Farmhouses 9

Three to Go

"I can now add 'house painter' to my resume"

Three white pine barnboard farmhouses are finished but another three - fully painted models made from planed white pine - still require more attention. That being said, they are coming along nicely, in my opinion.

More to follow.

Link to Farmhouses 8

Photos GH

Gord's Gourd 3

Miles to Go

 "Hmmm. Not the best of smiles"

"The smile is improved. But there are still miles to go"

The hole with the tooth-gapped grin, is solid state now. But now the miles of painted lines have to be completed. Red and blue will follow the yellow. But to where?

More to follow.

Link to Gord's Gourd 2

Photos GH

Custom Table 4

Solid Cedar State

Before I add the 72 x 20-inch table top made of old western cedar slats, I want to be sure the open shelf area is solid and stable. Six plywood slats, three on the base and back, will keep the cedar slats from budging even a 16th of an inch.

More to follow.

Link to Custom Table 3

Photos GH

Found Object 4

Final Touch

Yesterday I levelled the legs. The wee wobble is gone. Then I added a final touch... or two for that matter. I've refinished and refurbished furniture in the past but this project - maybe it's the red paint - really brings a smile to me mug.

Voila. Fini.

Link to Found Object 3

Photos GH

B&W Found Object

Ready for Afternoon Tea

Link to B&W Harrison Specials

Photo GH

Found Object 3

Part and Parcel

 "Old style table matches up well with old style lumber"

 "It also clicks with some of my favourite things"

Voila!

This discarded table caught my eye when it was thrown onto a nearby curb, and after I cleaned it up, applied three coats of red paint and a table top (from rescued western cedar) it caught my wife's eye too.

In my opinion, it fits into our living room scene quite nicely.

Link to Found Object 2

Photos GH

Custom Table 3

Make it Sturdy

 "Please be patient. This rough sketch will slowly come to life"

"Good quality red cedar slats will not budge when I'm finished"

The back and bottom slats of red cedar are securely attached to 23 x 15-inch plywood end pieces, and I will spend some time today making sure the cedar is securely held in place with 2-inch wide (leftover) plywood. Then I will assemble the table top from rescued western cedar.Waste not, want not.

More to follow.

Link to Custom Table/Shelf 2

Photos GH

Custom Table/Shelf 2

Finally, We're Off the Ground

 "This project will be complicated, to match its name"

Nick, a special friend and client, has been waiting - patiently, I might add - a long time for me to build a custom table/shelf to place under his downtown apt.'s window sill. Let's just say I got busy on various other stuff and move on.

"Nick is a dedicated, adventurous fisherman"

This will be a big job but somebody's got to do it - and that's me.

Main materials will be red cedar, western cedar, plywood, classic pine and lovely slates.

The 'window sill box' will include two shadow boxes, one at each end. And somewhere fish will get thrown in for good measure.

Link to Custom Table/Shelf

Photos GH

B & W Harrison Specials

Rescued Western Cedar

There is a lot of fun stacked up in my backyard lumber pile.

Link to B & W Found Object

Photo GH

Harrison Specials 2

Stairway to Western Skies

Western cedar from a friend's old dock (destined to become a landfill deposit until rescued) looks pretty charming when turned into a sturdy birdhouse. Each board my son and I collected has some value and the worn and warm colours catch my eye every time I pick up a freshly-cut slat that falls off the backend of my table-saw.

Link to Harrison Specials 1

Photos GH

Gord's Gourd 2

The Second Coat, Saw and Seeds

 "Sun-dried force of nature"

I am looking forward to expressing myself artistically once a third coat of light green paint is dry. Something with circles and swirls and gobs of colour.

"I think I collected over 200 seeds for next year"

"I will gently sand the entry hole. Looks like a chipped tooth now"

FYI - Using a pair of pliers and a hack saw blade, I was able to remove a large, leathery chunk of dried innards via the one-inch hole, and in the process I chipped a tooth, but collected scores of seeds for next year's crop of gourds. I could be onto something.

More funky paints to follow.

Link to Gord's Gourd 1

Photos GH

Custom Birdhouse 17

Big Orange in New Digs

 "Big Orange looks at home on a triumphal plinth"

Yesterday PM Big Orange moved to its new location on Briscoe St., Old South. Occupant was not home but I received an email before suppertime.

