Are We There Yet? {and other things your kids say in the car} roadside rescue makeover{29}

Last week my son was in a day camp and my daughter was home with me.  We got to hang out and spend some time together.  We didn’t really do anything crazy. . .  but it’s not just the two of us that often – so it was nice.  It just so happens that there were several one or two days that I happened to find some priceless junk on the side of the road.  She caught on quick.  Most of the time that we are in the car, she has her nose buried in a book – but she got to recognize the feeling of a quick U-Turn.  On the day that I picked up this little treasure, she felt the car turning around and said,

“Where ARE we?  Are you looking at stuff on the side of the ROAD again??”

Uh. . . Yes.

Today I am sharing a little makeover I did on some garbage that I found in a ditch.  Er. . .don’t tell anyone okay?

roadside rescue

Before I go and show you all of the pretty after pictures, how about a look at how it was when I picked it up?

roadside rescue

roadside rescue

roadside rescue

i think it was actually white (with green freckles?) at some point. that's the spot where i hit it with a little Mrs. Meyers. just for laughs.

Check this out. . .

roadside rescue

so bad. . .

roadside rescue

the legs were caked with mud. . .

So you can see there was a bit of work to be done, but the little chair is very strong and not at all rusty.  In case you are wondering – it is a full adult sized chair, but it has a very low back and that makes it look diminutive. . . like doll furniture – or one of those little chairs made from the wire on top of a champagne cork.

I took it all apart.  When I removed the moldy paper cover from the bottom?  Spiders and earwigs crawled out.  I’m not kidding.  I was thinking that maybe I was being silly and I should just put the whole thing out at the curb.  But I continued.  The seat came off and the metal part got a bath in my kitchen sink.  The hose (outside) would have been a much better idea (and easier) but it was dark out.  And I think skunks live on that side of the house where we keep the hose.

I bought this fabric specifically for this project.  I posted this picture on Facebook yesterday and I know some of you were waiting to see what it was for.

roadside rescue

the facebook shot. . .

 I love that so many of you commented on Facebook!   Okay, here is how it looked when I got it put back together.

roadside rescue

I painted the frame with a single coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Emperor’s Silk and another single coat of Old White.  I tried using a wet distress technique for the first time.  I’m not very happy with how that turned out but I think it might be a different story on a wooden piece.  We’ll see.

roadside rescue

I don’t know about you but this thing says “bathroom furniture” to me.  I took it upstairs to “my” bathroom and tried it out up there.  I think it looks perfect.  I even decided to whip up a couple of those little washcloths that I made recently, with the scraps of material I had left over.  I had just enough to make two.  I had several comments about the “baby” washcloths from grownups who thought they would like them for themselves.  So I made these for me.*

*okay.  in all honesty, i made them with the intention of giving them away in a little Facebook contest but they came out a little wonky.  i don’t mind wonky myself, but they’re a little too wonky for giving away!  i really am new at this sewing stuff.  I’m going to keep working on it!!

Here it is – up in the bathroom.

What do you think?

roadside rescue

roadside rescue

roadside rescue

can you see my wonky seams?

It was fun to take something so gross and make it look brand new again.  I doubt it ever looked this pretty before in it’s life!  I’m really in love with those red berries on that fabric – especially with the sky blue on the leaves.  I only bought a half yard and I may have to go back and get some more.

Do you pick up “garbage” off the side of the road?  Are your kids mortified?  For the record, mine are not.  But I definitely was my own mother used to pull this kind of stunt!  What’s your best roadside find?  Tell me about it!!

Linking this post to:

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Fabulous Friday Link Party at Doodles and Stitches

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

{air your laundry friday} at Freckled Laundry

Tutorials & Tips Link Party at Home Stories A 2 Z

Uncommonly Yours Link Party

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By Breida Category: Blog, Craft Tutorial, Photos, Salvaged Goods, sewing Tags: , , ,