Not all she was cracked up to be

This piece was posted at a good price, so I raced the Mazda three towns over to be the first to pick her up.  Caught up in my haste, enthusiasm and hunger, I didn't really take a good look at her before I loaded her into the Mazda, a rookie mistake, I know. 
 

 
No, it wasn't until I got her home that I realized she was going to need some cosmetic surgery to make her stage worthy.
 

 
I slowly set to work in between coats of painting our house and gradually she was ready to be painted.  I sanded the entire piece down and opted for a soft romantic feel using 'Cottage Paint' clay and chalk paint.  I added some green and gray tint to my beige paint and this beautiful soft colour was the result.

 
I think the original hardware is adorable, all I did was kiss it with a bit of paint to soften it up.

 
A close up shot which shows some of the paint strokes, I used wax as a top coat on this piece because I was happy for that smudgy 'aged' imperfect look.  Just clear, no dark.

 
I added the distressed gray and white chevron pattern for a touch of whimsy, and kissed the knobs with the same green as the body.

 

 
I made sure all the veneer was glued down firmly with wood glue and clamps, you know how old veneer can bubble and ripple.  But I wasn't overly concerned about making sure the veneer was perfectly smooth.  Its an old piece, she's bound to have a few wrinkles.

 

The flowers are real, peonies.  We got them at Easter, lord knows where they were grown, it certainly wasn't anywhere near this freezing cold wasteland.  Spring is sure taking its time this year.

 



 

 
The before.  I removed the top piece for a more contemporary feel.