Dismantling a Pallet...

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I was very excited starting out… I dragged two pallets to the basement after dropping Chris at work for the day… our Saturday Italian Supermarket pizza plans quashed and my new DIY plans now in place… 

...now after hammering and smashing… splintering and nail pulling I sit here snuggling with Ollie feeling defeated… turns out ripping one of these bad boys apart is a little harder than I anticipated!.. Don't get me wrong… you can do it… but start out well armed!.. hammer… rubber mallet… thick pants… ear plugs… I had all but the ear plugs… and I was wearing lulu leggings so I got a few big splinters… 

Here are the two beauties that I started out with… 

…weapons of choice...

I say I feel defeated mostly because it took a lot out of me to get the pallets apart… I did get a nice number of boards from the large one… the smaller one I still have some more work to do to get it all apart… halfway through I figured out that instead of pulling on a hammer to yank out nails that hitting the hammer handle with the rubber mallet works quite well ;)

Quite a number of boards were partially split when I'd started so those ones came apart completely…  see that stack of rubble in the middle… yeah that also lead to the defeated feeling… I was hoping to get more full boards… at first I just tackled the pallet with a chisel and hammer… then I googled and found this video: How To Video 

It's a different type of pallet than the ones I had to take apart but the process is basically the same... start at the bottom and bang the edge off!.. things went more smoothly after that…

I will grab another pallet when I pickup Chris from work… as you can see I've begun to mark out boards to cut up for a project that I want to make… only I've enough board for one of two circles that I need… 

…for now… I'm taking a break after pulling these pallets apart and I'm getting some snuggles from Ollie… and I'ma make some cinnamon sugar toast… Mmm… comfort toast… 

Don't get me wrong… I'm not unexcited now… I just wish it was a little easier and less time consuming!.. there's my lack of patience shining through… I just want to be working on the project that I'm ripping these pallets apart for!.. Stay tuned!.. it's a gooder!..

Do you have any pallet dismantling tips?

xo

Lacey

Wooden Labelled Organizer...

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So… I was laying in bed the other night… scrolling through Pinterest on my phone when I found a neat little cubby organizer… I clicked on the picture to check out the source… the source was a sweet little website tutorial!.. SCORE!.. The next morning Pickle and I got up and headed to Home Depot to pickup supplies so that I could make this beauty!.. 

Check out this amazing website ChalkBoard {Blue} for the tutorial… materials list… cut list… great instructions… 

It took longer to finish the wood than it did to prep all of the cuts and to nail the thing together!..

Broke out the measuring tape and square!.. got serious on this bad boy… 

Pickly helped me with cutting the thin strips of plywood… I did all of the mitre saw chopping… and Chris helped me to secure the last board to ensure that everything was lined up!.. 

I'm so stoked on this!.. I can't wait to make another… I think the next one will have a solid colour paint job… I love the weathered barn board look but it took so long to paint and sand and distress and stain!.. :P

OH!.. These label holders!?… they came from Staples… We tried two Michaels and they had nothing… we went into Staples on a whim Pickle found these Martha Stewart Stick on Label Holders!… he knows what I like!…

Seriously… this was a dream to make!… really a one day project if you're going with some solid coloured wood!… if you're going with any sort of faux finish or specialty finish then the wood prep will take longer and you should probably do this project over two days… I'm so stiff and sore and a little bruised at the moment!… I was working on the floor in the basement!… hahaha… but it was worth it!…

xo

Lacey

This is too good not to link party!

C.R.A.F.T. Coastal Charm Our Delightful Home I Should be Mopping the Floor DIY Home Sweet Home DIY Showoff The Girl Creative Handy Man Crafty Woman New Nostalgia The Pinkatamus Romance on  a Dime Savvy Southern Style Rae Gun Ramblings {Primp} The Melrose Family Romance on  a Dime Ginger Snaps and Crafts DIY by Design If It's Not Baroque The Shabby Creek Cottage House of Hepworths No Minimalists Here Crafty, Scrappy, Happy The Vintage Farmhouse Live Laugh Rowe The Shabby Nest  My Romantic Home Miss Mustard Seed French Country Cottage Miss Mustard Seed Redoux

Small Projects…

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

Hey!.. How've you been?.. how's your January going?.. I've tackled a few projects… Finally finished the kitchen chairs… only the paint is too stark white… I need it to be more cream… So I'm going repaint them… again… 

I tried out Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint… It's neat!.. I'd been using the Annie Sloan Chalk paint before this but Lauren Lane just started carrying the Milk Paint and they're stopping carrying the Annie Sloan and Van Gogh Chalk Paints… I really like the Annie Sloan… It has amazing coverage and sands like a dream… I need to see the Milk Paint's coverage on some prefinished furniture!..

I picked up this wooden Ikea step stool this past summer at a garage sale… and it has just been raw wood ever since… 

I needed a test project for the Milk Paint and Pickle suggested our unfinished step stool!.. He's always got awesome ideas and suggestions… 

I didn't make it chippy… but more just worn looking… it's very farmhouse now...

