Mrs. HoneyDoo.....AngiDotes

Havoc Mayhem Creations : Minion Beanie 9-12 months Pattern

2014-09-29T00:18:00.001-07:00

Havoc Mayhem Creations : Minion Beanie 9-12 months Pattern: Minion Beanie – 912 month old Inspired by the movie: Despicable Me Tutorial How to crochet 912 month old Minion Beanie. By Sabrina @ ...

Labor of Love

2014-04-21T14:46:00.001-07:00

I did it myself! And you can too!
These are a few of the links that I drew energy from!!!

http://ana-white.com/2012/11/plans/farmhouse-table-updated-pocket-hole-plans

with a few changes. Also get lots of inspiration from http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/06/fancy-x-farmhouse-table.html and http://tommyandellie.com/index.php/2012/01/13/new-and-improved-farmhouse-table-details/

Had family out this week for Easter from Maine...well, this is my usual guys, but the greybeard is my BIL, John,

And for once didn't want the sagging card tables in place for Easter dinner

After scouting plans and picks I came up with some ideas of my own, A. It needed to have a gutter for ice, Diet Cokes, and always Beer for the hub and B. I wanted it sturdy enough to hold me, oh and C everyone needed to fit around it

Tabletop with oversized planters from Home Depot in place, and just in case you don't want cold refreshing beers at your beck and call, use it for plants, kids crayons, candles, the list is endless..

Cuts outs x 2, I used my Circular saw for the main cuts, SCARY, then cleaned the corners with my jigsaw

I cut circles out of the bottom, smaller than a bathroom drain plug and then use, you guessed it, bathroom drain plugs to close them, the beer in the bucket, just there to give you a visual

Both cutouts, sanded and ready to go, this is a 2x10 board

Here's a preview of the awesomeness to come!

So as you see, I got my top squared away before I built the base, this was to ensure the cutouts were uninstructed and supported. FYI, each bucket holds a 12 pk of bottles and a few sodas, and the ever important 10 lb bag of ice

Due to the weight of the table, I built the legs 2 ways

Nice but....felt like it could be stronger, so..

These guys won the strong man competion!

Used the Kreg HD, I gave it a solid B only because when it broke on the 2nd pockethole!!! they sent me a brand new one for free! Sales guy said its a hit or miss right because they've changed steel companies. Okay back to the base, since I was waiting 3 days for my new Kreg HD, I notched the legs, for support. I've read that some people use their circular saws, but I just used my Compound miter saw, then knocked the wood out

I did coat the bottom of the table legs with epoxy. This is on the bottom of the legs, the part that sits on the pool concrete

Very simple to use, just make sure to tape the area, if you get any where you want to stain, it doesn't take, I know from experience

Viola!

Dried nice and clear, and keeps the bottom of the table dry when I wash off the cracks, shoes for my table

The Base, or the big bed all my neighbors insisted I was making! I like to sand the heck out of everything, I call it Skateboard Smooth, and start conditioning and staining as I go. Here in Cali, things dry fast, and once it's together, another sand and coat of stain for uniformity. I used KREG HD screws everywhere, but lag screws to attach 4x4 legs for frame, super sturdy, I'll be dancing on this table in no time!

Kregging my way to a new tabletop...

Dry fit to mark the beer gutters for added support

And putting the end boards on, I did Kreg them on, but also added bracing as well. This table is very heavy, and I don't want this tabletop to come away from the base. The extra bracing I used was 2x4 corner braces, 10 of them, for extra support, and for me, with waterproofed screws and lag screws.

Sand and Stain, Sand and Stain....wash, rinse, repeat.....

3 Coats of Minwax Special Walnut, which I rub on with an old sock, and then immediately wipe off with an old Tshirt

I ended up with 3 coats of Clear Spar Varathane, top and bottom

then let it 3 for 4 days and added my dropins..

Party day!

My son and his girlfriend, Hayley modeling my table!

That's how I did it! There wasn't a specific plan I used, but I did look to Ana White for most of my inspiration, pouring over all her tables to come up with a bit here and a bit there. I took inspiration from everywhere, and came up with a Design that will work for years to come.

I Need a Few Minions

2013-11-16T02:59:00.001-08:00

Overalls starting to take shape

Working on a minion themed blanked for my guess he's my grandnephew?

Getting a little tangled here...this is the beginning of the overalls

Today's progress so far....

Could see this as a Red Cross blanket, maybe on a red and white?

Done for tonight

what pattern is this? Anyone know??

2013-11-12T16:20:00.002-08:00

Starting my Etsy Store

2013-11-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

I know nothing of Etsy, Etsy, Schmitzy, til my teenaged daughter told me about it...Wait, What? A place to sell homemade crafts? But I'm the queen of homemade!!! How did I not know about this site??
So I decided to list a few items, mostly easy to ship items first..https://www.etsy.com/listing/168468169/unique-coffeetea-cozy-keep-that-coffee?
and I will be adding a few of my woodworking pieces from there

A few of the cozies that I'm working on, Rainbow, Pink skulls, and cow patterns, sounds like a Disney movie, doesn't it? And to encourage orders......A coupon, my favorite thing, Take 20% off your order when you use THANKYOU at the checkout!!!!!

