Resurrecting old friends

If you walk through my house, you won't find too many store-bought decorations.  I enjoy looking at the current trends at Pier One and Marshall's, but I'm just not very often tempted to buy.  I love to surround myself with things that I have a connection to- things from my past, things I've made, things made by artists I personally know, gifts from friends and family-and I hate to leave treasures stored away for "someday".  If it's worth keeping, it's worth keeping out.

Donna's Horse before

This lovely old hobby horse belongs to a client, and though it looks older, it's from her 1950's childhood.  Donna had long since discarded the frame it swung on, and had repainted it more than once, judging by the little bit I sanded off.  Now, she wanted to use it to decorate her young grandson's bedroom in her house, and after looking at the room, I knew that the black-crackle-over-gold sample that she had admired once in my sample kit would be perfect.  If collector's value is important to you, be sure you check with a dealer about any toy over 20 years old, in close to new condition, or any very old toy, regardless of condition.  Donna simply wanted to bring this old fella out of storage and enjoy him again, and in his shabby-but-not-chic condition, that wasn't going to happen.  



Jensen teaches me a thing or two on occasion...like don't forget to check under the chin and inside the mouth, when dealing with a horse.

  I brought him back to my studio to work on, and got a little help from my youngest art student, Jensen. She does better with her drawing practice if I work on something else nearby while she does her "Daily Drawing". She finished first, so she helped me by spot-checking and touching up my primer job.

 

Black-rubbed and crackled finish over maple toned primer, fringed suede mane and tail, and new tack, make this 1950's horse look both refreshed and a century older.

Donna's Horse After

If you have old treasures tucked away because they don't quite mesh with your current life, maybe it's time to consider giving them a new look.  Just because it was always a certain way doesn't mean it has to stay that way.  Old friends deserve second chances to enhance your life, and why wait for a "someday" that may never come? 

If you need my help giving a new look to your old treasures, you can hire me, for which you will find the info on my website theartofthehome.com, and as always, if you want to do it yourself, but have questions about how to go about it, feel free to email me at dawnmariedelara@gmail.com.  For now, "happy trails to you, until we meet again..."