LET'S MAKE SOMETHING PRETTY -A Wheelbarrow for the Garden

This is my inspiration - I have wanted to have something like this in my yard for the last few years.  This year it will become a reality! 

Picture is from HGTV.com

If you do not have an old wheelbarrow then you might have to buy one which can be pricey and if you have been following my blogs then you know I have not won the lottery or have any rich aunts, uncles or other family members that I know of.  If I do, they aren't saying!! That's okay because WE CAN BUILD ONE - right?  Of course we can.  Keep in mind it is going to be covered with gorgeous flowers so who will be looking at the wheelbarrow?  

FIRST AND FOREMOST when starting any project, be SURE all the batteries are CHARGED for the DRILL, screw gun.  You will see why later.

Of course we are using pallets.  I looked around the web and mainly on Pinterist which had a number

#1 pic from Woodworkingwithajo.com
#2 pic from 1001pallets.com

  of wheelbarrows made from pallets...some big, some small.  I think mine is somewhere in between.  I have based mine on picture #1.  

We are starting with the main piece that will have the wheel at one end and the handles at the other. 

From what I see in the picture I had to cut away a portion of the pallet stringer to make the handle. (see the end on the left side of pic?) Yeah, yeah, yeah, BIG power tools.  Yes, I used the table saw. 

 Thank you TONIA (that's my daughter) for my table saw at Christmas.  I am certainly getting lots of use from it. Much easier to get things cut than having to use the circular saw which is heavy (for me).

Then I laid the stringers in a slight V-shape.  I took boards and cut to size, making the base.  Yes I do think this is a bit bigger than what is in the picture I am using for my visual pattern.  Measure?  We have to measure things? KNOT SO PERFECT right?   That's what makes it look so cool!  Oh, that's right, it's called RUSTIC, VINTAGE.  Make up some other words if you'd like.  It will look good no matter what you call it!

Because this is going into the garden or somewhere in the yard and will not be something used regularly, I am NOT going to waste my sandpaper by sanding this down.  Sure it would look a little nicer but from the street - 50 ft +/- away who is going to notice?

Next we need to make a wheel or, if you have found one in the junk yard - which I should have looked for but didn't, so this is what I did.  Because I oversized the wheelbarrow I figured a 15" wheel was needed. (I did look and found a couple I could certainly use but didn't want to pay $35.00 for one!!! It can always be added later). 

I took 3 boards about 16" long.  I have to make a circle.  I looked around the shop - nope, nothing the "right" size so I took a nail and put in the center.  Attached my pencil to a string about 7 1/2" long and drew the circle.  Didn't come out too bad.  Connect these together with 2 boards on BOTH sides.

Next we make the sides.  You want them a little longer than the base. Again, nail them together with 2-3 boards on one side (boards on outside).

Remember I said to be sure your batteries were charged before starting any project?  Well, I haven't put anything together yet because if you refer back to the sample pic you will see that the stringers and the wheel require a hole - circle to put a dowel or a pipe through to hold the front together. It is certainly easier to drill the hole when you can get leverage. WELL,  because the stringers are NOT pine and I was trying to be clever by using a hole saw, I soon drained the battery.  Checked the other 2 - dead.  DAMN. So now I'm stuck until tomorrow and I was on such a roll here.

I'm back and the drill batteries are fully charged.

 Ok, so let's get the holes drilled and start putting this together.  I found a hole saw kit at the local hardware store for $5.00.  That's cheap enough.  I bought it a while back just in case.  I think it beats trying to use your jigsaw to make a perfectly round hole...ya' know that ain't gonna' happen!!

First, I attached the base. Then the sides, the front & back, the wheel and the legs.  Ta da - done.  Keep in mind there are much smaller versions of this, just look around. Now that I see this done I might have to re-think the front part of the stringer where the wheel is.  I think it is too long or if I leave it like that then I'm thinking I should have some support under the front of the base - just in case.

