A weekend filled with glassing, framing, matting with the odd coffee or two, proved to be quite successful this October. Time seems to have got away over the years and catching up on the odd, artistic job that should have and could have been done years ago, was on my list of things to do.

I don’t tend to outsource any of these jobs, as many of you realise; keeping a firm hand on quality control until the very end is important. Especially, if the the job is close to one’s heart and has significant meaning.

I grew up being part of the framing process, when my Dad was alive. He would mat and frame all sorts of things - from greyhound prints to wedding and informal photographic prints that seemed to forever multiply on the workshop bench. As a young kid, there was always something for me to do - glueing or measuring- being careful to line-up all the markings to just right spot.

Dad was a perfectionist and a great teacher, and I guess over the years of me being a great watcher - for all things ‘workshop’, I would like to think I became a great disciple.

Dad was a great tinker and could put his hands to just about anything and miraculously, it would be fixed or made into something one would never expect. Yes, it was a great privilege being an observer in my father’s workshop - filled with magic. There was always something to learn from those gnarled, skilled and caring hands.

I am all in for re-vamping old things that have stood the test of time and have served one well over the years.  Sometimes, they are really hard to replace because they are particularly unique or just because they remind us of things that have occurred in ones life, or they mark a turning point in our lives.  Either way, giving them a major overhaul keeps the cherished item in one's home, but allows it to continue being memorable, but also useful.

So out came the screws, off came the seat - with a bit of grunt and grind - and away I tossed the inner dead foam to reveal a tired old piece of hardboard.  What to do with it was a challenge and how was I not going to waste, but not going to buy anything new...?   

I wanted to make the covers washable and I also needed to still protect the board.  I had a few old cushions lying around and decided to clip them into a new round shape by removing the white piping and zipper.  Yes, I need to put the zipper back again, once I changed the shape and had to  insert the new foam from the original square cushions.   

The board I re-glued, sanded back and covered with mounting board because I had surplus of that lying around.  Then, I edged the circumference with good-looking, but used braid that I had collected over the years.  

Once I finished the seating, I repainted the chairs with gold enamel paint and the job was done!  Yes, it did take a couple of days, some sewing and a bit of clever thinking, but now I have a brand new setting that will last me - quite a while longer.