What to Do With Stained Wood Floor

Badly stained wood floor

The wood flooring of the back room in our 70 year old house looked pretty bad. I knew the stains were hidden under the even worse wall-to-wall carpet and had been there since we moved in many long years ago. Which was why I put new carpet in the first time I redid the room.

I had refinished the floors in other rooms and a hallway with an orbital sander with excellent results. When we yanked up the carpet in the upstairs bed room, I was shocked to discover that the floor was merely laid down unfinished lumber instead of actual flooring. It turned out quite well when I used the orbital sander. But the planks had no stains. 

The back room offered several challenges. Once upon a time, it must have rained in an open window because the boards near that window were stained and slightly warped. Amazingly, that area sanded up nicely. But if I sanded those big black spots any more, I'd sand myself right into the basement.

Unwilling to put in a new floor, I decided to white wash. After reading a gazillion blogs, I went for using Kilz primer because I already had that on hand and was going for cheap. Here's how I did it:

Mix 1 part paint to 1 part water. Stir well and often

Using a paint brush and going with the grain, I painted along the width of the room, following the boards white washing three to four boards at a time. When I finished painting one length of the room, I dragged a clean, dry rag over the thinned paint. (Boy, did that old floor suck up the stuff!) In some areas, I smeared on a bit of undiluted paint to create the unevenness that I was looking for in hoped of disguising the stains. 

White wash half and half 

The first attempt looked pretty messy but I plugged on.

After allowing the white wash to cure for several days, I lightly sanded it with fine sand paper. Then I applied four coats of neutral polyurethane clear coat, allowing it to dry between the coats. When using any such product, it is best to follow the instructions on the label. I lightly sanded between clear coats. 

The paint and the clear coat were both water based. Acrylic products do not fume like oil based paints and finishes. While some experts prefer oil based products for their durability, oil based products will stink up your home for some time. Even with acrylic, you should ventilate the room by opening the windows and running a fan. 

You can see from the picture below  that the look is slightly uneven but that works for me.

White washed wood floor 

Chest of Drawers Update on the Cheap

Vintage chest of drawers before

This old chest of drawers was looking pretty sad. Grubby and orange with neglect and discoloration, it begged to be spruced up. It was from a juvenile bed room set that belonged to my Uncle George and had traveled from Pittsburgh PA to Baltimore MD back in the 1960s. Talk about an old friend!

I had fallen in love with the whole chalk paint scene and visited the store/workshop franchise of the Chalk Paint Queen. Whoo was that stuff expensive! Thirty five dollars for a quart of paint and more for the wax. I was not prepared to spend much on this funky old dresser. 

Experts say that chalk paint is porous so waxing it is a good idea. Wax fills the pores and protects the surface. One of the beauties of chalk paint is that you don't have to sand the furniture before you paint. But the old wood sorely needed some sanding. I could not bring myself to paint over all the gunk.

I took the chest out of doors for sanding and painting. I used a medium grade sandpaper to remove old dirt and ground in dust, then moved on to a very fine grade to create a smooth surface. 

Cutting up the side and bottom of a construction size trash bag, I spread it out on the grass to use as a tarp for the drawers. I placed wax paper under the legs of the chest. Next, I removed all the drawers pulls and put them in a plastic bag.

Sanded drawers - they look better already

 I used a sample jar of Behr's flat wall paint (the kind that does not need primer). The sample cost about $3.00. The same paint in a quart cost $13.00 and I knew that would be too much.

 If I had a lot left over, I'd feel the need to paint more furniture. Like when I went faux crazy with the walls. I had to buy a second jar for another coat but it was still cheaper than either the Behr quart or the name brand chalk paint. See the painted drawers below. 

Drawers in dappled sunlight

The gray was paler than anticipated (even though it matched the color sample) and had a dull look. I decided to dark wax the whole piece. I used Minwax neutral paste wax and, after research created my own dark wax. 

First, I softened some wax in the microwave in an old bowl, pulsing for 10 seconds at a time. You could also place some wax in a zip lock bag and set it in a bowl of hot water. It was just slightly softer. You don't want it to actually melt. Adding about one teaspoon of black oil paint (from a tube; I hardly ever use actual black in my paintings) to about 3/4 a cup of paste wax, I mixed until it looked like raw brownie batter. 

Rubbing the goo over the drawers, I yearned for the detail work and curlicues that look so beautiful after an application of dark wax.  After a few (3 or 4) minutes, I rubbed off the wax with a soft cloth and applied another coat, polishing it to a nice, smooth finish.

