Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Homemade Hand Tool Cuts Leather Clean and True
To build this simple leather cutter, I used a piece of an old bandsaw blade and an oak scrap.
Ive got a thing for humidors. Despite the fact that I dont smoke cigars, I love the challenge of building a high quality box for housing fine cigars. The humid environment inside a humidor poses some challenges if you wish to build a piece that lasts the test of time, and Ive figured out a few tricks along the way to make my boxes go the extra mile in terms of handling moisture fluctuations without stressing my joinery.
Recently I began using leather for one of my components and realized I needed a simple way to cut leather cleanly and precisely. I tried using a straightedge and a sharp utility knife but I found that even the sharpest of blades had a tendency to tear - at least slightly - when making the cut. The dragging motion of a knife just didnt work. What I really needed was a nice chopping cut.
Using a piece from an old bandsaw blade and some quartersawn oak scraps I had laying around the shop, I came up with this simple "chopper." The blade is simply set atop the leather you wish to cut, then a couple of blows with a mallet and BAM - youve got a perfectly crisp cut in your leather. Works like a charm!
Click Here and Start WoodWorking
How To Build A Chicken Coop Easily In One Weekend
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Alford]Andrew Alford
Building Your Own Chicken Coop Can Be a Very Smart Decision
If youve made the decision to build your own chicken coop youre a part of a growing group of Americans who are saying "No" to economic downturns, and doing something positive for themselves, their family and their own nutrition. Raising chickens and harvesting your own eggs dates back to earlier simpler times, but its something that almost any do-it-yourselfer can do if they put their mind to it.
STEP ONE: The first step in building your own chicken coop is to study the procedures, which is what this article is about, and while it may not be comprehensive it should serve as a good starting point. By doing your homework, youll understand more about the breed and number of chickens youll need to satisfy your needs, as well as the chickens tolerances to temperature and environment.
STEP TWO: Be certain to check the zoning laws in your community, this will tell you the number of chickens you can have, whether a rooster is permitted, and whether youll need an inspector to sign off on your finished coop. Unless youre located far from any city and have ample acreage, zoning laws may be applicable, and its best to find out before you are forced to dissemble your creation.
STEP THREE: Next comes the design, choose a design that is not only aesthetically pleasing for you (and possibly your wife or significant other) but also functional for your chickens. There are multiple designs online as well as detailed books about choosing and constructing your chicken coop. Basically, youll want to design a chicken coop that is roofed, well ventilated and has ample space. Of course youll need to have nesting boxes and roosts allowing your chickens to nest and sleep, exercise, and other assorted chicken like activities.
STEP FOUR: How much space do you estimate youll need? Step four is very much part of the planning phase, and will depend on the breed and the number of hens you plan to house. Packing too many chickens into a small space is a recipe for disaster; theyll need space to move around, nest, peck the ground and of course lay their eggs, etc. While this recommended space will vary depending on the breed, approximately 4 sq. ft. per chicken has proved ample for my needs.
STEP FIVE: What is the climate in your area? While its not necessary to have an air-conditioned chicken coop, there is an optimal climate for a particular breed, and this will need to be considered prior to building and purchasing your chickens. If you live in a cold climate, youll need to ensure the inside not only has suitable ventilation, but also heating and insulation if required; this might include a heat lamp for young chickens, and/or a heating pad for your hens.
While chickens for the most part are easy to maintain, youll need to keep a watchful eye, and potentially make changes to their environment as the seasons change. Plan on supplying electrical power to your chicken coop to run the necessary heating, cooling, or monitoring devices you may require.
Once youve given adequate thought and planning to your new chicken coop, its time to set aside a weekend accomplish the task. Once your chicken coop is up and functional, and your hands used to their environment, youll soon be enjoying fresh eggs for breakfast, and possibly answers to share with family and friends.
Did you know the average American spends over $400 trying to build their chicken coop. It can take may of them 2 months or more to come up with something that quite honestly can be less than adequate for raising healthy chickens.
You may also be surprised to know that most people who decide to [http://buildanewchickencoop.com]build a chicken coop rush in to it totally blind and without any prior planning.
