omg—mOre sTuff !

Y’know I’ve always got like a cazillion projects going on–what’s new!

And you should nEVer look a gift-horse in the mouth. (–funny saying!)

So how do ya pass up more cool junk~future project material when it crosses your path–??

Here’s my story ~ and I am sticking to it. . .

-I was trying to finish Landen’s bedroom when someone hit my niece and nephews’ next door neighbor’s house and gas meter.  Yikes!  (did ya follow that?)

Major gas leak–we were immediately evacuated away from the house.  Into the p-o-u-r-ing rain–thunder storm.  No umbrellas.  For hours.  Car “left” on driveway (lest we blow everything up).  Landen is now sick, and I haven’t been able to finish the details and take pictures.

I can’t wait to show you—it’s cool!  BUT—here’s a snap shot of his EXIT sign night light! ♥ ♥ ♥

-I have not YeT sourced all the parts for Braeden’s bedroom~and Mr. Big Brother is after me!  BUT—I saw an ad on Craig’s List for barn wood and arranged to meet up with the seller!

I got some fabulous boards & OTHER STUFF–of course!  Aren’t these boards great?!  One is 18″ wide—they don’t mill boards like that anymore, and these will become the “back” to Braeden’s new dresser~bench.

I also found the ring from an old bathroom sink that will become the “frame” of a cork board for Landen.  AND, I got another vent.  Better in size and condition, this one will become an over-head light–AFter I de’tach the part I want!

AND!  I finally found the elusive barn light to install at the back to Mom’s garage-folly!  The chimney cap–would make a great birdhouse roof!

10 barns worth of salvaged wood!  My mind is full of project ideas—I’ll be back!

**I want to build a Pergola!  And that small wooden spool—with some paint and upholstery–and old casters, could make a great outdoor ottoman!

Not my only “finds” of late!  Check out the cool leather bag I got from the ReStore!  $15

**As always–click on the pictures to see closer up–that is one very cool bag!

Catherine

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with MUCH gratitude and thanks—

1st, a little Back Story—

I was pushed into blogging by a friend and a cousin.  I’d never even heard of “blogging” before it.  That was 1½~2 years ago.  And it has been truly AWEsome finding my way around this “blogosphere!”

It has been sOooo cOOl “meeting” sOooo many other creative, compulsive, obsessive, hoarder’ish, can’t-help-ourselves, KINDRED SPIRITS!  Especially since common-folk don’t get it.

Nicole–at Thrifty Decorating wrote a post yesterday to say she needed to discontinue hosting her Thrifty Thursday linky party.  Awwww.  But I certainly understood the reasons she sited.

And it was those reasons that really made think about ALL the incredibly generous ladies who, each week, open up their blogs for us to share OUR projects.  I feel bad to say—I never gave consideration to how much work must be involved in it.  Gosh–have I shown MY appreciation & gratitude–??

They have totally helped me:

• By introducing me to so many of you: from reading through the funny, and interesting comments;  and by way of some really cool blog names that have attracted my attention!
• I’ve discovered so many of you perusing the many fabulous projects you’ve linked up;  and the compliments coming back to me about the projects I’ve linked up!
• My blog has grow from their highlighting and featuring some of my projects!  It’s exciting to see my newbie-small blog stats go crazy on those occasions!
• I’ve learned how to do all kinds of “blogging-things” thanks to their/your step-by-step instructions!  And I’ve learned why some things (computers and internet) won’t work some times—power tools make way more sense to me!

So, with

Much Gratitude, and Appreciation,

THANK YOU—

for all the encouragement, for all you’ve shared, and for all the time you’ve given up to those linky parties–and for the extra exposure to any of my projects!  I am incredibly lucky for your kindnesses!

And Thank You to all my readers!  It always amazes me to see how many views my blog gets—even if you’re not big “talkers!”   

~ ~ ~ I luv these bloggers! ~ ~ ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a hUge thanks to my favorite cousin in the whole-wide-world for putting my blog together!  –and teaching me how to!

She designs really cool, professional cards and printables—for all occasions!  Check out her etsy shop!

Catherine

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Landen’s bedroom—

I’m back from vacation, refreshed, and getting back to Landen’s bedroom!

I’ll spend today tweaking a few details–tomorrow I’ll gut his closet and install a better organizing system.

(Brian is worried my Gymboree-manager-niece will use the extra space to buy more clothes for him!  Sorry Brian–)

AND THEN–I can take pictures to share!

I wanted to share this part of the project~Talk about reinventing a piece!  This was some kind of garage storage piece that I could just SEE used this way instead.  MUCH BETTER~Don’t ya’ think?!