Just below is the painted drawer. The waxed drawer us beneath. See the difference? The color looks slightly darker and the wax added a depth to the previously flat look. 

Painted then waxed

I originally intended to sand and clear coat the wooden drawer pulls. It would have looked nice against a very dark gray but did not work against the lighter gray. Black did not work for me either. There was a bag of old drawer pulls in the basement. Miraculously, I found them quickly! I like the white china pulls with the blue pattern. The bedroom has been going through a feminization lately, with white eyelet curtains and now the soft new dresser. 

Painted and dark waxed chest of drawers

 Project complete. Maybe not the most beautiful dresser in the world but I works for me. Not fabulous but sorta fabulous. 

COST 

My cost (not counting the oil paint and sandpaper that I had on hand):

2 Jars Behr's Sample Flat Wall Paint          $6.00
1 Minwax Neutral Paste Wax (1 lb.)             10.00

Name brand cost:

Quart of Name Brand Chalk Paint              $35.00
Dark Wax (4.22 oz)                                       15.00

Linen Sheets on the Cheap

Linen

Ever since I became obsessed with linen, loving its history as well as the look and feel of it, I have wanted linen sheets. However, such luxury bedding is beyond my budget. A single linen sheet can easily cost $200.00. And that's for a single sheet, not a set. So my lust was merely a dream. I was content with my handmade linen pillow cases. But, being an avid thrift store maven, the thought of finding linen sheets at Savers or Good Will occasionally crossed my mind. You just never know...

To really find something fabulous in a thrift shop you have to be either lucky, or a frequent shopper. While pouring over  the contents of a gigantic store filled with used stuff may take too much time, it's not hard to learn how to skim. I rarely shop for a specific item. That only leads to disappointment. Instead, I quickly browse my favorite racks. Moving along a rack of, say, fabric, curtains, or bedding, I can easily spot the sort of thing I prefer. You certainly don't have to pause and look at every item. You can see from the edges if an item is made of a preferred fabric.

I spotted the large hunk of pale taupe linen right away. Of course one can make a mistake. So I grabbed the edge of the duvet cover and hunted out the tag in search of information. Not only was the cover 100% linen, but was manufactured by one of my favorite companies!

My bed is an old fashioned double. The duvet was for a king. Realizing how huge the thing would be, it would hang like a bedspread. Then it hit me. I decided to purchase the cover and cut it in half using each side as a flat sheet. Now you younger folks may not know but back in the old days, there were no fitted sheets! Beds were made with two flat sheets. The bottom sheet was tucked in under the mattress. I'd make my bed the old fashioned way. And if that didn't work, certainly youtube had a tutorial on how to make a fitted sheet. 

When you think of a deal, you have to look at the time you spend on improving it. For instance, if you buy a chair for $18.00, spend $100.00 on upholstery fabric, and take a gazillion hours to redo it, you may not really have a bargain. But if you buy something for $9.90 and spend and hour and a half cutting and hemming - now that's what I call a SCORE! 

The linen is stone washed so it's very soft. I often hang my laundered sheets outdoors, but I put these in the dryer with a couple of those dryer balls and the sheets come out wonderful. 

(When buying fabric at a thrift store, make sure to give it a good whirl in the dryer. The heat kills unwanted pests like bedbugs.)

Paint by Number Mid Century Kitch Catches On

The Last Supper was a popular Paint by Numbers kit

 Paint by number kits, once seen as the decor of choice for the congenitally low class has experienced a major resurgence. Between the Smithsonian's 2001 homage and modern craft shop kits, the old PBNs are showing up everywhere, appearing in popular magazines as a decorating choice for lovers of mid-century, country, and vintage decorating styles. 

First developed in 1951 by Max S. Klein for his Palmer Paint Company, the kits were based on a concept of the artist Dan Robberts. After World War II and the standard 40 hour work week, America became suddenly interested in hobbies. People had time on their hands and the leisure industry was created to capitalize on a middle class with more time and money than ever before. 

Despite being ridiculed by the art world, the kits became a hit. Kits included paints, brushes, and pasteboard covered with amoebic shapes whose numbers matched tiny pots of paint. Popular themes included religious motifs, landscapes, animals, rural scenes, and clowns. Some kits were simple featuring bright, primary colors while others offered more detail and muted hues. Some vintage examples can be downright hideous, offering a kitchy charm with flat perspectives and lurid colors.Some vintage examples are downright attractive.