Andrew Alford has been building chicken coops for many years and it you want to save time and more importantly MONEY then learn [http://buildanewchickencoop.com/how-to-build-a-chicken-coop/]How To build a chicken coop the right way first time.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Build-A-Chicken-Coop-Easily-In-One-Weekend&id=6708266] How To Build A Chicken Coop Easily In One Weekend
Read More..
Building Your Own Chicken Coop Can Be a Very Smart Decision
If youve made the decision to build your own chicken coop youre a part of a growing group of Americans who are saying "No" to economic downturns, and doing something positive for themselves, their family and their own nutrition. Raising chickens and harvesting your own eggs dates back to earlier simpler times, but its something that almost any do-it-yourselfer can do if they put their mind to it.
STEP ONE: The first step in building your own chicken coop is to study the procedures, which is what this article is about, and while it may not be comprehensive it should serve as a good starting point. By doing your homework, youll understand more about the breed and number of chickens youll need to satisfy your needs, as well as the chickens tolerances to temperature and environment.
STEP TWO: Be certain to check the zoning laws in your community, this will tell you the number of chickens you can have, whether a rooster is permitted, and whether youll need an inspector to sign off on your finished coop. Unless youre located far from any city and have ample acreage, zoning laws may be applicable, and its best to find out before you are forced to dissemble your creation.
STEP THREE: Next comes the design, choose a design that is not only aesthetically pleasing for you (and possibly your wife or significant other) but also functional for your chickens. There are multiple designs online as well as detailed books about choosing and constructing your chicken coop. Basically, youll want to design a chicken coop that is roofed, well ventilated and has ample space. Of course youll need to have nesting boxes and roosts allowing your chickens to nest and sleep, exercise, and other assorted chicken like activities.
STEP FOUR: How much space do you estimate youll need? Step four is very much part of the planning phase, and will depend on the breed and the number of hens you plan to house. Packing too many chickens into a small space is a recipe for disaster; theyll need space to move around, nest, peck the ground and of course lay their eggs, etc. While this recommended space will vary depending on the breed, approximately 4 sq. ft. per chicken has proved ample for my needs.
STEP FIVE: What is the climate in your area? While its not necessary to have an air-conditioned chicken coop, there is an optimal climate for a particular breed, and this will need to be considered prior to building and purchasing your chickens. If you live in a cold climate, youll need to ensure the inside not only has suitable ventilation, but also heating and insulation if required; this might include a heat lamp for young chickens, and/or a heating pad for your hens.
While chickens for the most part are easy to maintain, youll need to keep a watchful eye, and potentially make changes to their environment as the seasons change. Plan on supplying electrical power to your chicken coop to run the necessary heating, cooling, or monitoring devices you may require.
Once youve given adequate thought and planning to your new chicken coop, its time to set aside a weekend accomplish the task. Once your chicken coop is up and functional, and your hands used to their environment, youll soon be enjoying fresh eggs for breakfast, and possibly answers to share with family and friends.
Did you know the average American spends over $400 trying to build their chicken coop. It can take may of them 2 months or more to come up with something that quite honestly can be less than adequate for raising healthy chickens.
You may also be surprised to know that most people who decide to [http://buildanewchickencoop.com]build a chicken coop rush in to it totally blind and without any prior planning.
Andrew Alford has been building chicken coops for many years and it you want to save time and more importantly MONEY then learn [http://buildanewchickencoop.com/how-to-build-a-chicken-coop/]How To build a chicken coop the right way first time.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Build-A-Chicken-Coop-Easily-In-One-Weekend&id=6708266] How To Build A Chicken Coop Easily In One Weekend
Make the little whistle too!
A few people were asking for more details about the little whistle I showed at the end of yesterdays video, so I shot a video this morning. They are incredibly easy to make. In fact, you could just make one with part of a tree branch and a pocketknife.
And if you want a loud noisemaker for New Years Eve, this is the one. You could make a whole batch and be the life of any party. Yeah.
*****
Read More..
And if you want a loud noisemaker for New Years Eve, this is the one. You could make a whole batch and be the life of any party. Yeah.
*****
Enterta er TV stand build Part 1 of 2 Or 3
Heres the beginning of the construction from this past weekend, although Im not sure how much construction actually took place. Well, like I said, I was able to complete the front legs.
