Auction Chicken-Out, Craigslist Treasure, and a Cuddle of Cavaliers

We set off on Saturday morning, with all good
intentions of bidding ourselves cuckoo
at an auction 'way out in the Jersey boondocks.

We drove through beautiful countryside, 

 passing farms, horses, cattle, mansions . . . .

 and barns!

and finally got to the auction location.
(Full disclosure: it was only a 45 minute ride from That Old House.)

But then, we left.

It was very crowded.  The odds of getting really excellent

bargains at a heavily-attended auction are slim.

I need bargains, because I re-sell them.

So, home we toddled.  And instead, cleaned out closets in our bedroom.

Bonus: several big bags of clothing to donate!

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There's always Craigslist.

My almost-never-fail source.

Last week, a small French chest of drawers caught my eye;

I contacted the seller, and bought it for $44.

(Yes, an odd number; don't ask.)

It's veneered in what may be satinwood, but I'm no wood expert.

It is old, with handcut dovetails and thicker veneers than modern furniture.

Plus, it speaks to me of being old.  I feel it.

 (No jokes about "it takes one to know one," okay?)

It has issues.  Lots of missing bits of veneer.

I kinda fell in love with it.

These are before pictures:

Before: Chipped veneer, scratches, blobs of old candle wax . . . isn't it gorgeous?
Even its dirt has character.  :-)

Before: Well, maybe not all of it is gorgeous!

So this brings us to yesterday.

Before: Great lines!  And the brasses, and the original locks, still in place.
I love the cockbeading (I am not being rude),
which is secured around the drawers with teeny tiny nails.

As I have neither the skills nor the patience to

do real repairs to her, it was a lick-and-a-promise job.

See any difference?

This is an after:

I got rid of the dust, cobwebs, and (thankfully dead) spiders, and carefully

scraped off the candle wax lumps with my poor fingernails.

After cleaning her with a mild furniture cleaner and soft rag,

I massaged the old gal with Old English Scratch Cover,

which is pure magic for disguising, well, scratches.

Looking better, don't you think?

Still "boo-boos" on the top of the piece, but it was in such rough shape up there
that I'm okay with what is there now.  I'll settle.
(The cloudy stuff is sun glare through the big sunroom windows.)

I didn't take the brasses off, but just rubbed them clean(er).

I'll do a better spiffing up, someday.  Stop laughing.

I think Fifi LeChest is pleased that she no longer looks

like something that the cat drug in.

She's a long way from perfect, and that's just fine.

Today I'll wax her, being very careful not to 

yank off more veneer by mistake.  Ouch.

She's staying right here at That Old House,

no sales tag for her.

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Speaking of perfect . . . Mr. Dylan DiPoochy has a new ritual:
morning snuggles with Gilda The Red. 

 Our sunroom is blindingly bright in the mornings, and warm, and

Gilda loves to tuck herself into a corner of this loveseat for a good snooze.

Now, most mornings, she has company.

Since Dylan usually loves to tease his "big sister," this is A Good Thing.

In the old days, he'd have jumped on top of

her - several times - just to be a brat.  Yay for change.  :-)  -- Cass

Link Parties!

Linda's Coastal Charm is the place to be for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays.  Click here!

Marty at A Stroll Through Life hosts Inspire Me Tuesday.  Click here.

And I'm a bit late, but I'm hopping onto Susan's Metamorphosis Monday,

at Between Naps On The Porch.  Click here!
And a new, to me anyway, Link Party:
We Call It "Olde" at the We Call It Junkin' blog.  Click here!