PBN Jesus - religious themes were popular

Today, you can buy new kits in craft and hobby shops. Country Living Magazine offers some beautiful kits in their Simple Country Pleasures feature for $35.00.

If you don't want to go to the trouble of actually doing it yourself, you can find vintage Paint by Number paintings on Ebay and etsy. Prices for mid-century pieces run the gamut from $10.00 to hundreds of dollars. I picked up this charming winter scene at a thrift shop for one dollar!

Vintage Paint by Number Scene 

           Below is a landscape that I spotted at a thrift shop.

Vintage Paint by Number Landscape

Recover a Victorian Chair

                                                    

 

Eastlake style Victorian chair before

My Eastlake style Victorian chair had been looking pretty sad for years. Not only was the circa 1970's fabric grimy, I never did like it. Plus the cat did a real number on it. I recall a time when it was covered in a crushed and ancient burgundy velvet. That's when I fell in love with it.  My grandmother's chair set beside the French windows in her Victorian living room. But the thought of using velvet made me wince. I did this during an August heat wave and the very thought of velvet made me queasy. 

While drawn to larger patterns, I realized that a large print would cost more in yardage. So I limited myself to a smallish print, one that was on sale. The elephant print in my chosen fabric made me smile. It suited the chair as well as the rest of the room. Think British Colonial India. Think PG Tips black tea. Think gin and tonic with a slice of lime. 


The fabric needed to match a long piece of trim that had been on the shelf. Why waste it. That stuff's expensive!

As I pried off the old Laura Ashley style material (just what a 1970s mom would pretend her teen-aged daughter actually wanted for her bedroom) I noticed some nasty scratches. Rooting around in the supply closet, I found a bottle of Old English scratch cover for light wood. I also found a bottle of cheap liquid shoe polish. Blending the black polish with the oil on a piece of very fine steel wool, I rubbed the chair frame using a little elbow grease on those disgusting, glormy oft touched spots. The next day, I went over the wood with a soft cloth. 

I filled all the old tack holes with wood filler. Face it, that chair had been redone several times in its long life. 

Before attaching the fabric, I stuffed new batting under the old padding and resewed the padded roll around the bottom of the seat. After all, I wanted the chair to be comfortable as well as attractive. 

After watching several youtube demonstrations, I decided not to use the old fabric as a template. Mistakes can be made. I jut laid the fabric on the chair, lining it up in a pleasing manner. Then I tacked it down first on one side, then the opposite repeating for the front and back leaving 3 inches or so between tacks.

 It's a good idea to keep checking and smoothing as you go. 


After the initial tacking (or stapling if you prefer)  fill in the gaps between the tacks so there is only 1/2 inch or so between fasteners. 

I once made the mistake of hemming fabric before tacking it down on a chair. This made the edges too bulky. Adding the trim with a hot glue gun will prevent fraying. 

I was quite happy with the result. At the time I was recovering from a personal tragedy. Grief can leave you feeling unmoored. But following logical steps toward an obvious conclusion allowed me to focus and gave my life some sense of order and accomplishment. I may still be sad, but at least the chair looks good.

 

Victorian chair with its new look

 

Close up of the old chair with its British Colonial look

Mrazck Czecho Peasant Pottery Made in Letovice

 Pottery produced in the early 20th century by the Czecho Peasant Art Company is easily recognizable by  simple, brightly colored designs based on traditional peasant art of Eastern Europe. Joseph Mrazck who emigrated to the United States toward the end of the Great War purchased a DIY ceramics kit from Macy's Department Store in New York City. The kit contained a dish, paint brushes, and paint. Once decorated, you could take the item back to the store to be fired. 

Mrazck Pottery Plate

Joseph experimented with the process, soon producing enough pottery to sell to neighbors and friends. He bought a kiln, quit his job, and opened The Czecho Peasant Art Company. On a visit to Czechoslovakia, he located a site for a factory in the town of Letovice. You can see the name of the town on the back stamp shown below.

Mrazck Pottery Backstamp

Moving his operation to Letovice, Mrazck hired workers and began producing pottery pieces painted with simple designs. The factory operated until 1933. The distinctive pottery is collectible today and easy to find on ebay and other sites. 

