The old lady's cupboard

Essamplaire sale Nov 2 - 8   20% off all kits, books, charts, antiques.

http://www.theessamplaire.com/
There's a small scroll at the bottom of right hand column about it. 

 

Hello people.  All day yesterday I sat outside on my little stool and scrubbed an old cabinet inside and out.  I purchased it when we first moved here from a garage sale at the little farm house on the highway.  An elderly woman, short and round, was always outside tending to her front flower gardens.  Obviously painful for her to stoop and bend, but she used her cane and took her time.  I never had the opportunity to meet her, and when she passed the family immediately had a sale.  I entered the tiny house and made my way among the lookers, not for a sale, but wanting to see what surrounded her daily.  There was really no room to move around and after leaving the house I saw a few gentlemen sitting in the back garage.  I went to talk to them, asking for information about the woman who for some reason, I was sort of drawn to.  The woman lived alone and was not a very pleasant person from what they told.  (Maybe that's what drew me to her, crab to crab.)  I saw a cabinet on the wall and asked if it was for sale, they said no but for $10 I could have it.  What?  They removed it and Mark later went to pick it up.  It's been in my garage for 30 years, all the time wanting to clean it and use it inside.  Is it an antique?  I doubt it. 

But it has the flush doors that are mortise and tenon with a small beaded edge, and the flat panel is a 1/4" planed pine board, not plywood.  How do I know?  They weren't glued and the doors keep coming apart (rubber bands for now).  They must have used it to store oil cans and grease guns because it took forever with Lestoil and Simple Green to remove the layers. 

Now it's finally in the house and I'm staining a dark walnut after the scrubbing lightened the wood.  Quite large to hang at 36" wide x 43" tall.  Quarter sawn oak sides and shelves, very hard figured pine elsewhere.  Not a showpiece for sure, but I am still drawn to it as I was to the woman.  I purchased wrought iron handles and hinges but not sure if I will change anything yet.  I want to remove all furniture in my tiny parlor and have this on the wall or setting on a table, a farm table with chair in the center, and sampler walls.  I saw the Mary Goodburn sampler (All My Scattering Moments) and it got my attention so there is still hope.

My 20 times daily visitors are here now.  I didn't think they would eat grass seed but they were in the straw scratching away ever since we had it put down.  I guess I have to call the landscaper back.   Remember him?

Look both ways troop!  It's hunting season!  See that wide cleared area?  The gas company right of way which they cut down every fall, just in time for hunters to have a clear shot.  That's not why they do it, but it coincides with the season.

Have a good week!

Thanks for visiting.

 

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