The Sad Little Ugly Dresser: Part 1

Once upon a time, there was a sad little ugly dresser that was in pretty bad shape.  This particular sad little ugly dresser had been used for so long that there was not a time in the last 30 or so years that it wasn't around (that husband could recall).  The sad little ugly dresser had been used and abused by many family members (some more than others).  It had been handed down from husband's mother to her son and his wife (which shall be called husband and mama from here on out), then to daughter, and finally to son.  Time had taken it's toll (rather roughly) on the sad little ugly dresser.  

One day, son said, "Mama, I don't want this ugly dresser anymore, it's too big for my room and I don't use it anyway, I wanna throw it away."  Mama decided not to hear son and ignored his request to remove the sad little ugly dresser from his room.  After all, it did belong to husband's mother and there was some sentimental value to the sad little ugly dresser, no matter how ugly it really was.  Soon after, husband declared, "Son does not want the ugly dresser anymore, we have no room for it so I am going to take it to the curb because trash day is day after tomorrow.  If someone doesn't pick it up then the trash man can take it.  It's a crappy dresser anyways, not worth anything."

Did mama hear this right?  Was the sad little ugly dresser about to be on it's way to curbside???  "Oh no you don't!"  declared mama.  "That's not going curbside!  Put it on the porch, I want to use that as my first furniture project!"  The whole family laughed at mama.  They did not believe that the sad little ugly dresser could be saved.  But, there was a little glimmer of hope for the sad little ugly dresser.  

Mama had been combing though many wonderful pictures on Pinterest  and she had so many wonderful ideas and had contemplating for some time about starting a big furniture project like this.  She had read countless blogs for months about painting furniture using various methods.  It was time for mama to get off her keister and try her hand at some of the awesome DIY projects that she had seen throughout Pinterest and other DIY bloggers!!!  After all, mama was quite crafty and creative herself, and thought that she could do it.  It seemed easy enough, although mama knew that there would be surprises along the way.  At least that was her experience after doing many DIY projects with husband and friends throughout the years.  

So... this is where it had begun.  Mama done went out to her local Walmart and done bought herself a sander and decided to take a chance.  After all, anything was an improvement to this sad little ugly dresser.  With very little help (and I emphasize very little), mama began her journey down the road of giving old, sad, ugly, thrown out, forgotten, used and abused furniture, new life again.

Before:  The sad little ugly dresser (which really isn't all that "little"). 

Before:  The top was severely abused with stickers that had to be scraped off by mama along with years and years of water stains and other nicks from son and daughter.  That top looks really rough!!!

Mama broke in that new sander just fine!  It took a little longer than expected, but mama sanded and prepped the entire sad little ugly dresser, drawers and all, then relaxed a bit. 

After many hours of sanding and cleaning the sad little ugly dresser, mama had to take a break.  She was pooped!  Quite honestly, mama isn't used to all this manual labor.  Although she used to be physically fit, time has also take it's toll on her and mama was sore for a few days after this little venture.  But, it wasn't over yet...

Step 1:  Prepping:  Complete.  

Now it was time for mama to make husband, son, and daughter fall in love with the sad little ugly dresser again.  But then it will be too late.  Because mama has plans for that sad little ugly dresser.  Mama's takin' that thing to The Moon!  Yes sir, to The Moon!!!

Stay tuned!  Will mama finish her sad little dresser and make husband, son, and daughter wish that they wouldn't have treated the sad little ugly dresser so badly?  Will mama be able to move tomorrow after using all those muscles she forgot she had (even though she's a nurse and knows that there are 640 muscles in the body, 850 if you count the hair follicle muscles)?  Is she really going to take it to The Moon?  

Check back and find out!!!