Autumn flair

Rainbow

Black Heart

Puffy Skull

the cowgirl

Baby Steps

2013-10-04T03:27:00.001-07:00

Update!!! Finally finished Donovan's stepstool! Taken from planhttp://ana-white.com/2010/09/some-more-stairs.html The build was easy, the hardest part, the most consuming of my life part? the hand engraving and painting his name. I chose a Disney Font, Gorgeous!

Always just one coat!

Working on a stepstool for a little guy named....

This is the first time I'm painting my Walt Disney themed engraving.....

Takes a very steady hand and lots of patience...but I love it, and I hope this little guy does too.

Just about done, waiting for the skid proofing to dry,don't want this little monkey to fall off and bump his head, then one more coat of waterproofing, and it will be going to it's home on Monday.

Okay....the Monday thing didn't work out I painted over my own blue while waterproofing, clear my eye!

So started on the blue again

2 coats of Royal Blue, needed a third. Finished product....at the top!

Viva Los Doyers!

2013-09-17T22:02:00.001-07:00

Starting the LA board

guess I'll need a Cali board as well, for the Angels, Chargers, and I don't know the Ducks??

Starting the LA teams......

and once these were mastered, decided to add in the Raidersssssss!

the face came out quite good, the writing on the other hand...a total mess! I probably need a new tip for the Rotary tool, writing, esp TINY writing is extremely hard..still trying to master that, and the worst of the worst, The Kings....got frustrated, and went onto The Angels, still finishing it now.

Worked in a fair trip with my daughter,

great time with my "little girl" she's taller than me! and I did come upon some wood plagues that had been laser engraved, a tiny piece of wood with a sports team? 95 dollars!!!!! Good Grief

For the sports fan who has everything

2013-09-16T20:03:00.001-07:00

Love engraving, it's my new passion... This ones a Boston Board, all things great in Beantown

Go sox!!!!!

2013-09-16T02:09:00.001-07:00

Gettin ready to engrave

And I always love how it looks on the carbon

Some little Girls Heart Superheroes

2013-09-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

Individuality is the cornerstone of Creativity.

Had Bloggin Fever the other day, wrote a whole post on these beds...and left it in Preview, good grief, lost all my work~!

These beds are from Ana White's http://ana-white.com/2010/11/doll-farmhouse-bed. I love Ana's plans, even though they're the exact same bed, you can CUSTOMIZE to each little girl via paint, fabric, colors, etc. I want the girls to know exactly who's beds who's when they open their box from Auntie.

While my nieces were visiting, I wanted to know all about them, their likes, dislikes, and a plan for each of their American Girl Doll Beds emerged........

Pegboard to hold the mattress? why not? works great!

Caroline's mattress is overstuffed, it will do double duty as a pillow when her dolly's not using it, while, Gracie's has a more grown up beachy feel, She's a swimmer, loves the water and California.

This was my first attempt at quilting anything, And had such a great time with the mini pillowcases, complete with removable pillows!

"Not all little girls like flowers, some little girls heart superheroes Auntie!" ...and I made sure she got them :)

Sinche Caroline wanted to take a few of my dogs home, had to include some puppy pillows for her to remember her stay with us, and included a reversible pom pom pillow, have to say, these turned out great!

loads of extra pillows and they're ready to ship....

At just 12 pounds for both, you'd think they'd be reasonable to ship....you'd think right? WRONG! 80 bucks from Cali to Michigan!

Something I'd like to change in this plan...find a way to collapse them, apparently I was penalized for the headboards, despite the fact that I stacked them to a perfect square. All in all, a small price to pay to make two very special little ladies and their babies happy. The best compliment I've heard? They look so much like full sized beds!

If you'd like to purchase an Individualized handmade bed, complete with your child's name engraved, their favorite color paint, handmade blankets, any color combo, Crochet or sewn throw pillows, made with love for a birthday, Christmas, or just because, contact me, Angie at jim2angie@hotmail.com and I'll get right on it!

And for the older kids.....

2013-09-12T22:34:00.001-07:00

Finished! And sent, I love it!! Hope my niece does too

I will be selling these on Ebay...once I've got it down pat! Would make a great Christmas present, for any One Direction fan....a permanent poster! Beside, Not everyone wants or even needs a dolly bed, my older niece, while beautiful, is awfully quiet, and hard to build for. While she was visiting in Cali, she did go to a One Direction concert, and got really animated about it, which, anyone with teens knows, is a rarity. Decided to make her a one of a kind sign, researched the band, incidentally, I'm getting old, hadn't even heard of this band.

I found this pic of their logo...

and it was on like Donkey Kong!

First I used my carbon paper,

this is the best for transfers, lasts forever, and cheap on Amazon.12 bucks for 8 HUGE sheets....They last forever, easily transferable, and doesn't smudge. Big Plus!

got my wood ready by routering the edges, giving it a picture frame look, sanded, and stained with a Golden Pecan from Minwax, ( VERY HARD TO ENGRAVE ON BARE WOOD, HARD TO SEE YOUR LETTERS) Found the pic I liked, Traced on my wood, and viola!.....

