17 days! Or something like that.
11 years ago
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Rainbows and Sunshine
I am officially 21--Yeah, I feel like an old fogey now (j/k.) It's really quite funny. Because I have been so nervous over this birthday. Already I worry about getting older. I still, in some ways, feel like I'm 18. I don't feel like I've aged since I turned 18--instead I've just gotten more experienced. And really the only achievement I can really celebrate with this age is that I can now officially work with youth if I so deemed. I don't drink. And I doubt I'm going to go gambling. Or clubbing for that matter (although, we'll see about that.) Anywho. So I've been worrying about this. And then I realized that really if I think about it I have already experienced a lot of the "gateways" that make me an official adult--Long before I turned 21. I have already graduated from college (twice >.<) I have worked a paying, benefit-giving full time job for a year. I am working on a masters degree. I have bought a car. I am independent and self-sufficient. I am, in many ways, more adult than many people my age. So I guess I need not freak out so much. My birthday wasn't necessarily a big day. I worked like normal--so 10 hours. But my family did take me to dinner. And there was an amazing rainbow--I haven't seen a rainbow in forever. So this was wonderful. Here's some pictures I got of them. They're not very good because they were on my cell phone. But even still enjoy their glory.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Projecting Frenzy
Ready for a long post? Good.
So I keep really wanting to post some of the new projects I've been doing at my house. But I've never had the pictures and a computer at the same time. But I've been going crazy with projects. Okay, crazy for me. And would like to post some of them. Because I like to show off. Really, that's the extent of my reasoning. So here goes.
This first one has been in the making for about...8 years. >.< Really. Sad I know. But my excuse is that I was about 13 when I decided to start on it. It's also very special to me. We called it a toy box.
Here's the back
It resided at my Grandpa's house all my growing up years. My uncle made it in a shop class when HE went to high school. So it's special. And I started sanding it back when I was 13. So there really are no pictures of it in it's original hideousness. But imagine the entire thing the same shade as the lid. So I liked it but I always knew that it would not stay as is. So I sanded some back when I was 13. Then presently, I sanded it some more. Then puttied the worst parts. And sanded. Then primed it. Painted it a horrible color of green. (It was supposed to be cute.) Changed my tune with that and then came out with this:
Yes the inside is yellow. It's my own little box of sunshine. The pillow I made too. I haven't created the cover but here is a picture with the finished pillow and the material I bought for the cover. Whenever I get a sewing machine.
Onward to my next project though:
This baby was on the side of the road about to become wood scraps in the dump. I saved it. Seriously, all the blog reading I've been doing lately is extremely bad for me. Because it makes me want to try to reinvent things. I liked the whole rustic feel of this chair though. I thought of pioneers when I first saw it. But this original picture does not show the real damage to the wood. I took a close up to try to get the real feeling to it
So I sanded this. A lot. I'm beginning to think that the $30 I spent on my hand sander has been the best thing ever. Except I want to do even more things. Which can be a problem. Anywho. So I sanded this first with 60 grit. Then 100. Then 150. Then primed and spray painted. Then sanded some more to distress it. Then Let it sit outside for a very long time--through a couple rainstorms where the paint chipped. Yeah, that wasn't on purpose but I decided it kept with the shabby rustic feel I wanted. I will probably have to paint it once more and then seal it so that it doesn't chip anymore but it seems like an old chair with a history. And a personality.
So here's the finished project. At least, for now.
I considered clamping the crack down the middle in and fixing that. But I think that it may be beyond repair. And I like it. I think it adds to the character of my old chair. It really is amazing how much a coat of paint--and a lot of sawdust--can make a chair that was going to become dump truck food into my own little front door greeting. And trust me, compared to the outside of my rental the chair looks fabulous.
Now here's my side table. I got this at a yard sale from my Aunt.
Here's a close up of the gross peeling top.
And another of the side.
I thought it had potential. I was told, however, that I would be strung up by my toes and slaughtered if I painted it--I'm only being slightly dramatic with this. My life felt threatened. So I decided to be new and different for once and tried wood staining. I learned a few things quickly. 1-the stain gets everywhere. And 2-it needs to be outdoors for at LEAST 24 hours so that it no longer smells. I stained and then put a coat of polyurethane on it. Again it gets everywhere and needs 24 hours airing out. The top was still cracked and I couldn't see what else I could do for it--it's an odd size and I didn't have paper that I thought fit, so I found some scrap material I had around. Eventually I'll actually modge podge the fabric on but I want to sew it nicely first, which requires a sewing machine. So for now the glass that came with the table will do.
