A Curious Tale About a Green and Gold Cabinet…

Once upon a time there was a cabinet that wanted nothing more than to be fanciful, whimsical, even magical if fate would allow.

Sometimes all it takes is a little paint and a bit of courage to make a dream come true.

And if you know me, I am all about making dreams come true for old and unwanted things.

How to begin the journey?

Simply follow the north star to online sellers of unwanted treasures.

With a little paint, gold gilding and staining, cabinet dreams can come true.

Unless you are not one for ridiculous fancy things, and that is perfectly acceptable as well.

We all have different tastes, and yet we can be kind and simply observe the shenanigans of others with amusement instead of passing judgment. I know that we are nothing if not polite around here.

Admiring the effort of others’ is what we are best at, even if it is not our style at all.

But I can tell you with great certainty, that a sad forlorn cabinet wanted nothing more than to be the belle of the ball.

To look like Cinderella at a birthday party all the days of the rest of her life.

To house in her heart, in the window of her soul, old impractical (yet collectible) bits and bobs of a certain girl’s desires – whims if you must.

Tchotchke’s if you will.

Limoges will always be welcome into this house.

And we don’t bother with silly little things such as only making practical decisions with our mind.

Magpie eyes will always prevail in decision making around here, please and thank you.

But I digress, as I am ever wont to do you see.

We now fast forward to modern day, where wonderful things are easily procured through a handheld space age device.

One must only have a motorized vehicle that might be able collect such things in order to proceed.

Although, a horse and carriage would work just as well, albeit a bit slow.

And, one must never ever be slow when it comes to capturing a treasure, lest it be stolen right out from under one’s nose.

And so, the brownest of brown wooden cabinets of wildest curiosities found its way into a motorized vehicle, fitting by two inches, saved, and set free!

Below is a photo as seen through computerized screen of said fancy gal, which caused enough commotion that set in motion a rescue of sorts.

Handmade and hand-carved at the request of its previous owners, by a wood worker in another country far far away.

Of course, the new custodian of this fine lass didn’t have a real plan aside from paint and gilding.

So, she took to her apothecary to perform a sort of alchemy.

She began with a factory-made dairy container and began mixing white paint, green paint, blue paint, brown paint…

Churning and churning, swirling and swirling.

As a side note, I would like to share that this one little mixture did run out, and the alchemist did manage to mix another batch identical in color without a one measurement or note taken. Shall we take a second to gasp in amazement, but mostly chuckle at such luck?

Before the painting began, the painter (that would be me, alchemist, painter, dreamer and hopeless lover of ridiculous fancy things) scrubbed the entire wooden piece with a towel saturated with rubbing alcohol.

And then, the painting began.

One should also note that blind optimism and lack of being hindered by reality goes quite far into tackling such a project.

Positive thinking and excitement should always prevail above rationale in such situations.

Of course, you must already know this and therefore need not be told.

Although, one must mention that the girl painter has spent 30 years painting all manner of ramshackle items with wild abandon, so there is much blind faith and trust built into this process.

(By the way, ai is not writing this, and never will)

After 3 days of meticulous contortionist exercises in painting…

Gold gilding and staining followed.

With every brush stroke, the green gal came closer to her intended self.

Once she was dry, she was filled with all manner of pointless pretty things which made her heart pitter-patter.

The curse of ages had been lifted.

She would be Cinderella at the ball forevermore.

Complete with a coffee-stained ribbon in the loveliest peachy pink.

Pretty little things lining her shelves…

Accompanied by her friend, the tiniest unexpected French chair, who would also be getting a makeover very soon.

And so, she tucked right into her new home.

With a gown of Marie Antoinette and other rescues surrounding her.

Her life began as the fanciful whimsical green gilded cabinet of dreams (not everyone’s dreams, but we can appreciate her even if she is not one’s own dream).

I for one would not want to burst her bubble, as she should be allowed to shine as bright and as green as she darn well pleases.

Perhaps you would not choose to wear green and gold your whole life, but this fairy tale princess has.

And I do not believe anyone visiting her here would ever want to hurt her feelings in any way.

I can wholeheartedly trust that those types of folks definitely would never gather in this place of whimsies and fancies.

Just us hopeless romantics around here, teehee.

We would never burst one’s bubble, or “yuck one’s yumm” as they say.

So you see, that is the way that the green and gold cabinet came to be.

I painted her about 1.5 weeks ago and am really enjoying her over-the-topness.

There are very few items in my home that have not been graced by a paintbrush.

For better or for worse, it simply happens if one comes through my front door.

I seem to not be able to help myself.

Next, I will be reupholstering that cunning little French chair.

Which I will share the full story about very soon.

As a side note, I should tell you that I had been coveting the most beautiful old cabinet, but it was about $10,000. So, when I saw this one on Facebook Marketplace, I knew I could create my own for pennies on the dollar. I used paint I already had and then there’s my time, and that’s all.

I hope you enjoyed my silly little tale.

I went away for Easter to see my mum and had the loveliest time.

The garden is getting lush and wild, everything is happening.

Roses, poppies, birds, bees, pumpkin sprouts, herbs, tree leaves.

The magic of spring is so good for the soul.

I hope to report on more of this in the very near future, friends.

Over and out from the land of the green and gold cabinet.

Lots of love,

Vanessa