Traced the pic,

Went around the edges with my Milwaukee Rotary Tool

and once I went over all the lines, I'd be able to paint, and not worry about losing my lines.

Started by Dry "sponging" the white in

Didn't like this red...no worries, I sanded it out

this is where I'm at, I'm going to experiment with some tea staining to "age" the British Flag and will post the finished results, Can't wait to finish and send it to my niece!!

2nd coat of Dry sponging, Tried to tea stain, found the colors weren't quite dark enough

Ended up brewing Dark Roast Coffee, dabbing on paint, letting it dry, and give a 2nd dab with the coffee...

looking a little aged right?

Loving the way it's coming out! Just waiting on the spray on Poly to dry and then off to the niece!

The Wedding Guest Bench

2013-09-12T02:12:00.001-07:00

had a really hard time with the legs, through trial and error I got them, just make sure you leave 3/4 of an inch between the end of the board and your screw...and you'll be fine. I'm an expert on legs now! Also, I had the V on the bottom of it, but for my taste, it looked a little well, cluttered, so I removed it, and loved the sleek lines.

If you'd like your own wedding bench, complete with custom engraving, and Bows! you can contact me at jim2angie@hotmail.com and I'll get working on it for your special day

A fun build, lots of work, mostly teaching myself to engrave, that was an adventure on it's own, even learned to make my own bows! Had to get the right stain color, too dark, and no signatures would show so had to find a happy medium, I think it came out great...what do you think? Modified Ana White's http://ana-white.com/2013/02/large-rustic-x-bench

the Beautiful Couple...My bench fit in perfectly with their mountain wedding

loads of Signatures, used paint pens from Walmart, thankfully came up with a free reusable build for the pen...http://angidotes.blogspot.com/2013/09/reusable-pen-holder-bonus-gift.html

The Build

The legs that gave me fits, I used my Kreg Jig where I could, didn't want screws to show

Avoid some bruises, round out the edges. I use 100 grit sandpaper and my palm sander

Bottom of the bench, attached, if you look closely, you can see the engraving, looked good, but a neighborhood poll resulted in "too small" so redid it.

a little blurry...but sturdy

I watched a few videos on Utube, headed to Walmart to pick up some ribbon, always use the wire ribbon, and while shopping, I struck up a conversation with another lady picking up ribbon. She asked what I needed it for, and when I told her it was for a wedding bench, she offered to show me how to make them. I bought scissors, the ribbon she recommended, a few water bottles, it was 105 that day, and we went out to the parking lot, using the back of my Tahoe and made ribbons! Now that I type this, I'm glad I didn't end up on a milk carton. Fun fact, she's a 911 operator, and I'm an ER nurse. I made a new friend and got an invaluable bow lesson.

Close up of my custom engraving, I'm gonna do a post about this...now everything will be personalized!

If you'd like your own wedding bench, complete with custom engraving, paint pens, and Bows! you can contact me at jim2angie@hotmail.com and I'll get working on it for your special day

Reusable pen holder Bonus Gift

2013-09-11T22:10:00.003-07:00

Recently made a wedding bench, which I'll be blogging about next, and didn't know what to do with the paint pens the guests would be using to sign the bench. Day before the wedding, I'm running around Micheal's looking for a basket, a box, something to hold the pens! The worst that could happen, a paint pen leaks on the bench! Didn't find one single thing I liked, and after a V8 moment, I decided to make my own. After making it, I realized this would be a great travel chalkboard for the kids, perfect gift for teachers. Back to my newlyweds that I made this one for, Great place to leave each love notes, they can use the shelf for love trinkets, keys, extra pens, candles, etc. Great for use with..http://angidotes.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-wedding-guest-bench.html

The Build

This is a hybrid version of Ana White's 10 dollar ledge,http://ana-white.com/2010/10/plans/ten-dollar-ledges combined with a scrap 1x6 board, which I sanded, routed the edges and turned into a chalkboard!

4 inches wide, 7 inches tall, and 10 inches long

2 kreg screws hold it all together

That's Early American...gets a lot of use!

Such a fun build! I know I'll be making this one again

My Fitness Pal

2013-07-20T15:10:00.001-07:00

Started My Fitness Pal with JB yesterday, almost didn't when if asked for my weight! After a scary moment thinking my weight would be blasted on Facebook, hub assures me iit wouldn't, I decided to give it a go!

Setup was easy, I love the scanner feature, after all, everything has a barcode nowadays, and after a few days, it should go quicker since I basically eat the same things.

Shock 1.... I eat a lot when you keep track of every morsel dropped down your gullet, you will eat less, if only not to have to type it in!

Shock 2..... My hub wanted to do it....

Storage with a capital SSSSSS

2013-07-06T02:39:00.001-07:00

Built out of necessity, my need to stop rewashing folded laundry. Every time the kids"cleaned" their room, I'd find still folded laundry in the hamper! Their excuse? Nowhere to put it, and since murders not an option, I decided to take my aggression a out on some woodreally a very small footprint the base measures a measly 22x22.5 and it stands 72.5 inches tall. Really, a small price of real estate for all this storage

now to find my muse.....a deep, and I mean, deep, 5 drawer combo of wire baskets at Home Depot online 65.00 delivered that needed a home.

