One More Project with Dad (Part 3)

And now for the final installment:

As I mentioned, the original top of the nightstand was a little too far gone. During the cleaning process I had to remove the top layer. This exposed some very blond wood that didn't match at all.

This just wouldn't do, so it had to go.

My original plan was to use a piece of leather to cover the top; unfortunately the piece of leather was too small. I had to think outside the box again. I went through a few possible scenarios, like fitting another piece of wood on top or using a frame to control the piece, but in a moment of genius/desperation,  I decided to try something risky.



I found a piece of torn lace that my grandmother had given to my mom YEARS ago. I think it was an old curtain from one of my great aunt's homes, and it was beautiful. It just might be the perfect finishing touch for this project. 

First, I covered the sides and front of the nightstands which I had stained and finished to protect them.

My mom said it was ok to use this piece of lace.

This was the design left behind
immediately after.

Then, I tightly taped the lace to the top of the nightstand, making sure it wouldn't move. I used blackspray paint  to paint through the lace. I put one heavy coat of paint on and immediately and carefully removed the the lace before it could adhere to the nightstands. This process left a beautiful design.



Since I was in a spray painting mood, I put a quick coat of bronze on the handles to freshen them up and bring out some of the detail.



I finished the top with a couple coats of poly. This really brought out the detail and contrast in the lace design. I did three coats because the top of the nightstands will be seeing the most wear and tear and I don't want to have to try and touch up the lace pattern. I let the poly dry for the full 24 hours and now I have the ultimate nightstands.

The nightstands are done and I am more in love with them than before. They were truly a labor of love. With every blind step I took I found myself thinking about my dad. About his strong hands which could fix just about anything. His amazing mind, which allowed him to find the solution to any problem. His calm voice, which would tell me the story of the day I was born every time I asked him to, no matter how tired he was.


Most people have a larger-than-life idea of the person/people who raised them, but I am convinced my vision of my father is accurate. His passing has left me confused on so many levels. Every Tuesday night, we would talk on the phone. It was our night. I would do most of the talking, but he knew just what to say when I gave him an opening. He was the person I cried to, he was the person I called with funny stories, he was the person who calmed me when I was scared. While I have a million memories of him, I feel so very lucky to have these nightstands as one more memory for us, even if he wasn't physically there.


During the initial cleaning I emptied the drawers. In them, I found cards from my mom from the course of the four decades they were together, letters from my grandfather in Spanish, indecipherable pictures my sister and I drew as children, before any hand to eye coordination had set in. These were his treasures. These were the things he wanted next to him while he slept. These were the things that gave him comfort in the night.


When most people see these nightstands they will just see another piece of furniture, but we will know more. They are my link to one of the greatest men who ever lived. During the process of cleaning, staining, and more, I kept thinking of two things: his laugh and a phrase he would always tell my mom, my sister and me.

"There is nothing you can say or do that will ever make me stop loving you."
-Richard Chavez

You're right dad, there is nothing you could ever say or do that will make us stop loving you.