I hate when that happens…

I love the hunt for a Great Treasure!

I love it even more when they present themselves TO you!

And then there are the people who take advantage and “strong-arm” you into buying “a real gem” for WaY too much money that turns out to be an abSOLUTE piece of (cough-cough) crap.  Ugh.

Like said dresser, as it turns out.

WoW, did I get taken to the bank here.  You wonder how they keep a straight face.  Seriously.

It was brought TO ME with “pressure” to buy~making it harder to 1) say NO, and 2) negotiate.

Saturday was the first time I truly got to inspect it.

An animal has nested in at least 3 drawers—sO gross!  3 of the 5 drawers have to be comPLETEly REbuilt, the contact paper on top is actually hiding very broken wood, and it is SO grotesquely filthy I hope a good pressure washing will clean it.

I knew it would need some repairs (they generally all do) and better hardware.  The rest—w e ll—perhaps I just have more integrity?

I considered putting it on the curb, but I can’t afford to throw away $50.  So here goes ANOTHER charity project.  -s u c k e r-

I’m hoping to minimize my “damages” and at least get back my investment.  And THIS YEAR I will look harder before leaping.  And with

NO. APOLOGIES.

Catherine

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my own year in review~

I’ve been reading a lot of “Year in Review” blog posts…a great look back at some really inspiring projects out there in blogland!

I started thinking about a couple of mine—and was surprised at how many of my own projects I’d forgotten all about!

So I thought it might be fun to

RE-share them with you too!

But I’m going to start with one from Nov 2012 and something I never thought I’d be doing…TAKING A SPACE IN AN ANTIQUE MALL.  What a surprise–that I did it, that it went so well as to expand in this year, and the many projects it propelled!  Like~ building this new display cabinet from odd parts and its outcome!

January~

~found me constructing a dresser-hutch for my very 1st G-G-nephew Brody.
~Then I finished off another children’s cabinet for my cousin’s little baby girl Emma  before traveling to Atlanta to deliver it AnD take a little birthday getaway!  Woo-hoo!

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In February~

I decided to make several changes in my mother’s master br as a surprise while she took a winter’s rest in Florida with a friend!  It started with a fire place…

During the year I worked on a variety of projects, big & small~

1. My vintage White Globe sconces
2. Princes Aleigha’s lamp
3. A thrift store lamp and an anaglyptic-covered shade
4. A lace-y chandelier
5. A vintage bed lamp re-fashioned

1. the Atlanta trip windows
2. my auction mirror
3. making a mirror from cabinet doors
4. a decoupaged chalkboard
5. two more decoupaged chalkboards

And there were lots of  miscellaneous projects….

But you all know my very favorite thing is construction!

Hmmm, I guess I make a lot of benches   ; D

1. The other half of the 1st Craig’s List dresser
2. The neighbor’s curbie
3. A quilted slip-covered curbie!
4. The ReStore “bench”
5. Saving history!
6. The 2nd Craig’s List dresser
7. The sewing cabinet bench
8. The Christmas built-in banquette

And furniture~

reviving some curbies, an old camp chair, rattan chair makeovers, a thrift store dresser and bed re-furbished, the farm table, the outdoor china hutch, a 2nd Craig’s List dresser re-do, a decoupaged dresser, a bit more decoupage, re-working a curbie, Grandpa’s rockers, the antq mall armoire,

And of course–charity projects.

2 Hall Trees for 2 charities, The Habitat for Humanities Hall Tree and children’s cubby.  And one more currently in the works for mom’s neighbor who is battling breast cancer, but I haven’t posted on any of it yet.

It felt like I was so busy all year, but it’s only 50’ish projects!

I did leave out a handful or so because I abandoned them (-didn’t like how they were taking shape, but I’ll come back to them…).  There were also many “other projects” that occurred throughout the year not listed above…

like TRAVEL and meeting some of my FAVorite bloggers!

Which you can neVer do enough of!

Catherine

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My donated pieces!

I tried so hard to get a good REVEAL picture for you to see my contributions to the Habitat for Humanities and the ReStores’ HARD HATS & HEELS auction—

but the chA-os of my jam-packed work studio was not working for any “pretty” pictures.  Okay~although I wasn’t pushing for those BEAUTIFIED, IN PLACE, STYLIZED shots, I still just couldn’t show the dreaded chaos that abounds for the moment.

And you know it’s even tougher when mirrors are involved—you have to think about the background AnD their reflection~yikes!

Now that my Hall Tree & kid’s cubbie are boTH delivered, and their chaos is much less than mine—at LaST I can show you their outcome!  ; D

And there they are!

Their request was very flattering, I’m happy with the outcome of both, and sure hope they fetch a pretty price for this worthy cause!

Catherine

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Ow–ie! And another quick project!

I finished up the last details of the Hall Tree (door)

this morning to take to the ReStore for their upcoming

Habitat for Humanities Auction~Hard Hats & Heels.

It’s such a good cause and I’m happy to build a contribution for them, and incredibly flattered that they sought me out to ask!

: )

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I decided kind of last minute–

“hmmm~why not make a kid’s cubbie as a companion piece!?!”  

–so it’s been a veRY busy day!