Took 10 minutes and a mallet to put together

Toyed with several ideas, should I leave it as if, after all it was pretty sturdy on its own, slap a piece of Purebond on top and call it macaroni? Being who I am, that idea lasted 5 minutes

And I got to work......

Customized by me! I didn't drink that beer officer, I promise! haha, don't even drink, it's the hubs

Proud of my super straight cuts made with a circular saw no less, one day I'll break down and get the fabled table saw I'm always dreaming about

Getting there, I prefer to sand everything first, and since I primer and sand several times, getting there felt like I was riding a snail to the finish line

Excuse the messy garage

Working on trim, I used 1x4's because a. I love the look and 2. Covered the little basket feet quite well

And now a word about trim

See that little gap? Yuck, but I used some of Mama's ill helper...

And viola! Like the pros

Wish the cracks in my like could be fixed so easily

I love it, still haven't decided to use crown moulding or not but its going in the bedroom tommorrow come hell or high water and I envision the laundry mountain to become a molehill!

A sideview

If my kids were a few years younger, you can bet at least one of these sides would have a chalkboard on it. I am thinking of a corkboard bulletin board, any thoughts, I'd love to hear them

Happy building!

Paper Bag Chicken...an Ode to Pop

2012-05-15T23:05:00.001-07:00

Frying Chicken really is an art. Years and years ago, fried my first chicken leg, ended up with a leathery bone with no batter! Takes practice to get this good, and practice you will with this recipe!

        This is a recipe that was handed down to me by my father in law, a man that was so geniune and steadfast, I always wished and thought of him as my own father. This chicken is so crispy, you'll wake the dead with it's succulent crunch. The secret is in the paper bag...a plain old brown, paper grocery bag.
here's the recipe, a definate marriage saver!
fill a large frying pan with vegetable oil about halfway and start that puppy heating over medium heat. Choose your pan wisely, you'll need one that has a tight fitting lid. While that's heating....
    Get a clean brown paper grocery bag, MUST BE PAPER, the bigger the better, throw in a few cups of flour, seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, chicken spice, a dash of cayenne pepper, and the secret ingredient, 2 to 3 generous shakes of Cinammon. that's right, Cinammon. Wet your chicken legs with water first, shake the excess, then a generous dip into your egg batter:
      2 beaten eggs, a few drips of water, salt, pepper, and a generous dollop of Honey. Yummmmmo! really roll the legs around in the egg, then drop it into your paper bag mixture. Shake, shake shake! Shake your booty.
   Not for the faint of heart,good to go in the grease right now...but...if you're going, while not go all the way and....while it's coated in the flour mix....drop and roll it again in your egg mixture again! Quick now, back to the paper bag...Shake, shake shake, Shake, shake, shake, shake your booty. A quick flick of the wrist removes excess flour, then into the hot grease....very carefully, don't want a splatter.
   To get the crispiest coating on your chicken, turn only once in the grease. No matter how tempting, no moving, no peeking, no prodding, no poking. Just drop it in the grease and LEAVE IT ALONE! lay the chix in head to toe, head to toe, but shouldn't be touching in the grease, cover it, and leave it alone!
       You've only got one turn, make it a good one. When you see the juices start to seep from the uncooked top, running clear, flip it quick. I use tongs, so as not to pierce the chicken and lose my juice.
      Once fried, about 20 minutes total for the first batch, down to 10 min by the last batch, remove from the grease, laying your fried pieces on a clean brown paper bag on a plate, toes pointing to the middle. This helps the excess grease flow from the chicken to be absorbed by the paper bag. When cooled, I move the pieces onto another plate covered with a bar towel.

Best fried Chicken you'll ever eat!

When I do a paper bag session, I wear my sneakers. I'll be standing at the stove for a few hours, because this recipe is great to FREEZE! I promise, Stays just as crispy in the freezer 3 months from now as it does coming out of the pan! Amazing but true. So when I start, I fry 15 to 20 pounds at a time, separating into freezer bags 9 pieces in each. The key to a good freeze? Tear off a little piece of that paper bag, or a paper napking, and tuck it into the bottom of the freezer bag before the chicken. It will absorb the excess moisture, keeping your blue ribbon chicken crunchy.
And that's it, don't by chinzy, these babies go fast. When you do a batch, plan on doing several at a time. The boys in my family can easily put away 4 to 5 pieces, I've gotta hide them in the freezer or legs mysteriously start walking off on their own!
     Use a Ziploc freezer bag, head to toe, head to toe, like I said, I freeze 9 or 10 pieces in each bag, (don't forget the piece of paper bag or paper napkin to absorb moisture, very important if you're chicken is to remain as crispy on day 90 as it is on day 1) and put in the freezer.
    When ready to have your frozen legs for dinner, move to the fridge to defrost, put on a cooking sheet sprayed with non stick spray..and cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Yummeeee!!!
   Add a green salad and you've got a home momed dinner.
enjoy, I do@!@!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-14T03:19:00.001-07:00

This pile of scraps became this:

love it when a plan comes together!

