Second Chapter Restorations

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Second Chapter Restorations

I make old things new. This may be furniture or beautiful home decor. Everything and everyone deserves a second chance!

09/02/2026

COLOR MATCHING
I really do not like veneer, especially when it won’t stay put 🥴. I have a VERY cool project I am working on. I didn’t realize when I purchased it how many chips there were in the veneer. I know now.
Normally I would just say, “forget it!” And paint the thing. BUT I just cannot paint this “thing.” So I filled the spots missing the veneer and got to work on trying to match it to the color I had paint washed.
This is NEVER easy. It took about three different attempts to get something close to matching. Part of the problem is that the paint tends to dry darker than it initially appears. Finally on my third attempt it went on “too light” and the dried pretty close to the target.
It isn’t perfect but I do believe I will be able to save this original wood!

08/31/2026

TWO OR ONE??
This gorgeous, hundred year old vanity just became MINE! I am in love. The details. The history. I love IT ALL!
That said, I need your advice.
While this is an incredible piece, I am wondering if it is something that people in THIS century would still use? Will I refinish it only to find out there is no market today for something like this?
Some of you may recall the incredible antique low boy with mirror that I refinished more than a year ago. It is a piece that took me HOURS of pain-staking work. And it came out beautifully!
Almost everyone who comes into my studio comments on how beautiful it is and how much “they wish they had a place for it.” And yet it remains in my studio. It remains because it doesn’t fit our modern needs. It is beautiful, but not practical. People have their full-length mirrors. What they need is storage. And that beauty just doesn’t have a lot of it.
Which brings me back to today. Do you think this piece cleaned up will have a home in the 21st century? Or would it be wiser to turn it into two side tables as I have done in the past? Please share your thoughts. I need them!

08/27/2026

DISTRESSED
I got this toy chest over a month ago. It had been very clearly loved. The feet were coming off, there was only one latch holding the top on, and it had no hinges at all. It was dirty and covered in cobwebs, and in some places it looked like a kid had come at it with a hammer again and again 🙃.
These are the moments when I’m thankful that “distressed” furniture is a thing! Instead of trying to sand and sand and sand it out, I could just removed the finish and call it distressed. And it’s actually quite lovely that way!
The biggest headache on this piece was installing new hinges. For some reason my brain could not comprehend the instructions on how to properly install them. In fact, after SEVERAL failed attempts with some other hinges (whose “instructions” were far worse than those good old IKEA ones), I ended up buying a different set I thought might be “simpler” to install.
It took a while. They were simplER, but by no means SIMPLE. Yet I am proud of myself for persevering. And I am grateful that the toddlers whose home this went to yesterday will be safer with these soft close hinges installed.

08/25/2026

WHEN IN ROME
This weekend I made an unexpected and last minute trip to Boston to check out a possible cottage 🤞🏻🤞🏻. I had to make the visit a little longer than it needed to be in order to use air miles and not pay an insane price. Since I had a couple extra days AND free checked bags with my Delta credit card, you better bet I brought an extra bag to bring back some thrifted treasures!

08/21/2026

TOO DARNED HOT!
I spent the first 35 years of my life in the Northeast. Summer break began near the end of June and ended somewhere around Labor Day. You went back to school when summer was over.
Though I have lived here in Georgia for 11 years now, and all of my kids have experienced nothing but Georgia school calendars, it still surprises me when school starts, I step outside and it is still flaming hot!
While my mind knows that here in Georgia we often have two more months of summer weather after school starts, my body and soul just can’t comprehend how this could be.
My kids started back to school two weeks ago. This signaled to me that I should get back to work on my furniture. BUT, the weather is just too hot to imagine myself willingly stepping outside, putting a heavy respirator on and spending hours sanding.
So for now I’m sticking with smaller projects, allowing myself to focus on my volunteer obligations and painting those items that just need a light sanding. Hopefully fall will come early this year, because this girl truly does want to get back to work!

