Broken Cookies & Painted Furniture

When I was a little girl I never used to eat the broken cookies in the package.

(Yes, I know, packaged cookies – my mom didn’t like to bake.  I think we made gingerbread men once.  But that isn’t the point of the story.  The point is these broken cookies that I wouldn’t eat.)

 These cookies weren’t perfect.

 They were mis-shaped, they were cracked, they were split in half.  They just weren’t pretty.

My mom told me, “Danielle, those broken cookies are the orphans, if you don’t eat them they will be sad and lonely.”

I still remember this conversation with fondness and it got me thinking about furniture.  The furniture I love to paint.

The pieces I find were once loved but they aren’t any more.  Like the cookies, they are broken, forgotten and lonely.  It fills me up to  know that by making them more appealing they may get a second chance.  A second time to be loved.

As you all know, I name my furniture.  There’s been dapper George –

 Meredith – one of my first pieces who lives in my son’s best friend’s bedroom.

I get attached to these pieces.  Even if they don’t belong to me in the first place, like Jameson:

I know they aren’t alive, but to me they have personality, they have attitude and charm.

Other times I simply can not say good bye.  Like Isla:

or Simone:

This week many pieces have been leaving the Finding Silver Pennies basement studio to be re-loved.  This makes me so happy.  I’m working on many new pieces and can’t wait for you to see them soon.  Just waved good bye to Adana over the weekend!

I learn so much from these broken cookies and pieces of furniture.  I feel so lucky to share a moment in time with them, however brief it may be.