Every once in a while, I get it in my head that I want to refinish something. I have refurbished a few old dressers, which actually turned out pretty good for the amateur that I am.
I like old things. I like the stories that they hold, even if that story is left entirely to my own imagination. I also like the work that goes into the refinishing process. The elbow grease and seeing something beautiful emerge from something worn. A month or so ago, I spotted this old sled in my in-law’s garage.
This sled belonged to the girl’s great grandfather. Maybe it was also used by his children when they were young. I like to think this sled was well loved. The cracked wooden braces which had been messily glued together certainly suggest it had an active life.
I have never attempted to refinish rusted metal before, so it took a little research on the front end to figure out the best way to sand and prime the metal.
Once that was done, I added a little spray paint, stain and some new hardware and you could already see something pretty starting to emerge.
I then bought some craft letters from Hobby Lobby, used some scrapbook paper and Modge Podge to make the letters festive for the holidays and glued them onto the sled.
It still needs a new piece of rope and I will probably decorate it with some evergreen when it comes time to put it out on the front porch, but I am happy with the finished product.
I can’t wait to see this sled in front of the house this holiday season. It is going to be a nice addition to our decor and I know it will remind me (and hopefully other family members) about family and childhood winter fun, past and present.
