Refinishing my desk

Here is my newly refinished desk!

Jeremy sanded it down and built the cabinet on the right, it was originally two drawers that were very stuck. Now it's a nook for my computer to chill in.

The paint is two toned, and the colors in this picture are more true to life.

 

I love my new desk! When I got the first coat of stain on it Jeremy and I looked at the top and Ooohed and Aaahed over it. The paint is a bit lighter than what I originally wanted, but I'm still happy with it.

Here's some backstory, for those who might be interested. When we moved Jeremy put my computer on my old sewing desk. It was very small and very cluttered.

Plus my baby was constantly trying to pull on the cords and push my computer off of its shelf. Not very child-safe. So my hubby said buy a desk, whatever you want, just don't go crazy with the price. So I looked around online, at antique stores, secondhand shops, everywhere. I couldn't find anything that I really wanted that wasn't a thousand dollar desk (apparently I have expensive taste).

I actually bought a desk from an antique store that was a little small and not exactly what I wanted, and told a friend about my desk troubles and she offered to give us an antique desk they had sitting in their backyard with a top on it. The paint was peeling so you could see the three different layers of paint it had once been (dark yellow, red, and black). But it was exactly what I wanted. Big desktop, drawers on either side and a drawer in the middle that was actually a drawer and not a keyboard pullout.

Jeremy got to work getting all the drawers out. We had to put the desk in the sun to get some of the drawers unstuck. He sanded the sides and I tried chipping off the vinyl desktop, but wasn't having much luck. Jeremy's Dad suggested a heat gun and that worked like a dream. The vinyl peeled right up revealing a beautiful wood top. Jeremy really did all the hard work, but it was a lot easier now that we have a belt sander, orbital sander and a hand sander. When it was all ready and the cabinet door had been built we brought it in the house so I could stain everything and paint it. I put a coat of poly on all the stained wood surfaces to protect them, and I just love having something that I was able to customize and make it exactly the way I wanted it.

Fun fact: While working on the desk we found some writing where someone had signed their name and dated it. I can't read the signature, but the numbers read 10/8/42. We think that means this desk was owned or made in 1942, making it at least 72 years old. We also know that it was a government desk, possibly used in a Naval office, and it belonged to my neighbor's grandfather (I think. Father of grandfather). I love having pieces of history as furniture.

Travel Bucket List

I've been thinking a lot lately about traveling and getting away, probably because I'm ready for a vacation. But I have some trips in mind that I would like to see happen someday:

In the next 1-2 years I'd like to go to the San Diego Comi-con. That would be crazy and geeky and fun!

In the next 5-10 years I would like to go to Scotland with Jeremy and on a tour of Japanese onsens (bathhouses) with my sister. She doesn't know it yet. ;)

I would also like to go on a cruise with some girlfriends someday. Maybe a roommate reunion cruise to Alaska or someplace fun and tropical.







Time to get saving!

The New Year... isn't very new

I haven't been feeling very pretty lately. My hair is always up in a ponytail because I haven't showered in a couple days, I wear pajamas until noon, and my face has been breaking out a ton (no showering, duh.) The problem though is that I just don't care enough to make a change. I have no desire to add one more thing to stress me out. I don't want to feel anxious about not taking a shower, so I  just don't. I don't get dressed first thing because Ms. B is just going to spit up on it anyways so what's the point.

I did try looking up the Dress Your Truth series to see if it would help, but I'm really not into "finding your energy" and things like that. I feel too practical for that. So, what to do? I'm really not sure. I feel like things will change after I wean B and no longer have to dress to nurse and wear my nursing bras that don't fit anymore. So I'm looking forward to April. The first year is always hard for me because I breastfeed and I don't like to pump, so I don't get many breaks. Hopefully this summer we can drop the kids off with some grandparents and get away for a few days.

One of those

Ever had a morning like this?

Yeah, me too.

A Memory

I've been overwhelming myself with the holidays trying to make things for our new friends in WA and get Christmas all ready for a 4-year-old who really believes in Santa, and it's exhausting. I'm about done with being a grown-up and would like a day off, please. Ha ha. But I've taken refuge in a memory of when I was in high school. I had this blocky low-backed chair that was extra wide and I fit in it perfectly with my legs crossed, or draped over the arms, or using the arms as a headrest, etc. Best chair ever. I remember one day I was reading a book in my chair (no idea which book it was) and sitting with my head in the corner of the armrest and the back and one leg draped over the other armrest and being so comfortable and completely content. I wouldn't mind another day like that.

I miss that chair.

Saturday adventures

This past Saturday Jeremy had to work. I've been dying to put up some Christmas lights so the kids and I got all ready to go to the store to pick some lights up and last minute I decided to go measure the deck railing so I would know how many to get. Mr. T dutifully accompanied me outside, we measured, and went back inside to write it down. Only we couldn't get back inside because the door was locked. The back door was locked, the sliding door still had the dowel in it and none of the accessible windows were unlocked. Brooke was in her carseat (tender mercy!) in the house. T and I went over to the neighbors to use their phone and called the landlord. He only has a key to the sliding glass door. But we found a window in the upstairs bathroom unlocked and rolled an oil barrel underneath it so I could slide in. Brooke was sweaty from being all bundled up in her carseat and crying because she wasn't with Mom but was otherwise unharmed. So, an hour after we got ready to get out of the house we finally went to the store! Where I made several copies of my key.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today has been so great. The kids slept in until 8:15, which is like noon for non-parents, and it felt so good to lounge in my bed. I haven't done that in ages. When we did get out of bed there was no stress to cook because some friends from church invited us over to their house for Thanksgiving dinner, and I was just bringing some caramelized green beans that take 20 minutes to cook. So we played and hung out all morning and went over for dinner/lunch at 1:30. Got to talk and hang out with adults for a few hours and came home, got a super tired and hungry baby to bed and relaxed. Jer and I played a game of Chinese checkers with Mr.T and got him to bed, and now we get to relax until our own bedtime. All in all just a wonderful, relaxing holiday. I hope you had a Thanksgiving day that met your needs, too.

P.S. Now it's time for Christmas!!!