The Old Rocking Chair - Part 1: Wood Filler and Sanding

Oh hello there. 

It's been a looooooong time since I posted anything.  I've been in a DIY dead zone for the last few months since all of my time has been spent trying to pass Algebra and look for a house.  I have a few weeks before school starts up again and before we close so I decided to start refurbishing my beloved rocking chair for my new office.

It's obviously pretty dated but it's the chair I was lovingly rocked in as a little munchkin so it has major sentimental value. It's also solid wood and ridiculously comfortable so I've dragged it all over the country with me in anticipation of one day fixing it up. 

This post isn't terribly exciting but it's the before shot and initial prep work details that start the project off right.   

It's a big chair that's very solid.

80s stenciling...SWEET!

When we adopted our dog he had some separation anxiety during the first few months and took it out on my chair.

First coat of Elmer's Wood filler!

Some minor scratches that only needed a thin layer of filler.

Starting to sand!

So if you've made it this far down the post, here are a few more bits of info about what I'm planning on doing.  I vacillated between painting and restaining but ultimately decided to go with paint. It's less work than stain and I already have a lot of dark wood furniture. Plus, I'm thinking of painting it a fun color like turquoise or orange because why not?

I'm still in the sanding/filler stage but will post more as I go through each phase of the project!