While I was working on the kitchen chairs I threw a couple of coats of Kilz on this folding tray… it was in rough shape… I think a couple more coats of kilz and then the last little bit of the cream Annie Sloan cream that I have left… 

I might chip through the paint layers to show through to some of the gold underneath… I did leave a gold square on the back unpainted… it is a very pretty gold...

Actually… instead of cream I think I'm just going to paint it a crisp white… then I'll give it a few layers of oil to give it a nice shine...

Old nasty table that I found on Kijiji…. the top was too damaged on this one to restain like the one that I refinished for the front living room… 

So… I sanded down all of the water damaged areas so that those areas were now flush with the rest of the table top… then a few layers of Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue… a little sanding… and a little oiling and it was done!.. 

This same night I was struck with the need to start ANOTHER project… Burlap potato sacks… old seagrass footstool… batting and and old sheet...

New footstool for our living room!… It was pretty basic… I ironed out the potato sacks because they were rather wrinkled up… I wasn't sure if there was anything on them that would ruin my iron or ironing board cover so I placed an old sheet above and below and ironed away… 

I measured out the top and sides… cut out squares of burlap with a little bit of seam allowance… and I also cut out a fabric square from the old sheet for each burlap square… I sewed these together to help the burlap squares keep their shape…  It's not a tight fitting cover… it's a little loose which suits the burlap… before pulling it on I wrapped the old seagrass footstool in some batting… stapled it down and then pulled the cover down over it… some staples around the bottom and BAM!.. new footstool for the house ;)

I think I might try the larger seagrass chest next… 

…I hosted Bunco at Le Chateaux Pickle the other night… and a few of my bowls were empty since packing away the Christmas Decorations… so I busted out the paper shredder and some old books… paper filler!… I also twirled some paper around my finger and tied it together with another shredded piece… they kinda look like little paper eggs… 

…and we picked up some coloured chalk… look out house chalkboards!.. 

I'm fired up and ready to get more projects finished!.. the hunt begins for new treasures to refinish!.. do you have any exciting project plans in the works!?...

xo

Lacey

Link Party Time!

Coastal Charm Savvy Southern Style The Shabby Creek Cottage

Not Another NYE Blog Post...

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

Yep… it is… 

Everyone on FB is saying great things… the year past was fantastic… and the year ahead… going to make it great!.. I totally agree (well not with the past year part - a large portion of ours was rather sucky)… but looking forward and making 2013 our best year yet… Just like everyone else we've got big plans… big hopes… and dreams… It shouldn't just be looking forward with excitement because it's NYE… We should hold onto this all of the time… hahaha how chachi does that sound?.. but really though… who doesn't want to feel great and excited for what they're going to be doing!?. now sustaining it is the challenge!..

I've read one of Erin Kelly's FB posts about a yearly ritual… when taking down and packing away the tree she writes a letter to herself that she'll see next year when she takes the tree out again… 

"One of my favorite traditions, is an annual letter I write to myself. I started it in 1994, before I really understood goal setting. It is essentially a letter to my future self, inspired by the book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I pack it away each year with the Christmas tree. That way, next year, when I am getting ready to decorate for the holidays, and listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album, and drinking chai eggnogs, I get to read, reflect and re-commit to anything I might be struggling with, and celebrate the successes I've had.

The day I take the tree down, is the day I write the next letter. It is an amazing and tangible way to track your annual progress, and celebrate all the wonderful things a year can bring. It will also teach you, over time, that all the things you might be worrying about today are just cluttering up your mind, because odds are, one year from now, those things will be insignificant."

Yep… I just took a big fat quote from Erin Kelly's Facebook Page...  In the New Year now I'ma follow up with a post about Erin's Goal Setting and Achievement Seminar that Colleen and I went to a few weeks back… really good shit… for reals!..

I'm big on this goals thing since her seminar… and thinking "what I'm doing right now  - is it moving me towards achieving my goals?.." I've got my goals set and am ready to take on 2013 and make it mine!.. How about you?..

xo

Lacey

Chrimbo Hollies...

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

Ahh… it's nice having had a week and a bit off of work already… and I still have all of this week off!.. chill time to the max!.. ha ha… that sounded like it was right out of Saved by the Bell… My parents arrived a week and a bit ago to visit Pickly and I over Christmas and New Years!.. we've been eating lots… shopping lots… what has your Christmas been consisting of!?.  lots of chill time I hope!.. 

The paperwhites that hadn't bloomed for our Annual Christmas Shindig were in full bloom for our family Christmas!.. don't believe the box when it says that the blooms are "fragrant"… paperwhites stink… but they look sooo pretty!..  

  

  

  

Some Pickle loves me is the understatement of the century!.. Santa Pickle has spoiled me as usual this Christmas!.. And as usual I was up before the birds on Christmas morning… which lead to many Christmas day naps...

…nothin but comfort… 

…zzz… 

We took the Momma and Poppa out to Banff for Afternoon Tea this past Friday… the weather was beautiful… the sun had decided to come out… finally!.. 