08/19/2026

ART AS LOVE
I received a heart-breaking text from a friend Sunday morning. A dear friend shared the sad news that completely unexpectedly they were having to put down their beloved 14 year old horse after learning his body had been ravaged by a very rare cancer. They were all devastated.
Knowing how hard it was to say goodbye to two sweet old boys who weren’t even my own two weeks back I couldn’t even imagine how deep their pain was for this beloved member of their family.
As I sat in church and prayed I thought about what I could do. I had offered to bring dinner, but she said that had plenty of leftovers. And then I thought of three things:
1) the pictures I had taken of Meeko
2) the thrifted plaque I had painted the week before to use “sometime”
3) the poem our barn intern had sent me after we said goodbye to Brownie and Red.
And this was the result. I can only pray it brings this sweet family the slightest bit of comfort.

08/17/2026

THE PERKS OF BEING SELF-EMPLOYED
While working in my shop truly feeds my soul, there are times when I just can’t get in there as often as I would like. The last couple of weeks have been a season like that.
Those of you who know my IRL likely know that if I’m not at the gym, in my shop or at a school or our church I am likely “at the barn.” What started as a volunteer stint has turned into a passion and ultimately led me to join the board of a local nonprofit where I represent our therapeutic riding program.
Over the years my investment has grown deeper and deeper, as has my time commitment. While I was mostly able to step away during our family vacation, when I returned home, I returned to the busiest season yet.
In the past few weeks, we had to say goodbye to two beloved horses, prepare and lead a volunteer training, host a work day, interview for a new barn manager, and onboard that new manager. It has been a LOT! But I know it’s a season and I know all the hard work will be worth it in a few weeks when I get to see our amazing riders (all with various disabilities) walk through the doors of the barn again.
And it makes me grateful for a job that I can put on pause when life demands it. I won’t let anyone down and I can always come back for as little or as much as I want.

08/14/2026

FINDING HOME
This week members of this group were able to welcome two Second Chapter Restorations into their homes!
Darby saw promise in the dirty, but study, bookshelf I found. She jumped in and asked for a certain color and I was happy to deliver!
Alicia saw Mr. Duck in the collection of vacation treasures and believed in her heart he was meant to be a part of her family.
So, who needs a bedroom set? 😉 I have this solid wood dresser and nightstand I’m going to be getting ready to refinish next week. If you are interested in claiming it and designing it, let me know! The tops on these can likely be sanded down and finished with the wood stain of your choice!

08/12/2026

One of the VRBO’s we stayed at on our trip was a great house in Waterford, Connecticut just steps from a little beach. The house was perfect for our family and our Bestie family of 4 who came from Philly to join us for a few days.
When I walked into our bathroom I couldn’t decide if I should give a 🎉 or a 🥴. Here are some pictures of the dresser they had in there. This was clearly a DIY, gone….
On the one hand, if they had put a little more effort in:
* an extra coat or blue paint in the details
* some tape to keep lines straight
* doublechecking to make sure your whales were right-side-up
Just a little more attention to details could have gone a long way.
But on the other hand, they TRIED! They decided to give refinishing a shot. They said yes to creativity.
So while it hurts my heart a little to say it, “way to go Waterford VRBO!”

08/10/2026

FOSTERING CREATIVITY
As I mentioned before, I visited quite a few thrift stores while we were on vacation in New England. But THIS ONE was something I had never seen before.
Residing in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Creative Chaos Emporium focused completely on fostering the arts and creativity FOR ALL by reselling donated arts and crafts supplies as prices that people can afford.
I could have spent hours in this shop, and my daughter could has gotten TWO huge bags of yarn instead of just the one.
If you live in the greater Boston area or know any crafters who are I’d encourage you to check them out!
Creative Chaos Emporium

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Fayetteville, GA

Website

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/profile/792847500/?ref=permalink&mibextid=6ojiHh

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