Storage bench...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Tuesday!  I will be spending the day in the shop trying to get orders filled.  But I wanted to show you the bench with storage that I built for this last craft fair.  I showed you the in progress pictures of it a couple of weeks ago.  Here's what the headboard looked like.

And here it is built and painted with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Old Ochre.

I then waxed it with clear wax. 

And I upholstered the seat.  I left the plastic on it at the craft fair as little kids with sticky hands love to climb all over them if their parents aren't watching.

This bench sold fairly early to a nice young couple with a couple of kids.  I think the storage in it was the kicker.  I love to watch people when their making that decision to buy.  And I get almost as excited as they do when they say they are buying something.  But let's face it, it's a big purchase, literally!  They left it at the fair until almost the end of they day when they came back to pick it up, so a lot of people were able to see it.  Must get busy now on those orders.  Well, thanks for stopping by!

Winter Wonderland Window Art....

Hi Everyone!  Happy Sunday!  I hope you are all doing well and gearing up for the upcoming holiday season.  It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is this week!  Where as the time gone?  I wanted to share with you one of the things I made and sold last Saturday at the Craft Fair.  I painted another window.  If you've been following along, you might remember that I picked up a bunch of windows for FREE that were curb side when they replaced the windows in a beautiful Victorian home by my parents home.

I painted this one on both the front and back of the window.  The face (the eyes, noses and mouths) were painted on the front side and everything else was painted on the back side of the window.  The hardest part was painting the letters on the back since they were backward, but I think it turned out pretty well.  It sold right away at the Red Cross Craft Fair.  I wouldn't have minded taking it home with me, so maybe I'll have to make one for myself.  Hope your weekend is great!  Thanks for stopping by!

The end of fair season...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Saturday!  I know I've been missing this week.  Last Saturday was my last fair of the season.  It went pretty well.  The parking lot at the facility was all torn up so there was limited parking which I think hurt as there weren't nearly as many customers as there normally were.  I still managed to sell quite a few things including a bench, lots of tress, and some one of a kind items.  I'll show more in the next few days.  One of the things that sold right away was Hank, the snowman post.

The gal that bought him was so excited when she saw him and picked him up right away and said she just had to have him.  It always makes me smile to see people get excited about their purchases.  So I know he went to someone who will appreciate him.

I ended the day last Saturday with several orders so I had a total of 10 things I needed to make.  I managed to cut that to 4 on Tuesday and then picked up another order on Wednesday.  Tuesday I started getting a cold and by Wednesday morning it was a full blown cold.  So needless to say, I haven't gotten anything else done this week besides going to work.  I'm feeling a bit better today, so I will be hitting the shop this afternoon to get going on these five orders.  I need to get them done soon! 

I got some exciting news on Sunday.  My nephew Ridge, who is joining the Marines and is leaving in December, will be coming here for a few days!  I am so excited.  I was afraid I wasn't going to get to see him before he left. 

I bought him a train ticket and my parents and I are picking him up a week from tomorrow.  He'll be here for a few days and then my parents will take him to meet his Dad where he will stay for a few more days before heading back home and then leaving for boot camp.  I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see him!  So I must get things done despite my cold!  I hope you all have a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

Scrap wood....

Hi Everyone!  Happy Wednesday!  So what do you do with a bunch of scrap wood pieces?  Well, I turn them into block signs.  I made this bunch from left over pieces of 2x4's that I cut down into blocks.  My mother helped me out by painting them and then I handpainted them with winter words and snowflakes. 

I sold a few of them at the Clarinda Craft Carnival and gave a few of them to my mom and the rest I'll take to the Red Cross Fair.  What would you do with some scrap pieces of wood?  Thanks for stopping by.

A snowman....already?....

Hi Everyone! And no, we don't have snow here or anything, but I've been dealing with Christmas and winter themes since August in preparation for the craft fair season.  I wanted to share with you one of the things I made and took to the Clarinda Craft Carnival.  Meet Hank the Snowman Post.  I started making these last year for my mom and my bosses' wives.  Hank is made from an old post that my Grandfather had saved from the farm.  He has a hat with a bell hanging on the end and a snowflake to finish it off.  He also has his scarf  and gloves in case it's just too cold out.

Hank is painted white with an antique glaze and a painted on face.  Hank enjoyed greeting all the folks at the Clarinda Craft Carnival last week but sadly, no one bought Hank.  So he came home with me and we'll try again at the Red Cross Fair in a couple of weeks.  Maybe someone there will want to take him home.  Thanks for stopping by.