Second Chapter Restorations

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

SOLID SUZIESThis set was a fun and easy flip. They were nice solid wood, but the wood wasn’t pretty enough to warrant a ...
06/17/2026

SOLID SUZIES
This set was a fun and easy flip. They were nice solid wood, but the wood wasn’t pretty enough to warrant a full strip of the former stain. So I decided to go with this peacock inspired blue. Since the drawers had some staining I added the drawer liners and the fun, modern champagne pulls I had used previously on some other nightstands I painted the same color. Grateful that these two went quickly and at asking price. The buyers were a sweet young couple who commented how much nicer these were than the junk they were looking at on Amazon. Two more happy customers and two LESS pieces of furniture in a landfill. 😊 🌍

BEFORE AND… AFTER…?This is truly the first time this has ever happened to me. I saw this side table on Marketplace and t...
06/16/2026

BEFORE AND… AFTER…?
This is truly the first time this has ever happened to me. I saw this side table on Marketplace and thought it would be a good match for a singleton I have that hasn’t sold yet. I purchased it and brought it home. But when I placed it next to what I thought would be its partner, it wasn’t really a great match.
Still, I thought I could make it work. So I went to strip the top. I put on the stripper, covered it with plastic wrap and came back an hour later. I was hoping for that beautiful moment when all the stain and sealer bubbles up so you can get a glimpse at the wood. But there were no bubbles, because this was not a true wood top.
The color wasn’t close enough to match the intended bride, so I had a decision to make. As I cleaned up the top and took a good look at the piece, it really was in great condition. There were no scratches or chips or anything. So the restoration process concluded right then and there. And just a little staging made me a few bucks on the flip that was a flop.

FINALLY YOUR TIME!This beautiful vintage chifferobe has been waiting SO patiently for so many months. I knew it would be...
06/12/2026

FINALLY YOUR TIME!
This beautiful vintage chifferobe has been waiting SO patiently for so many months. I knew it would be a big project and I kept getting quick ones so I just kept saying, “I’ll get to you next.” Well, next finally came and I instantly regretted my decision.
Because this thing is a BEAST and real estate in the basement does not come cheap, I left this one on the covered patio and sadly, the dampness got to it. By the time it was its turn, some of the structural wood along with the top had warped, so it required even more time and effort than it should have.
The original owner was very excited to see what I would do with it so I just couldn’t bring myself to repaint it. It took SO MUCH sanding, but it really was worth it. The wood grain is beautiful and diverse and really does make for a one of a kind piece. While it is for sale, I know that something like this, on its brand new wheels would make a perfect addition to our imaginary, dream that it may be so someday New England cottage. So either way, all of the hours will be worth it.

A CRAFTY INTERLUDEThe start of our Georgia summer has been thoroughly… Georgia! You know- some days in the 70s followed ...
06/11/2026

A CRAFTY INTERLUDE
The start of our Georgia summer has been thoroughly… Georgia! You know- some days in the 70s followed by others in the 90s. Usually a sweat it out in the mornings, take my shower and then try and do things inside. This was one of my inside things to do.
I can’t remember what it was that got me wanting a hidden book box a year or so ago, but it was something! I looked on Etsy and they were like $100! I definitely was not going to pay that. So I thought, “maybe I could make that.” 🤔
I found some ideas on Pinterest, busted out the saw, decoupage, some books and a box from the thrift store and got to work. Like most things, I learned a lot from my first attempts and found a “recipe” that worked. I have had 4 more boxes sitting in my craft closet so the other week I went book hunting and got back to business.
While many book lovers find my destruction blasphemous, my hope is that had I not saved and repurposed the books they would have ended up in a landfill. Just let me believe this 😉.
Anyway, I love the result. These are perfect for your open bookshelves to hold your remotes or decks of cards or really anything!

A SANDER’S DREAMWhen I saw this beauty on the Buy Nothing page I could already feel the sander between me and all that w...
06/09/2026

A SANDER’S DREAM
When I saw this beauty on the Buy Nothing page I could already feel the sander between me and all that wood! It was dinged up something special and the finish was quite uneven, BUT it was nothing but solid wood!
I went through all the grits on the top and moved to the base. Unfortunately the woods were different and the beauty of the top did not continue from there. It also was a very hard wood so sanding would have taken a very long time to get it looking gorgeous. So I decided that the two tone look would work just fine.
I originally toyed with going with white or black, but finally landed on this gorgeous charcoal gray I don’t use all that much. I think it came out to be quite a beauty.

