Scott’s Antique Market

The second of each month is antique mecca for Atlantan’s and those living close by. This is when Scott’s Antique Market has their Atlanta show. Two huge buildings spanning both sides I-285—yes, I do go outside-the-perimeter (OTP) on occasion—where you can find just about anything you can think of, or want. From rugs to amoires, to prints and glassware, to jewerly and buttons, there’s something for everyone. This event is worth the visit for the people watching alone; both vendors and customers offer an eclectic mix of personalities.

This month I went with a couple friends, as I’m on the look out for a couple of things for the guest bedroom and am always looking for a deal. I wound up buying an old Martha Washington Sewing Table that needs a little work; the knobs have to be replaced, there’s a broken hinge, and it’s been painted, but for $45 I can do a little paint stripping. On close inspection, there only seems to be one coat of paint and no primer.

The legs look like they'll pose the most challenge, getting the paint out of all those grooves.

In my quest to be eco-friendly, I did a little research on the safest, “greenest” way to strip paint and found a couple of good options. Soy gel, which is 100% biodegradable (yeah baby), non-caustic and non-hazardous; and CitriStrip, which you can use indoors and leave on for up to 24 hours. After a trip to our local Lowe’s we wound up with the CitriStrip by default—they didn’t have any soy gel. I’ve applied a coat and am waiting a couple hours before attempting to scrape.

More tomorrow...