A Sort Of Coffee Table!!!

Good Sunday afternoon to you all!

 

I have to start off by telling you that I am working in a hostile environment.  My craft world has been invaded.  I'm running a graveyard...a June Bug graveyard!  This is my very least favorite part of summer.  You could go so far as to say that I absolutely HATE it...June Bugs.  They're gross, fat and love to buzz my ears.  GAAAAG!!!  So I haven't been out in the garage a lot lately.

 

(Do you have the heeby geebies?  I know I do...shutter!!!!!)

 I did manage to venture out this afternoon to finish up my latest project...a pallet coffee table.  Well, sort of....meaning it's sort of a pallet and sort of a coffee table at this point. 

See here's how it goes. 

My hubby brought home this cute little pallet the other day. 

It measured 42" by 26".  I instantly thought "Coffee Table!"  So I set off to make one.  I just needed to add a few boards to the top; noooo problem.  In doing our figuring we decided to replace all the top boards and change the dimensions to 24"x42" so we only needed an 8' board, and we'd add MDF to the bottom to make a solid shelf-like area.  So off to HD I went. 

I purchased a 1x6x8 and had them cut to 24" lengths.  I painted that in Simply White by Cece Caldwell's.

I purchased a 1x4x8 and had it cut to the 24" lengths and painted that in Mardi Gras by Maison Blanche.

And finally I purchased a 1x2x8, had it cut to the 24" lengths and painted it in Traverse City Cherry by Cece Caldwell's.

While I painted my hubby decided to pull apart the top of the pallet.  After a few broken boards, broken skin and perhaps a few naughty words he announced that he was DONE with the pallet and would simply purchase the 2x4 we needed and add the MDF to the bottom of that.  So suddenly my pallet coffee table was now a pallet INSPIRED coffee table...since it has NEVER been used as a pallet. 

Oh, well, I tried to recycle...

Sooo, back to HD we went...and added to the list were casters and all the screws needed to finish the project.

We purchased a 2x4x12 board and had HD cut it down to 3-42" pieces with a bit to spare.  We also purchased a 2'x4'x1/2" MDF board, 2 free spinning and 2 free spinning, but locking, casters and all the extras.  I painted all the remaining boards in the Simply White by Cece Caldwell's.  I wanted the majority of the body to be the lighter color with accents of green and red. (these are the colors I've used in my living room...I'll show you that in a later post :-) )

Once everything was painted I applied Maison Blanche's clear wax on everything...PREASSEMBLED!!!  I knew that once the assembly process was done I wouldn't be able to get in all the small areas to wax it properly, so I waxed and buffed every piece separately. 

Once everything was painted and ready my hubby and dad got busy putting it all together.  They're much more handy with this type of thing than I am...I end up just getting on my hubby's nerves in the way!!!

They started by lining up the bottom with the edge 2x4s and adding the casters (2-1/2 inch screws to go into just the MDF and 2-1 1/2 inch screws to go through the MDF and into the 2x4).  Then they added more screws to secure the bottom to the 2x4s.  Once they turned it over I lined up the top boards in the pattern I wanted and held it while they used a countersink drill bit to drill through the top boards and into the 2x4.  They screwed it all down and it was done!!!

Remember...this is pallet inspired so imperfection is the point...just wanted to make sure and POINT that out...tee hee!

We took it inside to try it out I decided it was really a lot shorter than I'd hoped for...so there are plans to add on to it, but that's for a different day.  It also needed to be dark waxed, but since we planned to add on to it I thought I'd wait.  It stayed in my living room for a week and was very handy...especially for my Silhouette Cameo!!!

It fits perfectly with my laptop beside it.  Plus it keeps my Silhouette up off the floor when I need to use it (this is not its normal home by the way!!!). 

Today, however, I couldn't stand it any more.  It went outside to the hostile environment and got a dark wax coat.

It was WAY too bright for my taste!!!