plan courtesy of Jim Delorme from my Kreg Jig Communityhttp://kregjig.ning.com/photo/album/show?id=2900167%3AAlbum%3A421389&xg_source=activity

Cost roughly 20.00 to make, Including flowers! lots of sweat equity. Ended up using stain and paint I had on hand. This is the perfect gift for a woman, similar items I've found online go for 100 and up, and not much different! So I was happy to make a bunch of these to make everyone's mother, including my own, very happy. I did change the trim, using 1x2's, as well as adding a mini shelf to the top of it, I absolutely love it. I ended up using 2 1x2's in the planter box, to make sure water would drip out, and not pool.
Few more pics from the snap happy builder:

My moms

this gives you an idea of the width

And for my Mother's Day? My 16 year old, who just had her birthday May 7th, used her birthday gift card to pick, order, and pay for these beautiful flowers for me...

She is the light of my life, and because of her kind spirit, her brother and father's name were added to the card. I got the "What Flowers?" when I thanked the boys. Thank you Bre, for being my daughter.
Short and sweet, gonna try like crazy to get four 12's this week, try to stay one step ahead of the bills.
Keep on keeping on people~!

Building Rock Star!!

2012-04-29T03:28:00.002-07:00

Yeah!! And pulls from either side

How's that for awesome!

Feeling very superior, totally full of myself, can't believe all I can do...only thing not going my way...My new bikini top. Every time I bend over get a face full of boob. No, this isn't an Xrated blog, not gonna add of pic of THAT...super annoying till I figured out I had it on upside down. Whoops! So much for Queen of the Universe. Didn't think there was supposed to be an overwire.
Okay, back to earth. Today was dedicated to last sand and stain on the 2nd lounge chair, finishing my extremely customized pullout shelf, and finally working on the Back bracing.

Doing the happy dance!~

forgot to factor in wood swelling, no dice by the pool

Did end up tweaking my plan a little bit, about 47 times! Originally, the table was sandwiched as pictured above...really wanted an easy slide.

Here's the winning plan...

Start with a Gorgeous shelf, mine is 2 inches smaller than the width of my chair

Here's a closeup, repurposed wood. As usual, check for level after every step.

it's waterproofed. I don't want to have to kill anyone who spills a beer.

Flipped the lounge chair over, attached to bottom, just like it looks above. the 1x3's to the underside. Tried to line them up with the 1x3's of the chair seat...

Can hardly tell it's there!

pulls from either side, for the lefty in me.....

or the righty!

weight testing!

believe it or not, this prototype shelf took longer to make than the entire lounge chair! Wanted it sturdy enough to hold a small child, because one will probably sit on it! yet sleek, low profile, don't want it to look homemade. The biggest compliment I ever get is, "it looks like it came from the store." makes it all worth it....

adds character

a final shot, couldn't help myself

One last tip, I did half screw in a 1 1/4 screw on the underside to the shelf, in the middle. keeps it from being pulled out by anyone who doesn't have a drill handy; but very easy to remove for cleaning, or breakfast in bed! love dual purpose things.

sneek peek:
working on my back support, can't wait till later today to finish it.

one side of back support, check back tommorrow this time to see how I did it

EXCITED!!

little busywork...halfway through with the wall planter. Waiting for cedar planting box to assemble itself.

May all your drill bits stay out of your thumbs!

Drinks Anyone?

2012-04-26T04:06:00.001-07:00

Now that the second lounge chair is drawing to a close, still have a third to make, but it's all downhill from here, it's time to start drawing up plans for the largest project to date, JB's Outdoor built in Kitchen/Bar/Man Cave. I plan to be completed by Father's Day and I feel I'm qualified to build this because I've logged more than 1,000 hours watching the DIY network!
This year, when we go to the LA County Fair, JB won't have to dream of the bars they've got set up there, he'll have his very own!
I'm not talking expanded grill trolley, or a freestanding grill and table with an ice chest, no something more like these....

I love the layout of this one, but ours will need an L shape somewhere

I like the roof and the shake shingles, since JB's from Boston, I'm looking for a Pubby feel..oh and the Boston B will have to go somewhere

this is a nice setup

This has the perfect shape for our pool area

like the feel of this one. The roof, the L shaped eating area. NICE!

I'll need to draw up some plans. Right about now, I wish I could google sketchup,, but will probably just use the old pencil and paper....

Wish list:
1 I know that I'll need electrical done out there. No lights whatsover as it is. Luckily, Randy, a family friend, did my Koi pond electical, and so far so good. I'll be hiring him.
2 Would like water out there as well for a small sink. JB does a lot of grilling, and it would be great to have
a small sink to wash his hands in.
3 Drop in grill, hasn't made up his mind about natural gas vs propane.
4. Outdoor Fridge just a tiny one.
5. Drawers for utensils, bar rags, etc. Things that we don't want chewed up in case the dogs get in
6. Outdoor Lucite Television, visible from inner bar area and the pool. That way JB won't miss a minute of
His sports, but there will be NO NASCAR! I repeat Steve, NO NASCAR!
7. Bar Stools handmade by me.

Updates will be coming, and I'll also blog along the way, in case there's another wife crazy enough to build an outdoor bar/kitchen herself!

