchased on Friday are now installed in our present house, [which H. will occupy until it sells] likewise his bedroom dressers and recliner. 

We went on Friday to Campbellsville to troll through Peddlers' Mall, hoping to find dressers for H.

At any given time the booths there may offer anything from items which should have been consigned to the landfill, to antiques and good vintage pieces--and everything in between. This time there was nothing that caught our eyes.

We accomplished several other errands and were heading home when H. braked to gaze at items offered at a yard sale.

He wheeled the truck around and pulled in to inquire about the washer and dryer sitting in a trailer with other items of furniture. 

Katy and I sat in the truck while H. and J. conducted the usual 'wheeling and dealing.'

They came back quite jubilant.

The seller had explained that he was newly married and after combining households he and his wife were needing to unload duplicate items.

It being late in the day he was happy to offer a 'package deal' if H. would take everything 

on his trailer.

This, in addition to the washer and dryer, included two acceptable dressers, a tall mirror for one dresser, a bedside stand, a table with 4 chairs, and a TV!  For $10 extra he would follow on to our 'other house' with the things which didn't fit in the back of Howard's truck.

Now sorted, we have gained 4 sturdy chairs which go well with our refinished round oak table. Howard has what he needs and Devin has made off with the TV!  This leaves a dis-placed table--which will likely be utilized somewhere--eventually!

As promised, the repurposing project which claimed part of several days just before

 J. and H. arrived home.

Gina plopped herself in the living room one day and considered the spaces of the other house and the possibilities and problems posed by our existing furniture. 

She concluded that a tall cupboard was needed beside the fridge.

She pointed at one of a pair of tall dark bookcases which Jim bought at auction for me 

several years ago.

They have held books and sewing supplies in the finished basement room here.

Moved to the other house early on they have loomed unhappily one on either side of 

the front windows.

We emptied one of the cupboards, removed  the glass shelves and wrestled the thing onto a length of cardboard to drag it into the kitchen.

G. eyed it critically and decided it would work.

I declared that it was much too dark for the room which has a north aspect.

Next day I sanded it lightly and applied an undercoat of dark green paint.

Since much of my creativity involves using what I have--I remembered two cans of Old Century simulated 'milk paint' which were languishing in the garage.

One color, Dark Hunter Green, was almost too dark.  The other, Holly Green, had proved much too bright for my taste on a prior project. 

I dribbled and stirred Holly Green into the darker paint until I had a pleasing shade.

At home that evening I did a bit of online research on various specialty furniture paints. 

Friends have praised the effects achieved with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints--usually used with glaze or wax as a final coat to achieve a vintage effect.  The paints are pricey and not locally available.

I didn't want the flat effect of the milk paint for a kitchen piece, so in the morning I pulled out my folder of paint sample cards and chose a soft green called 'Apple Grove' which I 

purchased in semi-gloss.

My original intent was to apply a coat of this and sand back to expose the darker under layer.

When I began applying the lighter glossier paint I discovered that the milk paint base lent itself to using a sparsely loaded brush for a slightly streaky vintage effect. 

The darker green shows through a bit more than is visible in my photo.

I think I will use this technique--maybe in a different color--on the 'blond' bookcase acquired at the same auction--it has been landed, with great physical effort, in the room designated as my study!

I am tired enough to howl--and there is SO MUCH more to be done, that another repurposing project must wait--but my creative wheels are turning!