Craftsman Style Chalkboard

I'm really excited with the chalkboards I made during the holiday using Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Colonial Red paint. Three of these chalkboards were requested by a friend of mine, as she wanted to give them as gifts. She gave me a rough size but requested a "barn red" type color. 

This was a plan from "anawhite" but I used my own dimensions in order to get three 16" x 24" boards out of a 2' x 4' panel. I framed them with 1 x 3's with a 1 x 2 on top and bottom. The finished overall size was 20" x 29.5". I made a total of six and kept one for myself! I love the color, they were very pleased with it.

Kreg jig makes joining easy! I've since upgrade to a K-4 model

Ready for paint!

The chalk board overlaps the opening by 1/2" all around. Opening is 15" x 23", chalkboard is 16" x 24"

Fastening the chalkboard to the back.

Great addition to my kitchen!

Snowman Logs

I'm so inspired to make these funky, cute snowmen from discarded logs. I used some really old, wormy, beat up pieces that were laying around my yard. This wasn't the best idea since there were creatures still living inside! My friend, Linda gave me a few "newer" logs from her woodpile and I was on a roll. Don't worry, I baked the older wood in a low oven for a few hours, that should do it!

I started with 3 1/2" to 4" or so logs and cut them on my miter saw at 2" thick. Please be careful and don't cut right to the end. Give yourself enough room to hold on and keep your hands far enough away from the saw.  Next I cut a smaller diameter log, about 3" or so, then repeated with whatever I had. No time to be fussy, these are rustic.

The hats were cut from the smaller diameter logs, also 2" thick. The brims were about 2 1/2 - 3" diameter but cut about 3/4 - 1" thick. I'd say use whatever you have. I chose to paint them black but I left one or two natural.

Wonderful Outdoor Piano Bench

At home in my back yard flower garden!

A friend of mine had their deck floor replaced and she asked me if I wanted any of the scrap pieces. I certainly have a reputation of taking any "stuff" to re-use. There were various sizes of 5/4" thick x 6" wide pressure treated wood, mostly in various lengths, ranging from about 14" to 26" long.

I needed an outdoor bench! I looked around the internet and my Pinterest collection and found a great plan from Artsy Chicks Rule. This is exactly what I wanted since it uses the top boards that run the width of the bench. Oh, now what about if I make the 2x4 frame to accept 8 boards, I'll have an octave and paint them like piano keys. I used the legs from an old footboard in the front and 4x4 scraps for the back legs. I'm so pleased and it's such a fun place to sit.

2x4 frame, I used some really old wood!

Bench frame assembled with fancy front legs from a footboard.

Organizing and painting the "keys"

Black keys = sharps & flats!

Painting the frame with leftover exterior paint from my shutters.

It's right at home among the summer flowers.

The petunias are taking over!

Wood Heart with feelings!

In an attempt to use up piles of assorted scrap wood, I created these wooden hearts. I searched the web for ideas (as usual), tried a few different designs and decided that the vertical board heart was my choice. I love the five board vertical heart complete with twine and a button flower!

I started by finding a heart pattern that I liked. Not a long narrow one, but a big, fat heart that was at least 12" high and wide. I experimented with a few slightly different sizes but the one I use now is 12 1/2" high and wide.  Big enough to stand out if hung on a wall or door, yet not so big that I could sell it at a reasonable price. It also fits into a USPS standard box, since boxes can add quite a bit to the cost of selling.  

Next I laid out the boards side by side in a vertical pattern, then glued and clamped them together. After letting the glue dry overnight, I traced the heart shape. Phew, it's exciting to see the hearts take shape!

 I used my jig saw to cut out the heart pattern, clamping it to my work table.  

 Next, I lightly sanded all over trying to smooth out any rough spots and to add a "worn" look.

I don't trust the glue 100% so I cut out a rectangle from 1/4 lauan, made sure it spanned all the joints then glued it to the back.  I nailed a sawtooth hanger on the back and it was ready to hang.  I'll be adding more information and pics to this post.

Some four board hearts, I'm trying out some various wood treatments.

