Outdoor Buffet Table

My new outdoor buffet table is finally finished. Well, the structure is built, I still have to add some pirate items to it to completely finish it off. We started this project months ago and have worked on it here and there until it got completed. Whew. It was one of those projects I never thought would get done.
I wanted the new buffet table to be made out of old fence planks, which is no easy feet as most people haul them off to the dump.

I did find someone giving away old boards on Craigslist... We were at their house at 6:00 a.m. just in case anyone else had designs on my wood.

I wanted a cement top on my new buffet table... but I didn't want to do the work. Isn't that how it goes sometimes? Instead, I tried something new. I bought Backerboard and cut that to fit the buffet top. So far so good! I bought the cement boards that are indoor and outdoor. The backerboard seems to be weathering nicely so I'm not going to paint it until I absolutely have to. I am planning on adding old fish nets and other things to the buffet front at a later date. I was just so excited to have it completed I was in a hurry to share it!

The length of my new buffet table is 25 feet. I previously had a 10 foot buffet table and that was always crowded with food and there was no room for chachkies. We created this buffet table with several openings under it so I could display cool stuff underneath it.

 I still have these two areas to finish off with a lot of small interesting things... which I am still needing to find! Once the weather gets warmer I'll go back and add some really fabulous jewelry pieces inside each vignette just to give everything a little bit more excitement. These last two areas are both works in progress, who knows what they will end up looking like when I'm finished.

At this far end is where I will have a power strip for crock pots and anything else that needs power. You can see my hose poking out of the side of the buffet table. A necessary evil I am afraid. I have a piece of wood at the ready to cover up that area when the hose gets put away and it's party time.

I have a lot more wood planks left over... I feel some more projects coming on!
big hugs,
 

Cat Statue

I created a statue of a lounging cat using metal tape and one of my embossing plates. I've got plenty of inspiration for this exact pose from all of my own cats... You know the pose.... the "I'm sitting here, and you are not to move me" pose....
But, you want to sit in your chair, and you move the cat anyway.... and then you get the "your dead to me" pose...

Then you start talking all goofy like the cat understands you because you don't want your kitty mad at you.... which makes the cat laugh internally I'm sure....
Which brings you back to the cat's original pose... and the question the cat is asking you with it's hungry eyes, "When are you going to feed me?"

Which makes you get up out of your chair to feed the cat... which is probably what the cat intended when it first jumped up into your chair in the first place. Cat 1, human 0.
big hugs,

Pirate Building Sneak Peek

Here is the newest pirate building in my backyard. This is going to be set up like a general merchandise store when it is all finished. I am still needing to add window and door trim and I am also going to staple moss to the underside of the eaves of the building to give it an old decrepit look.

 The building itself is finished.....

There is a lot of little things that need to be done to the pirate building to really make it all pop.

I am going to install new screen in the old screen door, and then add some paint to distress it so it ties in better with the building. I also need to find a handle and some sort of closure to keep it securely closed. Right now I'm using a piece of cardboard wedged in between the door and the door jam.

 I added an over hang to the front of the building. This wasn't in the plans but I think it makes it look more like a "building" as apposed to a shed. I also want to have a skeleton-pirate sitting on the roof with a sword in his hand giving everyone either a laugh or a fright.....

 I painted the siding on the building to look like planks of wood. I'm pretty happy with the way it looks. I think at a later date I would like to add real black bolts to the planks to give it another dimension. All the windows are duel paned windows, this one below is in need of some black paint... I must add that to my list.

 The inside of this building is a jumbled mess right now as the forecast tells of four days of upcoming rain. I did take an afternoon to just play out there.... it was so much fun.

 We created a small alcove of sorts at the very peak of the back of the store. I wanted a place to showcase some do-dads and chachkies. I must keep an eye out for more of the same... I'm running low~

 I have a total of five trunks in this 10 x 10 building. Three flat tops and two camel backs. Somehow I am going to incorporate them into the design of this space. Who knows what it will end up looking like.

 Once the rain has passed, I'm really needing to pull everything out and then get to decorating!

 Here is one of my little chimps drinking some pirate ale.... I think he needs a straw~

 As for me, I think I'll go have a cup of tea.
big hugs,
 

School Valentines

Ahhhhhh Valentines day.... little hands stuffing Valentines into their classmates Valentine boxes or bags... good times- good times. I am lucky that my daughter indulges me by letting me make things for my two grand kids to take to school for their school parties. I came across a cute idea on a blog called "Back to Organic" ...she made a printable sleeve for rulers and had her kids give those out as Valentines. Caute! I just HAD to make some for my two little love bugs to pass out to their classmates. I pre-assembled the Valentines for my grand kids a head of time... I'll send the rulers home along with heart stickers and rhinestones so they can decorate them and have them ready for next weeks big festivities~

The only thing I did different than the original idea was to add some duct tape to the area where the rulers slid through--- I felt this would add more stability in keeping the paper on the ruler for a longer period of time. Once the paper sleeve was added to each ruler, I added a little piece of tape to keep the sleeve centered. Lastly, I added a printed address label to the ruler itself with "Happy Valentines Day" and who it was from. I ended up making a total of sixty~

A few years ago, I found a super cute crochet pattern online for a teeny-tiny heart. These little crochet hearts measure in at one inch by one and one fourth inch, tiny! They whip up super fast.... in this bowl is 100 teeny-tiny hearts. I bought some glittered-colored bobby pins and hot glued a small piece of red felt to attach the bobby pins so that these crocheted hearts can be worn in your hair. I have no plans for these heart hair clips yet... but if I ever need them, boy am I ready!

I don't remember where I found the pattern for the teeny-tiny hearts... but here is the pattern if your wanting to make some for yourself:
G Hook, Worsted weight yarn
Magic ring ch 2
In the magic ring crochet: 2 dc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st into ring and then pull it tight and your teeny-tiny heart will appear.
Now I am on the search to find something to make for Saint Patrick's Day!
big hugs,