Evolution of a bench....

Hi Everyone!  I hope your weekend was enjoyable!  I had a wonderful working weekend.  The weather was gorgeous here all weekend which made it so easy to work in the shop.  I was able to get a lot done, but nothing I'm ready to show to you yet.  But here is a look at a bench that has had several remakes.  And this final one is it's last...as it has been spoken for...but it's still in my studio.  It will be going to it's new home on the 11th.

 Here it is at the Apple Jack's Fair last September.  Plain back with the brown and coral fabric.

 When it didn't sell I added the saying to the back of the bench.  I meant to change the fabric before it went to the Clarinda Craft Carnival in October last year, but didn't get it done and forgot to do it before my Open House.

And here it is now.  The fabric was chosen by it's new owner.  It's one of my very favorite fabrics.  I've used it on several benches and most recently on  the footstool I made.

Here's a close up of the fabric.

So now what do you think?  Better, right.  I'm working on a piece to replace this in the studio and I can't wait to finish it.  Thanks for stopping by.

New bench....

Hi Everyone!  I thought I'd show you my new favorite bench.  I built it about two weeks ago and then had to step away from it to take care of other orders and I finally got back to it in the last couple of days.  It's one of the headboards my Aunt Barb brought me the day of my Studio Open House that I shared with you here.  Let's look at the before shots...they aren't pretty.

It was painted white and then painted very badly with brown paint.  I did a little sanding to it, but wanted to keep the chippy paint look that it had from the brown paint.  I cut the foot board almost in half and then decided to cut down the post.  If it had been a full size I probably wouldn't have cut the post down but with them it looked more like a torture chair than a bench you'd want to sit on.

 So here it is, all dressed up in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White.  It has been sanded to reveal the brown, white and a little yellow (it's original color maybe?). 

 I upholstered it in one of favorite fabrics.  I love the way this looks with the Old White. 

 The fabric goes so well with the blues and greens in my Studio so I won't be disappointed if it doesn't sell right away...that way I can enjoy it for a while.

I shifted furniture around last night to make room for some new pieces (I can't wait to show you the big piece I just finished).  I think it just might be time for another Open House here at the studio.  I've got all the empty spaces filled.  I just need to create some art work for the walls and some messages boards and then it will be filled nicely.  So we'll have to see.  I also have some custom orders to finish (hopefully this weekend!).  Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:
http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/2013/07/rock-n-share-48.html 
http://www.thecraftyblogstalker.com/2013/07/blog-stalking-thursday-100.html 
http://madeinaday.com/2013/07/04/made-u-look-linky-75/ 
http://missmustardseed.com/2013/08/furniture-feature-friday-jessicas-favorites-link-party/ 

Added storage...

Hi Everyone!  Happy November.  I can't believe it's November already.  Where has the time gone.  Fair season is over and my motivation is low.  I still have orders coming in and lots of work to do, but I'm finding it difficult to work.  Maybe it's the long nights of work leading up to the fair or the fact that I've been working on getting ready for the fairs since June.  One of these days my motivation will return to me...anybody have any ideas on how to get re-motivated?

Do you remember this bench that I took to the fair in April?  Well, it didn't sell and I took it home with me.  I decided that it needed storage.  So about a month before this last fair I added storage to it.

Here it is at the fair in April.  The trick was adding the storage without having to repaint the entire bench.

I started by removing the seat and turning it upside down on my rolling bench cart.  After I decided how I was going to add storage to it without changing the way it looked, I took measurements and started cutting boards down to size.

I added additional cross supports for the the bottom to attach to without having to drill directly through the front board with the saying on it.

Here it is with the bottom of the storage attached and the back board in place.  The only part that needs to be painted.

I had to mix up the paint to match the existing paint but only enough for the back side.

The storage isn't deep, but it's enough to store mittens, hats and scarves.

Then I added the hinges and the safety arm braces so it doesn't slam shut on little fingers.

It still looks like the exact same bench but now it has a little bit of storage in it.

This is the best picture I have of it at the Clarinda Craft Carnival.  And thank goodness it sold.  I think adding storage to it helped to make the sale.  And I didn't have to bring it home.  I did have to bring two benches home but I sold one of them this past weekend.  My friend Brenda helped me deliver it on Tuesday to it's new home.  So that just leaves one.  And I'm okay with that.  I need to move it into the studio this weekend.  I have an order for a twin bench with storage to work on...thank goodness my client isn't in the hurry for it and I have some time to get motivated again.  Thanks for stopping by.

A new bench...

Hi Everyone!  I know some of you are tired of seeing headboards turned into benches, but I'm getting ready for the first fall craft fair and benches are a staple for my booth.  I got this headboard and foot board at the junk place that is no longer there, this past spring, you can see the original post here.

It had a piece missing from the foot that has been gone for a long time.

I used Kwik wood to fill in the missing portion and I filled all the other other cracks with wood filler.  Then sanded as needed.

I cut apart the foot board and then started building.....that was back in May...then it was set aside until after Dad's second surgery.

I spent time a couple of weeks ago when the weather was cooler to finish building it but neglected to take any pictures of it.  I painted it in Ivory latex paint and sanded it with my orbital sander to lightly distress it.

When I got home from work tonight I upholstered the seat in this fun paisley fabric.

The pictures are a little dark but then it's getting dark outside and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to photograph it.

 I think this fabric is fun.  And here you can see the distressing...it's minimal....

 ....and a close up of the fabric.

I will be taking this to the Apple Jack's Fair in Nebraska City in the middle of September.  And I hope it finds a new home.  But if it doesn't...it will fit in nicely in my new studio.  So either way it will be a win/win.  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/2012/08/catch-as-catch-can-86.html 
http://www.504main.com/2012/08/tickled-pink-no-112.html 
http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/2012/08/shine-on-fridays-42-and-giveaway.html 
http://alderberryhill.blogspot.com/2012/08/make-scene-monday-37.html