A Simple Bench

Here is another project I created before Christmas but never got around to sharing. I actually have a few things I need to do to complete it. 

I had this thick board that I took from my guys scrap wood and with its lovely grains showing I knew it had to be good for something.

I might have used it a few times under pieces when painting, so you can see some spots of red and white. 

The legs came from a off Ikea LACK side table look alike from Target.

source

 I primed them with Stix and then painted a few coats of my leftover Martha Stewart Schoolhouse Slate

I stained the top in Minwax Dark Walnut

 

  I haven't sealed the top yet.

You can see here that the leg is a bit crooked, I also need to finish screwing the L-brackets to fix that and add more support.

I'm not sure if I want it here or somewhere else yet. 

I could see a plant or two on top but my dog is fresh when it comes to dirt.

I also spent my afternoon cleaning the kitchen. Sweeping,vacuuming,tidying up and moping.

I placed this runner on the table that I bought last year from Pier One for really cheap. 

I love the colors, the embroidery and of course the birds.

I love birds 

(not that black chair)

 I'm having issues on where to place that plant, my dog sticks her nose in it so it needs to be up high. I'm not sure if its even doing well.

I also started painting another stool after I finished cleaning. I was given five stools and one was mismatched so I decided to keep it and add it to my island, although it wont match the same shape I'm painting it the same color to help blend it in. 

I actually completed many tasks today  :o)

p.s 

linking this up

click HERE to

visit my party page

D.I.Y Three Tier Tray

Ever since I saw a wood three tier stand made from trays

 in a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine I had to make one, I believe it was in the November issue and it was a article on a woman's dining room she had it on her table. Of course mine is much smaller but I will be making a bigger one, I'd like to make some for my Etsy shop as well. 

I stained it in Minwax Classic Gray oil stain, it is one of there newest colors. It really looks great on pine and light woods. 

This cost me about $3 for the all the trays and $4 for both candlesticks, I picked them up at A.C Moores.

The trays are normal $5.99 all-together but they were on sale.

I already had the stain on hand 

What you need

3 different size trays, 2 wood candlesticks, dowel screws, drill, glue and a topper

I stained the trays and candlesticks about 3 coats to achieve this nice color

These are the trays with one coat of stain

small candlesticks, I would have bought a medium sized but they didn't have any just small and large.

These are double ended, and big, I bought smaller ones for the top tray

Drill hole in top of candlestick and on the other you drill in the bottom

Measure your tray to find center then drill hole through trays 

glue around bottom of candlestick and top of other candle stick

screw on first candlestick

then the next one

It should look like this

Pre-drill for screwing bottom tray to bottom of candlestick

Then attach the bottom tray to bottom of candlestick with a screw

 

Now for the top tray I pre-dilled a hole for the smaller dowel screw and screwed it in,  then I screwed the top tray on

For my topper I used this drawer pull

I removed the bolt and screwed it onto the dowel screw

So it now looks like this, I'm going to be covering the hole on the top with a brass hook, I just cant seem to find the ones I have. You could also cover it with a gem or something cute.

Isn't it so cute? I'm going to be using it to hold candy for Christmas then I might use it for office supplies or jewelry holding.

Also it took me under a hour to put it together only because I'm unorganized

I can't wait to make more but I will be making the trays this time because I want a bigger one.

{I'll be sharing this at some great link parties, click here to find out which ones }

Fabric banners and more

Well today was the day the kids went back to school.....I woke up early got everyone ready and they all made it on time. 

I did wake up to pouring rain and remembering I left my sunroof slightly open...opps.

I'm glad there back, they need it. I need the time to get things done as well, except I'm have to be at the bus stop 5 times a day! It doesn't seem fair to see the kids sitting on there front steps waiting for the bus, this is the only thing about living in the woods. Our driveway is about 1/2 mile long and the bus stop is at the end of our road, if they came to the end of the driveway it would be much better.

I wanted to get photos outside and of them getting on the bus but with the rain in all it didn't work out for me, those cute signs I printed, I found them on Midwestern Sewing Girl, but there originally from I Heart Naptime.

Yesterday we had a beautiful day, a little humid but it didn't rain. The party went well and my decorations looked great. 

I made 3 long fabric banners over the weekend 

these are fun to make, easy and I got a little over 1 yard for the blue and a yard for the yellow. The fabric is broadcloth and it was onsale for $1.99 a yard. 

To make these banners I made a template out of cardboard, school chalk to draw an outline and cut them out using my pinking shears and regular sewing scissors.

I pin them to the simple cheap ribbon and sewed on the ribbon.

Fabric was $4.50 

I had one roll of ribbon needed one more and that cost .99 cents, already had the thread so it was a total of $5.49

I had leftover blue fabric and threw it over the small table on my porch for a tablecloth. 

I picked this cute planter table for $1.99 at the craft store

and here is my not-completed outdoor bar

I wanted to use it for this party. I still need to add the bottom shelf and a few more coats of sealer and some hooks, but if I didn't use it now I wouldn't until next spring so I'm glad I did and was able to show it off.

My guy only helped me with making the shelf supports and screwing the shelf and back support, I did everything else. 

I measured everything right because it fit perfectly in this nook. I'm thinking of cutting a little bit off of the legs to ad casters. 

Once I'm completed I will have a tutorial.

I'm not much of cake maker but I decided to be against buying one and made this, I made the paper banner with scrap paper and stamps. 

And to end this post here is Zoey

she will be year this September 17th!

How I built my shelf made from pallets

This wont be the best tutorial, not the best photos either. 

I also will tell you the way it looks in my bathroom now is not how I wanted to built it.

I took apart some pallets. I took the nails out and washed the wood down. Then I brought it to my workshop and sanded the boards down. 

I drew up my plans days before, so I just needed to measure the wood and make my marks then I cut using my miter saw.

I did not take a photo when I firs started putting it together, its not easy remembering to take photos while building. Now I have my tripod it will be easier.

I used the nail gun and glue for attaching the pieces together.

This is after I put the first layer together. I was going for a wider cube shelf and I'll tell you why it didn't work out later.

putting the corners together was easy.

I was going for the spaced apart look on purpose.

please pardon my cluttered background.

I attached the small pieces of wood to hold the shelf boards while nailing, eventually I can take them out. 

I attached my first board for the cube shelves and nailed on the outside.

Then added the middle pieces to make it cube.......I was really going for this vintage/farmhouse cube shelf for the kitchen. 

Anyway

Nailed on the top and bottom, 

Nailed in more pieces for the sides.

The hard part was doing the middle shelving which I regret not having photos, but you basically have to nail the middle pieces for the cube shelving at a angle, without going through the wood.

So this is were I was when I was so thrilled with my so far project I made my guy come down to look at it. 

He looked at it, and within one minuet he said it looks to heavy. 

He was right, it was really heavy. Why....because the pallet wood was all oak, and its heavy. So I ended it up cutting it in half which was easy and finished the top shelving and that was it,. 

Now I have two of them, not sure what I will do with the other one yet. 

But I do like having one in the bathroom, the blank wall was getting boring.

I didn't use any kind of finish, just sanded the wood and left it as is.

I added it more decor and change it around a bit since these photos.

So I hope you enjoyed my not so good of a tutorial.

I promise to take more photos when building.