Im not certain how far I will get this weekend as I will be busy with The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. I play the part of a thespians dad who drives around a lot.
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Im not certain how far I will get this weekend as I will be busy with The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. I play the part of a thespians dad who drives around a lot.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
The Kreg Keg Crate
The title is a bit of a tongue twister, but I like the alliteration. Mercifully, I spared us a cutsie — and unfortunate — spelling of crate with a K. And, well, it isnt even close to keg-sized.
After kicking around a number of ideas for my Kreg Jig project, I finally got my fancy sketches completed and everything measured out. Getting accurate measurements of various beer bottles was the trickiest part.
Typically, the Kreg Jig is used in furniture making and other large projects. What I wanted to show with this project is that the Kreg Jig can be useful for a woodworking hobbyist to make small things.
I encourage you to check out the videos on the Kreg web site and see some of the neat stuff you can do with it. I’m definitely going to be putting it to the test on picture frames.
Read More..
After kicking around a number of ideas for my Kreg Jig project, I finally got my fancy sketches completed and everything measured out. Getting accurate measurements of various beer bottles was the trickiest part.
Typically, the Kreg Jig is used in furniture making and other large projects. What I wanted to show with this project is that the Kreg Jig can be useful for a woodworking hobbyist to make small things.
I encourage you to check out the videos on the Kreg web site and see some of the neat stuff you can do with it. I’m definitely going to be putting it to the test on picture frames.
Fine Woodworkings elitism
"Vet" (verb) To thoroughly check or investigate particularly with regard to providing formal approval. (Wiktionary)
I was really glad to have read Tom Iovinos article about a couple of woodworking snobs over at Fine Woodworking Magazine. If it hadnt been for Tom, I would have never even been aware of their video podcast. One hour of pure tedium.
In thrilling Episode #5, entitled "A Perfect Storm of Stupidity" the self-righteous editors of Fine Woodworking spend ten minutes bashing anyone producing video content online because the information "hasnt been vetted". In other words, the fact that individuals can publish whatever they like, without a big publishing houses approval is alien to these pompous coots.
I wont ask you to sit through the entire video ( I certainly didnt) but watch the first ten minutes where the dude on the left lambastes regular people who like to exercise their freedom. He compares YouTubers to children who simply post vanity videos.
Im not sure if the guy on the right serves any function; he just sits there and nods to the other guy. Naturally, they dont post their videos on You Tube where the public could comment.
I vetted out their video and determined it is far to dull to embed on my web site, so heres the link.
Its curious to watch people in a sinking industry desperately grasping for anything to keep them afloat, rather than creating their own relevant content. Its easier to attack people making and distributing free videos than to compete. Im sure Fine Woodworking offers overpriced DVDs (also a dying format) featuring these guys. Can you imagine trying to sit through one of those without falling asleep?
Read More..
I was really glad to have read Tom Iovinos article about a couple of woodworking snobs over at Fine Woodworking Magazine. If it hadnt been for Tom, I would have never even been aware of their video podcast. One hour of pure tedium.
 |
| Hey Kids! Wanna be a woodworker? Listen to FUN guys like US! |
In thrilling Episode #5, entitled "A Perfect Storm of Stupidity" the self-righteous editors of Fine Woodworking spend ten minutes bashing anyone producing video content online because the information "hasnt been vetted". In other words, the fact that individuals can publish whatever they like, without a big publishing houses approval is alien to these pompous coots.
I wont ask you to sit through the entire video ( I certainly didnt) but watch the first ten minutes where the dude on the left lambastes regular people who like to exercise their freedom. He compares YouTubers to children who simply post vanity videos.
Im not sure if the guy on the right serves any function; he just sits there and nods to the other guy. Naturally, they dont post their videos on You Tube where the public could comment.
I vetted out their video and determined it is far to dull to embed on my web site, so heres the link.
Its curious to watch people in a sinking industry desperately grasping for anything to keep them afloat, rather than creating their own relevant content. Its easier to attack people making and distributing free videos than to compete. Im sure Fine Woodworking offers overpriced DVDs (also a dying format) featuring these guys. Can you imagine trying to sit through one of those without falling asleep?
