My stuggles and triumphs...I hope

I've been struggling with finding time to blog, take pics and upload pics. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day to do everything that need to be done. But I'm back and I hope you like this latest project. 

I was brought a few items to redo. There is a sideboard, a hutch and this table and chairs. All a matching set. 

My before pics

 The chairs were just nasty and totally dated. But the bones were good and I knew I could work with them.

 I did like the shape

 The table top was going to give me more than one headache before the process was over...trust me on this one.

 But look at how pretty it is..yes you have to see past all the chips and nicks of being well loved.

 Now here is where the problems began. see that wood filled spot in the lower left corner? NASTY NASTY spot. I thought it was small enough I could just fill the spot where the veneer was missing. I didn't want to strip all that veneer off...I really didn't. :(

But...........I DID. 

See I wasn't happy with it. I didn't like it, and I didn't feel good about selling something that wasn't up to my normal standards (yes I'm terribly hard on myself). 

Soooo the process began. Out came the pail of water with the iron and I set to work. 

For those of you who don't know. Veneer of old was laid down in two layers. The first layer came off with great ease. The bottom layer? Not so much :( I finally gave up using the iron and went to work the old way. 

Sanded it all down and realized the two side of the table were different woods. One side is cherry and the other a white Maple. hmmmmmm what to do. 

I tried staining it with two stains that would bring the colours of the wood a bit closer together...that didn't work. I was frustrated...very frustrated. I didn't want to head into my stash of veneer to redo it all. I absolutely HATE covering solid wood. 

Yes, sometimes it simply can't be avoided...so I thought, and I thought, and I thought some more. How could I work WITH this instead of against it. 

Then the solution came to mind. 

If you look really closely you can see the two different kinds of wood. I used my trusty tape and taped it off..and used a really dark and a really light stain to contrast and combine the woods. 

I didn't take a pic of but will tell you that it does have a hide away leaf...which is also done in the same design :) 

 Isn't she beautiful now? Seriously. My husband and son saw what I did and both fell in love with it :)

 I painted and recovered the chairs in this leave design. I think it brings the chair and the table together.

 This is certainly going to be a talking piece when it finds it's new home.

 I can't wait to do this or another contrasting design on another piece of furniture.

 Didn't the base turn out just lovely? :)

It just looks so inviting..like it's saying to come sit and share a glass of wine with me...or coffee or whatever you choose. 

Off to work on more things. 

:) 

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