2ndChanceCharms

Second Chance Charms started in 2012 when my husband and I bought a house in Sun City, Arizona. We could only afford to fill it with second hand items and hand-me-down furnishings from family members and garage sales. To make it our own and give it our style I started to refinish them, slowly but surely, trial and error, this DIY became an obsession. Our friends and family would bring me their old unwanted pieces of décor and furniture to give new life and love too. Before I knew it I was juggling three kids, a husband, house and this new found creative spark that I had lost in my college days.

I drew my first real art piece when I was 10 years old of my bike I had got for Christmas. I was so proud of my bike and being a part of the guys. I am the eldest of 3 boys. I remember laying on the concrete floor in the garage pencil drawing my bike and watching my mother as she painted her oils on canvas in her studio. I believe its from her that I have this passion for creativity. Every piece is carefully loved and forever a apart of my soul.

In school I dabbed in all sorts of sports. Swimming became my outlet and art class was always a given. In college I branched out in interior design and fine arts. My husband and I started a family and all my energies were put forth in raising our boys that I soon quickly had forgotten my happiness in the artistic world.

One day, when we were moving furniture around trying to find places for all our mixed matched broken and hand-me-down pieces, I found myself staring at this small dresser that used to be my mothers as a girl. The paint was chipped everywhere, showing the many different color layers it had. I didn’t have the heart to rid of the thing. How could I? The memories my mother had. The many layers of paint my grandfather gave it throughout the years to appease his daughter. It was my first piece that I refinished and is still used as my coffee bar in my house today. The entire process from start to finish thrilled me. I had found Becca. She wasn’t forgotten just laid dormant for a time. To breath new life in something forgotten is a simple reminder to me that there is beauty in second chances. Every morning I use my coffee bar and its sentimental in so many ways. Different pieces of furniture have meaning to us all… a family heirloom, first set a husband and wife bought together, a gift for a child. Instead of riding of these pieces that have aged over time and in not the best of ways, refinishing them writes another page to their wonderful stories.

I am absolutely obsessed with refinishing, repurposing and reusing furniture. Everyone and everything deserves a Second Chance!

You can find my charms at:

http://www.facebook.com/secondchancecharms

http://www.instagram.com/secondchancecharms

http://www.secondchancecharms.com

Rebecca Whitney