To strip...or not to strip?

Are you compelled to strip? Furniture, that is! Do you tell yourself that you'll just "scratch the surface" a little and call it good? Then find yourself busting out the Zip Strip and the 80 grit paper? And before you know it, you're up to your elbows in layers and layers of God-only-knows what kinds of ancient & hazardous fermented-on finishes? Me too!
I spotted this aqua beauty at an antique store and was instantly drawn to its dreamy ocean hue! I even liked the chippy, dinged-up patina she was sporting. What you don't see, are the unsightly globs of high-gloss paint that were slapped on and left to run and dry that way by some previous owner. I tried to tell myself that I could live with it...maybe sand off some of those dried drips and spray it all over with a matte finish....but I knew better. Before I could even think about it I was pulling on the rubber gloves and prying open a can of my favorite stripper. What...? You don't have a favorite stripper?

I don't know what happens...once I start to "scratch the surface" I am driven to keep going until I get to the original raw wood. By the third application of stripper, I was starting to curse myself. Even if I was amused at the many, many colors she used to wear.

Why didn't she take the hardware off first? you ask. Because it was painted over and I had to get to the hardware first!

Okay, I'm starting to feel a little progress here...just might be ready to break out the sander...

Just LOOK at that bead board backing! Do you know how relieved I am that it was unfinished!!?
And NO, I would not have stripped that, I don't care how much lead paint!

After all the stripping, sanding, whining, painting and glazing (hard to see in the pics) I sprayed the brass cup pulls with oil rubbed bronze spray paint and called this project done!

Here she is, at the top of my stairs. (many thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Sweet Melissa...she was heavy!!)

I love these little angled drawers!

Yes, I think it was worth the trouble.....what do you think?

So tell me....do you have a compulsion to strip?

I'm sharing this beauty with everybody over at Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday, and Donna's SNS #57. Also, check out BNOP's Met Monday #96....great stuff!!

Edited to add: Thank you SO MUCH for all the kind comments on this chest! This butterfly pics above it came from a friend's garage sale. Many of you have asked about the paint color I used on the chest. I'm sorry to report that it was a color match, and I don't have the original color card, so I don't know the brand.....but, my paint can reads "color match Dewey blend." I think I picked up the color card at a Walmart store....? Hope this is helpful!