 

 

So after some Maison Blanche Dark Wax, some buffing followed by MORE buffing...and then some MORE BUFFING...here's the finished product!

 

I love how white paint looks with dark wax.  So much yummy detail!

Did I mention how much I like the dark wax on white?  Huh...huh???

OOhhh Shiny!!! (Been watching way to much Wolverine this weekend with the kids!)

And it comes with magazine/book cubbies!

 

It seems to be more of a footstool at this point than a coffee table...oh well...sigh!

 

Till the next time...I'll just put up my feet and enjoy my newest Treasure!!!

 

Jennifer

Sunday

DIY Showoff: Project Parade – Flamingo Toes: Think Pink

– I {heart} Nap Time: Sundae Scoop – Nifty Thrifty Sunday – Twigg Studios Sunday Showoff

– Under the Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase Party – Cherished Treasure: Sunday Blog Love – My 1929 Charmer: Sunday's Best – Petite Hermine: Linky Party Sundays – One Creative Mommy: One Creative Weekend

Monday

Sew Chatty – Etcetorize: Make it Great Monday – Alderberry Hill: Make the Scene Monday

Boogie Board Cottage: Masterpiece Monday – Debbiedoo's: Newbie Party – Flour Me With Love – Holly's Stamping Addiction – Serendipity & Spice: Manic Monday Party – Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials and Tips Link Party – The Dedicated House: Make It Pretty Monday – Kathe with an E: You're Gonna Love It 

Tuesday

Elizabeth & Co.: Be Inspired – Homework: Today's Assignment - Be Inspired – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures – Not Just a Housewife: Linky Party – Sugar Bee Crafts – Today's Creative Blog – The D.I.Y. Dreamer

Wednesday

The Trendy Treehouse: Create and Share – Southern Lovely: Show & Share – Clean & Scentsible: the Creative Spark – JAQS Studio: Made By ME – Family Home & Life: Wow Us Wednesday

Thursday

The Shabby Creek Cottage: Transformation Thursday – House of Hempworths: Hooking Up with HOH – Momnivore's dilemma: Creative Juice Thursday – Katie's Nesting Spot: A Crafty Soiree – Somewhat Simple: Blog Party – Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff Party – Delightful Order: Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Party – The 36th Avenue: Show Me Extraordinary – 52 Mantles: Thursdays Are Your Days

Friday

Create <3 Craft <3 Love <3: Pomp Party – French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday – The Grant Life – Jennifer Rizzo – My Romantic Home: Show and Tell Friday – Serenity Now: Weekend Bloggy Reading – The Shabby Nest: Frugal Friday – Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded

Saturday

Classy Clutter: Spotlight Saturday – Funky Junk Interiors – Natasha In Oz: Say G'Day Saturday – Too Much Time On My Hands: Get Schooled Saturday – Tatertots and Jello: Weekend Wrap Up Party

 

 

 

 



Something fun for my Birthday Girl!!!

My poor daughter!!!  Her birthday is tomorrow and she will be the "BIG 10"!  So I planned a pool get-together with our neighborhood friends, a few more of just her friends and my parents came from out of town...but what do we wake up to...RAIN!!!

Buckets and buckets of RAIN!!!

We bumped the party back 2 hours since it was going to be out of the area at the time, but alas...the pool was closed!  Total bummer...there were tears, it was sad!!!

So to help fill her day mom and I headed off to Michaels and bought a project for her: a purple shirt and a rhinestone iron-on owl.  Combine that with some glitter iron-on vinyl I had in my craft stores and we had a birthday project to bring a smile to a disappointed girl.  Oh...and while we were at it I put together a shirt for me I'd designed on the Silhouette Cameo.

Here's what we came up with...

We took her owl then came up with a cute "Owlie" saying to go with it.  She ended up loving my idea of "Whoo Cares?" and the Baby Kruffy font was PERFECT for this project.  I typed it all out and sized it for her shirt then welded each word together...voila!  Oh, and I learned a secret about this vinyl...here's the scoop.

