Padded coffee table...

Hi Everyone!  I know I've been absent most of this week.  I've been working on some custom pieces and trying to work on building up my inventory.  I had a sweet friend and her husband stop by this week to pick up a piece they purchased back during my open house but wouldn't fit in the vehicle.  They also picked up a few more items and now I really have empty space in the studio that needs to be filled.  One of the items my friends picked up was a custom piece.

 I've made several of these in the past.  I call them a padded coffee table with storage, but I've also sold them as toy boxes with a padded top.....it all depends on what you need it for.

 They are using it as a very stylish toy box.

 I love this fabric.  It has just the right amout of blue and teal in it.  I debated on whether to paint the base cream or espresso brown....I'm glad I went with the brown.

 I added safety arms to it so that the lid won't slam down on little fingers.

I was happy with the way it turned out.  And my friends liked it too!  So now I really need to get busy building in the shop....so it's a good thing the weekend is almost here.  Do you have big plans for the weekend?  I will be building and going to an auction on Saturday...hopefully I'm able to pick up a few great items.

And today is my dear, sweet mother's birthday!  Happy Birthday Mom!  I hope you have a fabulous day!  You deserve it!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://missmustardseed.com/2013/08/furniture-feature-friday-jessicas-favorites-link-party/ 
http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2013/08/catch-as-catch-can-131.html
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/08/party-junk-198-a-diy-link-party.html 
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2013/08/creative-bloggers-party-hop-122.html 
http://www.alderberryhill.com/make-the-scene-monday-86-and-cardstore-review/ 
http://www.creativelylivingblog.com/2013/08/monday-funday-party.html 
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2013/08/wow-us-wednesdays-130.html 
http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/2013/08/rock-n-share-53.html 
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2013/08/189th-power-of-paint-party-popp.html 
http://www.southernlovely.com/2013/08/show-share-104.html 
http://madeinaday.com/2013/08/08/made-u-look-linky-80/ 
http://www.redouxinteriors.com/2013/08/link-party-116-and-the-fab-features/ 

Coffee table...take two...

Hi Everyone!  I've been busy getting ready for the Open House at my studio this weekend and thought I'd take a moment to show you one of the things I was working on.  Back when I first started blogging I showed you this coffee table that I had built.

You can read about it here.  Well it never sold and has been sitting in my storage room.  I decided to pull it out for the open house and give it a little make over....

....I decided to upholster the top of it.

Thinking that maybe someone might like it this way.  I really like the fabric but I'm undecided on which way I like better.  Which do you like better?  This will be for sale at my open house this weekend.  Now I have to get back to work.  I have lots more to do and lots of things to share with you!  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2013/05/catch-as-catch-can-123.html 

A hodge podge of things...

Hi Everyone! It seems like forever since I've had a project to share with you. I, like all of you, have been busy. Busy filling orders, but unfortunately, not working on anything new. It's all things you've seen before.

 Like this family tree painting...

 ...but with a twist...due to a popular request, I now add the family name and Est. Date to it.  And I've had lots of orders for this one.

Several orders for my reindeer sign....

 ...and several orders for this Faith, Family, Farming sign....

 ....and this custom Fresh Farm Eggs...the original had a group of eggs at the end but this client wanted the price...I think this looks better than the original...

 I'm currently working on this American Flag for a client...and I'm making one to replace the one I had in my studio that sold.

I haven't decorated for Christmas yet...although I do have a couple of trees left over from the craft fair that are currently on display in the studio...

...along with this hand painted snowman sign......which may be all I get done this year if the orders keep coming in.  I'm also working on a custom bench...

 ...using this headboard....

...and a coffee table storage box like this black one with the apple green fabric...only in oranges and browns.  So that's a little of what's going on here and why you haven't seen anything new yet.  I promise to bring you new things just as soon as I can.  Thanks for stopping by.

Coffee table, storage bench...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Saturday!  I wanted to share with you one of the things I've been working on.  I made this storage bench/padded coffee table last year for the Clarinda Craft Fair in October and it sold before my benches did.  The top opens up and there's lots of storage inside.  So this year I thought I'd make a square one similar to this.

So I started working on my idea for a square, padded coffee table, made with the same look as the one from last year.  I cut the lumber and took it all inside into my living room since it was too hot to work in the shop and got all the sides made.  Each side is a panel that fit snugly together with the panel on either side and then the panels get glued and screwed together. 

So I had each panel made and I set it up in my living room and it was just too big.  Each side measures 36".  Which didn't seem too large to me when I laid out yardsticks when I was trying to determine my dimensions.  Boy was I wrong!  IT WAS HUGE!  I lived with it in my living room for two days and couldn't image anyone having room for that large of a box. 

I talked to my mom about it and she didn't think it sounded too big.  I talked with a co-worker of mine and the same thing, didn't sound too big.  I looked in Pottery Barn and their padded coffee tables were 48" square, but didn't have storage, just legs with an open area below........that's the problem!  It was the solidness of the box that made it seem so outrageous big.  I couldn't cut the panels down so instead, I'm making two rectangles instead of a square.  I'll try again on the square later.

So I made two more panels (I've only made one of the two so far) and put it together in my living room.

I haven't made the top yet.  Hopefully this weekend.

But I did move it out to the shop so I can sand it and get it ready for painting.

Since I will have two of them, I thought I'd paint one Graphite and the other Old White (using my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) and then wax and age them.  The only thing I haven't decided on is if I'm going to upholster the top like the one I did last year, or have a wooden top.  Or maybe one of each?  What do you think?  The nice thing about these storage pieces, it can be a coffee table or storage bench in your entry way or kids room or at the end of the bed, or at your dining room table.  They are very versatile.  I'll let you know what I decide.  Thanks for stopping by.