Fence Picket Planter

Here's another wonderful planter from Ana White.  I thought, "hey, I can make these!" So off I went to search for the lovely cedar fence pickets, 1/2" thick x 4.5" wide x 6' long.  I liked the idea of using cedar, it weathers beautifully, it's safe to handle and it has a smooth paint-able surface.  I don't like to plant herbs or anything edible in pressure treated wood.  I could not find the cedar pickets at either of the big box hardware stores, but I did spot pressure treated pine pickets at one of them.  I was itching to make these planters so I bought six of them.

I cut two boxes out together with my miter saw.

The boxes measure 20" long x 6.5" wide x 5.5" high, large enough for three 5" pots. You can download the printer friendly instructions, HERE.  I started to assemble the box but the parts didn't seem to fit correctly! I finally realized that the cut list that I used was for 1/2" cedar but my pressure treated pine measured 5/8" thick. Oops! I made it work and will keep this for myself. I used exterior liquid nails in a caulking gun plus exterior 1 1/4" screws to assemble.

Using exterior liquid nails is easy & less messy!

I proceed to make two more boxes, and they went together easily. I'm going to make a few more but bought some 1 1/2" galvanized finishing nails to assemble them.  Using Word, I printed out the words "HERB GARDEN" using outlined text. After printing it out, I used carbon paper to transfer the words to the box. Next I filled in the letters with a paint brush Sharpie pen. It didn't turn out great because the pine was still a little rough. Boy, I wish I had the smooth cedar pickets. I did a quick white wash with white DecoArt Patio paint. I added handles that I had in my stash box, and will add some rope handles to the next ones I make.

Easy to add the lettering!

Love the fork & spoon handles I saved from an old birdhouse.

Great spoon handle!

Black iron knobs on both ends.

Rope handles work great, too. Drill holes larger than rope diameter.

I saw another post HERE for a tapered planter using just half of the six foot cedar picket. Oh, I just had to try it with my last picket. It was a little difficult to match the sides when assembling because my pressure treated pine pickets weren't perfectly straight. I chose to predrill the holes then use the screws, it was easier to build. I wrote "BLOOM" on the front and installed rope handles. Next, I filled it with soil and planted a flower. It's now on my front steps!  I still had three feet of wood left and decided to make a smaller planter with straight sides. I'm on a roll . . .

Another 1/2 size, a gift for my daughter.

More gifts . . . complete with potting soil and seed packets!

Wooden Toolbox Totes

So many uses and great as a gift.

My inspiration came from a site called "Funky Junk Interiors". Donna had posted numerous styles of creating these popular wooden toolboxes.  I got the bug to try it when a woman, Jennifer Lewis, posted complete directions and lots of detailed photographs. You can download directions are HERE.

Sides & bottom nailed together.

Cutting the "dog-eared" end pieces.

 My first box was a struggle but oh, what fun! I  had a miter saw to work with so my pieces couldn't exceed six inches wide or I'd have to cut them another way. I don't have a table saw and a jig saw cut just wouldn't be straight. My 1x6 pine pieces worked  great. Assembling the box was a struggle but I finally developed a method of clamping that worked just right.

Sanding the box before the handle goes on.

An old cane gets re-purposed as a handle.

An old gentleman from Northfield, CT made hundreds of canes. He also played the fiddle as well as constructed them. A group of us would take a ride to his house and visit him with our instruments. Roger Curtis was a wonderful man and all of us would play some great music together. He wouldn't let us leave until we went on his porch to take home a few of his hand made canes. Mr. Curtis passed away just before his 100th birthday.  So this toolbox that I'm making for a fiddler friend, who was close to Mr. Curtis, sports a handle made from one of his canes. He had carved the date and his initials in each one, which is visible in the next picture.

 

Cane made by Ronald F. Curtis 1998 is re-purposed into a handle.

I finished this toolbox with a light coating of tung oil. I hope she likes it!  I've made quite a few different ones, varying the size, color, height, handle, etc. Here's a few pics.

This is mine! Turquoise my favorite color these days.

Added a space for a message with chalkboard paint.

Taller box - great for a wine tote. The handle from a broken chair.

Beautiful blue for plants, wine, books, flowers or whatever.

Utensil tote for the kitchen.