I am just head over heals for these pieces! So much character and color! The best part, one of them is for sale, click over to Shop Selections to view details!
Author: Second Chance Charms
Second chance inspired, hand crafted, refinished with charm made by me for you. Follow my page and watch some lovely creations come to life! Message me if you want something custom, redone or made!
KidKraft Retro Kitchen
Oh my goodness. I love when client’s want to give their littles a Second Chance. This KidKraft Retro Kitchen is super adorable. Remember the Playhouse I refinished last year? Check out the debut here: Playhouse Flip.
This KidKraft Kitchen will go with its little house. Refinished in Sherwin-Williams Tidewater and all hardware and extras revamped in Nickel and White.
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Antique China Cabinet
I was so excited to find this antique china cabinet. I love unique pieces and want to be able to refinish more of them. I have a hard time finding them on the west side of Arizona.
I went to Pinterest to find inspirational photos to give me an idea of what I wanted to do. At one point I was toying with the idea to go bright and bold, but caved when I thought of a two toned look for this gal.
This gorgeous curio cabinet has curved glass and a backsplash beveled mirror. Carved lion claw feet with original casters. Refinished in Sherwin-Williams Amazing Grey and glazed in a dark grey glaze to pop out all those fantastic details. Inside has three removable display shelves that are refinished in Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa. All original casters and knob are revamped in Nickel.
She is available for purchase please click over to Shop Selections to view details.
Before and after photos. This poor gal came to me with a broken foot and a missing glass door. Looking at the final photos, would you never be able to guess that. Love how she turned out!
1920’s Library Card Catalog
Worth the wait, wouldn’t you agree!? My first piece to the new year! Meeep!!! I want to start off by saying, I believe that every furniture refinisher out there wants to be able to say they refinished or restored an antique library card catalog storage cabinet, at least once. Secondly, I think it’s safe to assume that everybody wishes they owned one! I can check off one of those things! I completely swooned when I got my hands on this old fellow. He belonged to my great-grandfather and it was used to store his nick knacks and small tools in his garage. I am not sure how he encountered such a piece but let me just say- he used it for all its possibilities. After his passing in 2011 my mother held on to this lovely old gem, stored away in her garage, waiting for a Second Chance.
Before pictures:
The first thing I do when receiving a piece underway in the makeover process is take all the hardware off. Of course, this piece was an emotional experience for me. All the tags had my great grandfather’s hand writing on them. A little part of him was still here.
I giggled at my self a few times when I was stripping the paint away that he applied by hand and I would bet with some old paint he had stashed somewhere wanting a change, thinking to myself, I bet if he were here he would have said to me “Geez great grand-daughter, if I knew you would be knee-deep in toxic liquid, breathing in fumes, and scrubbing until your fingers were numb I wouldn’t have painted that darn thing”. But I know now that he would be so proud of how this piece looks today.
Stripping away all the old paint, my mother and I agreed to restore the base. The wood grain was in beautiful shape, apart from some cracks and missing pieces. I didn’t want to fill in certain flaws as it’s part of his charm and character. I stained the body and drawer faces using Minwax Early American.
Using four colors we enhanced only 20 of the 45 drawers for an artistic pop of color touch. My mom chose to use Sherwin-Williams Butternut, Rookwood Terra Cotta, Haven and Riverway.
I distressed the drawers that had color on them for the final vintage worn look. I am so proud of how this 1920’s Yawman & Erbe MFG. CO. Rochester N.Y. 45 drawer Library, Apothecary, Antique Industrial Card File turned out!! The card file has four sections: Top section with a brass plate identifying the manufacture (hidden behind paint in the before photo). Three sections with 15 card files each. Three boxes were built to replace the missing ones, two broken faces were repaired and four new catalog hardware was added to complete this restoration project!
Before and After:
-Rebecca
2017 Portfolio
Second Chance Charms completed one hundred and twenty-one pieces for the year 2017, both custom projects for clients and inventory selections. I also completed thirteen decor items for returning clients. This year I worked on some of the biggest sized pieces I have ever done! SWOON!
Thank you. Thank you!
You can’t use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have.
Looking back at my 2016 Portfolio inspiration was my 2017 goal for Second Chance Charms as well as in my personal life. I am constantly inspired by the many refinishers, blog post and Instagram accounts I follow daily, that I hope to one day be that for others.
As I look back on 2017 I am happy to say that I enjoyed all that I was a part of, from attending a seminar with Matthew Kelly, donating my hair, running an Art Club at my children’s school, creating The Artistic Home Design, my Shop Renovation and all the inbetweens like being a part of the Artisan Market and creating Second Chance Charms Behind the Scenes Furniture group. This year I was inspired to try new things by the people around me.
So what is next for Second Chance Charms, you ask?
Illustration.
This new year I want to focus more on sharing How-To’s, give examples, show tutorials and more. I’m looking forward to this 2018 year!
Thank you for being apart of my journey, supporting my business and allowing me to do what I love!
Xoxo -Rebecca
Goodbye December, Hello January
Christmas left as fast as it came this year. It was hard to get in the Christmas spirit for me. We unexpectedly lost my grandfather on December 6th. Norman was an honorable man, married to my grandmother for 55 years and left behind 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. His service was beautiful and the stories shared even more so. Rest in peace my grumpa, I love you.
I was able to complete a few projects this month, let’s take a look at what was completed at both custom pieces and inventory selection purchased for customizations.
I am completely happy with all of these gorgeous pieces. Ending December on a rather good note. I value the history that you share with me on your pieces. Most of them come from past relatives and this month was a reminder of that importance to me.
Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.
-Arthur Schopenhauer
Although Christmas was different for us this year, spending time with our family was perfect and lovely. I hope that you had a wonderful holiday with your loved ones.
xoxo
Rebecca
Rocking Chair
This vintage rocking chair belonged to my clients husbands’ late father. Keeping this rocking chair with it’s lovely memories and stories needed to be refinished to match my clients home decor. Now this beauty can keeping rocking many more memories but look fabulous while doing so!
Refinished in Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black with a slight distressed look to bring out the gorgeous wood tones underneath. 
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Recent Highlights December
Most recent work! I have one last project to share before the new year. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Todd Reifers Signature Workstation
It’s not a secret that my mother is an artist specialising in oil painting on canvas. You can read all about my amazing mother on my blog post: Maureen.
A while back my mother had bought a Todd Reifers Signature Workstation for her Art Room. So when Maureen came to me and said she needs her station to have her daughter’s Second Chance Charms artistic touch, I was ecstatic! She is such an inspiration!
My mother basically gave me free range and I quote “Two toned, maybe a beige and white, and definitely glazed. Surprise me I know I will love it!”… I wanted to see a heavy glaze on her piece, especially with the doors and those pop outs. I used Sherwin-Williams Portico for the base. Glazed the body in both Van Dyke Brown and Turkish Coffee. Keeping some areas highlighted in Portico for that pop of contrast. Revamped all the knobs, metal signature plate, metal on the leather strap and casters in Oil Rubbed Bronze. The before picture really illustrates the difference between the Before and After reveal! “Even castles in the sky can do with a fresh coat of paint”- Haruki Murakami
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Chair
A custom chair for my clients daughter. Homework needs to be done in style 💟
Refinished in Sherwin-Williams Languid Blue and glazed in White to not only soften this chair but to pop out those amazing details.
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Second Chance Charms 