French and English gothic
Gothic architecture involved radical innovations such as flying buttresses, pointed arches, and elaborate tracery in a general shift from a rounded horizontal orientation to that of a more vertical one. Gothic cathedrals were expressions of a transitory opulence. In stark contrast the the furniture of that time period was rather simple. For the most part the interiors of the churches and the homes of the patrons utilized simple functional oak furniture that was decorated with tapestries and metalwork. 
The furniture of the 1400s constituted a shift in tastes that favored designs incorporating the pointed arch as well as the use of tracery and arches carved into the panels of chairs tables and chests. The new cathedrals were expressions of affluence, but for their interiors the rich patrons of the church appear to have enjoyed simple, functional oak furniture enriched with tapestries and metalwork. The decorative elements of the Gothic, particularly the pointed arch, were not seen in furniture ornament until about 1400. Then, for more than a century, tracery and arches were carved on the panels of chairs, on chests, and on tables of every size. 
In the 15th century the oversized armoire was introduced. These armoires were decorated with the same carved arches columns and foliate patterns as before but the designs were based on the hanging textiles that decorated the homes and gothic cathedrals of that time period. These "linenfold" motifs originated in the Flemish regions and later migrated to England France and Germany where they remained prevalent until around the sixteenth century and often resurfaced in subsequent Gothic revival movements.
here is a link to an interesting account of "Master" William McNaughtons recreation of a 16th century linenfold panel: http://tech.cls.utk.edu/wood/projects/linenfold/Chest.html
Monday, March 3, 2014
African Mahogany
I thought that it would be nice to find out something about the wood that were using for our frames this semester. So heres a very short biography on African Mahogany:
African Mahogany is also known as Khaya senegalensis. It is native to Africa and Madagascar.
It produces little yellow flowers and bears wood-like fruits in the summer.
The African Mahogany is resistant to termites and wood rot, so African Mahogany was very popular and used often to build cabinets, door frames, and boats. The African Mahogany was used in the the early 18th century by American colonist to make furniture because it was durable and easy to work with as well as beautiful.
I tried to find out where this wood is harvested, but I had no luck.
More information about the African Mahogany: http://bft.cirad.fr/cd/BFT_236_43-56.pdf
Read More..
African Mahogany is also known as Khaya senegalensis. It is native to Africa and Madagascar.
It produces little yellow flowers and bears wood-like fruits in the summer.
The African Mahogany is resistant to termites and wood rot, so African Mahogany was very popular and used often to build cabinets, door frames, and boats. The African Mahogany was used in the the early 18th century by American colonist to make furniture because it was durable and easy to work with as well as beautiful.
I tried to find out where this wood is harvested, but I had no luck.
More information about the African Mahogany: http://bft.cirad.fr/cd/BFT_236_43-56.pdf
Martin Puryear
The first time I saw “Ladder for Booker T. Washington,” the iconic split-sapling country ladder crafted by Martin Puryear, it was at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The 36-foot sculpture floats in a double-height concrete gallery designed specifically for it.
The ladder’s gleaming side rails meander upward, narrowing
to just over one-inch wide at the top. The stark beauty, impeccable craftsmanship, and arresting perspective are startling. Puryear deftly combines modern abstraction with traditional crafts and woodworking. Each piece always bears the deeply individualized markings of the handmade.Compared to many woodworkers who rely on machines for their precision, Puryear’s way of working is backwards. He uses machines for doing the gross stock removal and then, when it comes to the final refinements and fitting of joints and making things work together, he uses sharp-edged tools that he pushes by hand.
Puryear earned a BA from Catholic University in Washinton DC, an MFA from Yale University in 1971, and studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in Stockholm. He was greatly influenced by the indigenous crafts of Siera Leone where he served in the Peace Corps in the 1960’s.
“I’m interested in vernacular cultures, where people lived a little closer to the source of materials and the making of objects for use. Not to rely strictly on the history of art has always been an interesting process, to be looking into areas that we call craft and trades.” -Martin Puryear
In spite of his appreciation of the crafts and trades, Puryear considers what he does fine art. Ken Edwards, an artist colleague of mine whose own work evokes comparison to Puryear, attended the 2006 American Craft Council Conference in Houston where Puryear gave the keynote address. Puryear began his talk by saying, “I am somewhat puzzled why I was asked to be here. I am not of this group.”
