Almost there

We've been doing some major spring cleaning, or prepping the house to sell, depending on the day you ask us. I haven't been to the workshop in a week, which isn't good. Of course our den is painted and our laundry room has been cleaned and cleared and re-organized from head to toe, and that's a good thing whether we stay or move.

I do have some progress to show on the secretary. After finishing the linen colored basecoat I began to paint the outside with the deep, dark federal blue color I used on that maple chest. Much to my surprise, it looked awful. Still in the mood for blue I decided to try a pale robins egg blue I had sitting around. This is a gallon of Benjamin Moore I picked up off the mis-tint shelf at Ace Hardware in Overland Park. I like it so much I painted the frame of a big mirror I had to match. (I also think it's almost the perfect color to paint a ceiling, and will be keeping a sample for that future purpose)

Before I started the blue topcoat I took my burnt umber glaze and dirtied up the interior of the desk and lower cabinet, as well as the interior of the drawer. When the second topcoat is complete I'll dirty up the outside as well.

So we're getting close. After all the paint is done everything will get a protective clear coat and I can start putting it back together. I've replaced the desk hinges as the original ones were starting to bend. I've found some chain that I'm hoping will work, but if not I'll have to get that replaced. A small knob for the little interior drawer (the original one had half broken off) and we'll be good to go.