Ladder blanket racks

These are the finished products, 3 blanket or towel racks for my friend. 

Last time I showed you a pile of lumber I had brought home. These are 2x4's and 2x6's.  I have gone back to school so I am sorry about the long time between building and blogging.

After cutting the boards, I drilled pocket screw holes in the middle boards and gave everything a good sanding. 

Here they are assembled. The ladder rungs are tilted to try and dissuade the kids from climbing. 

After the first coat of stain, they started looking pretty good. 

I don't know why gloves always split on me when staining, they just never hold up. 

Most projects leave my hands looking like a crime scene. Lol 

I got the building plans from Shanty 2 Chic. I like how they give you step by step instructions.  They have a ton of fun projects! I tried to post the link but I couldn't get it to come over. If you google shanty 2 chic blanket ladder rack, it will take you right to it. 

Here they are done after the second coat of stain and two coats of clear poly.  I enjoyed making them, building projects is my favorite. I would do it full-time if I had a better back. 

Have a great day! 

Love, Lori

Mouse Pad

I wanted to show you how I spruced up this mousepad.  First it came home looking like this. 

My 6 year old had won it in her school's carnival. I need a mousepad since I am taking night school, but one that looks like a prescription pad is definitely not my style.  So I gathered some scrap materials from around the house and tried them out. 

I was going to use the turquoise circles but the white part of the material was too thin and you could see the writing underneath. 

I used the spray adhesive very liberally on the mousepad. Then I laid the material out over the sticky mousepad and I pressed and stretched out all the bubbles and wrinkles. After I used my rotary cutter on my Silhouette Cameo cutting board to trim the fabric.  I went back with my sharp fabric scissors to make sure all the strings were cut. 

It cost me nothing since I got the mousepad for free and I had all the other materials here at home. I think this is an easy way to update an old mousepad or just make it match your own unique style. The total makeover time was less than five minutes.

Have a great day! 

Love, Lori

Rolling along

The VW Bus dresser is coming along nicely now. I got the windows, wipers and the headlights on! 

It just has a few more steps and a clear coat before I can call it done. 

I put a VW symbol on top just for fun as well. This little baby has come a long way! 

I couldn't find the hood ornament I wanted, so I cut one out of wood and patched and painted it to look like an authentic one. I was happy to get some use out of my Ryobi bandsaw I purchased early this spring. 

After I glued and wood filled the cuts, it painted up nicely. 

Here it is before the windows and the detail striping. I had just clamped the headlights to estimate the location they would be mounted on. 

I sponged on the top logo and then I went back and did the edge in metallic silver as well. 

Here it is before the lights. 

And here it is again after.  I am going to finish with a few more details but this piece doesn't have an owner quite yet. If you are interested it will be $199 for pickup here in Utah.  Please contact me if it's something you would like in your home.  

Vw dresser still in production

With both of my fashionista's in school full time I am excited I am getting back to work! I haven't sat down and blogged or had much time to paint, or build all summer.  These crazy gals keep me busy and I love spending time with them. 

With the girls gone all day, it's time for this mom to play! I am working on overall better health first and foremost (mind, body, spirit). I have been meeting with a personal trainer at Vasa fitness once a week and exercising as many days a week as possible 3-5.  I lost 5 inches on my waist so far but the weight hasn't gone down much. 

  I see a nutritionist soon (my insurance covers 5 visits with for free) to help get my diet more in line with my goals.  I have been listening to books on CD in the car and at home to get my mind active. The public library has oodles! I really recommend trying it out.

I went to a week long church retreat, and I start part-time online college at BYU-I next month.  I am really trying to work on self-improvement without getting overloaded, I will let you know if it works. 😉 

  So on to the fun stuff! I started working again on my VW bus dresser.  

I raised up the blue line a bit and I added a silver trim line.  It's not much of a difference so far but I am happy for any progress. 

Soon I will add the lights back on permanently, put windows and the windshield wipers and finish the tiny details.  Here it was with the lights clamped on in the spring.  I think raising the blue and adding silver really added to it.

They are fun working lights and the small ones are the yellow blinker ones.  I was at a local VW dealership looking for my future mid-life crisis mobile. (I am wanting a convertible VW bug someday in the distant future) On the wall of the dealership I saw this graphic. 

VW's are just fun to me. My first car was a Jetta that I purchased a year before my wedding and I loved that little thing. We sold it for a "family wagon" but since we are only able to have the two kids, I am thinking a zippy fun car is in the works for the future once again.  

*update* windows are on and here is me adding a touch of chrome trim to them. I love the shiny silver. I used silver guilders paste and my finger between the tape lines.