Puryear’s art can not be easily categorized. Conservative critics have praised his work for being impeccably handmade. Progressive critics complained that it was excessive. Either way, the works of Martin Puryear speak eloquently for themselves. We viewers can not help but be curious about how they are made.
Mammoth Kauri wood What to do with it
Some of you may know Bob, AKA TopamaxSurvivor at Lumberjocks. Well, he recently won a drawing at Charles Neils web site and asked Woodcraft to just send the gift to me. Did any of that make sense?
At any rate, I received Bobs prize yesterday. Get this: its a chunk of Mammoth Kauri wood. Never heard of Mammoth Kauri? Well, read all about it here.
So I was thinking about drilling a hole in it, painting it neon pink and using it as a candle holder.
HA! But seriously, do any of you have any suggestions? Im afraid to get it anywhere near a saw blade until I have a solid plan in mind. Its 2" thick x 6" square. (Half a board-foot?) What would YOU do with a small, but special piece of lumber? Any ideas? I want to do it justice. Ive been tossing around an idea for a small accent lamp. Mainly I just want to show off the wood as much as possible.
Read More..
At any rate, I received Bobs prize yesterday. Get this: its a chunk of Mammoth Kauri wood. Never heard of Mammoth Kauri? Well, read all about it here.
So heres the deal. Its ancient wood from New Zealand whose trees were knocked down by a tsunami and left buried in peat bogs, thereby preserving them through the millennia. The piece I have is carbon dated at between 30,000 and 50,000 years old. Here they are retrieving these ice-age trees:
HA! But seriously, do any of you have any suggestions? Im afraid to get it anywhere near a saw blade until I have a solid plan in mind. Its 2" thick x 6" square. (Half a board-foot?) What would YOU do with a small, but special piece of lumber? Any ideas? I want to do it justice. Ive been tossing around an idea for a small accent lamp. Mainly I just want to show off the wood as much as possible.
Shop improvements updates and stop motion animation
One of the things I continually struggle with is routine maintenance and organizing in my shop. Since I produce a video and project every week, I tend to put a lot of this stuff on the back burner.
This week I had decided to just take some time to spruce up my shop and drag you along with me. So while I dont have one project to present, I hope you can pick up a tip or an idea from this video as I basically just putter around with five different things.
Woodworking animation
It seems like every woodworker on YouTube is incorporating stop-motion animation into his videos lately. Naturally, I am the type who desperately needs to jump onto trends, so I have incorporated my own animation into this video. (With all apologies to the stop-motion master, Frank Howarth.)
The other trend I see in woodworking videos is "super speed". Im not sure what this is all about: some videos seem to be on fast-forward throughout the entire video, like a 1914 Keystone comedy. Ill have to put this on my to-do list.
Audible.com
I am thrilled to have a new sponsor to the show: Audible.com. Please help support Woodworking for Mere Mortals (and free woodworking content) by visiting them. Audible.com has over 100,000 audio books you can download and listen to wherever you go: great for listening to in the shop. The best part is they are letting viewers to WWMM download a free book just by visiting this link:
Audible.com/woodworking
Read More..
This week I had decided to just take some time to spruce up my shop and drag you along with me. So while I dont have one project to present, I hope you can pick up a tip or an idea from this video as I basically just putter around with five different things.
- I painted one of my OSB walls white. I ran out of paint, but will eventually get to my other walls. Ive been wanting to do this for ages because the OSB sheets make color correction difficult in my videos. The white paint really brightens up the shop.
- In addition to brightening up the walls, I bought three new daylight-balanced light fixtures to lighten up some dark holes in the shop. Each fixture holds four, 48" t-8 fluorescent bulbs. My shop almost glows at night! I installed two and still need to wire up the third.
- A few weeks ago a viewer sent me a Dust Deputy: its a type of sawdust and wood chip separator cyclone that works with a shop-vac. For some reason, figuring out how to put it together caused me undue stress. Mostly because of my own impatience when it comes to assembling things such as this. In the end, I got it working with duct tape, and it does a great job! I even bought a new filter for my shop-vac.
- I have a number of table saw sleds and jigs that I have never had a spot for. Instead, they sit on the floor, requiring me to constantly move them out of my way. My thought was to get them up on the wall, but I didnt want them to hog up a lot of space. What I came up with is hanging them from chains suspended from the ceiling. It looks a little funny, but it is very efficient and easy to use.
