“everything” has changed!

So WordPress has seriously changed the whole format for writing a post!

Instead of sharing some of the things I’ve been working on, I guess my NEW project is figuring it all out just so I can share some finished projects!

Sigh. NOT what I need about now.

Until I can figure out how to do anything– please follow me on instagram to see what I’ve been doing!

https://www.instagram.com/freddyandpetunia/

Catherine

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a new beginning

Step 1- mom’s move downstairs.

The focus was all about getting her settled into, and moving around safely in her new 1st flr spaces.  She’s pretty shaky, and I worried about all the obstacles of the furniture-shuffle, and purging of drawers & closets to fit in the smaller spaces.  Putting anything together for myself would have to wait, so I’d just have to deal with the absolute CHA-OS until further notice….ugh.

Step 2- My turn!
Let the Games Begin!

Although I LUV the upholstered & caned bed I made for the guest bedroom I’d been using, I longed to use ONE of the beds I’ve collected and REworked just sitting in storage!  I could totally visualize a fresh room design with each- but THEN I saw this AWEsome bed from Perigold!
I knew exACTly the direction I was taking!

Ooooof!  Can you believe the price?!?
Time for a “Sensible Chic” version!

 

 

My project starts with the most aMAZing bed
found on fb marketplace
last summer!

I popped the panel back in the footboard, but the bottom rail that holds it in is missing.  That’s okay- I only wanted to use the headboard right now anyway.

Here’s the beginning- sleeping on the floor.
The bed downstairs was incredibly high, so this was weird-weird-weird!

The first change!  Still on the floor, but it was feeling better!
I also added a 100yo door I split in half as “shutters.”
And THAT’s a story I’ll come back to later!

Being frugal –cough-cough, CHEAP!
I shopped sales, used a 40% coupon, and still got what I wanted.
$55 for padding, batting, and linen!

The bed box/frame

I bought and cut down pine boards to build a simple box frame to 54″×80″.
I ripped some of the cutoffs down to create cleats & rails to screw to the inside bed box/frame to support the box spring & mattress.

I sanded and spray painted everything with the RustOleum Metallic Rust.
I discovered by accident that it can mimic stained wood, and the Metallic Rust mimics Mahogany.  I hauled all the parts inside-upstairs to assemble.
Just one more of those UMPteen million trips up&down the stairs.
I screwed the decorative legs to the end corners (only had 2 legs) and cut the 2×2 dowel to create hidden legs at the head of the bed frame.
The newly upholstered headboard is actually hung a little higher on the wall,
so the bed itself is a separate piece.

 

I rescued the legs from a wingbacked chair thrown out for garbage!  (then I threw the remains out too!)

And lest you should forget the inspirational bed—

I like mine better!

 

All in for $158.66!

Can you believe?!?

And this is just the beginning!
Catherine

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Oh how I miss my projects!

–

Late June marked a year
for my mom of
sickness, diagnosis, treatments, and all the difficulties of recovery.

All those treatments beat her down to—nothing.
T h e n   you have to
work find your way back.
Which means a mix of
bad & good days.
Note that order.

“Life” as a caregiver is completely exhausting.
You truly have no idea until you’ve walked a mile in those shoes.  Uh, huh.
It seems I only get to work on projects in my dreams now, but they are A-W-E-some!  ; D
I have been collecting some things here & there for when I can “RE-launch!”
I can hardly wait for the day!

Catherine

Really miss you guys too!

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how much do I love you guys?

If you’ve been with me a while, you know I can’t
seem to figure out those. . . Dang. Transfers.
It makes. me. crAzy.

So I thought I would try out (per the official website) Mod Podge‘s version of “How To“ …I say with rolling eyes.  I sort of  got it to work.  Arrrgh.

I figured out what I wanted to try—a black & white, a mixed composition, and one of full color.  All 3 would become framed wall art.  God willing.

I cut scrap pine to size, sanded & primed to prep for my images.

Again, following their instructions, I applied a generous coat of Mod Podge to the black & white print, then carefully applied IT to the primed wood.  It was very easy to tweak its positioning & I initially rubbed it down with my fingers.