1)  I found it at the ReStore’s Earth Day ½ price sale.  $20  $10

2)  Painting the shelves in alternating blue and white,

3)  Cutting and dry-fitting pallet boards to back the shelves.

4)  Cut 2×12′s matching the tapered profile, giving the shelving unit LEGS.

5)  You can see the extra support it gives the heavy structure~which is also screwed to the wall.  *lest some child decides to climb it–

6)  Installing the pallet board shelf backing.

Those last two shots are just to show you the finished pallet-board-backing!

You can also see his night lite/EXIT sign now illuminated!

Catherine

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Go ahead–laugh at me. . .

Have you ever noticed how “vacation” starts and ends with V-A-C-A-T (e)–??

1st you vacate the daily grind~then you have to vacate all the fun.   :’ (    —And it was soooo much fun!  But, relaxing–?  Let me think on that a bit longer–!

I spent my days mostly in a swim suit, mostly in the lake—the “relaxing” part in this hot weather!  But it was always with ALL or part of SIX nieces and nephews.  Laughing, and hoot’n-hollarin’-yelling back and forth!  My voice is somewhere between hoarse and gone.

I had the brilliant idea to sleep out in the tent with all the girls–I’d never done that before!  —I’m sOOo over that.

We couldn’t seem to find “level” ground, and had no rake to “clear” all the rocks and sticks away.  The ground was cold & HARD & lumpy/hole-y (–believe it or not).  And as hot as it was during the day, it got really cold in the night outside (again–believe it or not).

And there was an animal fishing around us in the middle of the night.  I was too scared to go outside to investigate just what it was, and didn’t know if I should make noise to scare it away–?  Or would that make it more curious about the “contents” in the tent–?

I borrowed my nephew’s sleeping bag.  I was in the middle of all the girls.  EXCEPT— every time I turned, I rolled “down hill” on top of Brooke (who was on my left).  And I kept sliding “down hill” OUT OF the sleeping bag—head butting poor Rachel.

The tent lasted ONE night–.

We swam, by the dock and through the gross seaweed to our “Blue Lagoon” across the way (who needs the gym?).

We collected cool rocks and snail shells–even a rock shaped like a butt.

Then my sis-in-law’s mom and dad came for a day with their boat.  And a giant hotdog to pull us on behind it.  OMG!  That’s when the fun really started!  But I kinda’ think Grandpa had more fun dunking us!

I was on the first ride—it was a blast!

But I think I had more fun on the boat taking pictures!

Catherine

Really fun—except for losing my expensive Coach sunglasses to the lake.

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Check out my “curbies!”

We’re leaving for the lake in a couple of hours, but the neighbor called to say she “. . saw some stuff on a curb. . .”

You know I went to check it out!

And then the neighbors across the street were putting this out, but obliged me to bring it up the driveway instead–!!  I pilfered the sides and stripped them down right away—I have ideas!

And I popped into St Vinnie’s yesterday and saw these interesting pieces!

  I’m looking for something to re-build into a cabinet/linen closet at my niece’s house.  There is nothing in the bathroom, so it needs to be a nice piece just outside the bathroom door!  If I can find a good “base,” I’ll build a hutch top for it.  These are some interesting candidates, don’t you think??

Catherine

—y’ think there might be some curbies around that lake–??  ; D

Have you checked out Rhoda’s

THRIFTY TREASURES linky party?

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Hey–time out!

I’ve been on this obnoxious working pace since the beginning of June.  Nothing new really–but this time it was throughout a heat advisory.          (I have nEVer sweat so much.  If I could just duct tape the deodorant to my armpits, and adjust the knobs periodically–??)

Since my g-nephew’s birthday party Saturday afternoon, I have done just about nothing!

I’ve slept, I’ve dabbled at a few things, I watched the “Bourne Trilogy” (wow!), I ordered a couple of custom hats– I’ve played hookey!

And I’m going to spend the next few days at a lake cottage with family to “ReBoot.”

But I now realize I have forgotten to show you MY treasures from the flea market!  Here’s some of what I got!

I’ll see you in a few days!

Catherine

PS—

wanted to share this little laugh with you!

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“. . . how about a window box. . ?”

My niece, her hubby, two boys, and a goofy-polydactyl cat, all live in a very old house.  Built in 1900-old.  And 1064 sq ft small.

Although they’ve already done quite a bit, it needs more work.  Whose house doesn’t?  I’m trying to lend a hand—and design and construction—to help out.

