Going green

I know this looks as if it hasn't been painted properly - it looks better in real life, but short of everyone coming round to see it, you'll have to take my word that it actually looks quite nice; better than it looked last week

Last week it looked like this. This was after I'd sanded it down. A very orange and knotty piece of Ikea furniture from the late eighties, surprisingly solid, but in need of de-orangeing (I don't think that's a word)

I used an eggshell paint, with hindsight a water based paint would have been easier. Then I sanded it down in places to make it look shabby and stressed, which was how I looked by the time I'd finished. And then I put a thin coating of shellac over it. I used shellac flakes which took days to dissolve in methylated spirits and are used, apparently, in the restoration of bespoke and fine antique furniture - so just the thing then!

I had quite a lot of paint left over, so got stuck in, painting anything that was easy to take down off the wall. The discerning  of you will notice  we still haven't put skirting board up on the landing, though we do have floor now, and green shelves and boxes.

Whoops!  Sorry Mr President, it will come off with a dab of brush cleaner.

I like the green effect - which is just as well really 

In real life the patches don't look quite as patchy - somehow

And on a final 'green'note. These are too green. I'm not sure they'll ripen now. I found them growing in a shady bit of the garden

so, for the time being, I'll keep buying the ones Tesco have ripened for me.