- Lastly, I needed a storage system for my table saw accessories that seem to always be in various spots around the shop. Mostly where they are not handy or easy to find, which make me less likely to used them. I built a super-easy storage cabinet to hold everything in one place. It works well and took less than an hour to build. If you would like to make one like it, here are plans:
• Super-simple storage cabinet (pdf)
• SketchUp version
Woodworking animation
It seems like every woodworker on YouTube is incorporating stop-motion animation into his videos lately. Naturally, I am the type who desperately needs to jump onto trends, so I have incorporated my own animation into this video. (With all apologies to the stop-motion master, Frank Howarth.)
The other trend I see in woodworking videos is "super speed". Im not sure what this is all about: some videos seem to be on fast-forward throughout the entire video, like a 1914 Keystone comedy. Ill have to put this on my to-do list.
Audible.com
I am thrilled to have a new sponsor to the show: Audible.com. Please help support Woodworking for Mere Mortals (and free woodworking content) by visiting them. Audible.com has over 100,000 audio books you can download and listen to wherever you go: great for listening to in the shop. The best part is they are letting viewers to WWMM download a free book just by visiting this link:
Audible.com/woodworking
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Special Gifts
Last Monday I received a gift in the mail from one of my bread board customers.
It was this adorable french wine box that she made! Isnt it great?
I just love it! Heres a look at the inside...
And she added her initial on the back.
It really came at a perfect time. I received it last Monday, which was my dads birthday, so I was a little sad. What made it even more special was that my dad was a huge wine collector. He had a fairly good size collection when he died, part of which I received. Im pretty sure the wine isnt drinkable anymore but Im not about to throw it out. Ive wanted to build something special to keep it in but havent been motivated to do so.......until I received this special gift.
But what made it the most special was the french saying on the front. Un petite oiseau ma dit, which translates to "a little bird told me."
I dont share personal stories very often because Im a fairly private person learning to open up more, but Ive also struggled with whether or not I should share personal stories on my blog. Would anyone be interested? But here goes......
Years ago, after my dad passed, I was going through a particularly difficult time. I was driving down the road praying to God, my dad, anyone, for guidance, a sign someone was listening or watching over me, anything.....when something a little strange happened. A dove landed on my windshield and just stared at me.
Normally this wouldnt be a strange thing, but I was driving on a highway going about 65 mph, so, I couldnt believe the dove was able to stay on the windshield without being blown off. Maybe thats normal or not strange at all, but, at that moment, I felt a sense of calm come over me that Id never experienced before. I decided from then on, whenever I would see a dove, that was my way of knowing that my dad was still with me in spirit, watching over me. Maybe its silly, but I guess when we lose those closest to us, we do these things to make ourselves feel better or ease our pain a little.
Currently, anxiety has become my middle name, but, thanks to wonderful blog friends who have shown me that its okay to admit when you are going through a rough time, I feel blessed. So, when I received this gift on my dads birthday with the saying "a little bird told me", it was a wonderful reminder that Im not alone.
I hope you didnt mind me sharing this story with you. Thank you all so much for making me feel so welcome in the big blog world. And to the person who sent me this gift, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
P.S. The holidays are approaching quickly and my reserve list for bread boards is growing, so if you plan on ordering them for Christmas gifts, now is the time to get them, before my backorder list gets too big that I cant get them completed before the holidays. Thank you again for making my bread board business possible. You have made my dream come true. Have a wonderful Monday.
Read More..
But what made it the most special was the french saying on the front. Un petite oiseau ma dit, which translates to "a little bird told me."
I dont share personal stories very often because Im a fairly private person learning to open up more, but Ive also struggled with whether or not I should share personal stories on my blog. Would anyone be interested? But here goes......
Years ago, after my dad passed, I was going through a particularly difficult time. I was driving down the road praying to God, my dad, anyone, for guidance, a sign someone was listening or watching over me, anything.....when something a little strange happened. A dove landed on my windshield and just stared at me.
