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Monday, January 9, 2012

A New Old Chest, House Projects and Writing Projects

We bought this chest of drawers in the summer, thinking to use it in the new log room when we get it built. So the chest was stored out in the garage. The cats found it made a nice perch to view the world and their prints up the sides made me realize the garage wasn't ideal storage. And we had nowhere else to put it--except inside our already crowded house.



I started rearranging in the bedroom yesterday and I am really happy with the result.


Oddly, it feels like we have more space in the bedroom now. Formerly there was a chair and ottoman in this corner, along with a nightstand. The chair moved to the kitchen and the rocker that was in the kitchen moved to the living room. A small chair and the laundry hamper  are in the corner where the bigger chair was, leaving room for the new chest.

It's not really new of course. The lady we got it from said her mother bought the chest, a dresser with a mirror and a bed as a set in the 1930's. She kept the dresser and mirror and I bought the bed and the chest.

I was hooked when I saw these drawers inside the doors:


As you can see, we've already put them to use!

I'd like to move the bed in and replace our bed too. I've had the same bed, believe it or not, since I was first married in 1968. I am so tired of it--but it's a perfectly good maple spindle bed so I've just kept it even though I have never particularly liked it. I will move it into the new log room--I love the bed that goes with this chest and can't wait to make the change. Now I just need a new/old dresser to replace the maple one I've had for lo these many years.

Here's how I decorated the top of the dresser:



My mother (in the photo with my father) would have loved this feminine display.

We found this lamp, and another of a similar design, in the first log cabin we moved. Larry rewired them both.

That, and cleaning up the mess from moving furniture, was part of today's projects. I've also been reorganizing my "eBay room" and have made some progress towards containing that mayhem. I still have a lot to do to get it to the place I'd like it to be, and it may require some major shelf-building, but it's more manageable now. That project spilled over to closet reorganization--one things always leads to another, doesn't it?

Tonight is writing night, because writer's group meets tomorrow. I am working on a story that may become a novel--it seems to be spinning out--and a short story that may become a one-act play. Again, one thing leads to another. In the first story, two people show up at a graveyard and claim to be grandchildren of the deceased. But are they? And if they are not, why do they claim kinship? In the second story, a man gets on an elevator to find it already occupied by a vacuum sweeper with attitude. (That one was suggested by a writing prompt and a Facebook post by a former co-worker.)

So, I'm off now to the land of make-believe.

17 comments:

  1. Great minds, Granny Sue! I have pictures in my dining room that are very similar to your lamp!! Isn't that a hoot?? You must have taken care of me when I was a mere babe!! Can't wait for the novel, it sounds very intriguing!!

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  2. How funny, Liz! I have to admit the lamps aren't really my style but they seem to fit so well in my bedroom that I've come to like them very much. The other one is a deep rose color with roses as the decoration. I thought of you and your cabinets as I worked to squeeze this one in :)

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  3. I don't remember on what! but I remember that picture on that lamp..from way back long ago..either I had something like that or my mom did..nice relics.

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  4. I really do like that chest. The drawers inside would have had me hooked too.

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  5. I live in a log house and have two pieces that are similar to yours in vintage and style, complete with inner drawers. In my opinion, you have a real find there! Good choice!

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  6. Also, good luck with the writing. Again, similarly, I promised myself that tomorrow I would work on an almost finished young adult manuscript.

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  7. I don't know if you knew but your Granny had her own way of dispelling the blues, which was to move all the furniture around! Then she would sit down with a cup of tea and a big smile to survey her handiwork. She would have loved that table-top display too.

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  8. I really like that chest of drawers! I like the sound of both the stories you're working on as well especially the one with the grandchildren.

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  9. I didn't know that, John. I seldom move my furniture, but when I do, I have to admit it gives a good feeling of change to the house, and a good deal of satisfaction to me.

    Rowan, I wrote chapters 2 and 3 last night. It's coming along. It always intrigues me how characters come to life as I write. Where do they come from? I really have no idea.

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  10. We've got a lot in common, Ronda :) I'd like to read your manuscript sometime. Do you have a writers group that you work with?

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  11. That chest of drawers is lovely. I believe is was quality furniture when new. I bought a three bedroom set with a similar chest of drawers about (dare I say) 40 years ago from an old man who came from a wealthy family. He told me that when he came home from the war (WWI) his Mother had bought him the three piece set for his bedroom.Now as an old man he was parting with it. I didn't keep it. A friend liked it so much I gave it to her. Nice post -- barbara

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  12. I love your dresser. We recently put an old vanity and dresser in our bedroom (they were part of Charley's parents first bedroom set) So we now have a bedroom set and a half in our bedroom. I have been doing a lot of rearranging lately, too. Glad to see that you are making that 'twilight zone' short story into a play :o)

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  13. I just LOVE your new/old dresser and am glad it is working well in your bedroom! And, how nice that you are writing, as well. The story sounds really good.

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  14. Love the chest. We have a bedroom set from the 30's. It has painted flowers on the headboard and footboard. It's four poster, cherry, I think. Love it. We got it at a flea market in Cols 10 yrs ago. I was surprised at the good shape it was in. Someone loved the set, apparently and we do too.
    Why do we love old stuff? Don't know but we do.
    Now, we're getting old too and feel very comfortable with it all.
    Blessings for sharing. Barb

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  15. I love the lamp! My 94 year old Dad has a very similar one. One time when he was wanting to discuss his estate, I told him the only thing I wanted was that lamp. He thought I was nuts!

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  16. I love that lamp! It's beautiful!

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