Use It Or Lose It: Shaker Stool

Hello, shaker stool! Welcome back to my life. 

Once upon a time, four little girls lived in my house, and man alive, how they loved to color. 

Hours upon hours were spent with their heads bent in intense concentration, little fingers wrapped around their crayons, seated at our family room coffee tables. 

That's how my girls liked to color. Not on any grown-up sized tables that created awkward poses for tiny ladies, but working close to the ground. And seated of course, on a cute little stool

Your checkerboard seat makes me smile whenever I pass by. 

Now, being a house full of children, we kept in play a lovely assortment of stools for reaching high places, and these came in very handy during the daily coloring rampages. 

But best of all was the little orange stool.

During those long-ago days called the 80s, we built you from a kit.

Thusly named for its bold and beautiful woven seat, the sweet little specimen was one of my beloved Shaker collection. Back in the day, I loved - and still cherish - Shaker design and saved my pennies to buy several pieces. This little stool was one of those favorites.

He was a delight to behold. 

I found your replacement tape on Etsy, and wove you a new seat just as good as the first. 

Years passed. My artists grew tall and began to sit on adult-sized furniture while working on their projects, and the little orange stool fell into disuse.

He suffered some fading over the years, and I'm sorry to say that one of the cats developed a penchant for scratching the darling checkerboard seat. All told, the little orange stool became a bit worse for the wear.

A few years ago, he was banished to the garage. Poor guy.

You look pretty rad here by Gracie's couch but you are welcome anywhere in the house. 

Feel free to float around. 

But, joy of joys, he's back! 

With a fresh coat of finish on his pale maple legs, and a handsome new seat woven from black, he has recently rejoined us here in the house. 

I'll never neglect you again!

.And though at the moment, there are no little artists around to put my black-is-the-new-orange little stool to his proper use, I am delighted to have him back in action.

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More stories about my Use It Or Lose It adventures:

Thrifted Cubbies

The Marriage Tester

Small Quilts

Office Updates

Shaker Stool