…and we were lucky enough to spy these unicorn elk… 

Now tonight we're chilling out even more… lots of food… bubbly... and movies!

I hope your Christmas has been fabulous!..

xo

Lacey

Tipps Eve...

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It's Tipps Eve AGAIN!.. I'm sitting in my front living room with Ollie snuggling on my lap… he's biting at the toggle button on my sweater and purring up a storm… and he has stinky cat breath!.. I love him so… he is a sweet kitteh…

Everyone is still asleep… they better get it in this morning... and tomorrow morning because I'm a Christmas Day early bird… I'm still a little kid when it comes to Christmas… I wake up early and I just can't go back to sleep!.. I'm too excited for everyone to open their presents!.. hehehe… how about you?.. can you hold out?.. do you sleep in?..

I've glittered a few more items…

These shots look like plugs for Martha Stewart Glitter!.. 

That would be sweet… but they're not… just a few of my instagram shots of my newly glittered creations...

My parents made it here safe and sound… we braved the mall yesterday with my dad to start and finish his Christmas shopping… a few quick stocking stuffers and last minute grocery items this morning with my mom and we'll be done completely and finally ready for Christmas Day!.. well there is some more gift wrapping now… nothing major… Oh and I really want to track down some duck fat… I want to make these Jamie Oliver Smashed Potatoes (closest thing I can find to what I saw on the Christmas Special) on Christmas Day… which also reminds me!.. I have to take the turkey out of the freezer today to thaw in the fridge!..

Yesterday was pretty action packed… we also made a trip down to Longview for Chris and dad to get some jerky… and so that Mom and I could check out Pam's Shop… visit Pam at Wow and Then if you are even in Longview… and if it's in the winter she'll have some delicious apple cider brewing… it's amazing… check out this shot of an old antique cows head at Pam's...

You have to check out this video of Straight No Chaser… now stick through the first 30 seconds… I love this version of this song… it is so good that I bought it from iTunes!.. My fave Christmas song this year is The Christmas Waltz… Check out this She & Him version of the song… 

Have to run… everyone is up!.. Chris and I are going to pickup breakfast sammiches from A&W… om nom nom… what are your plans for this eve of Christmas eve?

xo

Lacey

Sparkle and Shine...

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Well... I've had most of these supplies for a good 11 months now… found thrifting… the Eiffle Towers… and gifted… the Martha Stewart Glitter was in my stocking last Christmas… some Furbear loves me!.. and the German Glass Glitter I picked up this past summer on our road trip to Spokane to check out the Farm Chicks!.. well it's hit me to put them together…

Experiment with different types of glitter… as you can see the German Glass Glitter… although its the fine stuff… is still rather chunky and makes a more rustic looking ornament… then Martha's fine iridescent glitter makes a more sleek sharper looking ornament...

It was very easy… all you need is a small paint brush… heck a q-tip would work even… some white clear drying or clear glue… or modge podge… even spray glue would work… though I suspect it would get quite messy and then sparkles would be stuck to everything around you… stick to a brush and glue!.. brush it on lightly… then sprinkle your sparkles!.. 

Sprinkle your sparkles over a container or piece of paper so that you can pour them back into their container when you're all done glittering… oh and don't goop on the glue… you only need a thin layer… now if you go too thin it'll dry really quickly… trust me… it's easy and you'll figure this all out rather quickly… perhaps do a practice piece first to make sure you get your technique down and then you'll be sure to get the results you want!.. 

I did this quite a few years back with some small plastic animals… there isn't much cuter than a gold glittered turtle… really the possibilities here are endless!.. so bust out that glitter and show me what you got!..

xo

Lacey

This is too fun not to share… link party time!..
My Romantic Home
The DIY Showoff
Coastal Charm
DIY By Design
Savvy Southern Style
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The Shabby Nest
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
French Country Cottage

Out With 2012 and in With 2013…

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

…frankly… personally… really… I'm done with 2012… it started out bad and stayed on that track… now I'm saying that from a shit point of view… because we'd lost our two fur babies unexpectedly due to insane… out of nowhere sicknesses... within three months of each other… and my work situation was making me a zombie… 

...but now if we play optimist 2012 has turned around towards the end… and it's for fucking sure that we're making 2013 our best year yet… we want it and we'll have it… how's that for positive thinking!?. really though I've ended this year with a new place of employment and some really great new friends… and we just celebrated the holidays with the biggest party we've ever had in this house… our front room has finally come together after 6 years of trying to figure the space out… we're going to elope this coming summer/fall… and I've got some early sprouts of plans in progress for being a small business owner… so bring it on 2013…  we're ready to take you on!.. :)

Now… I'm sitting down for the first Sunday evening in AGES… supper is cooking away… really I can't remember the last time I wasn't packing away laundry until 7 or 8 at night on a Sunday!.. Pickly and I switch hit the laundry today and got it done good and early… I even finished my Christmas shopping today!.. AND all of the wrapping!… 

Three days of work... and three evenings of tidying up in preparation for the Parent's arrival later this week and I'm off for two weeks… bring on some RNR!.. 

How was your Sunday?!

xo

Lacey