Normally this wouldnt be a strange thing, but I was driving on a highway going about 65 mph, so, I couldnt believe the dove was able to stay on the windshield without being blown off. Maybe thats normal or not strange at all, but, at that moment, I felt a sense of calm come over me that Id never experienced before. I decided from then on, whenever I would see a dove, that was my way of knowing that my dad was still with me in spirit, watching over me. Maybe its silly, but I guess when we lose those closest to us, we do these things to make ourselves feel better or ease our pain a little.
Currently, anxiety has become my middle name, but, thanks to wonderful blog friends who have shown me that its okay to admit when you are going through a rough time, I feel blessed. So, when I received this gift on my dads birthday with the saying "a little bird told me", it was a wonderful reminder that Im not alone.
I hope you didnt mind me sharing this story with you. Thank you all so much for making me feel so welcome in the big blog world. And to the person who sent me this gift, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
P.S. The holidays are approaching quickly and my reserve list for bread boards is growing, so if you plan on ordering them for Christmas gifts, now is the time to get them, before my backorder list gets too big that I cant get them completed before the holidays. Thank you again for making my bread board business possible. You have made my dream come true. Have a wonderful Monday.
Spring Deck Redo
I was really hesitant to write this post... there are so many yards out there that are amazing and we still have so much work to do. But with that being said, its hard not to share since all of our efforts have been going to our homes exterior. The past couple years, since moving, we havent been able to devote any time to outdoor renovations, but this spring we have been putting all of our extra time (and house repair budgeting) to the outside of our home.
BEFORE:
First on our mile long list was renovating our back deck. Above is a picture of how our deck previously looked. (Sad, but true.) The first thing we did this month was remove the old lattice, move the railroad ties, and pull up miscellaneous bushes and weeds (not to mention some very icky weed fabric and trash under the deck from the previous owners).
Next Justus ripped out the old rotting steps and built these larger ones. He centered it on the porch, which works so much better. I cant tell you how much time we spend just sitting on the stairs of our back deck when the weather is nice.
Fortunately, the wood on the deck itself was still good, but the stain was wearing and there were splinters everywhere. Justus found a product specifically for this type of problem. Its called Deck Restore. We bought it at Lowes and it revives and protects wood surfaces. You can purchase it in a variety of colors, but we chose Cape Cod Gray because we felt it matched our house best.
The paint covers up to 1/4" cracks and eliminates any splinters, but you have to spread it on thick. Unfortunately we didnt realize until we brought the first couple gallons of paint home that one gallon only covers 50 sq. feet. So although this is more cost efficient than replacing all of the wood, it was still costly... we had to purchase 7 gallons total. Despite that, it was totally worth it. Regular paint would not have hid imperfections.
We only painted the stair treads with the Deck Restore to save some money. Since the stairs are new, we didnt need to fill in any cracks or hide any imperfections. I painted the sides of the stairs and the side of the porch where the lattice is with regular latex paint tinted to match the Deck Restore.
You can see in the picture above that we also put up new vinyl lattice.
I visited our local nursery over the weekend and purchased two Annabelle hydrangea bushes to plant on either side of the stairs. I love hydrangeas and I thought white blossoms would be so pretty here.
BEFORE:
The only thing we did prior to this month was replace our back door. This screen door was very outdated but I realized quickly when we went door shopping why it was still there. Because the back of our house was originally a porch (before there was such a thing as indoor plumbing and kitchens), the door height is smaller than what you find now in stock.
AFTER:
Fortunately Justus is super handy and he was able to take the above door and customize it by taking it apart and rebuilding. We also replaced the light fixture with this affordable beauty from Lowes.
I took one of our rockers from the front porch, gave it a coat of fresh paint and put it on the back deck.
What you cant see in the picture above is that we also have a wooden patio table that needs refinishing,but we hope to get to that soon! Once we do, I know well be eating many meals out here in the evenings.
We still have so many improvements to make outside, but it sure felt good to cross out this deck on our list!
This week we rototilled our garden (cant wait to start planting) and moved some dirt in preparation for moving our driveway. The gravel should be delivered Friday so we hope to have that completed this weekend!
What are you working on outside? Id love to hear!
A New Desk
Weve spent months looking around for the perfect desk for our oldest sons room. We really wanted to find just the right one without having to spend a lot of money and since hubby is always going to storage auctions, we figured that was the best place to keep our eyes open for one.
