A Rescue

During one of our (frequent) Craigslist scans, Pablo and I came across a little slant-front desk advertised for $20. Skeptical, we clicked on the link and looked at pictures -- it actually looked fairly decent, despite warnings of stickers and some childish "Sharpie art" on the inside of the lid.

After bargaining down to $15, we took it home -- there was some scratching to the lid and top, but the desk was solid wood (except the back, but who cares about that) and had a lovely shape. Here's a "before" picture -- though it isn't quite fair, since by the time I remembered to take it, we had already started sanding the top and removed all the drawers! But you get the idea:



We set to work sanding down the top and lid. I scrubbed away at the Sharpie, and thanks to my super-secret all-purpose cleaner (otherwise known as equal parts vinegar and water), it came out entirely! The stain we chose turned out to be the perfect color, so we were spared the work of refinishing the rest of the desk. So for the cost of stain, sandpaper, and a cheap brush, we were able to rescue our little Craigslist desk:



It has turned out to be perfect for the little "nook" off the kitchen -- its small size fits the scale of our house, and it's the most delightful little bill-paying/mail-sorting/letter-writing station imaginable. And, of course, anything is better if you cover it with books... *wink*

I just love happy endings!