 This will replace a yellow peacock chair I had in the same area and the seat had a large flower pot and Gerber daisies in it - that DO come back every year!!! I guess they aren't suppose to but it likes my yard!  :-) 

I have a few ideas as to how to do the inside of the wagon for dirt.  1. line with plastic, add a couple pieces of tubing for drainage and fill with dirt or, 2. simply put a clear plastic tote that best fits the base, drill a couple holes, add tubing for drainage, then fill with dirt.  #1 has the advantage of dirt everywhere while #2 will have a gap between the tote and the

sides of the wheelbarrow (which you could fill with dirt??) and #3.  use pots so it can easily be changed for seasonal flowers. (I did line with plastic and used pots and filled in with dirt around them to plant other flowers). As you can see I stained it "cayenne" and not even completely to give it that vintage look.  This is the color my grandfather's wheelbarrow was but it had an iron wheel. 

Next, we fill with plants.  This WILL COST YOU if you want the "look" in the original picture. (I'll let you know if I have to refinance the farm for this!!) I'm not a gardener and can't remember only the simple plants (if I like the color and the look, then I buy it) so I will

take the picture of the flowers to the nursery people and let THEM tell me what I need to achieve the look.  Hopefully they are perennials!!

I am thinking I should have made it smaller for a couple reasons. $$$ for one.  Dirt, potting soil and the flowers.  Going to need a lot of each...oh well, that's what I wanted.  

I have to laugh when I look at it as it is definitely KNOT PERFECT by any means but doesn't look bad from a distance!!  Maybe if I had a pattern?  I hate patterns and working with pallet wood is tough with patterns cuz ya' never have the right size piece of wood to cut the pattern out on.

Like I keep saying, it's KNOT PERFECT but certainly will be functional.  RUSTIC, VINTAGE, homemade!!  ha ha ha.

Phew - this gardening stuff is tough work but I still have the "farm"!  I did show the original picture to a couple nursery workers and they suggested a couple things but it boiled down to what I liked the looks of.  Most of the plants are perennials so they "should" come back next year.  (Keep your receipt - if they don't come back - take 'em back and get something new.)

I will take more pics a couple months from now so you can see how they are progressing.  This sits so it gets shade up to about 2pm or so - then sun for a few hours and after that a large tree shades it again.

Ok - so I  didn't buy the right flowering plants, I still think it looks good (until the deer ate the potato vine).  Because I used mostly containers, I can switch them out and plant them somewhere.  I think I have TOO MANY plants for this wheelbarrow!  Yup, I'm an over-doer!  I will search next year for something a little more colorful...until then, it looks pretty good I think.




 

GOT TIME - Let's Crochet a RAG RUG

Knot Sew Perfect Designs – BLOG

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; Sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie.Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!  Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe , decorating something or something basic.

GOT TIME?  - LET'S CROCHET A RAG RUG 

Let's mix things up a bit and try a rag rug.  It doesn't have to be a large as what I made here but it will be homemade and that's what we're talking about. GUYS - don't run away now.  This is for EVERYONE.  Did you know that Rosie Grier (famous football player) crocheted and did needlework?  So man-up; you can do this too.

WAY BACK WHEN there was no arthritis and I had the need, I crocheted a couple rugs.  Hint - do them in the winter as the larger they get the warmer they are on your lap!  I wanted a round rug to "pull things together" in my living room but to buy one would cost $5-900.00 plus, plus, plus.  Now you have to remember that I haven't' won the lottery, even back then.   And if you didn't know that you need to start at the very BEGINNING of my blogs...it's okay, I'll wait for you to catch up!! 

Of course you will need material.  You can use old clothes if you'd like but that is a LOT MORE WORK.  I bought material ($1.00 yd) and eventually fabric "mill ends" off  EBay and online.  These can be as cheap as $1.00 roll or some sell by the pound.  Sheets work well too but you'd have to dye them to get the color you want, then hand cut.

