I loaded it up (with a little help) and headed home. The drawers needed a little work. They're dove-tail and solid wood but sometimes old means "doesn't work too good any more." A little sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease and they're working much better. They'll never be perfect. Time has a way of shifting things around and bringing out the creaks in all of us.
The chair was one I had on hand. It's a good thing too. Though the desk is adult-sized, the space in between the drawers is a bit narrow. Many chairs sort of flare-out a little in the front and those simply wouldn't work. This one fit perfectly and I knew it was meant to be.
It took two coats of Kilz before I got those other colors covered up. I used three shades of blue, turquoise and aqua to create a unique base color. I love the depth that blending colors creates. And over the years I've gotten better at wielding three paint brushes at once.
The design is simply fun. Swirls are sort of whimsical. What isn't so whimsical are the two coats of paint it took to get the color just right and the highlights that came afterward. No one thinks of those details and that's how it should be. It's supposed to look like it took all of five minutes when, in reality, it took much, much longer.
The yellow-green stripes added just enough splash to give the piece a distinctive edge. Of course, that particular shade of green -- which I truly love -- takes multiple coats. It's not particularly time consuming. How long does it take to paint a few stripes? But the repetition and waiting for the paint to dry gets a little old before it's all said and done.
After a few solid stripes and more highlights, I added a sealer and called it done. I'm pleased with the transformation, though I wish my photos showed more of the aqua color and a little less of the blue. I remind myself that I am a painter and not a photographer, which is a totally different artistic endeavor.
One of the most frrustrating things for me are the comments that come when someone thinks a price is "too high." I find myself holding in my words. It looks easy and I'm glad. That's as it should be. But never devalue an artists' time or talent by arrogantly thinking that you could do the same. Give it a try. Most of us who create for a living have stories to tell of those who came to us with failed projects that "looked" easy but just doesn't come together "quite right."
My prices are quite reasonable, considering the time and cost my pieces entail. Many repeat customers remark on that very thing. If you think a piece is too expensive, please, shop elsewhere. But don't put down me or my work until you've taken the opportunity to spend the hours I do to create that piece you think is overpriced. Chances are you wouldn't think that way if our roles were reversed.
God has blessed me with the opportunity to make my living doing something I love while giving me the flexibility to manage family obligations. That said, it is a business. It isn't a hobby or something I do in my spare time. It's how I earn money to pay my bills. Just as many folks head to work each day, so do I. That I don't punch a time clock doesn't lessen the value of what I do.
I thank God every day for wonderful customers and friends who make me smile. And I thank Him, also, for those who have encouraged me. You are some of God's greatest gifts to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the special people that you are.
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