A squeegee/plastic scraper made sure it was well applied with no air bubbles, and I cleaned up the excess drippings and put it aside to dry for 24hrs.

I repeated the same easy steps with the next two.  Ha- I got this!

And then it all went south.

Fail.  ugh.

The black & white print became pink’ish, the b&w/color combo–well, you can see for yourself.  The full color actually worked out—except that it’s a bit blurry?

#1 and #2.  I used the ‘damp sponge’ to gently rub away the paper.  Nothing.  Apparently I used SUPER paper?  It took a terry wash cloth to get the paper to rub away.  But it also took the image with it—and I promise I was being gentle!    

#3.  I decided to lay a saturated wet cloth over it for a bit and then try to rub off the paper.  THAT worked.  I thought that was the trick and REsanded & REprimed the first two for a do-over.

A N D- this time I decided to try something truly–purely Black & White hoping it wouldn’t turn pink’ish.

I went through all the original steps UP TO the sponge.  I laid the wet cloth over each to totally soften the paper and try rubbing it away.  Apparently that 1st success was “a fluke?”  Or does color make a difference?

I DID find that I could ROLL the paper away–
but the remaining image was “ghostly.”

I let it sit for a while –in frustration– you know.

A N D—then I got out a sharpie marker and colored in the faint transfer-  rolling eyes here.

I l♥ve transfers——I hate transfers. 

And-

I L♥ve you to the fridge & back!

I need a glass bottle of wine.  And maybe frame a couple of these?  Hmmmmm, or just create something from all these wine corks!  ; D

Catherine

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she thinks I’m a magician?

Sure- I do love to REcreate and REinvent some crazy stuff, but,
seriously, it’s come to this?

“I have this broken rocker and thought of you.
I just know you can do something with it!”

Um. . . thanks. . . ?

 

Rocker treads eat up space
-that I don’t have so much of-
so I hung it from the rafters in front of my wall of paints thinking it would be out of the way until I figure out what to do with it.

Honestly- I was thinking to just part it out into other projects, but, I don’t know yet.

I hit my head on that dang thing more than once.  One time, SO hard I saw stars.  And had a headache for a day.

 

When I get mom and all her things settled each day, I’ve been -trying- to give myself time in my studio, where so many projects await my attention.  OMGosh, it’s just nice to be IN my studio.  And even with my loooong absence–I’ve had enough of that rocker.

Do I take it apart, or to another level?  Hmmmm. . .

Have you ever seen a rocker for 2?  A rocker and a half?  A chaise-rocker?
What if I deconstruct part of it & just REmake it into something… W I D E R?

 

¹  The LEFT side was the broken and missing parts side, so I removed that side’s legs & rocker tread and made the numerous repairs.  I gave the re-glued and clamped parts 24 hrs to fully set up.

²  I used heavy card-stock paper to make a template of the right side seat contours.  I ripped some leftover 2×6 lumber for the width & thickness to create an extended seat.

³  I flipped & copied that contour to the new left side, cut it out with a jigsaw, sanded, created pocket screw joinery for some areas, and pre-drilled for 3″ screws at other joints.  I also had to REshape how the 2 fronts join together. 

Above you can also see I REdrilled with a 1″ mortising bit to REfit the legs and rocker tread.  What you can’t see in these pics is that I also pre-drilled for large dowels to join the legs together for stability—
aka STRETCHERS.

Until I was able to go buy the appropriate size dowel, I just moved on to prepping and painting.

I added extra supports for the seat (& the new padding).

I heavily padded, then upholstered the seat.

I was actually a little disappointed.  I only wanted to have an upholstered seat TOP, maintaining all the wood edges and frame.  But when I had to put screws into the front for support (even though I could have counter-sunk & plugged them) I nixed it for the ease of a wrapped seat.

During the week I was able to get a couple 5/8″ oak dowels.
I shaped/tapered the ends to fit snugly into the mortised holes.  These dowels are now the stretchers that tie the legs together and bring stability
to the chair.
The last thing was to run & apply welting for a clean finish.

