Home Is Where My Story Begins

Dr. Seuss Rocking Chair

Here’s a little background to this story:

My Friend Debbie: “Hey, I saw on your blog that you like to redo furniture.”

Me: “Yep, I’ve been searching Craigslist for some small pieces to work on this Summer.”

Debbie: “Do you want a rocking chair to redo? I have one that I started to paint in my kids’ playroom. I never got around to finishing it. I’m sure you could do something cute with it.”

Me: (Thinking- Ohhhhh, I could paint it the cute pale blue that I see all over Bloggland and then find the perfect pale blue and red fabric to make a chair pad. I’ve always wanted to do that color combination, but it just wouldn’t work in my house.)

Me: “Sure, I’d love it.” It came out in a very calm tone, but inside I was jumping up and down with excitement about my new project!

The next day Debbie brought it to school with her (we’re both teachers at the same school). She pulled it out of her truck and I fell in love with this totally adorable work of art. She had painted the chair white, added a Dr. Seuss hat to the seat, and then painted the dowels and knobs in black and red. She said she had done one coat of paint and lost steam. (We all know that three coats of red paint are a minimum.) It was the greatest chair it just needed a little more time put into it! Debbie is the busiest working mom I know, so I don’t know how she even got the first coat done.

I took the chair home, knowing full well that there was no way I could paint this chair pale blue and ruin all of that hard work. I scrapped the dream of the blue rocker with the cute red fabric and instead went to work on finishing the Dr. Seuss chair she had started. Debbie had done all of the hard work. She had done the artistic piece that there was no way I could have done. I carefully added a second coat, then a third coat. Finally, I added a few coats of poly over the top. It is beautiful, shiny, and ready for a classroom or playroom! I hope it’s the chair she was always hoping it would become.


So, Debbie, here’s my proposal. I can’t possibly take this chair and put it in my own classroom. It’s like a piece of artwork and I can’t possibly subject it to the abuse of a kindergarten classroom.

So, here are our options:

a: You take it home to your boys and your playroom and continue to read stories in it every night.

b: If you really want it out of your playroom, then I think we should give it to the library where all of the kids will enjoy it!

I hope you love the shiny finished look!

Here are a few linky parties I’m joining!

Leave a Comment

The Comments

  • Kim @ Savvy Southern Style
    July 29, 2010

    That is the cutest rocker ever! Love it.

  • elizabeth @ twelvecrafts
    July 29, 2010

    So great! What a wonderful redo!

  • beeandboosmom
    July 29, 2010

    I have a big rocking chair you can do to match!

  • Sarah @ The Pumpkin Patch
    July 30, 2010

    What a beautiful chair! I definitely think you made the right decision in finishing her project instead of starting from scratch. Nice work!

  • FineArtPainting
    July 30, 2010

    finally something ORIGINAL in crafty blog land!!

    Anyhow: easy + 10min-ish + something really sophisticated as a result. you did great with this bedroom decor project and we love this formula. excellent.

    so, i'm inviting you:
    do come link it up at our site so that our readers can find this and your other wonderful ideas:
    http://www.finecraftguild.com/diy-tutorial-linky-party-8/

    (new party every wednesday, findable at our home page)

    we look forward to featuring your work!

    rose

  • Victoria ObSEUSSed
    October 19, 2010

    What a Seusstastic chair. Such a great idea for a reading chair. I am collecting Dr. Seuss posts on my website if you'd like to link up. I'd love to have a place to feature all Seuss related blog posts for all the creative projects bloggers like you and Debbie have done. Come take a look and link up on the Seuss Style page to share this chair. http://www.obSEUSSed.com