I visited a wonderful gal yesterday that is helping her grandparents clean out a granary on their farm. She reports it was the building where the whole family put their junk they didn’t want anymore. Those are my kinda places! She hauled a load home and told me to pick out what I wanted.
As I become a ahem… more experienced picker, I scour the pieces for damage even beyond my repair. She had this desk that looking from afar, was super cute and a size that isn’t so gi-normous. BUT, the top was some kind of laminate or formica?? and the piece was made of (boo) particle board. Looking at the bottom, the particle board was swelled up with water damage. In the past I would have taken it, feeling bad for the gal because she didn’t want it either, but I turned that piece down.
So I loaded up a copper boiler with that beautiful green patina, 2 tubs of old jars, which I have big plans for, an old smallish farm table. She was so nice and was helping me load stuff too. We settled up what I owed her, then she says, “Could you use the drawers? I think my boys will just burn this desk anyway…. ” Sure, I can take free stuff, at least there were drawer handles that I could possibly reuse.
I got back to the shop yesterday and its funny, sometimes creativity speaks to me. In this case these drawers told me to repurpose them. Ok, I’ve seen that before. I did buy some new spray paint called satin lagoon that is this gorgeous teal. I primed and spray painted the two 10 inch wide drawers, the whole drawer inside and out and the really wide one, I just did the face plate. I added some word art to all, which I have been struggling with, distressed them, which makes any blunders in the word art disappear. I added a little ribbon to where the drawer pulls were. They will make nice little storage somewhere. The nicest part was the drawers were REAL wood, none of that particle board garbage!
This project was easy and free!!
The other desk drawer was a very wide and big one. I didn’t think anyone would like that for a storage piece. I already painted it. So I cut the front plate off…
So I asked my son to get the saw for me and he grabs me a reciprocating saw… overkill, leave it to a guy!!
Just cut along the edges, there were no nails or staples, so easy cutting. Then flip it over to cut the bottom edge. Then I got to use my new rubber mallet, gave the back plate a WHAP, and the plate went flying. (it’s being distressed anyway) Maybe just see that it lands somewhere it doesn’t break.
Now there is a really nice wall sign that has the beveled edges and everything! For free!!
It was a simple project with 3 pieces I can sell in my shop that didn’t take $ or much effort! Happy junking!