I purchased this glitter iron-on vinyl from Expression Vinyl.  Here's the link straight to the heat transfer vinyl and the color is "Blush".  It doesn't come with instructions (and if there are any on the website well I didn't look...so no pointing it out...I like to live dangerously.  Ok, I just looked and it would have saved me some hassle.  Ok, humbling moment...) so I winged it!  I messed up, at least on the one below.  I ended up cutting it from the glossy, plastic covered side.  I cut through the whole thing, then I wondered "How in the world am I going to transfer and iron this on my shirt properly?"  (Yes, it pays to pay attention...lesson learned...anyway)  When I got the owl I realized that the way it was applied was a hint how to apply the glitter vinyl.  So I turned the vinyl over on my cutting mat, mirrored the image, kiss cut it, weeded away the extra vinyl, then applied it with the sticky plastic it came with.  (Ok, you can say it now..."DUH!!!"  Live and learn, Baby, live and learn.)  The first cut was not wasted, however; I took the plastic from the second cut and picked the first one up off my cutting mat with it then applied it to my shirt that way.  I then turned the shirts inside out and ironed them.  It worked perfect.  My daughter's was much easier than mine since I did it right the first time...

...but I LOVE how mine turned out!!!  I purchased the black flocked piece for Oklahoma from Hobby Lobby.  It was only $2.99 for a piece of iron-on flocked vinyl that was 9.25" x 5.5" of cutting surface.  The remaining is the same glitter heat transfer vinyl.  The little heart over our city was a test cut that my mom suggested I insert as a last minute idea.  It's perfect!

So, all eyes are dry, hearts are happy and the Birthday Girl has a pretty, new shirt.  Happy 10th birthday, Chrissy Girl!!!

Love you from Mom and Nana!!!

She's one of my ultimate treasures!

Jennifer

A Wall of Windows

Hello again!!!

 

It has been quite some time since I've sat down to blog my projects.  Does this mean I've stopped working on things?  Of course not!!!  But I have learned something about myself and blogging...do you want to hear it???

 

I thought you might...

 

Here goes!  I love to share my projects.  I love to get compliments...let's face it, we all do!

(Admit it.  You'll feel better.  It is the first step...oh wait, we were talking about something else.  Sorry!!!)

But I work WAY too hard to make those photos perfect.  I find myself avoiding my blog because I spend too much time editing, looking for just the right look and putting my name on the photo...ok, well that part's kinda important, but the rest...

 

I've decided to swallow my need to be a perfectionist and use crappy, unedited photos.  Perhaps then I can share the REAL me...or projects (let me tell you I won't be showing up in many photos)...and get back to my blog!!!

 

That being said...today it's all about WINDOWS!!!  I think I may have mentioned how much I'm obsessed with them in this post, but I'm running out of space.  So I have one more window project to share that we finished off just today.

 

 

Here it is (imperfections and all) my Window Wall!!!

 

There are 4 with the Message Center window (shown here) to the left.  It's hard to get them all in and since I am embracing imperfection I'm just not going to stress over it...

...I'm not...

...SERIOUSLY!!!

 

And if you step back a bit you'll see yet another window hanging over the brick wall.  So from where I sit it's windows galore.

 

 

 

It looks pretty cool, and it does finish off my wall quite well.

 

 

And it's quite personalized.  The quote on this window is from the Chicago song "Will You Still Love Me" that my husband and I had in our wedding invitation.  It's the first time we've used it since and therefore the center point on the wall.  Oh, and if you are wondering how I made the window red check out Debbiedoo's post here.  She was my inspiration.  I did forget the paper towels.  It would have looked a lot better...oh well...

EMBRACING IMPERFECTION!!!

It's not going very well...if you couldn't tell.

 

Till another day and another treasure!!!

 

Jennifer