A Vintage Sled and Things of Late
Last week, I spent a good portion of my time in bed with hot tea and reruns of Fixer Upper and Tiny House Nation. I was battling a cold that morphed into the flu, which put a serious damper on my productivity.
Now that I'm feeling better, I was able to finish some commissioned pieces that needed some finishing touches and did some picking at my favorite antique spots.
You better believe that I snagged some of those beautiful window sashes! During my picks, I scored some killer Christmas items. Now before you shake your head in disgust at me for mentioning Christmas in October, rest assured that I'm totally with you. I would rather enjoy the season of Fall before diving into Christmas too, but now that I'm the world of retail, I have to play by the rules and get ready for the turn of the seasons waaaaaaay ahead of time.
So here begins my first of many Christmas-themed projects for my retail spaces.
I picked up this pretty vintage Flexible Flyer Racing Sled during one of my picking excursions. I love the look of old time sleds, and boy did I score with this one!
The wood and metal were pretty dry but the original artwork was still there.
Just look at the original logo!
On the back, the S.L. Allen Company logo was still in tact. I did some research and found some great information. (After all, Eight Hundred is all about furniture with a story!)
Flexible Flyers were manufactured in Philadelphia for about 100 years by the S.L. Allen Company. Their factory is located at 5th Street and Glenwood Avenue.
My sled happens to be the F series, which dates back to 1928.
The runners still have their original red paint, which I had a plan to revive.
Just look at that authentic patina!
Because the sled was gorgeous just as it was, all I did was give it some life again by rubbing it down with Miss Mustard Seed's Hemp Oil.
I put it in an ironstone dish and used my Parson's West brush to apply it to every nook and cranny of the sled.
It was so much fun watching the original paint revive with each brushstroke. The metal and wood drank in the Hemp Oil like a thirsty plant.
Within about 10 minutes (5 to apply, 5 to rub down) my sled was looking absolutely lovely!
The color of the wood had deepened,
the red paint was shinier and more vibrant,
and the original logo became more pronounced despite its crackling patina.
I staged this little guy with a simple boxwood wreath. No need to guild a lily, right?
Can't you picture this on your front porch surrounded by freshly fallen snow with the sound of sleigh bells off in the distance?
Even though it's still October, I think it's OK to beckon Christmas to arrive with a piece this pretty!
