Monday, September 29, 2008
Suncoast Woodcrafters Guild Meeting, September 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Furniture Refinishing Basics Seminar
If you live on the Sunshine Coast of B.C. and have an interest in learning some bare-bone basics about furniture stripping and refinishing, I want to tell you about a little evening seminar I'll be teaching for the Woodcrafter's Guild in September.
Entitled, “The Bare Bones of Furniture Refinishing / Applying a Spray Lacquer Finish” … it is a class for beginners and will include…
· A brief talk about supplies necessary and set up of the work area
· A brief demonstration of stripping an old finish off & preparing it for a new finish
· Preparation and staining
· Applying a new finish using canned lacquer spray
I intend on bringing a small furniture piece to demonstrate on, which means that you’ll get to see me actually demonstrating the process.
When? Tuesday evening, September 16th at 7:00pm
Where? Chatelech High School in the woodworking shop
There's no cost, except you may wish to become a member of the Guild, if you're not already. So, if you're interested in learning some basics and witnessing a transformation come and attend.
Warmly, Carolyn Clarke
http://furniturerejuvenation@blogspot.com
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A Kitchen Makeover
Below is the stack of cutlery drawers, caked and streaky with dirt and looking very lack-luster in colour.
How great it was to help this once beautiful kitchen to come alive again. We all know that kitchens are the most important selling point of a home in the real estate business. I am sure that my wood attention has helped make this home more appealing to potential buyers.
If you live locally and need help to bring your wood cabinats (doors, door frames, mantles, etc.) back to life, call me... I can probably help.
Warmly, Carolyn Clarke
Furniture Rejuvenator
604-885-8885
Sechelt, on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of B.C.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Chocolate Brown-Coloured Furniture Is "It" These Days!
Hi and welcome.
What an intensely busy few weeks I've had since I last wrote! I hope you're getting more time than I am to enjoy your summer. Mine has been filled with much concentrated work in our counselling business, at my other day job AND in my refinishing work. All good... I'm just a bit pooped out so I'll make this brief.
This blog post is really to brag... hope you don't mind. Below are photos of my latest furniture rejuvenation project. When I complete a furniture job and feel really good about it, I know I have done a good job. Being the perfectionist that I am, I am typically quick to find flaws with even some of my best work... not this time.
Before and after images definitely tell the story best of this diningroom suite. Stuck in "country mode" the owner of this table and chairs had me bring the table (and replacement square-shaped chairs) into the present age by darkening it to a brown-black, a now very popular colour ... all done over the old finish (which was in beautiful condition).
Have a look...
It's hard to tell that this is even the same table... but it IS!
(The chairs, which were also originally in the light oak colour also turned out richly gorgeous!)
P.S. This cost $750 vs. the $1500 - 1800 it would have cost to completely strip and refinish.
I can do this to update your "stuck-in-the-past" furniture... talk to me about it!
Warmly, Carolyn
your Furniture Rejuvenator
604-885-8885
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Preventing Wood Shrinkage and Splitting
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Silverware Cabinet Alive Again
How honoured I feel to have been asked to strip and refinish a lovely 100-year old family heirloom silverware cabinet recently. It was great-grandmother's pride and joy and had spent many years on the top of the diningroom cabinet. Over time, it began showing its age with a tired and patchy finish.
The once black feet were now mostly chipped and a chunk of wood was gouged out of the left front foot of the case. Inside the cabinet, the fuschia felt was dusty dirty and full of grit. "She'd" definitely seen better days!
Knowing that this family heirloom was destined to become the wedding gift for the granddaughter's wedding this summer was impetice for me to take exception care in restoring it to like new condition. The trickiest part of the entire job was making sure that none of the messy stripper or staining products I had to use got inside the box and stained the felt! Needless to say, I worked VERY carefully.
Several hours of TLC work later, "she" is completely transformed!
As I always take before and after photographs of each furniture piece, it was a tickle to first show the owners the before images, reminding them of the condition it was in when I received it from them.
I know that they will gift this cherished box (along with all of its antique silverware) with exceptional pride. What a gift for me to have been able to make it lovely enough to be passed down in the family.
If you have a cherished piece that you would like transformed, please call me...
Carolyn Clarke at 604-885-8885
I LOVE working with special pieces like this!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Transformation
BEFORE
“I never realized how tired and worn the coffee table I had been gifted with years before was getting until Carolyn worked on it. As you can see by the before and after pictures, the difference is dramatic and I am proud once more to have this piece front and center in my livingroom.”
Testimonial by Rob T. from Vancouver, B.C.
Do you have a tired piece of furniture "with good bones" that needs a little "shape-shifting" transformation? More than likely, I can help out... and I'll be excited all over again at the thought of transformation through the magic of TLC.
Warmly, Carolyn Clarke
Furniture Rejuvenation Artist
604-885-8885
P.S. I appreciate being shared around, thanks.