Keep it clean!

Due to lack of extra floor space in my son's room, I had to come up with an alternative plan for getting those tractors up off the floor.  Once again I went to my stockpile of wood and found some very characteristic boards to build him a toy shelf.  It's been in now for over 2 weeks and his room has remained clean! Linc likes the responsibility of putting his toys away (for now at least!).  I also made my mom a shelf not quite as tall as this for her to use for her books. 

Little Piece of Serenity

In our modest little farm house, all 5 of us have had to learn to share one bathroom.  Up until 3 years ago, our one and only bathroom was honestly smaller square-footage-wise than the back of my pickup.  When we remodeled the basement, we then moved the girls down there and transformed their bedroom into a very spacious bathroom that accomidates more than one person in there at a time.  I am one of those people that absolutely love soaking in the tub while reading a good book, so I knew I was not going to skimp on my one luxury I was being granted.  When I told the carpenters that I was going to have them put 'old tin' on the walls behind the tub, they gave me that "Are you crazy?!" look.  After considering they were getting paid good money to do what I asked of them, they stopped asking why and did what they were asked.  Upon completion of the remodel from bedroom to bathroom, one of the carpenters told me in his words "We've done a lot of bathroom remodels and I have to be honest with you, I had my doubts about your ideas, but I will admit now that this bathroom is by far my favorite."  I did give the 'old tin' a refreshed look by giving it some color with a mixture of wood stain and concrete stain.  I think it matches the tile quite nicely!

I fell in love with these hand-hammered copper sinks the minute I saw them in one of my many Western magazines.  Not wanting to pay the outrageous price they were listed for, I jumped right on e-Bay and found them for a fraction of the cost. I think I even had them in storage for a year before the remodel even began.  I would, however, suggest not putting them in a highly used bathroom.  Thus being anything with any amount of acid, chemical, toothpaste being left on, causes the aged look to get stripped off right down to the bright orange copper! I have had to 'fix' these spots many times with none other than shoe polish! I found this out the hard way when the sinks weren't even in for a week and I, not even thinking, poured rubbing alcohol onto a rag that I was holding over the sink.  Came back into the bathroom a few minutes later and nearly had a heart attack when the bright orange copper was staring me in the face.  I immediately got on the phone and called a sink store in Omaha and they did some research for me to tell me how to fix it.  If you don't know those 'fixed' spots are there, you wouldn't even know they were there at one time. 

I can't even begin to tell you how very, very spoiled everyone on my husband's side of the family is thanks to the fact that his grandfather was a cabinet and furniture builder.  He sadly passed away almost 2 years ago now, and we all miss him, but fortunately have all these wonderful pieces of furniture to remember him by.  This vanity is made out of wormy maple.  If finished correctly, it is absolutely beautiful.  If finished poorly, it is a gross nightmare!  I lived the nightmare before getting it done correctly! I had to grovel to my mother-in-law who is very good at finishing wood, to beg for her help in fixing it.  So, there you have it, a look at our very spacious, very rustic one and only bathroom!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

Thank you, Amy S. for being one of my first customers to actually place an order with me! I hope you enjoy your barnwood frame around your bathroom mirror.

Coffee Anyone??

I am not a coffee drinker, I will admit, but I do like the look of a neat coffee table.  This particular table was inspired from a DIY episode where they used old sheet metal for a countertop.  I didn't have any old sheet metal, so therefore, I had to put my new sheet metal through an aging process.  The base of the table is made from 6 x 6 interior barn posts and the cross piece is from an old horse-drawn wagon tongue.  I love this piece and wish our living room was big enough for me to put it in there, rather than have it being out in the garage just in storage.

 Here you can see just how 'sturdy' this table is. Don't be afraid to sit on it!

 A closer look at my 'aging' process done to the sheet metal.

Here you can see I added a decorative corner piece to hide my seams on the tin.  I think it compliments the look of the reclaimed style I was going for. You can also see how I left the hardware from the 6 x 6 on the legs of the table.  I think about all the stories the old stuff could tell if only it could talk.  Yes, I talk to myself too.  :)

JUST FOR FUN TABLE!

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I love horses and am blessed to have 4 of them on the farm here.  Some time ago, I made a coffee table similar to this one (will try and get a picture on here of it).  I had the legs of this table done for a couple of years and they were just sitting in the barn, waiting for the right top.  So this winter (thank goodness it has been so beatiful out this year) I threw this top together and think it would make a great entry-way table.  Or if you wanted to get a piece of glass cut to fit the top, it would make a nice small table for two.  I know if I was to make my husband eat at this table, he would prefer a tractor picture in the top instead of the 'hay-burners' as he like to call them!  Now, my girls and I, we can appreciate a table like this!





Oh Christmas Tree!

I admit...I stole this idea after being in an antique/craft store.  I thought it was super cute and knew I had the ability to make one myself.  So in the spirit of the season, get yourself some old barnwood and start creating your own forest of trees.  Start with cutting them into 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips.  The bottom of the tree is 24 inches long with each 'layer' being 1 1/2 inch shorter.  I attached each layer using a biscuit joiner (greatest thing EVER!).  Hang indoors or out...whichever you prefer.  Merry Christmas everyone!  (Or at least to my one follower!  Haa haa!)

Bedknobs & Broomsticks

This bed I refer to as my "four letter bed".  It did nothing but give me fits when I was trying to get it assembled.  I think the end result turned out ok and I really should take a picture of it in my daughter's room, because it looks much better there than in front of the barn!

Twin size bed.

Anyone else about my age (which in my head is 18, but really I'm just shy of double that) remember the classic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks?  That is a classic!  After my success of mastering barstools, I wondered just how far I could take my business.  How cool would it be if I built each of my kids bed as a keepsake?  Well, out of 3 kids, 2 of them have a cedar log bed!  I will eventually get to that 3rd bed, just like I will get all those pictures put in albums!

How it all began.....

My love for 'Doing-it-Myself" began because you could call me somewhat of a tightwad...my husband will tell you I squeak when I walk.  I am a stay-at-home-mom and so I struggle with tremendous guilt whenever I want something that is truly not practical.  I also give credit to my grandpa for allowing me to hang out with him in his workshop when I was a small girl, spending several hours playing with his dremel tool (for some reason, that was my favorite!).  I sure hope (and am fairly certain) he is smiling from up above and beaming with pride at what I can accomplish. 

I just love the character of the red cedar wood.  I often say that when peeling the logs, it is like unwrapping a Christmas present...you just never know how great it is going to be under all the bark.

This particular stool came for a log that had this natural red 'heart' center....I had no trouble selling these stools!

Anyhow...I LOVE all things rustic!  I needed some bar stools for the kitchen and really wanted some cedar log stools.  After much shopping on-line (because there is no store near here that would sell such a stool) I decided I was NOT going to pay that kind of money for a simple stool.  Fortunately at the time, my husband was working for a guy who runs logging equipment and I asked James to bring me home 4 round cedar slabs.  He questioned my intent, but did what he was told...good man!  I did have to by a tenon cutter that I purchased on e-bay.  Not having a pattern, I guessed at my measurements and was quite surprised at how well they turned out!  Thus began the beginning of my furniture building business that at the time I named Born in the Barn Cedar Creations.  I have since dropped the 'Cedar' as I have become a bit more versitale with the materials I use.  The 'Born in the Barn' is because I pretty much build everything in our barn, with the horses keeping a watchful eye on what I am doing...that part is a big LOVE!  I'm one of those wierdo's that think horse sweat is one of the best smells in the world and I would much rather muck a stall than clean our bathroom!  I hope you enjoy my creations...I know we have gotten lots of enjoyment out of them here on our farm.