Just for Laura Fama, builder Extrodanaire!!!

2012-04-24T04:53:00.001-07:00

I hate the racket that all this building supply places have going on with "predrill bits". Over here in Southern California, the cheapest, not only in price, one you can get is $9.00! Redonkulous!!! and if you don't have the most steadiest hand, this is what happens....

Snaps right off in the wood, and the rest goes in the trash.
After buying 3 or 4 of these, I started experimenting with drill bits. After all, when I spoke to Cobweb Carpenter down the street, he's about 150 years old, and knows everything there is to know about woodworking. In fact, he's the inventor of the nail, it's documented, on file somewhere...and in his mind, he's right up there after Jesus as the greatest carpenter ever...okay, back to the story about the predrill bit, Cobweb, well, he'd never heard of it, didn't know anything about this newfangled gadget.His words, not mine. How could this be?
Was he splitting wood left and right? Or was I buying an unneccessary piece of crap...again.
One night, woodwoodworking feverishly into the wee hours, I broke this sucker, but didn't want to stop what I was doing, so I had to figure out a quickie way to predrill. I'm sure everyone else on the planet already knows about this, but in case you don't....here goes, complete with snaps.

Excuse the bandaid...just drilled into the cuticle. Ouch!

Take a simple drill bit..One of the smaller ones that come in the kits. Not THE smallest. That's the size the always snaps on the predrill bit. This is what they use, connected to a piece of plastic ( the cheap ones) or metal.

Snug that sucker right into your drill. Getting the picture? The part of the drill that tightens around the bit, that's going into the wood, just a little bit, and that will make the circle indentation for your screw head...really, Laura, it works!

SEE!!!!!

Hope this helps my friend...

Hi Laura!! Sorry it's blurry, had to take it in the dark...or else JB would have me committed snapping at 03:30 am...an no, I never sleep :)

PB&J Pullout Shelf Part 2 aka the neverending shelf

2012-04-22T02:39:00.001-07:00

Frustrated today. Nothing's going right, stains tacky, EVEN though it was a thousand degrees out today. My 1x4's are wavy, gonna try to jam them in place, screw and glue, and hope for the best. Because these are the side boards on my 2nd lounger, may have to scrap them if they don't look right when all is said and done.

Had company over tonight, played a drinking game with hub, friends, son, and nephew. Haven't laughed like that in a really long time, and I wasn't even drinking. So glad I put in all that time on the pool, did my heart good to have family in it and enjoying it. My goal is to Build my own Spa Getaway in the backyard.....

one lounge chair at a time.

look at that smile on Bruschi's face!

Back to my frustration. Due to the wavy 1x4 that fits on the side of my lounge chair...had to cut off more than was called for. I think I'll be able to fix it, probably less frustration to go out and buy 2 new boards, just hate...hate...hate....to waste boards. The ones I have, already sanded x2, stained multiple times, ahhhhh...that's a sigh.
Due to the board fiasco, I haven't attached the shelf but am ready to. Decided to blog about my progress so far, that way I can get back to work: Quiet Work.. since it's 2:30 in the friggin morning. I don't want to be chased out of the neighborhood by villagers with pitchforks and torches!

Once again, my frustration. Probably doesn't help that I'm building 2 of the shelves at once.
First and last time I'm doing that. But, doesn't matter, this time next week, my hub and I will be lounging, and this frustration will have passed. Gotta keep my eye on the prize, whispering to myself, "Spa Getaway, Spa Getaway."

Part 1 ended with the Snuggie, aka Tray, built. Here's a pic to refresh our memory, and if you're one of my 9 fans, and are just joining me here, you can always go back to Part 1 and get caught up :) The Snuggie is built, and now the upper guide rails need to by added. These rails are very important because they'll keep your tray nice and level. I know you've been places and seen shody (is that right???) work where a pull out something will tilt, or even drawers on older dressers, that pull out and lean on the ground instead of sticking straight out. So this isn't a step to forgo. Recap, don't skip these rails. Keep your drinks from spilling and you need something to attach to the lounger, and these rails will be a great place to do that.

Here's the Snuggie with upper rails attached. ANGIE< you say, you're a genius! How'd you get those 1x3's so perfectly straight, attached to that 1x2, with Kreg holes, no less, and they seem to be hovering in midair!

At least, that's what I said to myself while patting myself firmly on my sunburned back :)

okay, okay, I'll let you in on the secret. lay the frame on the floor, since I'm using 1x3's for the sides of my tray, I need a board that's thicker, so my tray slides easily. I went with a 1x4, lay that right on the edge of the tray, snugged up against the 1x2 side, Put your Kreggie's in, and just glue and screw! the 1x4 underneath your top slide rail give you the slide space you'll need, also, squares your top rail right up! no need to hold in place~! yeah!@!! Make sure the smooth side of the 1x3 top rail is facing down in case your carefully sanded and finished shelf ever comes in contact with it, there won't be an scratching.

Top view. When your top rails tightly screwed in place...and I'm so happy I finally figured out how to Kreg into 1x2's, just pull that 1x4 out

Viola!

Lather, rinse, repeat...to the other side.