–

Here it is at the antique mall!
That seat is really comfy seat!

A Rocker & a half
—jury’s out, huh?

Catherine

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I don’t. . .F E E L. . .older. . .

. . .but the calendar
AND my mom say so,

so what are you going to do?

Uh– pour a glass of wine!
HaPPy BirTHdaY to me!

Catherine

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please stand by-

So- I’m finding a “rhythm”

to my newly learned nursing skills, and,
spend so much time at the hospital –I should be put on salary.
I now know my way around that HUGE place, AND even the tv channels.

But with Knowledge comes Power
and I’m much more confident in all I’ve suddenly had to learn & do.
THAT has been calming in many ways.

And mom is doing “better”___!

And as things progress and we settle in to some sort of “schedule,”
I think I can start to fit some projects into my days—for sanity’s sake!

There’s PEACE in those projects, y’know!

But 1st comes some Christmas decor!

Catherine

W e l l- maybe the 1st project might be to REarrange
this top 20 Christmas movie list—
#4 is my favorite and a seasonal MUST!

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a Spring Blizzard

Yes–

A BLIZZARD.

Can you believe?

In mid-April.

23″ plus.

–

NOT.  funny.  Mother Nature.  Not funny.

We were in pouring rain most of Friday, that switched to sleet by evening and snow through the night.  The windows were mostly all encrusted with ice or snow so it was hard to look out to see what we were dealing with.

EVERYthing was shut down and we weren’t going ANY. where.

My usual gym workout became ALL weight lifting  –ON THE DRIVEWAY–     if you get my meaning.

 

A neighbor had to help me get the driveway door open just so I could get outside to begin shoveling. . .  And the city plows have FINALLY come down our street. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously- we won’t be getting out the FRONT door for a while.  That’s “heart attack snow” -wet & heavy, with ice at the bottom.  I’m not shoveling anything extra.

ALL the guys in the neighborhood came out with snowblowers.  This job was definitely going to require a tag-team effort.  The chain-link fence you can see in [this] picture is 4ft high- for another idea of depth.

When I noticed the dryer vent was buried, it got me thinking about the furnace and water tank vents, so I waded/climbed my way to the back of the house to check out the situation.  Thank goodness I did–they needed clearing.

BUT- I sunk in the snow about mid-thigh and couldn’t get any leverage to get myself out.  Crap!  Who’s going to hear me yelling with all the snowblower noise?

I finally thought to fall backwards and try ROLLING out–and almost lost my boot in it.

I. AM. A SUMMER. GIRL.

Catherine

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another sofa table, and a bench

I WANTED to title this post–

my Muscles took Tuesday off

But that might be too weird.  Very true, but weird.

I started at 7:30am with a tough cardio workout then decided to make it a weight lifting day too.  My arms were already tired, but I had a LOT of thick-heavy woodcutting to do.  And sanding.  Lots and lots of  aggressive  sanding.

I finally quit and cleaned up at 8pm.  A very long and physically exhausting day.  I didn’t sleep well for how achy my muscles were, so I just couldn’t get up for the gym Tuesday morn.  It HURT to change the tv remote-kind-of-ache.        No gym–No projects.  Day off.   *Maybe I can lift a glass of wine.  Medicinally.

I opened the door just long enough to take this picture for you to see how things looked from Monday night.

NOW I’m trying to figure out the finishes– ugh.  Two different woods, that both look cool—but I don’t want a COMPLETE stain job.  Same with the bench so far.  Double- UGH.

–

Here’s a look at my bench ends.

They make me laugh so—they look like fat thighs & butt!

Seriously—don’t they?

A N D -back from the gym, and back on these pieces,

Catherine

 

 

 

 

---

Gym Humor-  and how I usually keep going through the aching muscles…

 

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what. a. week.

Seriously Mother Nature?  Again?

The sum of my week . . .

and  this  again. . .

Ahh yes, but pretty soon—

pretty soon. . .

Catherine

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