and for something completely quirky

I'm not sure why my sister has this thing in Yule stuff

and why didn't Photobucket save the UPRIGHT version?

This thing has a small incense bowl inside. Light the incense and the nose blows smoke

Looking Out My Front Door

Daily Grind and snow?

The last few days have been a flurry of general cleaning before cold weather really hits.  We learned on the news today that we might actually have snow tomorrow night.  It won't hold (rarely sticks for long here, we hear).  I need to get the leaves out of the drive way (which slopes) but I can't today, I overdid the cleaning yesterday and my back kept me up until 3am. 

Argh

Wooden Menorah - 5th step

I've sanded the menorah and added some very small pieces to the art piece in the center.

Next and final step will be varnish.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

To family, friends and future friends: Thank you for being part of our lives, we love you!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, love, and no stress

Wooden Menorah - 4th Step

It was actually Mom's idea to go with the SP idea on this one.

Next step - sanding and varnish

Then there's one more step but that may be awhile before the actual design hits me.

Looking Out My Back Door - part 2

Kimmers

Gabby

Wooden Menorah - 3rd Step

In the process of using the Dremel and a chisel to get the "Kwanzaa and outline of Africa" out.

Next will be some sanding

Then working the design I have in mind into the inlay

Then varnish

Wooden Menorah - 2nd step

Sanded off the left over dark brown paint.  Next I'll work to change the word Kwanzaa and the outline of Africa.

Wooden Menorah in Progress

I bought a menorah (not a Hanukkah menorah, a regular 7 stand menorah) at a local thrift store for $3.00  I'm not sure how it connected to Kwanza but I'm going to bring it back to a Jewish menorah.

Right now, it's a work in progress.

Step 1: remove the dark paint

I used Jaxco paint remover and it took 4 coats of the stuff to get down to the interesting red wood underneath.  Next I'll sand the remaining dark brown paint off and then Dremel, sand out the Kwanza/outline of Africa.

I have a plan for the space that will be carved out when that is gone but I'll wait to post what that is. :)

Craft Projects

Looking Out My Back Door

Dual Uses for Furniture

It's not only dolls that reside in Mom's baby furniture

Breakfast Bar Revamp

Our breakfast bar was homemade and not put together very well (and was too big for the space).  So, we got our new circular saw, pulled the finished front off, marked a line and cut it down to a more workable size.

Before
Note the leaning breakfast bar

The bar really isn't taken down to the plywood, that's the sawdust after cutting half of it off.  We cleaned the bar off and nailed the original finishing trim back on

we need to sand some edges down and touch up the black paint (or paint it something totally different!)

Speaking of orange/red clay...

White and gray cats that roll in the clay............ Halloween kitties!

Staining Grout

Whoever thought that beige tiles with sand colored grout was a good idea where red/orange clay is common should be shot.  They also thought beige carpet was a good idea.

We decided that was not for us.  We found a stain at Home Depot and I've spent days staining the grout (took longer because of my back)

During the staining process (which required a small paintbrush, a pillow and stain.

First coat done - the 2nd coat may wait a few days