I also started out cutting with shears...phew, that was a lot of work and tough on the back.  I used a yardstick to draw a line and cut within a half inch to the folded edge (for continuous strip) using a pair of shears, then later switched to a rotary cutter (much quicker) and a cutting mat.  And later yet,  I was lucky enough my BFF had a cutter

(Harry M Fraser  -used for cutting material for braided rugs) and this was awesome.  It really only worked best on the rolls of fabric ends.  I bought another cutting head so I was able to make 3 strips from most rolls.  I didn't take the time to sew strips together, I simply tied them together with a square knot and snipped the ends a little close.....thus, the Knot Sew PERFECT Design.  Hey - it adds character.  And, after all the wear and tear along with the washing, the knots have held up great.

I started with 15 yards of cotton material thinking that would be enough for a round rug.  WRONG.  As you can SEE it only made a 3 ft. diameter rug (the center) .  Holy- ca-moley!  How much DO I NEED?  No idea.  I really didn't  know how to figure that but I'm sure if I really thought about it I could. (remember I wanted to be a CPA so I'm kinda' good with numbers)  It depends on how wide you cut the material and how you crochet.

 If you don't have enough just buy more or cut more material.  That's what I had to do as you can see in the colors of this first rug.....little color here, different color there and so on until it was the size (6 ft) I wanted.  Keep in mind the wider your rug gets the more material it takes to go around.

  The next one I did (7 ft square) I planned a little better as far as color.  I was able to find a couple bolts of material (25 yds) for $10.00 each but had to dye it as it had a cutout pattern on it.  Then, I had to iron it (sort of) so I could fold in half, lay it out flat and cut.  BUT, I saved lots of $$$$!!  I did use some solid color and had to buy a little more to finish off.  The nice thing about this is you can always ADD TO IT!! 

It's a LOT OF WORK but well worth it.  These rugs are about 25 years old  now and have been in a main room and walked on a lot.  I simply put it in a commercial washer (laundromat) and hang over the railing to dry.  It is damn heavy when wet so get your big girl/boy panties on for that!!  Or ladies, bring the "pool boy" with you!  ha ha ha.

Between the two rugs and knowing about how wide I cut the material and approximately how many yards I used, I figured I crocheted 8 MILES of material. WOW - that's a long ways.  I  also went to the local carpet warehouse and got felt carpet padding (cut to size) for under them to make them feel more "plush".

If you have crocheted before - simply make a circle or a square or even an oval.  If you haven't, you will need to practice first.  Somehow mine came out perfectly round - wow...I guess I must have been counting stitches or at least paying attention.  The square one got a little off-square - you can see it right?  "Knot Sew Perfect Designs" , what did I tell ya'!

The Harry M Fraser cutter is still available but I was unable to find a direct link. They are located in Stoneville, NC  Phone: 336-573-9830   They are however (the cutter) on many other sites.  They are not cheap.

Enjoy - and it is something you can pass down to your kids if they want them.

"You don't have to know HOW - you just need the DESIRE to TRY"...Barb Hurley 

Note:  Look Radiant in 3 Minutes!!   Use Pepto-Bismol as an instant cleansing mask.   Bismuth, a clay-like mineral in liquid form acts as a cleansing agent to draw impurities out of the skin.  Apply to face, let dry and rinse with warm water.  Wa-la - you are looking oh so radiant!! 

Adventure on the high Seas - SAILBOAT - Recycled wood

  – Knot So Perfect Designs – BLOG

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. So = So, let's get started or, Sew =I sew just enough to get by; sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie. Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect! Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe or decorating something - maybe even some awesome pictures. 

So – you are likely to see and read about most anything here. Dreams, schemes and basic things.

ADVENTURE ON THE HIGH  SEAS - let's make a SAILBOAT from recycled pallet wood.

Because my brother will be visiting soon, I thought I'd make him (& wife) a sailboat seeing how they have had a big sailboat for many years.  He was also in the Navy.  I figure that if I can make the owl ....did you see my blog on the owl?  You better back up kids and check it out.  It is so darn cute.  So if I can make the owl I should be able to make a sailboat.

First off I found a very basic clip-art of a sailboat; went to Staples and had it enlarged 250%, shizam - that's big - so I could make a pattern.  Next I traced this onto cardboard so I could cut it out and use as a pattern.

