Tool Time

Warning: this is a shameless bragging post about myself. 

We all have something we enjoy doing during our free time.  Something that takes us away from reality for a little bit and helps us recharge.  At least I hope we all do.  For years, my something was outdoor activities.  Chris and I spent countless hours rock climbing, wake boarding and snowboarding.  Then we moved away from Utah and realized that those activities were harder to get to and not always the best quality.  Then the kids came, and you can't exactly do those things with a child strapped to you and babysitters get expensive.  Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and wouldn't have it any other way.  I still had my books, but I wanted something else.  Something more physical I could do that would let me detach for a little bit.  About a year ago my friend told me about http://ana-white.com.  It's a website chuck full of DIY building projects.  It also has tons of versions of those projects and lots of good chat boards with people ready to answer any questions you have.  I spent hours on her website that first night and was drooling over the projects I could do.  I was ready to buy out Home Depot right then, but I found out you can't paint or prime or stain wood if the weather is below 50 degrees and it was December.  So I had to wait.  Finally, when it warmed up this spring I started my first project.  I turned my garage into my work area and very slowly I was able to get 4 projects done over the summer.  I realized very quickly that I couldn't work on anything when the kids were awake.  Cordon wanted to "help" and Eliza didn't like the noise. So my window of "project time" was pretty slim. I learned that it isn't as easy as I thought it would be, but they are functional and I loved doing it and I learned a lot from each build.  I'm already counting down the days until spring when I can do more.

 

Project 1: a library cart. I love this little reading, play area for the kids

 

Project 2: an end table I use for a TV stand.  I love the look of stained wood but It's very unforgiving.  Paint hides all my flaws but stain magnified them, especially the "stain able" wood filler.  It may be awhile before I attempt stain again. 

Project 3: Cordon's platform bed.  I really love this bed.  I love that it's low to the ground so Cordon can easily jump in and out and he no longer needs the safety rail. I called my dad a lot during this project.  I kept messing different things up and wouldn't know why. So i would text him a picture and he would tell me what I did wrong, how to fix it, and what building supply to buy to avoid that mistake again.  I love technology, and my dad

 

Project 4: I had some scrap wood and good weather, so I threw this together real fast.  I didn't follow a plan, which means it's pretty crappy, but it looks better then how we had Bud's food and water before.