Update All the Things!

Lack of blogging is not the same as lack of doing. I've been working full time and have not had a solid internet connection for the last 2 months, hence the break. Here's an extra long run down of project statuses.

Nightstand
The nightstand is complete! Such a pretty thing, you are, too! I'm very impressed by how the veneer turned out. This is the original wood, stripped of lacquer and stained. Next step is to find a resale shop that will get us the best value on the sale.

Before - Missing a drawer side and 2 pieces of trim veneer.

Completed - Stained exterior, painted interior. 

Watchmaker's Desk
Remember this guy? We were able to date it to Circa 1930-40 by the Bakelite plugs, located inside the left leg. I've given it a good cleaning with gentle soap, and we'll be refinishing the top only, and connecting new, period correct wiring to the two outlets before we put it up for sale. For you "Antiques Road Show" junkies out there - YES it's fine to clean and/or refinish most furniture while still maintaining the value. It's only certain furniture houses, styles and periods of furniture that should be left alone. We're still taking the minimal approach, but these improvements will actually increase the value of the desk overall.  

Kitchen Remodel
Yes, we rent. Yes, we know about lead paint. Yes, we stripped and refinished all of the cabinets in our kitchen. This project is not quite done, as we still need to paint some of the doors, but it's close. I'll actually update closer to real time once we get the paint on the walls. Here's a taste:

Gross and Yellow

Clean and White

We still need to attach the catches, but the doors now close completely! Something about removing 80 years of paint layers did the trick. The lower right cabinet is an old ice box. The weatherstripping is still in tact. We plan on finding a replacement icebox closer handle for it so it can seal properly. That should keep our flour and potatoes happy.

Costume
This is a hard one for me. I had to admit that I hate sewing. To be honest, this was a big relief for me, and no particular surprise to my husband. I'm finally willing to farm out creative work that makes me hostile, and only do work that actually makes me feel happy. That was the point of this whole blog anyway, right? To figure out what I really like and what I really don't? Anyway, this project won't be done until I can afford to hire one of my friends to do the construction from my pattern. I'm still labeling it a success.

Graphic Design
Something I actually like doing and am now getting paid to do Freelance; I've been commissioned to create marketing documents for a local street fair, including poster, save the date and logo. This work I really enjoy, even if I do occasionally yell at the mouse for sticking. The poster and logo are already approved and should go to print next week. I won't post images until then, but there will be a "concept" and "client" version of each.

Other Stuff
The earrings are on hold until the kitchen is done, and my husband is going to take the lead on getting the catalog complete and new designs to the laser cutter. Bunarchy did not occur this year, it seems, so no bunny costume. As far as fitness goals, I'm doing very well, down about a size and a half from January, with a size and a half to go.

And that's about all there is to say about that.

In Which Polyurethane is Applied.

Here's a look at the original drawer front and the refinished drawer with the first layer of polyurethane.I need to sand it and apply the second coat before I replace the handle. This was what I completed a few days ago, before the job search binge.

Pretty Awesome
Great news on the Awesome Front - one of  my friends just got a job using a resume which I formatted for her. Obviously, it was her great history and work ethic that actually landed her the job, but it's very satisfying to know I'm providing something valuable.

Fitness
I ran 45 minutes on a treadmill yesterday. I think the longest I've tried before was 25. As usual, the day after working out, I gained 4 pounds which stuck around most of the week. (No, you do not gain four pounds of muscle in one workout.) The Internet says I'm either eating more OR retaining water due to not drinking enough as a rule. I have a calorie tracker that assures me I'm not eating more calories than prior to the I was prior toning class and elliptical running. So, retention it is. I've started drinking a big bottle of water each day. This should convince my body to stop retaining water after work outs. Today, I'm down 2 pounds. Maybe next week, I'll manage a pound less. This time, I won't freak out and quit before the exercise and diet has a chance to work.

I don't really feel like doing much more than cleaning my house today. Maybe I'll put something on the television and finish my pattern today. That would be Awesome.

Progress on the Nightstand and Costumes.

Nightstand
Today, we started applying the stain and fixing the bumps in the paint on the nightstand. I'm sanding out the drips, then applying the paint one layer at a time, one side at a time. It's slow progress, but the end should be a laquer-like finish.

