28. The End Is In Sight!

After a few hiccups we think things should be on track for handover this week. 

Let's hope so anyway, as the flooring is starting on Tuesday and we are really under pressure now to move out of our rental and also to be settled before Christmas. 

So much to do but at least I have started the shopping!

It is all about priorities :)

I was talking to my SIL today about some of the things we have been doing to get ready for the new place and people have asked about my obsession with wooden chairs.  So I thought I would share a few projects that we have been working on. 

We have a beautiful old table for the kitchen that has been in our family for well over a hundred years but unfortunately we don't have matching chairs. 

This is where my obsession has come from.  Over the last two years we have steadily collected from the verge pick ups, Gumtree, Ebay, OP Shops or been given- (thanks Chantelle) a selection of wooden chairs.   All different.

The idea, (which has yet to come to fruition so the jury is still out whether it is a good idea or not) has been to collect the chairs and then paint them all the same colour (they are all different styles and types of wood) so that they look like a set, albiet a mismatched set. 

Each chair has been sanded down before painting, some have been absolutely beautiful wood and it has seemed a shame but the colours are just too different.  After painting they have been rubbed back (for a shabby finish) and varnished. 

Some have even been upholstered...some are still waiting to be upholstered.

This is a sample of one of the chairs after sanding...aaah.  I always forget to take before photos as I am too eager to get started once we make a find.

Some of the selection of chairs piled up in our lounge. 

The colours look a bit weird because of the flash perhaps.

Anyway, this has kept us busy and may prove to be a really individual feature or a big waste of time.

 If they look silly or crazy..I guess they can go back to the verge or Good Sammies.

Some more "projects"

In our last home we had a lot of pictures in wooden frames, many painted by the kids.  Being a big softy I can't bare to part with them all so I have given a few frames a work out with the spray can. 

We shall see how this looks...still a little undecided.

Today we have been madly sanding away a few pieces.

This ugly old bench seat is currently undergoing a transformation to change it from rickety blue with spiders,  to ... well we shall have to wait and see. 

Another verge find that is going to be repurposed and a new home. 

This little table was covered in thick yellow varnish when we bought it for a song at a secondhand store.  

 I conned ,  bribed,  begged,  asked Craig to sand it down for me..here it is half done

 (I always forget to take before pictures). 

He has done a fantastic job and it is looking gorgeous. 

I am hoping that this table can take up residence in our entryway.

Way back in probably January, I came across two chairs during a verge collection in Bullcreek, perfect for the verandah I thought!   Both were painted in several coats of paint with an olive green on the outer layer.  I was hoping to restore them to natural wood but after stripping them back it seems that one had been exposed to the elements more than the other so they were different colours.  Luckily I love white and so they both got that "shabby chic" treatment.

There have been a few other little bits and pieces but as I am so impatient I forget to take photos.

Two cupboards from Uncle Bill's have been given new life.  One looks like a bathroom cabinet and the other a buffet, both were out in a shed sans spider and rat poo. 

 They needed lots of work and took weeks before being finished with lavender wax to get them smelling sweet again.

Another verge find but I am not sure what to do with it... I love wooden boxes but not sure about a metal ammo box. 
I think this is destined for the garage sale.

One last pic of our little Lily who watches patiently and brings her ball for a play while we paint and sand.