The Stump Becomes a Table

You may recall that I found this beauty while on a trip last summer. I had plans to use it in my house but wanted to leave it as close to its natural state as possible

It has been drying out for months since it was quite water logged and I made feet for it to elevate it off the ground a few inches. I sanded it so the top was smooth and with a wire brush, removed all the sand from the crevices.

Then I stained it to enhance the color of the wood and now we use it for a coffee table.

~Angela

Little Free Library

I love to read and I love to pass books along. I've been visiting Little Free Libraries when we travel for several years and thought it would be fun to make my own. And recently I have discovered several of them close to my home, as these libraries are located all over the world. The idea is you can take a book or leave a book or both (exchange a book for a new one).

Our little girl has also gotten into them- she likes to be the first one to spot them as we try to find new ones we have not visited....and she has picked out some interesting books for herself:

I downloaded the plans from the Little Free Library website and I've been working on this for MONTHS. And I have had a lot of help for this project- it has really been a labor of love...I took a woodworking class where I did most of the work.  Our friend and next door neighbor helped me a lot with the door and gave me all the wood for the project. Another friend gave me the the shingles for the roof.  My daughter helped me paint the Little Free Library and my husband helped me with the handle and attaching the door. When I put it that way, it sounds like I hardly had any part in this project, but I assure you I did!

I've been stocking up on books:

And put on some finishing touches. Since the library will be at our dental office, I thought it only fitting to have a toothbrush for a handle.

Homemade Wooden Blocks

I love trees. We planted one the year our daughter was born and will again soon for our son. I like what they symbolize: growth and stability and keeping yourself grounded. So when I saw these wooden blocks for sale made from pieces of a tree, I thought they would be a great purchase for my little man. 

Then the tree that has been in my grandparents’ yard for years lost some branches and I saved some to repurpose and make my own. The tree at my Grandma’s house has been there as long as I can remember- we’ve played around it, took a million pictures by it as it was the unofficial photo spot of the backyard and watched it grow.

So I scraped off the bark, sanded the pieces smooth and put a coat of non-toxic stain on them:

~Angela

Crafting with Corks

I have a thing for wine corks. I have collected them over the years from drinking wine (obviously!) and they have made great souvenirs from travels, like the trip to Napa Vally and Door County, WI. And I have friends that save them for me too. I save them in a giant wine glass I got from my brother as a "you're the best sister in the world" gift (I love that guy!), but it was overflowing, so I did what anyone would do and crafted with them!

The thing I love best about these projects is that they were very simple and I had everything already on hand to make them so they cost nothing. And it recycled the corks! Simple, cheap and cute craft projects = a happy me:)

A little hot glue and a wooden base~ viola! A Christmas tree!

I'd make a tutorial except this project is so easy a description will surely suffice: Hot glue corks together.
The reddish corks got the color from the red wine they helped keep in the bottle; the green corks I painted.

Another tree, all the corks match unlike the previous random tree.

A Christmas ornament

I made the with a friend- I love joint projects- 2 people creating something together!!

Wine cork memo board

~Angela

Homemade Nativity Set

 

Most of the supplies I already had (LOVE projects like that!)

 

 

Here is a supply list in case you don't have everything on hand:

 

I cut the wood from wooden scraps. The pieces measuring approx:

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 7 inches high (Mary- the red)

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 8 inches high (Joseph)

1 X 3 inches (Baby Jesus)

 *I made a couple of these and the sizes varied depending on the size of wood scraps I had, so use your own crativity!

I purchased the wooden circles at a craft store

 

Small amount of wire (4 inches)

Small wooden star

Paint

Hot glue

Raffia or ribbon

 

I painted the pieces and sanded the edges for that rustic look. I also drilled a hole to attach the wire into for the star that is above their heads.

 

I used raffia that I had on hand to tie around the pieces of wood, but it is strictly for decorative purposes as I hot glued all the pieces together first.

~Angela

 

Wooden Cross

I made this for my grandma. I thought she could hold onto it while she is in dialysis or watching tv or praying.

I saw this in a catalog for $19 and figured I could make it for much less (as in free!)

I used a scrap of oak that was left over from a previous project and sketched out a cross so I knew which pieces of the wood I would be sawing off.

I used a circular sander to sand out the rough cut edges.

A little danish oil to finish it off - then I gave it to my Grandma.

~Angela

Homemade Christmas Gifts Reveal

Now that everyone has gotten their Christmas gifts from me, I will reveal what I created in my goal of making homemade gifts for all of those on our list this year.

This is the dollhouse bookshelf that I made for my daughter.

I made this necklace for a friend

Made this wooden box for a coworker. I cut the pieces for the box from wood, painted and decorated it.

This necklace was made for my cousin

This is a growth chart for my Godson.

I cut this ornament from wood and painted it.

I made this memory book for my mother-in-law and father-in-law. Inside are photos from a trip we took with them.

I created this wooden flower for a friend of mine out of a branch then painted it pink.



Other gifts I made that I did not photograph:


1. CDs with Christmas Music
2. Photo calendars
3. Scarves
4. Scrapbooks

~Angela