Haha! I got you. I bet you thought this post was actually about a real Secretary, as in person, who actually bathed in paint!
Well it isn’t. It’s about this gorgeous Secretary, ready for Spring, but she didn’t start out this way.
It’s about a Secretary Desk, that was literally bathed in paint. It came to me about two years ago, and after a half-hearted attempt to remove the Pink Paint. It was too complicated, so it got filed away into the middle of my furniture cube, and there it stayed.
About 6 months ago, Emma and I discovered it and tried the stripping process again. We tried the best there was, Zinnser Citrus Strip. It was a totally uneven match from the start. The Secretary just snickered and absorbed the stripper. We gave up a second time and refiled it, this time leaving no trail.
After our recent garage clean up, (You can read about the fabulous makeover HERE) we found it again. It kept turning up like a bad penny. I decided it was do or die. I brought in the big guns this time. The Orbital sander with a grinding pad. I worked at it for about an hour, and finally, finally! Got through about a dozen layers.
Once all the old paint was removed and I had a smooth surface to work with, the Secretary suddenly came alive. I did some minor repairs and got to the fun part. I painted the exterior with just one coat of CeCe Caldwell’s Alaska Tundra Green.
This color is like the quintessential Vintage Color. It was one of the first colors I tried, and still one of my all time favorites.
For the interior, I used one of CeCe Caldwell’s newest colors. Chesapeake Blue. It is almost a Periwinkle color, and plays so nicely with the Alaska Tundra Green.
I can’t say I am sad to say goodbye to my secretary. I gave her an excellent reference, and am confident she will find the right setting for her skill set shortly at this weekend’s Paris Flea Market Sale.
PS Her resume includes a lovely place to hold the season’s first blooms. 
My Secretary is applying for positions at these fabulous get togethers:
soooo pretty! that is my kind of green!
very pretty, love the colour . Love the pink vase of flowers too.
Great little tale! And I like those colors together 🙂
Oh this is so pretty. I love the color. You really are the furniture whisper!!!!! You can re love these pieces like nobody else!!!! This is really a sweet one.
Kris
Oh how I wish I lived closer because she would have a home with me! She’s gorgeous!
She was worth the effort! That color combination is gorgeous, I love periwinkle and that green is just perfection 🙂
Beautiful as always! I wish CeCe’s paint was available in Australia!
Maybe maybe not I might see this desk this weekend
I love the name, great job once again, Karen.
Jeannie
So soft and pretty Karen!
I love Alaska Tundra Green! I need to buy some this weekend – I ran out of the tester pot so I need to make sure and buy a quart this weekend! Love your posts!
Super nice project! love your secretary Karen.
The secretary desk is great, but I can’t take my eyes off the pink vase!
Love that color!!
Hi Karen! You will be one of the features today at the Anything Blue Friday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on in and grab a feature button for your blog. Hope to see you again at the blue soiree. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Love this! I scored the exact same piece at a flea market last month. I really like the color you painted your secretary desk. I might go for something similar! Thanks for the inspiration.