NOTE TO SELF“Use your brain!If she says the dresser is heavy…If she says you have to bring it down stairs…If you notice ...
06/05/2026

NOTE TO SELF
“Use your brain!
If she says the dresser is heavy…
If she says you have to bring it down stairs…
If you notice the drawer slides are not ones you are familiar with…
And if your son you plan to bring is not exactly a weight lifter AND almost a foot taller than you…
JUST SAY NO!”
That’s what I will tell myself NEXT TIME. It was a free dresser with lots of potential and just one drawer that wasn’t sliding well. And it was FREE! But then we got there….
It WAS heavy and I didn’t know how to get the drawers out without breaking them. We didn’t have a ton of stairs to get down, but they decimated us. Bangs, bruises, cuts, and a full blown respiratory episode as we held the dresser stuck in the doorway. We also broke two MORE drawer slides in the process.
It’s not always worth it. But it’s here now. So I guess I’m going to learn about yet another type of drawer slide. And I have to believe in the end it will be beautiful, and it will be worth it. And I will be using the hand truck to get it to the driveway for the next owner 😉.

BACK TO VINYLA sweet friend texted me the other week telling me her parents were getting rid of this cabinet and wanting...
06/03/2026

BACK TO VINYL
A sweet friend texted me the other week telling me her parents were getting rid of this cabinet and wanting to know if I would like it. Well, the answer to that will OBVIOUSLY be yes!
The back needed to be replaced, the door pulls brought back to life and just a lot of cleaning and touch up, but she is now as good as new and OH so beautiful!
She is a mid-century Record cabinet, which I love. But I thought it could be used in other ways as well. BUT then a working vintage record player turntable popped up on Facebook and I thought it was meant to be. The player itself had that lovely faux wood laminate that was peeling all over so instead of using a lot of wood glue and clamps and praying that would be enough I decided to remove it all and put a slick coat of black paint on it.
I really wish I had some vinyl myself to enjoy this duo, but I’m hoping someone else out there might 🙂.

ANOTHER LABOR OF LOVEAs I noted before, a few weeks ago I was slammed with challenges. I picked up two very old dressers...
06/01/2026

ANOTHER LABOR OF LOVE
As I noted before, a few weeks ago I was slammed with challenges. I picked up two very old dressers that looked a lot better in pictures than they did up close. The green one I painted took a lot of TLC, but THIS one was on another level!
The fact that this dresser was able to be saved was practically a miracle. Drawer bottoms were replaced. The back was replaced. Structure had to be secured. Drawer slides were adjusted. And that’s BEFORE even thinking about closing up and drilling new holes for cabinet pulls.
For a brief moment I thought about adding to the insanity by sanding down to pure wood. But when I tested out some spots, the wood wasn’t as beautiful as I had hoped, which was in all honesty a relief given what sanding down those detailed edges would have required.
When deciding on a color, the details seemed quaint to me and I could see it in a nursery, a child’s room, or a sweet little cottage. So I went with this London color that I just love. The color and mood also seemed perfect to go with this timeless bird and tree wallpaper I recently bought.
I finished it just as I brought these two little nightstands into the shop and I decided that they would be nice little companions. Thankfully, these two had few issues, which was a welcome gift after the HOURS spend on their companion. I love how this mini set turned out and I can’t wait to see where it ends up!

THIS IS ALSO ADHDYes, the ADHD can be chaotic and frustrating and messy. It definitely is not as efficient as I would li...
05/29/2026

THIS IS ALSO ADHD
Yes, the ADHD can be chaotic and frustrating and messy. It definitely is not as efficient as I would like it to be. BUT, I also believe it is one of the keys to my success doing the work of repurposing and restoration. The ADHD brain is creative. The ADHD brain often thinks outside the box. The ADHD brain craves beauty and novelty. The ADHD brain often finds solutions to problems that others don’t. The ADHD brain often tries before thinking, which definitely CAN end poorly, but luckily can also end really well. I had a job in college stapling fabric swatches to catalogs. It was literally painful to my brain. This, on the other hand is exciting! I can work when I feel like it, doing what I feel like doing in whatever way I want. It truly is an amazing gift!

THIS IS ADHDPicture #1: I’m sure there are some people who do this work who complete one project before starting the ne...
05/27/2026

THIS IS ADHD
Picture #1: I’m sure there are some people who do this work who complete one project before starting the next. I am not those people. No, often at one time I will have 4-5 different pieces on my “work patio.” Part of it is wanting to do like tasks at the same time (sanding, repair, etc). Part of it is that my brain often likes to have options. Some days I just need to do what sparks my interest.
Picture #2: you all know the old adage: “measure twice, cut once.” Well, for my brain it is more like measure 5 times and hope that when you cut you get it right. Last week I needed to cut 6 drawer bottoms for various projects. I had a huge board of underlay to work from and the puzzle almost felt like too much. If you look closely you will see how many mistakes I initially made. I am thankful I worked in pencil.
Picture #3: the MESS! While my brain loves problem solving, that often means bringing a ton of tools to the table. Unfortunately once I’m done I just want to be done. Cleaning up isn’t fun so it is extra hard to do. Sometimes the best I can do is pull everything to a common space that is HOPEFULLY under cover in case it rains. The good news is that usually within a few days my brain requires order and I am motivated to put things away.

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