Flip it upside down on the bottom of your inner stringers. Doesn't have to come all the way to the edge, Very importante!! it can't go over the edge...Remember a 1x4 is going to sit up against your inner stringer, so your tray cannot overhang. I'm not quite ready to attach yet, staining to do. Should've really stained beforehand, I broke my own cardinal rule, just had to see it together and make sure all moving parts worked.

Top View..which is really going to be the bottom view, when this is flipped over.

My works not done yet...

like to shove a little stain into the Kreggies...these will be directly under the seat slats, and don't want any drippy butts ruining my virgin wood

While that's drying, a total pain too, getting into all the crevices with stain, decided to stain back annd sides of slats so I could put my shelf together. There's one of the slats in the front of the pic, the little 1x4 with the Kreggies in it, so started on that, once dry, after about an hour in Cali right now, started on my shelf...

Love it! and here's the backside...

with 2 coats of stain! Since can't use my sander at this time of night, the front side will have to wait til tommorrow, sigh.

Hope this is helpful, and really hope that lady builders everywhere will be working on their own Snuggie pull out shelf!

On another note, my Makeversary is coming up in 2 weeks. One year ago is when I realized I could make these beautiful things myself, save a crapload of money, and have any piece of furniture I wanted, built by me to my own specifications, to fit my own needs, and most importantly, to make my happy.

Because I'm like a kid on Christmas...here's a sneak peeeek!!!!

May all your boards be straight!

PB&J Pullout Shelf...Part 1

2012-04-21T02:53:00.000-07:00

After five attempts of the pullout shelf and it's snuggie..think I've got it. With five dogs over 100 pounds each, and one closer to 200, had to make sure this shelf would be durable. Wouldn't do to have a tail wag and it fall apart. I did test this, and it didn't break with 150 lbs on it! Didn't want to go crazy and add more weight, but there wasn't even a creak! Since we have a pool, our house tends to be party central, I'm not going to encourage my guests to sit here, but if some drunkie sits on it, I'm not going to have a baby over it either. As with the PB&J version, it can be pulled out by a leftie, (me) or a righty, (the rest of the world), which means the shelf runs the width of the inner frame on the lounge chair. Now that I've got it down pat, everything I build, I'll be looking to tuck a pullout shelf in it! *** If a toddler sits on it, my main concern, totally safe, we tested it several times :)
Bear with me, I'm snap happy, I'll admit it, and will include pics as I go. This system is designed for scrap or less than perfect wood. Don't throw away that knotty pine, here's a place for it. If your wood doesn't look so pretty, but it's straight, perfect.
I've included measurements, I double checked, it will work with the Ana plan, http://ana-white.com/2010/04/when-we-were-installing-plumbing-and.html Outdoor Chaise Lounge, or any Lounge really, just need to measure the width and subtract an inch. Let's get to the plan!

Chicken or the Egg> which comes first? For me, I've built my shelf first, and built the Snuggie around it, that was the easiest for my brain...But you can always build the Snuggie, measure the inside, then build your shelf.

15 1/4 x23 1/2

So here goes the Shelf...basic run of the mill shelf, could've been straighter on the slats, Used my Kreg to put it together, this is the dry fit. Sanded and Stained everything prior to tightening too hard to get everything waterproofed once it's all together, and these will be used by a pool.

A different look for my second chair...didn't have enough 1x3's left over, so busted out the 1x4 scraps...same measurements. Same concept..kregged together, shelf sides 23 1/2 long, oh, and the inner slats are 9 1/4 long. The spacing is a matter of preference, so get creative. Mix and match wood, find the look you like.

Moving on...to the SNUGGIE!! (My daughter named it, "looks like a snuggie!") As I'm working, I may have pics of either shelf, since I'm building 2 shelves at once, one shelf is unfinished, to cut down on the confusion...just realized this as I'm looking through the pics. I really wanted strength, function, and durability, so I tested this plan a few times, and this way rocked. No shelf wobble, nice and flat, ie> no drink spills :)
Snuggie measurements: 17 x22 1/2..you can find your measurements on a completed chair by measuring from one inner side stringer to the other..it needs to sit on top of the stringers, not in between, very important. You're shelf is going to be 1 inch longer than the Snuggie, this is for low profile, all together, the Snuggie and the shelf are 2 inches thick using 1x3 boards. Once completed, only the shelf 3/4 inch, is really visible from the side.
Make sure to check for square before and after every step, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, so you're shelf will open and close with ease.

I work on the ground, it makes it easier for me. I stand on my boards as I'm kregging them, to avoid any movement. Rough side will be down when complete.

You've made a flat square, now add inner supports.. These are important so there is strength to your shelf no matter which side you pull from

Checking the fit on the shelf. There will be an overhang on each side of your shelf, don't worry, as pictured, 1x2's will go in that space.

the shelf is sitting on scrap 1x3's. Snuggled in 1x2's to form a U around shelf. Glue applied to 1x2s, lay the base support you made smooth side down on top of the 1x2's and upside down shelf. check for square and attach using nail gun, or screws (predrill first so 1x2's don't split. You need 1/4 inch for the shelf to slide, I used a scrap piece of wood between shelf and 1x2.

it will help keep the 1x2 in place while you're securing it, if you butt a scrap piece of wood up against it.