You’ve seen the “hall tree” I built them for Christmas, and some of Landen’s bedroom and his dresser.

I recently designed a pretty cool deck to go on the front of their house, because they only have a 12ft deep backyard—kind of like a corner lot back yard.  They’re hoping to start that project in the next two weeks (fingers crossed).  But until then—

1. I found a pair of shutters at the ReStore for $1 each and used 2 cans of spray paint to give them a neutral color.
2. And then thought, “Well, how about a window box full of flowers?”

I bought 10ft green treated deck boards for this project.  I cut them down to 9ft (the length/run of the window), and decided to router a detail on the face.

I used a speed square to create 45° angles for the lattice-y pattern.

After finishing the routered detail, sanding, and putting the back-bottom-front-and-sides together, I lined the box with pond liner and drilled drainage holes.  They can paint the box or stain it to match the deck later.

We hung the box yesterday, and this morning, really early, I bought flowers and planted them before there was a party for Braeden’s 8th birthday.  It looked so nice, and I know my niece-and-family are well pleased!

Catherine

I’m sharing this project with these fabulous linky parties–

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Landen’s dresser

Eight years ago while visiting–and my niece was having her 1st little boy–I found an interesting dresser in one of their local thrift stores.  Really solid, well made, $15.  I bought it and painted it with blues and greens, the colors “LuLuChelseaBelle” wanted to use in the babie’s room. (I love to mess with my niece!)  The dresser eventually passed on to son #2.

But Braeden is 8–today!  Landen is now 4.  And the cute “baby” dresser needs to grow up too.

So I partially stripped it, and changed it to something “Americana.”        And finally got to use those spigot handles I found at the ReStore in May!

Something odd occurred to me while I was painting the red parts—I don’t paint with red.  “Have I –EVer?– painted anything RED?”

So I started searching my memory for any project in red.  Nada.  I’ve skirted all around the perimeter of it with pink-poppies and magentas–but no red.  Hmmmm.

I just don’t have a passion for the color.  And I guess I’ve just sort of “eliminated” that particular color from my repertoire.

Is there a color that you “gloss over”–??

Btw–I’m hoping this revision will hold till he’s—10??

Catherine

I’m sharing this part of the project with these linky parties—

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you know about FJI’s Creative Dresser linky party?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Back to Landen’s room—

Just wanted to give you a glimpse of Landen’s bedroom project—

That ReStore piece, ↑

~you can see I added “legs” to each side.  It now stands just over 7ft tall, with 2¼” thick sides, and a small profile crown molding to finish its top.

The piece was originally 6ft long, 4ft tall—and heavy.  So the legs really support the new height—besides being screwed to the wall.

I’m usually pretty good about taking pictures as I’m working, but I’ve never had a “Landen-distraction” to deal with.  Needless to say, progress pictures are lacking.  Plus, I removed the “boob light” before painting the ceiling, so when things began wrapping up—of course we got hit with a major thunder storm and I lost all light to take any pics–booooo.

My niece and the hubby are back, so a decision will be made on a ceiling fan or another light fixture.

Pictures are coming—it’s looking soooooo cute!

Catherine

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My newest (and youngest) client.

I said -back in May- that I would re-do my great nephews’ bedrooms.  7 and 4.

I sat with them individually, to talk about what they wanted.  They gave me an explosion of ideas–!  WoW!  O k a y—what a surPRISE!

I took in their ideas of color ~ when their “friends come over,” ~ and what they don’t like about their rooms right now.  I threw out ideas, they expanded on them—it became a really fUn consultation!

Landen’s bedroom

Friday, while their parents left for an impromptu anniversary weekend, I began working on Landen’s room.  O.M.G.  4 years old.  “What is this?  Why are you doing that?  What are you doing now?  What’s that for?  WHY are you doing THAT?”  And on, and on, and on, and on. . . and on. . .  Machine gun-style questioning.  (Remember John Candy being questioned by Macaulay Culkin in “Uncle Buck” ??)

I patiently answered, thinking he’d be bored with it [all] in 20 minutes or so.  No.  Not so much.  All Friday.  All Saturday.  All Sunday.  Still this morning.  Luv my little guy, but—I’M EXHAUSTED.  He wore this great auntie OUT!

Remember this crazy storage shelf-thingy I showed you in May?  I found it at The ReStore during their Earth Day ½ price sale.  $20 $10.  This piece launched the whole design.

–↓My [constant] supervisor↓—and, apparently  –future journalist–!  (Inquiring minds want to know!  ; )

More tomorrow—

Catherine

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