The way to love someone
is to lightly run your finger over that person's soul
until you find a crack,
and then gently pour your love into that crack.
~Keith Miller

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Atomic Red and ki yi yippee yippee yay




We, Four and I rounded up this fabric yesterday ... earlier this morning I finished two of these chairs for her room ... and I thought I had today's project all worked out.  That old chair, bought at a yard sale last month ... I've been having fun shopping for fabric for it, and had decided that it would look just right with basically any thing.  When I saw the fabric in my closet it seemed that a match was made ... I thought maybe some funky paint and settled on this chartreuse color ... kinda settled, when I sand the old varnish off, there's a chance that staining the wood will seem more to my liking (sometimes when I handle the wood it just seems to not want to be covered up in paint).  That combination recalled Spring's Shasta daisies.  

So ... I set about taking the chair apart and I have to say, I'm a big fan of old metal hardware.  We are just not manufacturing the same quality product.  I'll clean those nuts and bolts up and they'll be good to go for another several decades.  This chair is skimpy on cushion, and after the second layer of fabric came off this red vinyl was exposed.  I knew it was there when I bought the chair, but I expected it to be badly worn ... it is in perfect condition though.
I'm not an expert on anything about dating furniture, but I thought the striped fabric might be from the fifties. Turquoise and olive green used together just seems fifties to me. This was put on well, but not professionally ... those tacks were holding a dressmaker like slip cover neatly in place and the one hand-stitched seam was done with embroidery thread and a straight needle.  There was actually a zipper in back just like a old dress zipper ... beautifully done, but odd for an upholstered piece.
The tag, original ... says the chair is from Viking Artline Corporation in Eldred, Pennsylvania.  I am very reticent to remove this original finish ... jeepers!  I'm going to wait on this ... thinking time.  Just a quick glance on-line and here is the exact same model chair sold last week on Etsy.  idk ...

A Mid Century Modern vintage 1950's red vinyl slipper chair by Viking Artline Corporation.


and, now it's all cleaned up ... bolted back together and cute as can be sitting in the den
... gonna keep it.  It's just beautifully constructed and it reminds me of Roy Rogers for some reason. 



The Chisolm Trail
(traditional song)

Foot in the stirrup and my hand on the horn
I'm the best darn cowboy ever was born

Singing ki yi yippee yippee yi yippeo
Singing ki yi yippee yippee yay
Well, I started up the trail October twenty-third
Started up the trail with a 2-U herd

Up every morning before daylight
And before I sleep the moon shines bright

With a ten dollar horse and a forty dollar saddle
I'm going down to Texas for to punch them cattle

Well old Ben Bolt was a fine old boss
And he went to see his gal on a sore-back hoss

There's a stray in the herd and boss said kill it
So I shot him in the rump with the handle of a skillet

And I went to the boss to draw my roll
And he had me figured out nine dollars in the hole

Ropin' and a-tyin' and a-brandin' all day
I'm a-working mighty hard for a-mighty little pay

Well I went to the boss and we had a little chat
And I hit him in the face with my old slouch hat

With my foot in the stirrup and my hand on the horn
I'm the best danged cowboy ever was born

Well I'm gonna get married just as quick as I can
And I won't punch cattle for no darn man.

No comments: