Blizzard Aftermath

 Larry and Steve came in with their big equipment and made short work of cleaning our driveway.

#1 Snow Emergency means no traffic can be on the roads, so

in between shoveling sidewalks and sermon preparation...

 I've painted the first coat of white on the table top and chairs.

I'm pleased with the way the wood fill and paint combine to cover the grooves that had contained the rattan work in the center of the chair backs.  You'd never know the groove had been there!

Blizzard and Projects

 The rattan removed, I filled the grooves with wood fill.

 Below:  The chairs with seats removed, grooves filled, sanded and ready for primer!

Meanwhile, the predicted snow has begun (again).  3"-4" fell last night; there was a lull; and now around 4:00 p.m. it's snowing lightly.  Sounds like I'll have plenty of time for my February projects!

My Almost-February Projects

 I've filled in a couple of spots with wood filler. 

I'll sand it off and (if the plan doesn't change) paint the top only. 

 The legs will be cleaned up and the wood finish preserved.

Rather than replace the wicker in the back of this chair,

I plan to remove it, fill in the groove,  repaint the wood and reupholster the seat.

Wrapping/Wall Paper Caddy

 

5 minutes was all it took to find a board and cut it to fit the bottom of the cart.  My wife is happy to have a caddy for all the wrapping paper and wall paper that she uses to wrap presents, line drawers, wallpaper dollhouses, etc.

Finishing Touches

Busy days during the week of Christmas!  Charles (father-in-law) and I applied the quarter round and kick plates under the kitchen cabinets.  I had painted them the night before.  They look great and trim off our new floors wonderfully!  Last night I painted the mirror above the mantel.  (It had been light oak.  A bit of it can be seen in the top picture.)  It is a great finishing touch to our "new" kitchen/dining area.  Merry Christmas to us!

Below are some pictures of the floor installation process.  There was quite a bit of leveling to be done...

A Wiry Wreath

Earlier this past fall, friends donated some old bed springs they wanted to get rid of...

 I cut several individual springs out of the frame,
and we spent some time arranging them in a
wreath shape - finally wiring the entire thing together.

 

Another friend graciously welded the wreath,

and this morning I painted it white per my wife's request.

Ta-DAH!

Duncan Phyfe Restored

 Read more about this project - HERE.

Metal Cabinet II

 
The second metal cabinet is finished.  The best place for it is in our laundry closet where it stands beside the first cabinet (which has a clothes hamper built in).




There's a lot of good storage in this one!  Rebecca lined the shelves with leftover wall paper and is busy filling it with a sewing basket, a box of craft paints, etc.  "Before Picture", here.

Table Talk

Thanks to Lynn and Donna I am now working on a Duncan Phyfe table that was in their attic.  I have taken the finish off 3/4 of the top.  I lightly scraped much of the finish off the top.  The finish was old enough to come off fairly easily.  It will sand up very nicely.  Thank you L & D.

September Projects

Found at an estate sale yesterday for $2.50.  There is a lot of rust...but I THINK I can turn this out to be a good-looking metal cabinet!

the inside

the latch

 Another project already in motion.  A friend found this chair on a trash pile and picked it up for us!

I guess we have a reputation.

 I'll need to recover the seat.

This object (don't know what to call it) was on a trash pile several months ago when my wife and I were enjoying a housewalk.  She saw it and we loaded it up--not sure what to do with it.  Yesterday we saw it in a decorating book at Borders standing elegantly in the entrance hall of an 18th century home!  After painting it (it's only primed in this photo), we'll look for a piece of glass to put on top of it.

August's Completed Projects

Now...

Then

 

Progress

 The top, front and sides are all sanded down.  I set in some shelves and have primed them with a tinted primer.  After the primer dried, I sanded lightly and used the shop vac to remove dust.

 Below is another project!  We forgot to take a "before" picture.  It was damaged on top - the "slats" were loose and I have glued it to repair the damage.  Here--sanded (but not dusted off).

August '10 Project

"She" found it today for $1.  I now have an August project.

July Projects

 Above:  As we found it at our favorite thrift store.  $8 was the price.

 Above:  The cabinet after sanding, priming, and painting!  To the right - a part of the seat I've primed.

 Below:  A finished rocking chair - primed and painted.  A third piece remains to be done.

Restaining the Back Deck

 

Powerwashed the deck earlier today, and then this evening I used some left-over solid color stain to do the floor.