     BEST SURPRISE EVER!!! What a wonderful surprise to

     come home to! You did an absolutely beautiful job!!

     Please let me know what I owe you and when the best

     time to get it to you... Again - a beautiful job!

     Thank-you!!

"Big Orange is perched beside its twin, Big Garage"

"Lookin' good in its new 'hood"

Based on the positive response I'm going to ask for a million dollars. Thereabouts.

: )

Link to Custom Birdhouse 16

Photos GH

Found Object 2

Red Coats

 "Walnut table gets a red face lift. Print drawer needs dusting only"

"I was happy for the shade outside the shop door"

The table, once primed, seemed best suited to the colour red. Don't ask me why since a few coats of white latex would have done just fine. That being said, I think I'm just a day or two away from a rewarding overall result.

Stay tuned.

Link to Found Object 1

Photos GH

B & W Found Object

Curb-side Treasure

I may be onto something.

Link to B & W Farmhouses

Photo GH

Found Object 1

Curb-side Treasure

"Hey, I see a new bedside table here"

Two weeks ago, while driving on Elmwood St., I passed an old table with a loose slab of heavy stone as a table top - tossed to the curb. After thinking about 'possibilities' for 60 seconds I drove around the block to retrieve said items, and they sat in The Annex (wee backyard storage shed) until yesterday.

Sunday afternoon: I tossed the stone aside and repaired the scarred and wobbly walnut frame. I added white pine trim around the corner pieces and edges and closed off the opening on one side (once home to a wee drawer). I then made a tabletop from four rescued western cedar slats and opened up a can of primer paint.

 "I know. The underside - w ancient western cedar tones - looks awesome"

"The weather-worn cedar surface suits my fancy for this project"

I'll make new colour choices this PM. So, more to follow.

Link to Custom Birdhouse 16

Photos GH

Custom Birdhouse 16

Final Note

"And now the dormer does not look naked"

My wife suggested one last addition to The Big Orange Four-plex. A musical note on the front of the dormer.

"Very good idea," I said. And it was so.

Link to Custom Birdhouse 15

Photo GH

Custom Birdhouse 15

Voila!

Fini. Time for delivery. Once it is in place I will take one last photo.

Now, I move on to a big project for a fella's LPs.

Link to Custom Birdhouse 14

Photos GH

Custom Birdhouse 14

Last Waltz

I will add two strips of trim to the dormer's edges

The dormer looks AOK, in my opinion, with two coats of black and bits of orange trim. But as I stared at the big blank orange walls on each side of the four-plex I knew I was not finished. I added one last job to this custom birdhouses lengthy to-do list, i.e., 'musical notes'.

 I do get a fair bit of use out of my scroll saw these days

The big orange sides will not be bare for long

Nothing to do now but fire up the compressor and add final touches. Then... delivery.

Last photos soon to follow.

Link to Custom Birdhouse 13

Photos GH

Gord's Gourd 1

Another Funky Project

Look at the top left corner of the dresser in background.

Can you spot the seeds for next year's gourds?

I saw this gourd at Gathering on The Green in June. Price tag - $10. There was not one drop of paint on it and it had a twig as a perch. But an idea instantly started to form in the technicolour storage room located three inches behind my left eyebrow. "Hey, buy it on spec," said the Storage Room Manager.

Yesterday, while painting 'this and that' type of trim for another birdhouse a particular colour - still dripping from a small paint brush - seemed just right for the gourd. I fished a few seeds out of its innards and went to work.

Where will this end? Stay tuned.

Link to Vintage Trailer Birdhouse 1

Photos GH

Swap Box Project 2

Paint is Drying

Watching me put a swap box together is about as exciting as watching paint dry.

But, second coats will go on quickly and I will soon be assembling the plexiglass door. How exciting... and fussy!

Link to Swap Box Project 1

Photos GH

Farmhouses 8

Three are Done

I am surprised how quickly a farmhouse falls together... until I add the full-on trim package. Then I feel as if I move in slow motion. That being said, three white pine barnboard houses are now ready to leave the workshop.

The other three require painted trim, and that will take a while.

Link to Farmhouses 7

Photos GH