Blessed Be The Memory Of Her...

A. G. Gardiner wrote in an essay in praise of the game of Chess, "Blessed be the memory of him who gave the world this immortal game."  While today's furniture flip isn't about the game of Chess, it is about one woman's effort to preserve precious memories of her Mother by redoing this damaged table that had once belonged to her.  

Meet Margaret Engel Osmond.  Margaret wrote to me, "My Mom loved antiques - had a huge old house full of them.  I have a few of her pieces from her downsizing.  She finally sold the family home - it was a huge 3 family home.  We all grew up there and started our families in our own apartments there.  It was a great way to raise our kids.  Anyway, she was moving into an adult community the next day, when she suddenly became ill and passed away.

We had a POD full of furniture and a family farm house to take care of, too.  Long story short, we moved all her belongings into the Pennsylvania farmhouse. A few months later, my siblings and I met at the house.  I was the first one there.  I get to the door, hmm...what's that noise?  It's water - I had to hit the door like a fullback to get in and I found a literal waterfall running from the kitchen ceiling.  There was an inch of water throughout the first floor, flooded cellar, and one big mess!!!  All of the furniture was pretty much ruined."

A few months later, Margaret was looking for a piece of furniture for her foyer.  She decided to see what had been salvaged from the upstairs and porch of the old farmhouse.  She found this table and she asked all of us, on the Furniture Flippin' Facebook Page, for makeover suggestions.  

The overwhelming consensus was to make it a game table.  Although one of you did stray from the crowd and suggested, "Paint it creamy and dreamy, then turn it upside, wire it up and make an awesome chandelier. A three way switch should allow for soft uplighting, down lighting, or all on."  (What a cool idea!)  In the end, Margaret decided to go with a game table.  That was fitting, she said, since her mother loved playing games with Margaret and her siblings when they were young, then her grandkids, and later on her great grandkids.

Margaret admits this is her very first furniture flip, so she used her common sense and went for it.  She used wood glue and clamps to fix the broken leg.  She painted the bottom, sanded and then stained the top.  Margaret admits that staining made her nervous since she'd never done it before.  She used her son's math minded brain to help her with the checkerboard measurements.

Now that it's all completed it stands in her foyer and it's a constant loving reminder of her much missed Mother.  

Let's take a look at this gorgeous table now...

It's perfect!  Margaret's husband is so proud of his wife's accomplishment he shows it off to everyone who comes through the door.  Fantastic job Margaret!  And kudos to your husband for his excellent taste!

Dear readers, here's what you have to do today.  Flood this blog with your always sweet comments.  Margaret doesn't have a page for me to direct to you so Let's encourage Margaret to continue on with Furniture Flippin'.  She did such a great job with the first, I think she's a natural!

Thanks so much Margaret for sharing your very special furniture flip.

Don't forget to get your "What Would You Do?" pics in everyone!  Email me at furnitureflippin@yahoo.com .

~ Stephanie