This is what the walnut stain looks like. It really brought out the grain of the wood. I got some of the stain on the new drawer side, but it won't be visible so I'll probably leave it.

I'd just started the staining of the bottom while waiting for the inside to dry. This was not a good idea, as stain takes a long time to dry and the white paint dust from sanding kept getting on my hands and its legs.

Costume Pattern
In between coats, I started creating the pattern for my catsuit. The 2 costumes I am making will be modifications of the basic pattern. Hopefully, I'll want to head downstairs to the workshop again tomorrow.

Sort of Awesome
Yesterday, I partitioned the hard drive on a MacBook Pro. I don't recommend trying this if you want to keep your sanity. I pulled it off eventually, but the entire project was horribly complex - not just partitioning, but downloading Windows from the school store, moving things to discs, backing things up, creating the partition and finally installing CAD. This is actually the tail-end of a months long project intended to make our lives easier. It was a total headache. I wish I could feel accomplished, but really, I just feel relieved.

Fitness
I found an app for my phone that tracks calories for the day and tells me how many I have left. It even gives me more if I exercise. It's called MyFitnessPal, and I like it so far. My goal is to have my costumes be too big by the time I wear them. We'll see if it works.

That's all for today. I'm off to eat some injera.

The Daily Awesome - In Which a Dremel is Employed

More on the nightstand for today. We knocked out the new side piece to give it a bit more shape. In the photo, I'm matching the roundness of the original side using a Dremel tool. If you want a tool that is completely approachable, a Dremel is a good place to start. Hit some scrap wood to get a feel, and go to on any custom shaping job you've got. I once carved a little wooden dog using a carving knife and Dremel. It's really fun!

I had to knock a bit off the teeth on the dove tail to get the piece to fit a bit more flush with the back and front pieces. I'll hit it with a bit of wood filler after the glue dries to close the gaps. This isn't exactly pro, but it's way better than foam core and duct tape!

The interior now has a second coat of paint. I need to sand a couple spots and do a third coat. Word to the wise, if you paint wood use a foam brush. In retrospect, I believe spray enamel would have been far better for the desired effect. It still looks great, but didn't achieve the smoothness we wanted. 

That's all for today. I'll see if we can start the exterior stain tomorrow.

Yesterday's Daily Awesome and a Preview of What's Coming

Yesterday's Awesome account was delayed due to my nearly taking off the end of my finger with a sushi knife. I'm fine, but word to the wise; if you are left-handed use a left-handed Japanese knife, not a right-handed one.

I used this opportunity to teach my husband how to make sushi rolls. I told him step by step what to do, and made some amazing California Rolls and miso soup!

So delicious! 

Here's a little update on some of the upcoming Awesome. 

1. I bought a mask to turn into a proper sleep mask. The store bought ones are either really flat or really spendy. I need one that warps around my nose to close off the light around my cheeks. 
2. I bought foam and chip brushes to finish off the nightstand paint and stain. 
3. The book is my guide to making a great background for the catalog. I've training in digital print making for fabrics, and forgot how to do some of the basics since the class. Glad I didn't sell this one back! 

Here's another picture of the cardboard blanks for the earring store. I've got all of the photos done like this. We want to take pictures of them in my ear with the hooks on as well. I've nearly completed the price sheet and the background for the catalog to send to stores. It's really beautiful, and will be today's awesome once I complete it.

The Daily Awesome

Today, Jon and I are working on a piece of furniture. I found it on the side of the road and didn't want to see it go into a landfill. The piece is made of solid wood and particle board with veneer. The point is not to restore an expensive piece of furniture, rather to take a functional piece and make it attractive once more. I have no space in my home for it, so we'll be selling it once the work is done.

The original nightstand. The top is water damaged, the veneer on is missing on two edges. Still, it's an adorable piece of vintage mid-century.

The original drawer. One side is missing. The handle is corroded.

The stand with the finish removed and the veneer replaced. We did not sand the interior, as we plan to paint it white.

We created a template from the existing drawer side, then cut a blank. The holes were not a true dovetail, as they were round with a flanged front. Eventually, we were able to whittle the shape properly.

First coat of paint on the interior. The drawer now has a new side. Once the glue is dry, the drawer side will be sanded and bevelled with a Dremel.