The pieces displayed here belonged to my mother. She bought them at a flea market when she was in a I'm-buying-this-item-because-it-was-made-in-a-country-that-no-longer-exits phase. What a fun collection! The trouble is that I have, like many baby boomers, way too much stuff and am really wanting to get rid of some. Some of my inherited dishware is very old and quite beautiful. Say what you want about Mrazck pottery, but beautiful it is not. Or to me anyway. The other thing about my favorite possessions is that most of them have a story as well as belonging to someone that I either loved or am related to. Okay, the pottery has an interesting back story. But when you are trying to cut down on china, what's a girl to do? I packed it in a box of stuff to get rid of. 

The stuff to get rid of box goes to a thrift store after friends and relatives rummage for anything they might like (just as I, sadly, rummage through theirs). One evening, while pouring through a book on dishes with my sister, I spotted an example of Mrazck pottery.  Because it was there in a book with lots of really cool dishware and because I liked the story of Joseph Mrazck, I began to regret tossing his wares off so lightly. I knew that someone at the Goodwill store would snatch up the bowl and plate and make themselves big money on ebay. (Not really that big, I checked the next day, but still). My regret began to annoy and amuse the rest of our little party. 

(Below find another photograph of the pottery for your viewing pleasure.  You can see the pretty yellow inside the bowl.)

Czecho Peasant Art Company Bow

Sometime later, my sister, who lives in a different town, came to visit me, bringing a gift. It was a surprise! I opened the gift bag and there, wrapped in tissue were the Mrazck pottery pieces that I believed gone for good! My sister had rooted them out of a get-rid-of box. We laughed. How wonderful!

So these little dishes will stay with me until I die. Not that I find them particularly attractive, but they have not one but three stories attached to them. And all the stuff, whether old or pretty, it's all about the story. 

Mrazeck's bright colored, simple pottery

(If you have a piece of this pottery with a back stamp that has been painted over with a black bird, then you own an early version of the product when it was still being made in the USA. Those old versions are rare and quite valuable)

Keep Potted Geraniums Through the Winter

Geranium in Full Bloom

Geraniums are a popular and old fashioned container plant, decorating porches and front steps during the summer. They are not expensive, but if you want to be thrifty and save the plant for next year, geraniums can be overwintered in a cool spot. These cheerful plants are not annuals, though we treat them as such, but tender perennials that don't stand up to cold temperatures. The first frost will kill them. 




Native to South Africa, English botanists introduced them to Europe hundreds of years ago. The plant we usually call Geranium are actually Pelargoniums. They thrive in full sun to part shade and grow in tidy mounds reaching two feet tall and wide.

Here is a picture of my red geranium when I brought it in last Fall. The flowers look a bit skimpy as I had stopped feeding the plant as the weather cooled. Planning on winter storage, I did not want to encourage new growth by using any kind of fertilizer

Geranium in container

I brought the container indoors when the weather turned cold and a frost was predicted for the evening. Setting it in a sunny window to introduce it to the indoors, I soon decided to move it to a cooler location so the plant would go dormant for the winter. Though some of the following pictures show a pretty sad little plant, the geranium came back beautifully by the following May.

Here is how to overwinter your geraniums:

• Remove any flowers as well as flower buds. 

• Cut back one third.

• Set the plant on a basement window sill by an east facing window. The plant does need some light. Temperatures in our basement are quite cool in winter. When heat vents are closed, the temperature feels close to the mid 50s Fahrenheit.

• Water sparingly, maybe only once a month at best. 

• When Spring returns and evening temperatures rise to the mid fifties, return the geranium outdoors. 

The geranium looked pretty sad and I did not have a lot of confidence in its return. You can see that most of the leaves were brown and shriveled. A few healthy leaves reached toward the light.

Mostly dormant Geranium looks pretty sad.

    Cut back all the dead leaves.  Now it doesn't look so bad.

Geranium - cut back dead leaves

 Water thoroughly and place in a sunny location. Begin to lightly feed with your favorite fertilizer. I like to sprinkle some bone meal on the soil to encourage blooms. 

By June, the overwintered geranium had perked up quite nicely, producing leaves and beautiful red blossoms.

 There are other methods of keeping a geranium indoors 

over the winter months. Some people like to store it bare root. Lift the plant from the container and shake off soil. Trim off flowers and most of the foliage. Enclose in a paper bag and hand upside down in a cool, dark place. Once a month, remove from bag and mist lightly. 

I have not tried this as sometimes my basement feels a bit damp in winter. Dampness can cause the growth of mold or mildew. I have not been successful in storing tender plants bare root. But the method I have suggested worked very well, as you can see!

Though geraniums are not expensive and this will not save you a lot of money, it's nice to keep your old friend over the winter. Of course, if you have several, saving them over the cold months is a thrifty practice.