I grabbed a “pattern” to cut out a pair of sides, and routered a beveled edge on both interior sides.

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Next, I cut the bottom-top-and seat, and put the carcass together.  Then added some base and coved-crown moldings, and finally, made some decisions about the decorative details before quitting for the night~whew!

Okay~had a little accident along the way (Oooops).

While I was nailing that small-scaled coved-crown, it would seem I hit a crossing nail.

And it ricocheted out.

And through my hand.

O-w–I-E!  Hurt like the dickens and took my breath away for a minute. Well~stuff happens.

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Unfortunately it happened once before.

Through and through both fingers~yeeee.

Again~stuff happens~ooops.

Have a SAFE DAY everyone!

Catherine

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progress on the Hall Tree

Thought I’d share some progress with you…

…need to secure the seat in the morning and add some leveling feet, otherwise~fini!

Catherine

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a hall tree for auction

In late August, on a run through my FAVorite ReStore (and I’ve been through mANy)–the store manager grabbed me to say, “Don’t leave without seeing me.”  Uh~I promise, I didn’t do it!

The ReStore and Habitat for Humanity are holding their 3rd Annual Hard Hats and Heels Banquet November 15–would I be willing to make another “hall tree” like the one I made and donated for their Earth Day Celebration…?

Absolutely!

So yesterday I made the trip up to the ReStore to pick up the door their manager and I picked out to use.  I also ran through to see if there were any other donations I could use in construction–but unfortunately, no.  We loaded the door and my other purchases and I headed home.

I finally got started around noon today~beginning with cutting it down from its 36″ to 33″.  I had two objectives in mind: I hoped to reduce some weight from this inCREDibly heavy door, and I thought it might be easier to make room for something 33″ wide.

Then I re-contoured the bottom to create “legs”…

…and I pulled another paneled door (I had in reserve for a different project) to make the box -or- seat.  The door had 5 panels, I cut off 2– one for the front and the other cut in half for the sides.  I used some cut-off bed posts for the front feet.

*I added a small bead detail at the top and bottom of the box with the router~although you can’t see it in any of these pictures yet.

While I was working on a few of the details to the box, I was simultaneously working on the “mirrors.”  These fabulous beveled windows were one of the main reasons I was pushing for this door selection!

You can see the “mirrors” coming to life in the collage below, and the last shot of the two parts propped together so I could get a feeling for how things were going so far~at the end of day.  Tomorrow I’ll add the crown molding, tweak a few things here and there, and get painting.  And I hope to get crackin’ on the flip lid too!

Catherine

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what’s yOUR ReStory?

When I was recently shopping one of my fav ReStores, the manager asked me to come see him before I left.

My instincts were saying “I didn’t do it~it wasn’t me.”

They really liked, and appreciated my Hall Tree donation for their Earth Day Celebration

—would I be willing to build anOTHer for their fall silent auction–??

I believe in charity.  I have a strong sense of Where you are CAPABLE and ABLE, you SHOULD!  So I’ll be building another hall tree for this worthy cause very soon!

I was escorted to the back staging area to get a first pick of some really cool, oLd  -recently donated-but not put out just yet-  doors.  One really stood out!

Check out the dentil molding under the beveled glass divided light windows!  O.M.G.  I have   p-L-a-n-s   swirling around in my head galore!

*Sort of ironic that I picked a door with a NO SOLICITING sign—for a SOLICITED project!  ; D

Okay, so, speaking of The ReStore—

My cousin sent me this notice from the Atlanta ReStore!  It doesn’t say you have to be local to participate–and I visit them aLmost eVery trip. . .

ReStore Events and News

Calling all you creative ReStore shoppers!

What’s Your ReStory?

We know you’ve been taking your ReStore finds and using them to enhance your home or to create something wonderful. It’s time to show off your creativity! Send or bring us a photo of your favorite ReStore item or project and we’ll proudly post it in the store. All customers will vote for their favorite entry and the most popular one will receive a $50 ReStore gift certificate! You can enter as many projects as you like, so get those photos to us right away!

FINE PRINT:  Submit entries from August 27 through September 24. The winner will be announced at 10:30 a.m. on September 28.  Please be sure to include your name, phone number, and email address along with your photo. Entry forms available at the ReStore. Also, be sure to let us know what items in the photo you purchased at the ReStore. Email entries to us at restorenewsletter@atlantahabitat.org or bring your photos by the store.

I have a FeW things to pick from to maybe send in—!  ; D

Catherine

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Just returned from quick Atlanta trip…..

…..OMG!  Sooooo much fun antiquing-thrifting-shopping,

especially at  A Classy Flea.

Found lots of great parts to build new cabinet designs–

already busy sketching new ideas!

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The reason for the trip was to personally deliver a specially-built cabinet to

Music for Megan!

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Hope you like it!

Such a good feeling to make this contribution for a very worthy cause!

Catherine

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◊ The raw frame and then deciding on the finish and details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is a standard cubby frame–it can be built many different ways to make it customized just for your little one(s)!

◊  by height, width, and other design choices!

◊  This basic cubby sells for $295  —  – –  -and adjusted based on alterations and customization.

◊  Shipping is available to contiguous US

 

-Other customized versions-

Contact me about building one for you!

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