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Drop Leaf Table Turned Potting Bench Tutorial

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“I’m your favorite kid, right mom?”

I smile in amusement.

“Come on, admit it. You know I’m your favorite.”

The question my youngest daughter used to love to pressure me to answer . . . and maybe . . . even as an adult . . . still does from time-to-time.

Don’t we all want to be someone’s favorite?  I know I do!

Only a mom can understand how there can be more than one favorite . . . or God.

Today I’m sharing the Drop Leaf Table Turned Potting Bench that I painted a couple of summers ago but never got around to sharing here with you.  Of all of the furniture pieces I’ve painted I’d have to say that this shabby little potting bench is one of my favorites!

Potting Bench 012

No, I don’t have a full “before” picture (my bad) but you all know what a drop leaf table looks like anyway, right?  This was a fairly large one so I knew it would have plenty of work space as a potting bench.  But enough talk already, let’s get started with the tutorial.  If you want to skip the tutorial you can scroll right to the end for all the pretty pictures of my sweet potting bench!

Drop Leaf into Potting Bench 001

I began by unscrewing the hinges from one of the leaves while leaving the other side of the hinge connected to the table.  Then I used my saw to remove the brace that would no longer be needed to hold the leaf in the “up” position.

Drop Leaf PB 002

Next I reattached the hinges to the TOP of the table so the leaf would stand in a vertical position.  This is front of the table . . .

Drop Leaf PB 001

. . . and this is the back (where the hinges used to be attached).

Drop Leaf PB 003

With a piece of scrap wood and some store bought legs I added a little shelf to my table, attaching it with screws.

Drop Leaf PB 005

Next was the addition of this old enamelware piece that I thought would make a great dry sink for potting.

04-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 004After tracing the hole size I would need I drilled a few big holes to get my jigsaw started and went to work cutting.  For any of you fine crafters of wood, you will notice that I am NOT!  I like the construction part to be done quickly so I can get on with the painting.  So the hole looks a bit ugly here but it will be okay once I put the dry sink in!

07-06-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 006I worked on this project out on my deck overlooking the lake (this is the house where we used to live in Washington State) and found inspiration from the many colors of summer.  I began with my base color . . .

09-08-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 008. . . layered on a second color . . .

10-09-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 009. . . and then a third!

11-10-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 010 . . . all to begin the process of sanding it back so the layers of color and bare wood would show through!  

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2-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 003

06-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 013That’s Cozy lounging while I’m hard at work.

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On to the stripes which I painted from samples of these lovely lakeside colors!

4-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 005

Taping, painting, drying, taping, painting, drying, . . . etc.

1-Drop Leaf Potting Bench 001

More sanding to distress my piece heavily and I was ready for the addition of lettering.  A tutorial for transferring typography can be found right HERE.

4-Potting Bench After 007

2-Potting Bench Drop Leaf 002

Once all the painting was complete I chose to deepen my colors using an Early American colored wood stain . . .

cabot spar varnish

. . . and after the recommended drying time I applied three coats of spar varnish so my potting bench would stand up to Pacific Northwest weather.

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3-Potting Bench After 006

As you can see I added tool hangers using faucet valves.  These were around $3-4 each from the hardware store but I’ve since found some antique valves which I have stashed for the next potting bench.

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Potting Bench 018

1-Potting Bench After 002

 2-Potting Bench After 003

Potting Bench 012

When I look at pictures of this little potting bench it makes me feel happy as it brings back fond memories of summer on the lake.  I took this potting bench to the Queen Bee French Flea market where I ended up selling it to one of my very dearest friends!

My Summer Workshop 004

By the way, the Queen Bee French Flea is coming up again this August.

queen bee french flea 2015

Mark your calendars if you live in the area because IT. Is. Going. To. Be. Fantastic!

I hope my potting bench brought a smile to your face and reminded those of you still feelin’ the cold that Spring is right around the corner!  Love you guys and I hope you know that you are ALL my favorites!

Blessings,

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Drop Leaf to Potting Bench

One Fantastic Easter Table!!!

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Twigs Easter Table

Sometimes I don’t feel like the awesome self that God created me to be.

Sometimes, even when I’m writing posts about Being Grateful, trying my best to make you laugh, and trying my best to make me laugh at myself, I can’t pretend to feel like everything is perfect.  

Twigs Easter Table 034

But that’s okay. I gave up perfectionism quite awhile ago and exchanged it for a life of living with as much authenticity as I can, and it is a much easier way to live.