We finally hit the jackpot but it took me awhile to finally decide that it was indeed the jackpot. This is what he brought home.
Neither one of us were a fan of the way it looked but it was solid wood and heavy. Plus, I liked the modern lines and knew I could do something with it. I just wasnt sure what, yet.
I went through a bunch of ideas in my head and kept going back and forth on painting it or not painting it until I finally decided to completely sand it down to the raw wood. I really had my heart set on a wood desk for his room and I knew the wood could be really pretty if I gave it a makeover.
I hate using stripper so I tried to sand the orangey varnish off the top first. Surprisingly, it was fairly easy to sand completely down.
At this point, my plan was to paint the base and only stain the top, but after staining the top with Minwax Dark Walnut, I loved it so much I decided to sand down the entire desk. I also removed the drawer pulls and spray painted those with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint.
Also hiding in storage was a vintage school desk chair that needed a bit of repair and some new castors to look as good as new. I thought it would go perfectly with the desk. Here it is in the room.
I cant believe how perfectly the desk and chair go together and I didnt even plan that. :) And I love the color of the desk so much better now.
Our son loves to pin things on the wall that mean a lot to him so I decided to make him a pin board with an old painting canvas that I simply covered in a coffee sack. I used bronze upholstery tacks for the "pins". The pins stick into the painted canvas perfectly.
I still have a couple more things to do on the opposite side of the room before I show the full reveal. And by the way, I was having a terrible time with taking photos that day because it was raining and dreary outside and Im still learning the manual settings on my camera.
If youd like to see the other projects in this room click here, here and here.
I have had so much fun putting this room together for him and I know he is loving it which makes me so happy. Ive also been working on our other boys rooms, as well, and will have some fun things to show you soon on that.
On another note, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. Id love to know what you have on the menu.....I need some ideas! :) On Thanksgiving evening we always put up our Christmas tree and so Im really looking forward to pulling out the Christmas decor, watching a Christmas movie and being with my family. :)
Have a great day!
Diana
Read More..
We finally hit the jackpot but it took me awhile to finally decide that it was indeed the jackpot. This is what he brought home.
Neither one of us were a fan of the way it looked but it was solid wood and heavy. Plus, I liked the modern lines and knew I could do something with it. I just wasnt sure what, yet.
I went through a bunch of ideas in my head and kept going back and forth on painting it or not painting it until I finally decided to completely sand it down to the raw wood. I really had my heart set on a wood desk for his room and I knew the wood could be really pretty if I gave it a makeover.
I hate using stripper so I tried to sand the orangey varnish off the top first. Surprisingly, it was fairly easy to sand completely down.
At this point, my plan was to paint the base and only stain the top, but after staining the top with Minwax Dark Walnut, I loved it so much I decided to sand down the entire desk. I also removed the drawer pulls and spray painted those with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint.
Also hiding in storage was a vintage school desk chair that needed a bit of repair and some new castors to look as good as new. I thought it would go perfectly with the desk. Here it is in the room.
I cant believe how perfectly the desk and chair go together and I didnt even plan that. :) And I love the color of the desk so much better now.
Our son loves to pin things on the wall that mean a lot to him so I decided to make him a pin board with an old painting canvas that I simply covered in a coffee sack. I used bronze upholstery tacks for the "pins". The pins stick into the painted canvas perfectly.
I still have a couple more things to do on the opposite side of the room before I show the full reveal. And by the way, I was having a terrible time with taking photos that day because it was raining and dreary outside and Im still learning the manual settings on my camera.
If youd like to see the other projects in this room click here, here and here.
I have had so much fun putting this room together for him and I know he is loving it which makes me so happy. Ive also been working on our other boys rooms, as well, and will have some fun things to show you soon on that.
On another note, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. Id love to know what you have on the menu.....I need some ideas! :) On Thanksgiving evening we always put up our Christmas tree and so Im really looking forward to pulling out the Christmas decor, watching a Christmas movie and being with my family. :)
Have a great day!
Diana
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Easy Wood Projects For Kids Wooden Ideas
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easy wood projects for kids
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easy wood projects for kids
easy wood projects for kids
10 repins 3 likes Kids carpentry Projects.
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