3 different views of the base with slides attached.

here's the Snuggie on it's side, with 1x2's attached...and because I'm crazy, I felt the need to add screws as well..

Here's your shelf, snuggie, and measuring a 1x3 for upper slide.

Dry Fit your shelf into the Snuggie, make sure you can slide with ease either way.

far side, upper slide is attached to the 1x2 via the nailer.

Upper slide almost lays on top of shelf, but isn't touching it. This is a guide to keep your shelf from tipping forward when pulled out. Basically keeps your shelf nice and straight.

this is what the finished project looks like. The upper slides, with the stamp on them, will be used to screw to the lounger. I find that it's easier to attach to the stringer while you're building, if you're following Ana's plan, attach after Step 2, turn the Stringers upside down and attach using screws to the stringers, BEFORE you apply the 1x4 sides. Not impossible to add after the build, just heavy trying to flip the lounger over to add this.

While your shelf is out, flip it upside down and screw a 1 1/2 screw halfway in. this is your stop, so the shelf doesn't come completely out. There will be a part 2 with attachment and the screw pic to explain better.

I hope this is understandable, If there is anything that's unclear, just ask. It's 3:30 am, (can't sleep, work nightshift), and am a very new blogger, I'm hoping I didn't forget anything. Hope this is useful for someone, I was so happy to be able to have that PB&J shelf!!

Now just need to find the time to lounge

2012-04-21T01:53:00.003-07:00

I love him!

Easter Sunday at the Brashears!
We had visitors from Sweden for a weekend, and combined with the holiday, I spent MANY hours on this pool, yes, we have a pool guy, her name is Angie!
After getting the pool just so, and with a heat wave in Cali, I decided that now was the time to start building my lounge chairs that I've always wanted. I started the research, on PB & J, and figured out that I loved the Chesapeake collection. Hours were spent scouring the internet for pics of the perfect lounge chair, and viola, found it on Ebay of all places. Luckily, the seller was just as snap happy as I am, so there were many great views of the chair to choose from...

this is the design!! I love the handle, the sleek design, the works! just needed a lighter color to match JB's grill trolley

Pretty Close, Huh? I'm especially proud of my handle on the top, drawn in and cut by me!

March marched right bye..here's the breakdown

2012-04-21T00:58:00.000-07:00

No posts for March, doesn't mean nothing was happening....
Here's the catch up...

Mini Veggie Bin...My design, perfect for odds and ends, nails and screws, and the best part, FREEE!!! scrap wood, leftover paint.

individual bins...

The trick here...mitered edges. Very tricky, but once you get the hang...it's gravy from there

3 coats of stain, and on to the next big thing

Easter, Vegas with the hub, and daily life. Working on the koi pond, pool, and the rest of the house.

If anyone's interested on the actual plans for the Veggie Bins, let me know, either on here, or on Facebook, and I'll measure it out for you

Great weekend with my husband in Vegas,

View from the Penthouse, Big Pimpin. Perks of a poker player

Pervo Peepshow Window. So random, absolutely no purpose other than spying on the showeree...

practicing my Who ME? poker face

In other news...had a nasty bout of Pnuemonia, down for 2+ weeks..thank you to the patient that coughed all over me..almost killed me. Please, cover your mouths..the nurse you save, may be ME!

I did get a blankie done just for me

Yeah for ME!!!!

2012-02-25T01:23:00.000-08:00

There's my little thread holder! I'm so organized now!

Whenever I have a project, whether it be sewing, scrapbooking, crafting, art, really doesn't matter what type of project, I always need space. Lots of space, and there really isn't any in my cozy little house. If I spread out on the table, never fails, something will be missing in the morning. then there's the matter of the fam finding my needles with their bare feet. ugh. So, I'm giving myself the gift of space.

I'm not done, but almost :) and so proud of myself. The surface of the table is so big, (patting myself on the back) that I can't even fully extend it in the garage. Doors and trim are painted, just drying. I'm on the next few nights in the ER, so I promised myself at least the dropleaf would be on. And it is!!

How did I do it? Not easy, took a lot of perserverance, little, okay a LOT of frustration. I'm no Ana White, and don't claim to be, just a mom on a budget, like many others, who wouldn't be able to go out and buy all new furniture...and even if I could afford, I'd have nowhere to put it. Each and every piece I make has to serve multiple functions and take as little floor space as possible. If there was some way to hang storage off the ceiling, wait....maybe that will be my next project.

So Far:

Hinges and dropleaf support

At first I tried to go right into the table, didn't work. Have some puttying to do tommorrow. After some trial and error, had to figure out the placement of the support boards, I ended up using 1x3's and they worked great.

Whatever you do to one side, you gotta do to the other

Yep, still fits. Very important to check for glitches, and fix those glitches. Nice and smooth and it's..........

LEVEL!!!!. At this point, my heart grew 3 sizes too big.

There will be trim around the edges, just not tonight.

And when I'm done? It folds down and will be behind closed doors! I absolutely love it! It's better than the picture I had in my head.

This will go on the door of the sewing center!