I actually am very impressed. I am going to put it in my guest bedroom and (hopefully) stain the bed in there the same color. Of course, I will have to see how that goes.
Now for the most recent project, this came with my guest bed. (Both for free. I love family!) And while it has proven useful it's definitely not anything in the looks department.
Attractive right? Yes I especially like the green paint spot on him.
This was a very spontaneous project late at night. And I was surprised to find that it worked and fit my room. Because I was just being random and using what was available. But here's how it turned out though
So there are my current finished projects. I am currently working on this chair. As you can see by the already sanded arm
And this bedframe.
With only about 100 more things that I could do. When I should worry much more about a social life. And school. However they provide something to create and something that doesn't come with limitations or expectations.
So I keep really wanting to post some of the new projects I've been doing at my house. But I've never had the pictures and a computer at the same time. But I've been going crazy with projects. Okay, crazy for me. And would like to post some of them. Because I like to show off. Really, that's the extent of my reasoning. So here goes.
This first one has been in the making for about...8 years. >.< Really. Sad I know. But my excuse is that I was about 13 when I decided to start on it. It's also very special to me. We called it a toy box.
Here's the back
It resided at my Grandpa's house all my growing up years. My uncle made it in a shop class when HE went to high school. So it's special. And I started sanding it back when I was 13. So there really are no pictures of it in it's original hideousness. But imagine the entire thing the same shade as the lid. So I liked it but I always knew that it would not stay as is. So I sanded some back when I was 13. Then presently, I sanded it some more. Then puttied the worst parts. And sanded. Then primed it. Painted it a horrible color of green. (It was supposed to be cute.) Changed my tune with that and then came out with this:
Yes the inside is yellow. It's my own little box of sunshine. The pillow I made too. I haven't created the cover but here is a picture with the finished pillow and the material I bought for the cover. Whenever I get a sewing machine.
Onward to my next project though:
This baby was on the side of the road about to become wood scraps in the dump. I saved it. Seriously, all the blog reading I've been doing lately is extremely bad for me. Because it makes me want to try to reinvent things. I liked the whole rustic feel of this chair though. I thought of pioneers when I first saw it. But this original picture does not show the real damage to the wood. I took a close up to try to get the real feeling to it
So I sanded this. A lot. I'm beginning to think that the $30 I spent on my hand sander has been the best thing ever. Except I want to do even more things. Which can be a problem. Anywho. So I sanded this first with 60 grit. Then 100. Then 150. Then primed and spray painted. Then sanded some more to distress it. Then Let it sit outside for a very long time--through a couple rainstorms where the paint chipped. Yeah, that wasn't on purpose but I decided it kept with the shabby rustic feel I wanted. I will probably have to paint it once more and then seal it so that it doesn't chip anymore but it seems like an old chair with a history. And a personality.
So here's the finished project. At least, for now.
I considered clamping the crack down the middle in and fixing that. But I think that it may be beyond repair. And I like it. I think it adds to the character of my old chair. It really is amazing how much a coat of paint--and a lot of sawdust--can make a chair that was going to become dump truck food into my own little front door greeting. And trust me, compared to the outside of my rental the chair looks fabulous.
Now here's my side table. I got this at a yard sale from my Aunt.
Here's a close up of the gross peeling top.
And another of the side.
I thought it had potential. I was told, however, that I would be strung up by my toes and slaughtered if I painted it--I'm only being slightly dramatic with this. My life felt threatened. So I decided to be new and different for once and tried wood staining. I learned a few things quickly. 1-the stain gets everywhere. And 2-it needs to be outdoors for at LEAST 24 hours so that it no longer smells. I stained and then put a coat of polyurethane on it. Again it gets everywhere and needs 24 hours airing out. The top was still cracked and I couldn't see what else I could do for it--it's an odd size and I didn't have paper that I thought fit, so I found some scrap material I had around. Eventually I'll actually modge podge the fabric on but I want to sew it nicely first, which requires a sewing machine. So for now the glass that came with the table will do.
I actually am very impressed. I am going to put it in my guest bedroom and (hopefully) stain the bed in there the same color. Of course, I will have to see how that goes.
Now for the most recent project, this came with my guest bed. (Both for free. I love family!) And while it has proven useful it's definitely not anything in the looks department.
Attractive right? Yes I especially like the green paint spot on him.
This was a very spontaneous project late at night. And I was surprised to find that it worked and fit my room. Because I was just being random and using what was available. But here's how it turned out though
So there are my current finished projects. I am currently working on this chair. As you can see by the already sanded arm
And this bedframe.
With only about 100 more things that I could do. When I should worry much more about a social life. And school. However they provide something to create and something that doesn't come with limitations or expectations.
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