At last!

After the painstaking hard work on my TV console and hutch, finally came my time to just enjoy looking at it!

I can also display my latest painting above my fireplace (probably will paint a bigger one though).

mantel looks better with my painting on it than having the TV up there

 
Everything looks OK to me....now I can start on another project :-)... yay!

TV on its safer place

A $ 250.00 project that would've cost us an arm and a leg :-). Maybe not as good but serves all the purpose, actually my project is probably better since its solid wood   d(^_-)b



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My Pet Feeder

While waiting for my TV console and hutch to dry for several days, I am already thinking on what to build next (yep, I'm getting addicted). Well, I have this small boards left from this project, so since it's been raining out, I brought some of my tools inside to make something out of this.

I have this messy eater dog (weimaraner) who slobbers all over my floor, moulding and worst thing...she bangs the wall with her aluminum bowl while she keeps trying to lick every single bits of her food there is! So, with that story to tell, I designed her a pet feeder(inspired from the annawhite site) that will stop the banging and the messy wall.

I trace two similar circles for her food and water.
Then I started cutting the hole with hole saw(since I don't have dremel tool or that kind) and finish it with reciprocating saw. Well, I started to bore the whole thing with it but I realize I could use reciprocating saw.

Since its freehand sawing, the round holes are not perfect (I'm sure my dog won't complain :-).

With little carving of her name, adding decorative moulding and painting.. no more messy, loud banging wall everytime she eats.

And I mean "she" is this couch potato dog! yeah, the "once mine" chair(bought two years ago) is now hers and now looks ugly. Hhhmmm... that gives me idea, maybe I will build her her own couch ;-) and reclaim this chair.

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crazy winter

Birds are chirping in my backyard this morning because it's 60 deg. in the middle of the winter! Some of my daffodil and tulip bulbs  are peeking through the soil.

Couple of my perennials are already putting up flowers.

We're expecting below freezing temperature soon so I cut the still close flower and put them in a vase.

This afternoon, this is what I got...

...so pretty! like it. Pin It

the "fun" part..

...is finishing...

I think this hutch is ready to go..

Oh yeah! I have to unscrew all the doors off to avoid painting the hinges, knobs, catches, screws and handles......just when I thought I'm done with this d*#n doors :-)



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working still..

Just finished the doors, the very least exciting part of this project...uugghh! something I probably will avoid on my next project.

put some caulk for seamless corners

I thought it would be nice to add some pattern on this furniture to make it a little interesting. I had more designs but hubby like this one the most.

They don't look perfect but oh well, this is just my second furniture making (console table was my first)  sooo..this will do.

Next is to sand and fill the nail holes, paint and put 'em together...but right now, I'm off for a warm bath:)


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From my backyard

Last night was like the worst "typhoon". It sounds like buckets and buckets of water being poured over our house not to mention the very strong whip of wind.

I went out this morning to check my backyard and lots of my garden mulch got washed away.

But these little greenies are still standing!

These tiddy bitties surprised me, they are doing really well

Cabbage still surviving

still managed to form heads inspite this crazy winter weather

poor spinach got forced to grow this winter

They really are tough to went through all the 20's and all the mighty winds (although couple of them got nibbled by the voracious little rabbit hiding somewhere in my backyard)


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Still working...

 Just put the  trim mouldings for  my hutch and cabinet then started to make the doors. Door making was not complicated but you gotta take your time and measure, measure, measure or they won't fit.
 

I keep insisting that I can just use the regular sandpaper like I did on my first furniture project and will be fine. Hubby keep insisting that a power sandpaper tool is  way better... then.... he bought me this little guy...

...and it worked like butter!!!!

  I use it to smooth every surface I want to smooth :-) I can almost see my hubby's " I told you so" face.

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Console table plus sunburst mirror follow up

A photo of how I put them together.

I think they complement each other, wicker basket still missing.


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TV stand project follow-up

 Today I did some more work on this project. I attached the back of the cabinet and made the hutch. The back has openings at the top and bottom for good air flow for the electronics.

unfinished stand

hutch in progress

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TV Stand project

I mentioned on my earlier post (Bubbling Stream) about taking our TV down from the fireplace mantle. So, we need stand to place the tv. We've been planning on putting built-in bookshelves professionally and called for someone to come measure and estimate it. It would cost us $2,000.00 according to the guy. With TV stand added to the bookshelves would probably cost us additional $1,000.00. Not really sure if I want to spend that money for something we can't take with us when we move. My husband probably would if he has the money on hand....but nah, not me, even I have the money! (you see, I'm that greedy or probably better call it ...FRUGAL..or both :).

I went online hoping to find a stand cheaper than $3,000. The thing was, I can't find one I really like, another thing, they are all made of either composite, particle board or the glued plywood. 

I want solid wood so I told my husband that it might be more fun to design and build our TV stand, he freaks out ha ha.... But honestly though, I myself was not really sure if I can pull this grand project off. 

So to start, I read some books and went online (and found this very helpful website, ana-white.com). 

With these new information, I designed my own media center based on the space and style of our inside house.  With this simple design and list of materials, off to Lowes we went!

This is where I'm at so far.

Vertical divider was intentionally left open in the middle for better air circulation if we decides to put electronics in there

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Forcing bulb for indoor winter bloom

Its winter and no blooming flowers for my eye candy. I could just buy indoor flower from my local grocery but naaaahh...they are expensive and they won't last long. So, I decided to force bulbs hoping they'll bring me pretty flowers. So, to do this, I buried tulip and daffodil bulbs in a flower pot with good dirt in it. The pot was set aside in a dark area of the house for 5 weeks then was brought out.

It's been a week now since I brought the pot out from the dark and this is the result!

 

Hopefully, this experiment will be successful and I will be posting follow-up with blooming flowers photo:-) We'll see.

 

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Bubbling Stream in oil

Hubby and I decided to take down our flat screen tv above our fireplace due to fear of ruining it from the fireplace heat. So then we need something to replace it.

That's why I paint this oversize western landscape with bubbling stream with a twist of my hometown sceneries.

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DIY Fringe crossbody bag

I saw a bag online and I really really like it for everyday crossbody bag that I can just throw over my shoulder and go. BUT, it's only sold online (try not to order stuff online because often they don't look the way I expected it or fit aren't true) and its $138.00!

Sooo..

I went to Micheal's, bought me leather fabric, suede and beads.

This is the result and I've used it couple of times already and only cost me $29.00 :-)

oooppss beads from the left are missing 4 more

 beads and braided handle adds a little native american twist

used it everytime I headed out since I made it

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