Twigs Easter Table 001

Twigs Easter Table 002

So when I’m feeling a little frustrated that this broken wrist of mine makes it hard to create or write, or even type . . . when slowing down allows feelings I’ve been burying with busyness to surface and reminds me of how much I miss friends I left behind . . . wayyy over on the opposite side of the country . . . it’s okay.

Twigs Easter Table 024

 It’s good to feel sadness over being so far from people that I love.

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It reminds me that I’ve been blessed with good, good friends . . .

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Twigs Easter Table 015

. . . and family who I love more dearly than they can fathom.

Twigs Easter Table 009

So when I’m forced to slow down and the feelings arise I embrace the sadness, thanking God for the many people He’s placed in my life that have brought me such joy . . . and thanking God for the new friendships He’s developing here in this, our new community.

Last week, since I couldn’t paint or construct or sit typing for very long I went to a favorite new place here in Greenville, SC.

Twigs Easter Table 005

TWIGS is a wonderful home and garden shop where I like to go to soak in beautiful displays and be amazed at the creativity of others.

Twigs Easter Table 006

Last week I went into TWIGS to buy a few tulips for my front door arrangement (check it out HERE) and they allowed me to photograph their Fantastic Easter Table!

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Isn’t it over-the-top stunning?

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I also snapped a few photos of the display that greets you as you walk in the front door.

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Twigs Easter Table 041

Do you see the bushels of mini-watermelons?  This store always brings a great big smile to my face!

Twigs Easter Table 010

I’ll be in a cast for at least five more weeks so you may see the posts slowing down a bit.  While my mind is full of ideas, my right hand isn’t cooperating very well and typing is a SLOW and somewhat painful process.

I hope you were inspired today by some fabulous Easter decor.  For more ideas check out my Pinterest board:  Spring/Easter Ideas  I think you’ll love it!

Blessings,

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Preserved Boxwood Wreath Tutorial and Other Thrift Store Crafts

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 Savvy shopping.  It’s a family tradition . . . passed down from mother to daughter.  My mother never learned to drive but when I got my license you’d better believe she made sure I got a lot of practice . . . and the best way to practice was to drive to shopping destinations all over the greater Seattle area.  One of her favorite places was the gigantic Goodwill Store in downtown Seattle!  It is the biggest thrift store I’ve ever been to and it is amazing!

I don’t know if you know this Savvy Shopping Tip, but thrift stores are the BEST places to shop for seasonal decor . . . and right now they have their Seasonal displays right up front for your shopping pleasure!  Ceramic eggs that have lost their cool?  No problem . . .

Mossy Decoupage Egg

Cover the egg with sheet moss and a bunny graphic and it will be cuter than ever. 

Empty plastic eggs from Easter’s past? 

Decoupage eggs

They will be beautiful displayed in a basket once they’ve been decoupaged with Spring napkins.

A plain old basket with no pizzaz?

Mossy Basket

Moss it!!! To see the complete tutorials for these adorable projects, click on the links HERE, HERE and HERE.

Some winter decor and our living room 018

All that leads me to the main subject of this post, how to make a Preserved Boxwood Wreath.  My boxwood wreath began it’s life as a grapevine wreath adorned with silk flowers that were well past their prime!  Thrift stores and garage sales are a great source for inexpensive wreaths in need of a makeover.  You only have to look beyond the surface and imagine . . . what . . . might . . .  be . . . 

Of course that is the main theme of Old Things New!

Boxwood Wreath 001

Grapevine wreaths are great to work because they are woven together loosely enough that it’s easy to tuck boxwood stems (even silk flowers . . . pretty ones) between the gaps, and their tight woody branches hold your stems in place as you work.

Boxwood Wreath 003

I tucked my individual boxwood pieces into the wreath with each stem going in the same direction.

Boxwood Wreath 002

Then I added green florist’s wire, wrapping it around the wreath several times to hold everything securely in place and to tame unruly branches.  I was careful to hide the wire under branches on the front side of the wreath.

partial wreath

If you prefer a “well-groomed” look to your boxwood you can achieve that by doing a little trimming with pruning shears.  I chose to leave my boxwood just a little bit wild!

For more boxwood ideas you can link back to my Decorating With Preserved Boxwood post HERE.  There you’ll also find the link to where I purchased my preserved boxwood in bulk (the thriftiest way to go by the way).

I don’t want to forget to remind you that Farragoz, the online painting course shown on my sidebar has a LIMITED TIME OFFER for my readers only going through the end of March.  The course, normally offered at $150 is being offered for $99.  This is a great value for this amazing online painting course and the only way to link up to the special offer is to click on the link below.  To read more about the course you can link back to my full post HERE.

