Projects

In order to keep the time moving quickly during Brandon's time in Alabama, I decided to take on a few projects.  (As if the "honey-do" list he left me wasn't long enough.)  Anyway, here are a few before and after shots for you.  :)

$7 chair

 This project was not originally planned, but a dear family friend has been sick and unable to leave her hospital room even for just a short walk in the sunshine.  So, after visiting her one afternoon, my mom and I decided we were going to bring some color and sunshine to her.  :)  We made this quilt for her, start to finish, in less than 48 hours and she told us that the first night she slept with it was the first night in 3 weeks that she had been able to sleep through the night.  Best reason to sew for 48 hours (almost) straight EVER.

 Free chair. 

You can't really tell in the before photo, but it was COVERED in cat hair.  So Gross.  But the green called to me, so I vacuumed and used my upholstery cleaner and scrubbed that baby cleaner than clean.  I also sanded down and stained the legs, fixed the torn piping, re-attatched the broken leg and added a small piece of wood to the bottom of one of the back legs cuz before it wasn't sitting evenly (probably the cause for it losing the front leg).  It is super comfy...and the color is more emerald green in real life.  Love it. 

 Had I taken a picture of these benches before, they would have been a pile of 2x4s at Home Depot.  That's right, I built these babies.  Allow me to rephrase, I made all the cuts (according to Ana White's free providence bench plans) with my Grandfather-in-law's miter saw (I want one SOOOO bad...thanks Frank for lending me your tools!). My amazing, talented, handy-man brother, Reed (for those who don't know, I have a brother named "Reed"...yes, just like my last name) helped me assemble them.  I am still not super confident doing things like that on my own, and he could do it blind folded!  After they were put together, I painted, distressed, glazed and polyurithaned the daylights out of them.  I couldn't be happier.  They are incredibly sturdy, they seat 3-4 bums across them comfortably, and the color makes me down-right happy.  Thanks again for your help, Reed!

$10 door...it started out with only 5 glass panes - just so you know.  :)

I almost gave up on this project many, Many, MANY times.  I took this old door completely apart, washed all the boards and glass panes, broke a pane of glass in the process of trying to stencil it, had my son accidently break another pane of glass once I had it reassembled and liquid nails drying, then had the darndest time getting wood panes to fit in where the glass panes no longer were.  I had to walk away several times, and truthfully, I would have chucked it in the garbage altogether had it not been for two things: 1st, my Father-in-law said there was no way that rotted-out-door could be made into a headboard (Ya Ben, I know about what you said ;) ) and 2nd, when I was ready to give up, my mom asked me, and I am completely paraphrasing "would you feel better right now if you just threw it away, or if you gave it one more try and then if it didn't work, threw it away?" - so, I gave it one more try, and things worked out...but not before my brother Reed came over and helped me frame the backside and put the legs on.  What am I gonna do in Georgia when I can't call Reed over every time I need help on a project?  Sad.  :( 

I didn't paint the middle leg cuz I ran out of paint, and no one is going to see it anyway.  :)

I used the frosted glass spray paint to give it the etched look.  (Got the idea from the Idea Room!  Fancy that?)

I'm glad I gave it one more try, and think it will look darn cute in our new home in Georgia, especially since the master bedroom has gray walls!  :)

This last project I truly did NOTHING on, but I had to post about it cuz my siblings who do not live close by would like to see my mom's latest and greatest desire brought to fruition.

For some time now, Mom has wanted a chicken coope.  She asked for it for Christmas.  Didn't happen.  Then again for her birthday.  Didn't happen...at least not right away.  Then, earlier this month, Mom put Reed in charge of it all, sent Dad with him to Home Depot as the source of cash, and the project began.

Reed is crazy awesome.  He didn't draw up plans or use anyone elses...he just visualized it in his head and got crackin'.  My other brother Nathan worked along side Reed quite a bit and my brother Jacob and even Mom did some assisting so that it could get finished.

It is now complete with chickens inside.  We have affectionately been referring to the coope as the "Chicken Palace" - and it is just that.  These chickens have never had it so good.

 Above: The day mom brought the chickens home and a front view of the Chicken Palace.

 Side view of the Chicken Palace.

 Mom bought 5 chickens: 2 browm and 3 white.  I think the brown hens are quite pretty acutally.

 The grand staircase.  :)

Once the chickens were in their new home, we just couldn't stop watching them.  They are so cute!  And when the kids aren't watching them, they're digging in the dirt right next to the coope and getting completely filthy.  :)

Glad you finally got your chicken coope Mom!

And that's it for project-ing...for now.