This piece of furniture had been 'benched' for quite a while in my family room/project warehouse. The night before the show I decided it was tired of "watchin' it from the bench" and time to get in the game. It's a nice oak piece and sturdy as anything, I had hoped to maybe restore it to its original beauty, but, the clock was ticking (even though there's no clock in baseball) and "it was time to give this (game) a ride. Anyone can understand the way I feel." {this dialogue won't make sense until the end}
This color was invented by mixing several little neutral pots I had, along with some Tumbleweed and Driftwood. I love the 'little dart and egg' trim along the sides. I would guess the bench was made back when 'Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio' played ball.
I photocopied this reverse French lettered graphic from The Graphics Fairy a couple days prior. Don't ask me what it says, it's probably advertising some shoppe that sells marbles.
I marked off grain stripes with green or blue tape (not giving the name as I'm not getting any royalties). I painted between the tape with Driftwood Grey and gave it a quick glazing with Van Dyke Brown and several coats of poly. It was "ready to play".
I was pleased that Andrew and Jen snapped it up at the show. Maybe that "brown-eyed, handsome man" Jake will find it a good place to hide his "beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes".
~.~.~.~.~
This 'ice cream parlor chair' came from my friend, Sue. It had been stripped, but did not seem like it wanted a natural finish. It wanted to be French too. je t'aime. Seriously, the only French phrase I know is asking to go to the salle de bain (bathroom).
Pretend the background is the parking area for the Tour de France.
If I didn't already live on the world famous perfect name for a street, I would want to live on a street called the Rue St. Denis. Sweet.
~.~.~.~.~
On the keeping it 'slightly real' scene, here is a bench that was eager to get in the game, also. Asked to play "Centerfield", no less. It was going green. [Again, the staging person should be fired. Couldn't they move a thing or two around?]
It "took its lumps" and was stripped and sanded to get the top ready for a medium pecan finish.
It ended up with a distressed, Isle of Pine paint ("new grass on the field")
Some glazing and several coats of poly...
[The rustic patina'd antique welding torch is a nice prop-still available]
And this bench is rounding third and "headed for home."*
~.~.~.~.~
*Seeing as how there were two benches in today's post, I shamelessly abused lyrics from John Fogerty for this segue. Josie has been born into a HUGE baseball family. Jack's dad was the photographer for the Baltimore Orioles. Jack is the "J" of JSB Baseball, in case you are over 30 and looking for a fantasy BB adventure in Pirate City, FL. The family plays, coaches, and attends "any-kinda-baseball'. His man-cave should be on Cribs. Their yearly mecca is to Cooperstown. What Josie needs as a little incentive, is a baseball uniform. Who is going to get on that? Here are Bryan and Jessica, at Max and Blair's party in June. Love how happy they are.
Update from Bryan:
First of all thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
I have the medal, love it!
Josie does not have a "hole" in her heart...patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a condition in which the ductus arteriosus does not close. The word "patent" means open. The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel that allows blood to go around the baby's lungs before birth...thanks Google. This is typical of preemies and not an emergency. Josie needs this vessel to close so she can start feeding and growing. She will have a surgery early next week [August 26th-successful and back at St. Agnes LD]
Our nurses have told us that in the last 20 years they have not sent a baby for this procedure that did not come back. [Hooray Johns Hopkins!]
Please continue your prayers and overall, to bring her home!
You are wonderful and we thank you for your support!
Love,
Bryan, Jess, Luke and Josie
***
Add:
I talked to Therese tonight and the doctors are thrilled with Jo Jo's (Luke's name for his little sister) progress. She is off the ventilator and the eye mask is gone. Breast milk has been added to the feeding tube in her stomach every four hours. Jess got to hold her. Prayers are still needed, but thanks for all the ones you sent so far. Forever grateful.
As ever,
La Verne (hitting the showers)
hope&salvage
Jen tried to comment tonight, but this site refused to take it. I don't know why. Not sure what the equivalent of a reprimand is in baseball, but Knock it Off, Blogger Site!
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