 Who knows, someone else might like one after they see this!!!??  $$$  ha ha ha.  

Ok, so next I cut the pattern out.  Darn, I get so caught up in doing this I forget to take pictures...senior moment?  Possibly but more likely that of a creative mind at work!!

Next, choose your wood and lay out the pattern to trace onto it.  Again, the hardest part is picking out the wood. And again, keep in mind there may be nails or nail heads still in the wood as it looks like it has been used in pallet making more than once prior to my getting them. (Sorry the picture is blurry but I think you get the idea).

 

Now it's time to cut out all the pieces.  And, it's time to get the power tools out! Get your jigsaw and fire that bad boy up.  Yup, forgot to take more pictures but hey, I'm excited about this as it is starting to take shape.  

Next you will need your palm sander to smooth edges and to clean up the front of each piece.  This helps to get rid of any markings from where you traced the pattern onto the wood.

Lay the pieces out, tack and glue where needed and mark where pieces should "meet".  I say this because now you have to flip it to hook it altogether on the reverse side.  And yup - still forgetting to take pictures.

After you have it all tacked together, stand back and GLOAT!  Goodness me - this came out pretty darn good.  Look at that will ya' - 3D even. How awesome is that? 

Damn, almost broke my arm from patting myself on the back!!  ha ha ha  Not sure if I will stain, paint or leave as is.  I guess this will be determined by my brother once he sees it.

And did you see the ball on the top of the mast?  Pretty cool huh? Thought you'd like that.  That was tricky.  Yes it's a bead which I drilled a hole through.  I took thick wire and threaded it through then drilled another hole in the top of the mast which I inserted the wire into.  I put glue on the wire and the bead - hopefully it will stay.  I'll know better tomorrow!

I still need to fine tune putting these together and making the back look nicer but hey - I can't see it from my house!! Nor can I see it now - it is the BACK and you won't see it.  Why else do you think this is called KNOT So PERFECT Designs?

Remember I keep saying this isn't just for girls?   

****

This is for anyone. 

You don't have to know HOW - you just need the DESIRE to TRY.

By all means leave me comments or ask questions if you have them and as always, feel free to share this blog with your friends.

Never wrestle with plastic wrap again: Store cellophane wrap in the freezer.  Yup - you heard me. The cold air reduces the plastic's static electricity, so it won't stick to the roll (or your hands) when you pull off a piece.

Note:  **** unknown origin

BACKYARD RETREAT WITH FIREPIT

 – Knot Sew Perfect Designs – BLOG

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; Sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie.Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe , decorating something or something basic.

BACKYARD RETREAT WITH FIRE PIT

Here is what I used & how much it cost:

$40.00 river pebbles
$40.00 slate pieces
$5.00 ea. for the windows
had the chairs
pallet was free
had the coffee table base
had the fire place chiminea
had the granite base
knockout rose bush - on sale  $5.00
time
sweat
muscle

Serious equipment was used on this only because my neighbor has this nice little Kubota tractor with every (so it seems) attachment they make for it!!  I think I introduced him before, and again, I think he wishes I had more money to do more projects because he gets bored easily.

I had this space right behind my deck that use to be a flower garden (I think) with a water feature which was no longer there.  It did however have lots of weeds.  I cleaned this out a number of times over the years and just kept the weeds mowed until I decided what I would do with it.  And, I finally decided.  I would make a sitting area - retreat with a fire pit...not so much a pit as an iron chiminea kinda' sorta'.

As I said, my neighbor brought over his tractor and rototiller attachment and chewed up the dirt and roots etc.  My daughter was here as well and she got right in there and pulled the roots once they were loosened. She's such a good girl.  

The next step was to put down a weed barrier so I used white house wrap I had left over from wrapping my shed/garage.  Works great and, this being white and the stones natural and whitish looking, it conceals an area should the stones get moved around where black weed barrier would show in a heartbeat.  Next, we laid out the slate which was purchased from a contractor that had taken it up from a project he was doing....yes, I did have to pay a nominal fee which was not much considering this slate was about a half inch thick and about $12-15.00 each, retail. I have about 40+ pieces!! Next we filled in with the river pebbles.

