Wednesday's Words on a Friday

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.

This month the words are supplied by Margaret Adamson and friend Sue, and can be found here.

This week's words are in fact not words, but a couple of phrases:

1. off one's rocker

2. hit the sack

here is my story:

“Off one’s rocker” was the general consensus as I waxed lyrical about the joys of brush painting and the fabulousness that would ensue.

A day and a half later, I had to concede they’d been right. I must have been off my rocker to start this project. I stared at the mess a while longer, then hit the sack and fell asleep instantly, to dream of perfectly finished and polished antique tables and cabinets.

After rising the next morning, I sat, chin in hand, waiting for the kettle to boil, while looking at the half-done job strewn in pieces around the tiny living room. What had gone wrong? I’d painted furniture before, every lovely looking piece in my bedroom was testament to how easy it was. Where was my mistake?

I finished my coffee, rinsed my cup and got back to work. The sides and top of the chest had not gone well and were now several shades too dark, not to mention patchy, with some areas almost black. I realised I would have to recoat the drawers to match and set to work, no longer caring as much and dripping the gloss stain everywhere.

The drawers finally finished, I left them to dry. It would take a full day, I knew that, so I changed my now stained favourite khaki pants and went visiting. Hours later, after chatting to V (last week’s birthday girl), I walked in the front door here and began clearing away newspapers, rags, then cleaned the brushes and the stirring paddle.

The drawers were dry enough to move, so I stacked them in front of the chest and avoided looking at them as much as possible. But I couldn’t help stealing glances at the glossiness of the top of the chest. From all the way across the room (three and a half steps, ha ha, it’s a small room), it wasn’t looking so bad.

I realised what I’d done wrong. Everything I’d painted up until now, had been done with water based acrylic paint. Coloured acrylic paint, which hides imperfections in wood grains as well as being easy to apply and clean up after. I had already chosen a colour for this job, but many friends and neighbours were insistent that wood should not be painted. Stain was the way to go, to show off the beautiful grain.

The grain on these pieces was most certainly not beautiful, but I caved to "superior" knowledge and bought a stain/gloss mix. BUT, it was an oil based product and any experienced, professional painter (not me) could have told me this stuff is much harder to apply AND get right.  Boy, did I learn a lesson!

Morning three and the drawers were dry, finally. I screwed the knobs back on, put the drawers in the chest and started scraping dried drips off the floor.

Knock Knock on the door. Who’s this? Another neighbour. V and I are going to Mount Barker for lunch and a good scrounge through some op shops (thrift shops), would I like to come?

Heck yes! 

I topped up Lola’s kibble, gave her fresh water and locked the door behind me. We were gone a lot longer than I thought we would be, but we’d had fun and I’d found a few bric-a-brac pieces that pleased me, so it turned out a good day.

I packed all the things back in the drawers after I’d eaten dinner, just a sandwich and fruit and decided things hadn’t turned out so badly. I still had a useable chest of drawers, the floor was clean again, and I know now that I should stay away from oil-based paints and stains.

and here it is:

taken from across the room

see how dark the top became after much bungling on my part?

this is the colour the whole thing was supposed to be, the drawers here have only one coat and would have been finished with an extra coat of clear gloss, but the rest of the piece was already two coats darker :(