Here's The Story Behind The Coolest Chicago Cubs Dresser Of All Time...

It was October 25, 2013 and I was driving home from grocery shopping because that is what cool people do on a Friday night.  I was within three blocks of our home when I spotted this dresser on its back in a front yard.  It had yellow Post-It notes stuck to its parts indicating that all of the pieces were there.  I was so excited to find this that if I knew how to do a cartwheel I would have.  (Somebody needs to teach me to do a cartwheel.)  I made my son help me drag it into the back of the Durango and I drove it home.  You can only imagine the excitement I felt for this found piece of roadside rubbish.  Well, I will confess that my handsome handy husband did not share my enthusiasm.   

While I envisioned what could be, Mr. Level Headed saw the work it would take.  More precisely, the work it would take HIM to rebuild it before I even got my hands on it.  He was right.  I knew he was right.  However, I have a soft spot for discarded pieces and what they could become.  I also knew he would come around.  I was right.  He did.   

At the time I had no idea that this dresser would become THE centerpiece in our first grandchild's nursery.  We didn't even know that our first grandchild was on his way.  Yet.  When the good news was shared, we stepped up and offered to furnish his nursery.  On a budget.  We always tackle each project we take on very frugally.  Just like when we did the Park Ridge Project.  Baby's Mommy decided on a Chicago Cubs Baseball theme for his nursery.  
 
Triple H rebuilt the drawers.  After that, I started stripping the layers and layers of paint this dresser had accumulated over the years.  I think I counted five or six.  Thank goodness for Citristrip.  

 






Once we had it down to bare wood, Triple H went to work rebuilding the interior of the dresser.  

We decided to paint the dresser using Clark & Kensington's Chocolate Covered Cherry.  We had previously used that color in our RV's bathroom and fell in love with it.  Seriously, I could sit in that bathroom all day if it wasn't the size of a phone booth.  I love the color THAT MUCH.  

I knew we wanted to do the Cubs logo on the dresser and had originally entertained the idea of having the image on the FRONT of the dresser.  (That would have been cool looking!) Once it was stripped though and the wood was revealed, I knew that wouldn't work.  There were too many variations in the type of wood used.  So, that plan was scrapped and we decided to have it on the wood top.  I found the logo online (it was a coloring page) and printed out the size that I wanted. Then I traced it on lightly with a pencil.  I darkened this photo so you can see it, but trust me, it was lightly drawn on there.

Then I gathered my stains and paintbrushes.  Yes, I stained the logo on.  I used Dark Walnut, Red Chestnut and Light Oak.  I didn't tape off the area.  Knowing how stain likes to bleed, I was very careful, took my time and stayed within the lines.  After that was dry, I stained the rest of the top with the Light Oak.  Then it was polyurethaned a couple of times. 

I found some awesome baseball knobs online at Hobby Lobby.  I needed 16 of them and waited until they were 50% off.  

Meanwhile, we were simultaneously working on the rest of the furniture for the room.  

We took an old rocking chair we owned, repaired the rush seat on it, and painted it to match the dresser.  We gave a spruce up to a baseball themed table we found at a local secondhand store.  The lamp was bought new online.

I made some artwork in the form of a baseball and glove print that I manipulated on the computer to look like a painting, uploaded it to Walgreens, had it printed and I framed it.  

I bought some paper lanterns at the store and with the help of red & black craft paint, I turned them into hanging baseballs to suspend from the corner of his room.  If I ever make these again, I think I'll use red & black Sharpies instead of paint.

 

I made a giant ruler to hang on his wall so his growth could be recorded.  I created the numbers on the computer and printed them out the size I wanted.  Then I traced them on and filled them in with a black Sharpie.


One of my favorite pieces in the room is this fantastic artwork

showcasing his name.  I made that, too. I created it on the computer and had to have it printed professionally online due to it's size.  It measures 6" x 41".  Triple H made the frame for it. 

It was featured in my daughter's pregnancy photo shoot by my awesome photographer friend Flo.  It now hangs above Presley's crib.

Speaking of his crib, it needed some baseball themed bedding and there was not anything available online that we liked.  So, I tackled that, too.  I found the fabric online and made him his own custom bedding, including quilt, bedskirt and bumper pads.  That was the first time I had EVER made a quilt.  It was fun and most importantly, it didn't fall apart in the wash!  Hahaha...
 
We had leftover fabric and I made valances for his nursery windows.  (Don't lecture us on the bumper pads.  We've read all of the pros and cons on them.)

At long last, the dresser and everything for the nursery was finished and ready to be delivered to their house.  The baby's delivery was still a few weeks away.    

Triple H installed new flooring in the nursery.  It looks like wood but it's easy to care for vinyl flooring.  It's actually the same flooring we installed in our RV.  I highly recommend it!

Let's take a look at what we accomplished...

 

What is our FAVORITE part of the nursery?  That's a no-brainer.  It's the little guy who occupies it.  Even if he turns out NOT to like baseball, I think he'll still love his room. 

He doesn't look like this picture anymore.  

His Grandma Steffie took so long to write this blog post featuring his nursery that now he looks like this...

Next up on our flippin' horizon is this piece I got for FREE.  

There you have it.  The story behind the "Coolest Chicago Cubs Dresser Of All Time."  (Hehehehe...at least that's what I call it. )  If you have any questions about any of the projects in this post, please email or catch me on our Furniture Flippin' Facebook page.  I'll be happy to go over any of the steps I glossed over here.  (We would be here forever if I covered every step in this one post.) 

Here's an interesting little tidbit about this nursery:  this is the second time I have decorated this room in anticipation for a firstborn son's arrival.  The first time I was the Mommy to be and it was for my own firstborn son.  Back then this room was decorated in blue hearts and fuzzy brown teddy bears.  Other than the decor, the furniture (crib, dresser, rocker, table & lamp) was all placed in the same exact position it is this time around.  The house we used to live in is now my daughters.  Just a little bit of trivia for ya!

~ Stephanie