Didn't buy enough (as you can see) so  I had to get more the next day and finish up by myself; but that's okay, I'm a tough ol' gal!!  

Actually ended up doubling the size that I planned!  Imagine that!  I thought the slate would take up most of the area but it got spread out and wa-la, bigger area. I like it better - bigger  For the fire pit area, I had a granite slab that used to be part of a coffee table and we edged  it with brick. 

I planted a knockout rose bush on one end, put herbs in a wooden ground planter on the other side. I put chairs and a pallet table (the base from the granite coffee table).  Okay, I know what you're going to ask...why didn't I use the granite coffee table?  Well, it was kind of falling apart.  This too had been handmade by someone and had set out in the weather a long time.  It was time to re-purpose the materials, so I did.

 I hung a grapevine wreath in the middle of the lattice at the base of the deck along with 2 windows. Isn't that cute??  At first I wanted to put some curtains there but decided it wouldn't look good. I also thought of using bar height chairs and table but decided that would hide the windows...so I didn't as you can see.

This project is not complete. Okay - I'll tell you what it is.  The next step is to hang a porch swing to the right (where you see the landscape tie on the ground).  This requires posts and digging and it is just too dang HOT to be digging holes. (I still have that northern blood in my system I guess) Will wait 'til it's a little cooler and for the neighbor to bring his tractor back with the post hole digger! (hopefully!!!) I think deep down I want this swing on my deck... maybe that's the reason for stalling.  You'll have to wait to see where it ends up!!

This project was done in the spring when it was a little cooler and by the time I found a porch swing that didn't look like it would fall apart in a month and wasn't $400.00+,  it was hot, hot, hot.  I did find an awesome handmade swing for $50.00.  This thing will last forever if the carpenter bees will leave it alone.  I did paint it and is now ready for hanging.  Guess I had better get to the lumber store and get some posts. 

 I am also waiting for a little cooler weather to fire up the fire pit.  So get your sticks ready for some S'mores and maybe a little wine  (that really doesn't mix well but have enough wine and you won't know the difference!)

It seems funny that if there is no breeze coming across my deck, there is one on the ground where my new sitting area is.  It's very nice and actually private as I have a rose of sharon bush to the left (you can see a little of it) and it blocks the view from the road.  I have maybe a 20 ft. section with no bushes roadside but at 50+ mph you can't really see what's happening in the yard.

So don't be afraid to try something new.  Guys - girls, we are all not die hard do-it-yourself-ers but you'll never know WHAT YOU can do if you do not try.

There is also another section planned for this but that will be another project blog!!

***Dryer tip - (again) I know you are still wearing the summer weight clothing...cotton, linen, etc. so don't forget to SHAKE OUT your wet clothes before putting in the dryer - they will have less wrinkles when they come out - as long as you take them right out and hang up when done!!

KITCHEN MAKEOVER - phase 2

Knot So Perfect Designs – BLOG   

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; Sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie.Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!   Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe , decorating something or something basic.

KITCHEN MAKEOVER - phase 2

Let me say this AGAIN - this is NOT JUST FOR WOMEN.  Guys, this

applies to you as well.  Need some simple encouragement?  
YOU CAN DO THIS TOO.  You can do anything if you TRY.  So you have to ask for help - how else will you (we) learn? So let's get at it.  Who will be the HERO when you create something awesome for your wife or partner?  HERO STATUS?  Think about it - yeah, you got this.

YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW HOW 

YOU JUST NEED THE DESIRE TO TRY

MATERIELS:
wainscot panel - 2 4x8 sheets = $10.97 each ($22.00)
paint - 1 gal. for walls, 1 gal. for cabinets - $29 .95 each  ($60.00)
saw, drill - in your tool box or shop, 
finish (brad) nailer = $29.99 (this will save you lots of time)
paint pan, rollers & paint brush = $20.00 
glue - large bottle = $9.99
hardware - handles, knobs = $70.00
Approximate cost = $220.00 (depends on size of you kitchen)
Approximate time to complete = depends on how motivated you are.
          Could - be completed in one weekend.


