woodworking Archives - Page 2 of 3

Posts Tagged ‘woodworking’

23
May
2014

Moss Covered Letter

Written by: Lisa

Here’s another craft that I made for the bride-to-be at her shower. After the vintage garden theme was settled, I knew right away that I had to make a moss covered letter. It was the perfect fit for the theme of the shower and could also serve as home décor for the bride and groom in their new house!

Moss Covered Letter

What you need:

1/4” plywood—I used leftover from my Berry T Wreath and Moss Shamrock crafts
Letter on paper (font of your choice)
Jigsaw
Sandpaper
Spray Paint- optional
Moss—I used sheet moss found at any craft store
Glue Gun
Burlap/ribbon

Step 1:

Choose a font for your letter. Again, since we have access to the LCD projectors at school, I used that to trace my letter onto paper. No LCD projector? Print out your letter on two pieces of paper and tape them together. Trace your letter onto your wood.

Note- I was working with a remnant piece of wood, so it was already cut into a square shape that was close to the border of my letter. You don’t want too much excess wood getting in your way as you cut.

Step 2:

Cut out your letter using the jigsaw. Use some sandpaper to smooth out the edges.

Step 3:

As with my other wood crafts, I decided to spray paint my letter in green. The moss won’t cover the sides of the letter and I wanted the wood to match.

Moss Covered Letter

Step 4:

Trace your letter onto the back of your moss sheet and carefully cut it out.

Moss Covered Letter3

Step 5:

Using your glue gun, apply your moss. Make sure you have newspaper or toweling down to catch the many pieces of shedding moss.

moss covered letter

Step 6:

Tie burlap or whatever ribbon you choose around the letter and it’s ready to hang. I think this looked just awesome on a mirror at the bridal shower.

Moss Covered Letter This is a great craft for yourself or even as a gift!

07
May
2014

Painted Barstools

Written by: Lisa

One of my favorite parts of our kitchen is the island. Now that I have one, I cannot imagine a future kitchen without one (or at least a peninsula of some sort). For the first year that we lived in our house, we found ourselves standing around the island a lot—island seating wasn’t high on our “fixer upper” priority list. During year two, it was time to take some action.

We knew we wanted barstools without a back. We loved the saddle stools at Pottery Barn but weren’t as in love with the hefty price tag. After looking around, we only found stools in colors that weren’t our top choices. It became clear that we should just paint some stools ourselves.

What you need:

Unfinished Wood Barstools—we scored two online for $50

Fine Sandpaper

Primer

Paint

Foam brush

Protective Top Coat

Plastic Covering and Painter’s Tape- only needed if you are doing a two-toned stool

Stain/Stain Rag- only needed if you are doing a two-toned stool

Step 1:

As your stools are unfinished, they should be pretty smooth and free of splintering wood. Give your stools a super light and casual sanding—just in case. We wanted a two-toned stool—wood stain on the seat and paint on the legs. Because of this, I used painter’s tape to cover up the saddle seat with part of a plastic drop cloth. Make sure it’s covered all the way so no primer gets through!

Step 2:

Prime your stools (or, like in my case just prime the legs). For the first time ever, I used a spray primer. The spray primer went on great—very easy to use. Follow the directions on your primer can to ensure correct application. Let dry completely.

Step 3:

While my seat was still wrapped up, I painted the legs of my stool. I applied two coats of paint using a small foam brush. Let dry completely.

You can see the one stool has been painted, while the other one is primed and ready for some color. Pardon the mess!

Step 4:

With the stool legs completely painted and dry, I removed the plastic covering from the saddle seat. I wanted to stain the top of the seat a color that would closest match our hardwood floors. Minwax’s Natural color did the job. Follow the direction on the stain can for the correct application procedure. I did two coats of stain.

Step 5:

Apply your finish/top coat. Again, we went with a spray for this step and used two coats. Make sure you do this in a well ventilated area—it can get a bit stinky! Let dry completely.

We’re happy to finally have somewhere to sit!

23
Apr
2014

Jute Cross Wall Art

Written by: Lisa

In the weeks leading up to Easter, I’d wanted to make something that showcased a cross. It’s always nice to have a few Easter-specific decorations to add to the overall spring décor.

I’ve liked the look of the nail art that took Pinterest by storm earlier this year. You’ve probably seen it; usually it’s a state outline such as this one. Given its materials, to me, this would be the perfect means for my Easter cross.

I chose to work with jute for this project (I’ve got tons left over from my wrapped Easter eggs). I’m sure you could use twine, yarn, or string as well.

What you need:

Wood- we have plenty of remnants from which to choose

Fine grit sandpaper

Circular Saw- if you need to cut your wood

Stain or paint

Stain rag or paintbrush

Clear finish- I used some that we had on hand

Nails

Hammer

Jute

Step 1:

Using a circular saw cut your wood down to the size/shape you want it to be. I settled on a good old fashioned rectangle. This will be leaning against a wall on a shelf, so I didn’t make it that large, only 10.5 x 13. Give your wood a quick sand to ensure there are no jagged pieces anywhere.

Step 2:

Stain or paint your wood. I wanted to keep the natural look of the wood so I decided on stain. I’ve used Minwax before and was happy with the results—this time I went with the color Provincial. Follow the directions on your stain can to make sure you use the correct procedure. After your stain dries, apply a coat of finish. Let dry completely- I decided to let it dry overnight and pick up with the rest of the project the next day.

Step 3:

I did a quick sketch of my cross on paper so I could choose the shape/size I wanted it to be. I also made sure to decide on where I wanted my nails to go. I settled with only doing nails in the corners of the cross—quite different from the state nail art that uses tons of nails.

Step 4:

Lay your sketch on top of your wood. You could just hammer in your nails where you want them to go, and when finished, tear away your paper. However, I chose to use an awl to mark where my nails would go. I then took off the paper and got to hammering. Remember not to nail them all the way down—you need to have nail exposed to wrap the jute around!

Step 5:

Now that you have your outline/nails in place, start wrapping. Make sure you tie a knot around your first and last nails so it doesn’t unravel. I chose to keep my wrapping to a minimum because I wanted this design to be simplistic and not too “perfect” looking.

I’m quite happy with how this came out. It’s a nice nod to the meaning behind the holiday.

Previous 1 2 3 Next