Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Vintage Stool Makeover

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I bought this sweet little wooden handmade stool at an auction, I think it was $20, but I really liked the size and the style.  It has approximately 412 layers of paint on it, ranging from pale green to aqua to dark green to white. 
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It had some great crackling, but there were several spots where it looked like some kind of stripper had been dropped on it.
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I tried to strip it but only got about the first 50 layers of paint off, at that point I gave up and sanded the heck out of it.  Well, that didn’t work so well either, so eventually I just caved in and painted it, just right over the top of everything ugly.  Love this hand hole for picking the stool up and moving it…it is such a petite hole only 2 of my fingers fit in there!
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I used an off white and then glazed it with a brown/grey Valspar glaze.  Some of the original crackling showed through and I am really loving the way it turned out.
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The cool thing is that it has some writing on the underside, which had never been painted. Looks like a name there and the date 1917, in an old time script. 
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I am linking to these great parties!

Signature

22 comments:

Mindie Hilton said...

Very cute stool.

Donna Wilkes said...

I adore this stool especially that it is signed. Thank heavens you did not paint over that. I have seen hundreds of different stools, but never one with such a decorative handhold. Came over from Creative Princess.

Distressed Donna Down Home

Teje Karjalainen said...

Looks beautiful! You did great job! How exiting to know that it's so old! x Teje

Little City Farm said...

I love how this turned out. Isn't it amazing how many times a single item can be painted, lol. Thanks for sharing at our party this week.

chateau chic said...

What a sweet stool. Love the little curvy legs!
Mary Alice

Cynthia said...

Your stool is just so cute! I really love the signature on the bottom... you definitely don't see that every day!

Unknown said...

Love this! I’ve pinned it to my DIY board and would love for you to share on our Creative Corner Blog Hop. It starts on Monday’s and is open all week - http://hollysstampingaddiction.blogspot.com/2012/05/creative-corner-blog-hop_28.html
I have a little stool from kindergarden It's basic compared to yours. We got to paint them and the teacher wrote our names on the bottom, It is the oldest thing I posess from my childhood. It sure could use a paint job, I've used it to paint and it has some scratch marks my sis put in it. Thanks for the flashback :)
Holly
http://hollysstampingaddiction.blogspot.com/

Sam I Am...... said...

Too cute! And I love crackling too. But the best thing is that signature on the bottom. I was just watching Little House on the Prairie last night and it was talking about the furniture that Charles Ingle made and there is still some out there with his initials burned into the wood. Wouldn't THAT be something if we found a piece like that? Yours is pretty darn close!

Claire @ a little something in the meantime . . . said...

This looks fantastic - 52 layers of paint and all!

I have an old stool from my grandparents' house that was rescued from the garbage. It definitely needs a makeover so I am happy to find more inspiration :)

Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate said...

What a great find and your transformation of it is perfect.

Maureen Wyatt said...

Love the writing on the stool. It turned out great and what's one more layer of paint! ~ Maureen

Jill said...

Oh wow! What a great find Ellen! I think I would have given up stripping the layers back long before you did too!! :)


Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

Beth said...

So nice! great job!

Unknown said...

Wow! Great work, Ellen! Furniture redos still intimidate me, lol. So glad you shared this one at Shine on Fridays!

Marilyn said...

LOVE this Ellen, so creative and chic.. Very nice!!! Thanks SO much for linking to Pin'Inspirational Thursday.. Really hope you are back again this week.. xo~ Marilyn

Six Sisters said...

Great job on the stool. It looks amazing! We are so glad you joined our "Strut Your Stuff Saturday". We love to see all of the great recipes and ideas!! Thanks and we hope to see you again next week! -The Sisters

Amy said...

That is fantastic Ellen! Love it

Liz @ Quirky Vistas said...

1917? The year of my sweet 94 year old mother's birth. Love it and that it has that cool lettering on the underside.
Liz

Cassie Bustamante said...

so cute! i love that little cutout!

Vanessa L Real said...

Seu blog é lindo, Parabéns!
Adorei!
Bjinhos.

www.quadrosvintage.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for linking up to Ta-Da Tuesday

~Misty
413 Sparrow Lane

Taylor @ Pink Heels Pink Truck said...

Thank you for linking up last week to my Unveil Your Genius link party! I featured you! :) I hope you'll link up again soon!

http://taylornorris.blogspot.com/2012/06/unveil-your-genius-link-party-14.html