So, we've made the pantry cabinet with sliding shelves, now let's get at the rest of the kitchen.
I mentioned that after 5 years in my house I didn't like the color of my kitchen anymore. And, why would I?  I'm a woman.  Now you have to understand that my house is open and one room leads to the next so I had to choose a color that would go WITH the living room and the dining room which of course, are two different colors. The kitchen walls were a peachy color and I also have oak cabinets that are now BORING!  Imagine that.

 Okay - here's what I did:  Yup, painted the walls AND the cabinets.  The walls are Roman Plaster (kinda' beige)and the cabinets are Coastal Beige (kinda' an "old" white). Can you SEE the difference in the color? I kept the red wainscoting mainly because all "accents" are red themed!  (for now). Think it needs to be a darker red.

BUT, I also resurfaced the cabinets!  Oh yea - POWER TOOLS.  You got it.  Here again I had to ASK FOR HELP because what I did was get 4'x8" sheets of wainscoting which had to be cut to many sizes to fit the doors and the drawer fronts. I left the door edge in oak to set it off which actually came out nice.  I can still paint them if I need to.

 Yup, so I enlisted my neighbor in yet another project because he has the table saw. (I so want one!)  But why buy one when I can use his? I measured and WE laid out the dimensions but came up short for all the cabinets but 2 pieces.  Dang-it.  So I had to buy a whole other sheet of wainscoting but that's okay because it was used on the pantry cabinet!.  Remember we had to make new doors for it?  So all was good.

After  cutting all the pieces out it was now time for more POWER TOOLS.  I have a trim NAIL GUN...oh yeah - here we go again. I had bought this for another project which I have yet to complete (bad girl). Anyway - there were nails flying all over the kitchen as some did NOT want to go into the oak door front...ping - and away they would fly. 

Now, all this did NOT get completed in one weekend.  I do still work part time to keep from going completely broke by doing projects!!  Another reason not to retire!  Oh, did I mention I am 65 years young?  Hi ya'll, nice to meet you.

 Of course I painted walls first, then the cabinets, then cut the cabinet panels, painted them, then attached.  Once panels were on the cabinets I put another coat of paint on to help conceal the nail heads.  Yes, you can see the nail heads a little but only if you have your face 2 feet from the door & looking. (This is the part where the Knot So Perfect Design comes in!!)  My son, the contractor in Bennington, VT 
802-753-7017   

( & a surprise visit between my birthday and Mother's Day )   asked why didn't I glue them on?  Good question. Never thought of it until he mentioned it.  Besides, I liked the idea of the nail gun.  Oh yea - power tools!!! Anyway - ask for advise, ask for opinions and it just might make your project easier.   I certainly have lots of ideas and opinions!!! I will try to help wherever I can...or I'll ask someone else who might know.

To finish them off I put all new handles on and there were a LOT to buy.  I needed 24 knobs and 13 pulls.  After checking out to see what I wanted I researched prices - cuz' I haven't won the lottery yet remember?!  I checked out Lowes, Home Depot and Amazon.  WOW - what a difference in price.

I got a brushed bronze knob and pull through Amazon from a place named Hardware 4 Less at HALF THE PRICE of the same items from either Lowes or Home Depot.   I like saving money don't you?

Okay - we're still not done here.  One more phase to do.  See you next time.

***Keep PATIO FURNITURE  glistening.  Before setting your furniture out, if not new, then clean with Clorox and put a light coat of car wax on them.  This will be easy to keep clean just as the wax helps to keep your car clean-er. 

OWL - from recycled pallet wood

  – Knot Sew Perfect Designs – BLOG

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie. Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!   Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe or decorating something - maybe even some awesome pictures. 