Farragoz Special Offer

I know it’s been a pretty harsh winter for many and I hope it’s beginning to feel more Springlike where you live.  Doing a Spring project sure helps to make it feel like it is a bit closer.  If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to Pin It or Tweet It!


Blessings to you my friends,

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May Day Baskets and Giving Back

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May Day Basket 006 with frameDoes anyone remember making May Day baskets as children?  I can remember making them in school by weaving strips of construction paper together and then folding our woven creation into a cone.  We would fill them with tissue paper flowers as the teacher explained the tradition of secretly leaving baskets filled with flowers on the door of a neighbor on the first day of May.

May Day Basket 001How exciting, and a bit frightening to sneak up to my next-door-neighbor’s house, hoping she wasn’t looking out the front window.  Then to tiptoe up the steps and hang that flower filled cone on the doorknob, hands sweating for fear of making a noise and giving myself away.

May Day Basket 004My heart would be beating so hard that I could hear it in my ears, and my breathing was fast and shallow.  I would plant my feet in a run-ready position, lean in toward the door and press the doorbell.

May Day Basket 005Ding-dong!

May Day Basket 007As the bell signals the beginning of the race I was off and running as fast as my little feet would carry me, never daring to look back over my shoulder.  Running so quickly all the way home, up the steps, into the house, shutting the door  behind me and leaning back against it’s strong shelter.  Whew . . . I made it!

May Day Basket 008What a thrill it was to leave a secret gift to brighten my next-door-neighbors day.  Do you think she ever guessed that it was me, the little girl who spent so much time at her house playing with Sport, her black Cocker Spaniel, or sitting next to her husband while he showed me his amazing collection of rocks?  What a good lesson this child learned about doing nice things for people, not to be seen or noticed, but just because it is a good thing to do.

May Day Basket 011It is a wonderful principle to live by isn’t it?  Giving without thought of reward or out of a need to be noticed?  We’ve been blessed with abundance and it is only fitting to give back a portion of what we’ve been given.  And somehow . . . almost like “magic” . . .  when we give out of our cup of abundance it always fills up to overflowing once again.

May Day Basket 014So . . . what do you think . . . am I too old to sneak over to my next-door-neighbors house, leave some flowers on the door, ring the bell and run like the wind so she won’t catch me?  Haha!  There are pictures that come to mind of turning to run and tripping over my own shoelaces, or attempting to leap over the little hedge that runs between my neighbor’s house and mine and not quite making the leap . . . It makes me laugh out loud!  Shhh . . . I’m writing this in bed and Mr. OTN is trying to sleep 🙂

Okay . . . so maybe I’ll think of another way to practice a secret kindness!

May Day Basket 010You can view more about making a thrifted May Day planter HERE . . . or . . . to see some of the most gorgeous (TRULY)  May Day baskets I’ve ever seen head over to my MAY DAY Pinterest page.  There is even a pattern for a child’s May Day basket.  Why not carry on this fading May Day tradition and teach your own wee ones how much fun it can be to give back?

      May Day blessings to you,

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My Easter Decor Splurge!

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PicMonkey CollageEaster

I love Spring with all of it’s fresh and colorful decorations that speak of new life . . . new beginnings . . .

. . . new purchases?

Yes, I splurged and bought a little something new to enhance my Easter decor.  This was a total impulse buy but really, how could I help myself when I saw THIS little guy over at Little Brags?

Isn’t he the most darling Easter bunny you’ve ever seen?

But no, I didn’t go out and buy myself a real bunny but I found something almost as adorable.

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 023

How could I resist right?  I found this little guy at Drees, one of our local Olympia stores.  I’m on their mailing list and when I received their Easter email and saw a picture of their very real looking bunnies I was smitten.

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 021

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 040And then, how could I let him sit in his Easter basket all alone?  You’re right, I simply couldn’t!

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 020So I bought him a couple of little chicks to keep him company.

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 017

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 016

 Drees had several different styles of these hand sewn bunnies to choose from and I had a very difficult time making a choice.  Black tails, lops, jack rabbits, pure white bunnies . . . hmmm . . . I wonder if they’ll be on sale after Easter?

Cheesy Potatoes and New Easter Bunny 018So that’s my big splurge!  Thank you Christine for the inspiration.  Mr. OTN thanks you too (wink, wink)!

Remembering Good Friday today and The Cross.  A sad day to recall but we know the outcome as death is swallowed up in victory!

Blessings,

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