Rubber Room Remodel - Day 3
Oh my Badness! It’s the end of Day 3 of the Rubber Room Remodel and I am literally crawling on all 4’s. There isn’t a muscle in my body that doesn’t ache and I ruined a pair of my favorite flannel pants. I don’t know when it happened today, but I completely ripped the seat of my pants out. I remember getting caught on something, but thought that was just it – I got caught. Sometime early evening, I was feeling a little cold. There was this slight breeze on my legs. Well duh, the pants were ripped all the way down to my knee! I so hope that I didn’t rip them in the shed today and all the neighbors got a great view of my butt. No one screamed so I guess I didn’t scare them!!!
Back in the mid-1980’s my grandfather gave me a Hoosier Cabinet. Lance and I had just moved to Lexington, Kentucky and I needed something for storage. I always thought my grandfather had built the cabinet, but he actually bought it for someone in his family. My grandfather worked at the old Scheirich Cabinet Company in Louisville, retiring in 1972. I used it for a desk for a few months, and then I got the bright idea to strip the cabinet and refinish it. I took the cabinet out to my dad’s business (where Lance worked), and started trying to refinish it. Little did I realize that the cabinet was pine and really wouldn’t make a pretty finished piece. Shortly after starting on the cabinet, I became pregnant with Kate, and never went back to the business to finish up. Little did I know, Lance had moved the cabinet outside and it was sitting in the weather. We moved to home to Jeffersonville and I made him get the cabinet and bring it along. While we rented in an apartment, it sat in storage and then when we purchased our house, it was put in the shed in the backyard. The drawers and cabinet fronts have been stored in the basement for close to 21 years. I’ve pulled the cabinet out of the shed a few times and sanded on it, but the task was so daunting, that I just couldn’t face it.
Well, today I finished the cabinet. Well, at least it is painted and ready to assemble tomorrow. I had made up my mind that I NEEDED this cabinet in the new Rubber Room. I started carrying the cabinet into the house this morning. Luckily it had never been put back together properly, and I could carry it in 3 separate pieces. It definitely shows water damage, but for my purpose it will work. I feel so horrible that it has taken me all these years to finish this cabinet, and that something that my grandfather gave me is in such bad shape. However, the cabinet is painted and hopefully he would be happy with that! I’m quite sure though, that he would not be happy with the shape the cabinet is in.
Anyhoo, this is what I have accomplished today. Not much to look at right now, but I am rather pleased with myself!
The spot in the cabinet that is not painted, was left the way it originally was. A flour bin hangs in this spot, and the bin pulls out from the top. Another bad thing is that the fabric on the back of the roll top has dry rotted, so it doesn’t want to work. But that’s okay!
this is interesting as my MIL in Iowa had two of these but she called the breakfronts. When she died a few years ago, one of them went to each twin daughter. I dont think they knew anything about it at all and trashed them. I wish someone had asked me if I wanted them first as I would have treasured them. Kids today dont understand the workmanship anymore and just go to Ikea or Walmart for everything.
Bad girl flashing the neighborhood! The cabinet is looking good!!!
Hi Sherry! We had a Hoosier all my growing up years. After my mom died my brother got it. I love it when I walk into his house and see it. It brings back lots of memories.
Have I got a story about a long time between starting and finishing…
In high school my dad had started to make a cedar hope chest for my mom. I don’t know the reasons why but he never finished it. Well, my grandpa found that old chest (still in great shape) finished it, added a couple of neat features to it and then gave it to me for my 16th birthday. It took about 20 years for the hope chest to find a permanent, loving home but it now lives with me and I hope that some day I will be able to give it to one of my boys to give to their daughter. My youngest son even used to chew on it when he was teething. Yuck! I also have two other very lovely pieces of woodworking that my grandfather has made. He even has made my husband a medal frame for all of his Army metals. He is so talented and I love him so much! Can ya tell?
Thank you for the wonderful walk down memory lane!
Wow – the link t the cabinet was really neat. This is going to be well worth all your efforts. Loved the story; flannel and all. 😀
What a story and what a life this cabinet has led! Poor thing… I just love a happy ending, though. This is going to be very useful for your room!
I did a google on hoosier cabinet to see what yours may look like when put together. Check out this link http://www.hoosiercabinet.com/ShowUsYourHoosier.htm
There are a couple at the bottom of the page that look to be the exact style of yours and one is even painted white. I hope you post a picture of it when you get it all together and loaded up with your stamping stuff.
I laughed until I had tears running down my face at your breezy pants story. I almost spewed my morning coffee.
PS. I made a mistake. There are a couple of wood finished ones that look just like your model.
VERY cool story!!
I love the clean white! I am getting excited for you!!
I have a few old pieces from my grandparents and my FIL…it feels so special to have them, even if they are not in great shape anymore. I love to imagine what they’ve “seen” over the years. Lookin’ good so far!
Oh, bless that cabinet’s heart!!! It has been through quite a journey…It makes me feel happy to know you have resurrected it! How wonderful….and it looks great. You are going to have great use of it, and lots of memories attached, too! 😀
Well done! I’m so proud of you for keeping it all these years and making something so beautiful and useful from it today. I hope it brings you a lot of joy as you use it day to day. I enjoyed reading your post on your new Rubber Room and wish you many happy hours of creativity there.
PS I’m curious – what’s a water table?