Let's make an owl from recycled pallet wood. I am

kind of excited about this.  It was fun to make as well as challenging.



Materials:
pallets = for the wood  = free ?
cardboard = for the pattern = free
pencil or marker = to trace with = you should have one around the house somewhere.
chop saw, handsaw, table saw = to cut with
jig saw = to cut out the wood patterns
3/4 inch finish nails (or nail gun) = hold it together = $3.47 - $9.99 
glue = to help hold it together = $3.86
patience !  = priceless!
Total price - under $20.00
Time to complete - 3-4 hours

First off you need to get some pallets, (maybe not this many but you get the idea) take them

apart, get the nails out and have the wood ready to use.  Some nails and nail heads will still be in the wood (they break off or are just too damn tough to get out) so you have to be very mindful when cutting this wood. After you have done this - and this WILL take some time - LOTS of time so get the pallet wood ready first.  Maybe plan a weekend before just to get the pallets apart as it is not easy. Actually, you won't need but one pallet as long as it's the "right" color.  You can stain it if you have to.
 Get ready for the beginning of your new Cross Fit workout!!

Next - find something you want to make.  Pinterest has lots of ideas for pallet projects as does the rest of the internet.  I think that is where I got my idea for this owl.

 So I get my idea & a picture of it and guess what?  I don't want just a small owl, I want a BIG freakin' owl. Can you imagine that?  Well, I can't draw worth a lick so how do I get this bigger?  Well guess what (again) - Staples has an   blueprint copier and can make copies 3' x 2'. (I'm sure the other office supply stores have them too, Staples was closest).  Now that's what I'm talkin' about!  Darn right.  Although she didn't enlarge to the 3 foot size I'm still okay with it being 2 feet.  Ok, so I forgot to take pics of the copy - well, actually I did but deleted it - duh.  I then made a pattern on cardboard to save for future

owls just in case I have requests and maybe can make a little $$ with them...we'll see.  I simply traced over the parts with a dull pencil or you can use a pen but just bare down so you make an impression in the cardboard.  After that, cut each piece out and write what part it is.  Okay so you can tell what it is but the left wing is different than the right wing.....ha ha ha, get it?

Now comes the hard part - selecting the wood for size and color!  Be mindful of the nails you left in the wood.  Don't have them where you need to cut.  Get your boards lined up the way you want them for each part.  Get your pattern and a pencil or marker and trace around it onto the wood.  With a jigsaw, cut one piece at a time and lay back in order.  Do the next piece.  I did put glue between each board and I also have an electric (brad) nail gun that I used in a few spots.  To hold the body pieces together I cut a

few small boards for the back.  Put some glue on the boards, lay face done on the back of the body and nail with some small finish nails 3/4 inch is good...or in my case, the nail gun.  Hey - I'm an old gal and need all the help I  can get!!  After that, flip over and lay the rest of the parts in position.  Again, use a little glue on the back and nail with small finish nails - yup, from the front.  You won't really be able to see the nail head unless you are two feet from it. 
 Last but not least, ya' gotta' drink a couple beers to get the bottle caps for the center of the eyes!!  That's okay cuz' you are done with the power tools.  Oh, that's right, they do have soda bottles with caps too.

And WA-LA, it's done.  Isn't this just the cutest thing ever?  It was a little challenging but hey - we all need a challenge now and then.       All this takes is a little time...maybe 3-4 hours. Remember what I said in my last blog?   

You don't have to know HOW - you just need the DESIRE to TRY.

What's going to be next?  Not sure but I know it will be made from pallet wood...I'm on a kick!! I have a few ideas - mainly for gifts so I can't really tell you yet. Besides, this wood is free and you get a great workout taking it apart!!

Having trouble sleeping?  Instead of popping a sleep aid that leaves you groggy the next day, try this trick:  Drink half a glass of water, then put a pinch of salt on you tongue and let it dissolve, making sure the granules DON'T press against the roof of your mouth.
Studies have shown that the combination of water and salt alters the electrical charge of the brain, inducing a deep slumber that helps take the edge off daytime stress.