Party time, serving tray...

The docs commissioned me to build a little something for a friend of theirs.  The medical doc had pinned an item she liked and it just happened to be something from a blog that I enjoy and have mentioned in previous posts, Shanty-2-Chic.  The serving tray is nice, pretty, and very functional.  And, oh so easy to make!

I started out with a 2x12 douglas fir board about 29" long.  After I had it stained Legal doc texted me that they were afraid that the tray would be too heavy, and asked if I could use a 1x12 instead.  As it so happened, I had a 1x12 in my lumber stash - yes, I have a "stash", just like I had a fabric stash back in the days when I sewed!

From very humble beginnings, a 2 x 12 fir board...Stained a pretty Minwax Provincial color

  

That is a chalkboard center - the hostess can write down the name of whatever is being served .
I guess some people do more than open a box of crackers and peel the plastic wrap off a chunk of cheese - who knew??

The 2x and the 1x.  I liked both of them.  But the 2x is much heavier.
I put a keyhole slot in the back so that they can be hung on the wall to store.  

The docs get to keep the tray made out of the 2x12.  Legal doc is big and strong - he can carry it!

And, here's the pretty tray, ready to be picked up and delivered!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

It doesn't take much to keep me busy and happy.  I just need to be doing something!  And, if you're keeping track of my posts you'll know that it seems like it's been awhile since I've done anything at all!  It's been cold, I've been tired, my back has been iffy for awhile - I have all kinds of excuses.  The fact is I really have been working on stuff, I just haven't done anything interesting enough to post!

But, when I realized that my last post was in April I thought I'd better get some pictures up here before I forgot what I'd worked on!  (I hate to admit it, but sometimes I do forget what I did yesterday - or an hour ago!)  So, here are a few of the little things I've been up to:

I wasn't happy with the lamps in my bedroom.  Come on now, don't focus on that crap all over the top of my nightstand - look at that new shade!  Purchased at Target!  I'm much happier with my lamps, and I think I'm even keeping the space much neater since I swapped them out.  More to come on the bedroom later, but it's a very slow work in progress!

This is a trellis like thing I made for Camper Daughter's garden.  I think she ended up splitting it and leaning each side up against the house for things to climb on.  Her garden is growing beautifully; we'll have to see how these work out though!

 

And, these poor things?  Well, I had all this old "rustic" wood so I thought I'd make some frames I might use in my bedroom.
Oh my gosh, I may not know what I like, but I definitely knew I didn't like these.  Too plain, too flat, too old looking - not rustic!  So, I let them sit for a few days - well, weeks, and then I added to them.

I like them a lot better - still not something that will work in my bedroom.  But, now they have some depth (they're about 1-1/2" deep) and some interest to them.
They'd be great with some vintage or western art.  

These are valences for Camper SIL's parent's bedroom.  They still need to be upholstered and installed.
I'll snap some pictures of these when they're up and looking beautiful in their pretty fabric!

You've seen a few of these before.  But this one went together in about 30 minutes.  I used some of that old wood.
It would look beautiful  on a patio or deck filled with some pretty potted plants .

Sort of like these

 And, then I've been working on these, too.

 

Night stands that I'm going to stain a rich, warm brown tone called Provincial.  

When completed I may replace my pretty yellow night stands with them.  The jury is still out on that though, especially since I'm not moving very fast to complete them!

Just when I think I'm getting the hang of making things "square" I realize I haven't yet mastered that lesson.  And drawers just don't work right unless the cabinet body is square!  

Right now I'm loving the solid, thick top and the grain in the drawer front (you can only see one drawer front - in the picture on the left, the top drawer).  I'm going to add some trim under the top and at the base.  The sides have a nice detail, too - oooh, you say, a surprise?  Yep, that will be my next posting.  I'm going to wrangle with these two this weekend and I will get those drawers to work!

So, a little bit here, a little bit there.  I'm getting a few things done, keeping busy,
and looking forward to sweet summertime!

Hope you're all doing the same!