STREAMLING

I've decided to combine my Design blog and Feats blog. 


People who follow my Design blog don't always go over to my Feats blog to see the end result of my ideas.


So, if you follow me on this blog, I would really like it if your popped over and became a follower of my Feats blogs here: TRU TALES FEATS. If you decide not to, that's okay too, but I'll miss you! I'll still keep in touch, though, 'cause I follow those of you who have blogs.


I'll be exporting this blog over to my Feats blog and eventually close this one out.


So, I'll see you over the rainbow, or someplace like home!

START AND A QUESTION

Well, I got a start on my plant stand. This how part of the bottom layer looks with 2 coats of primer.

 I'm using Zinsser BIN primer and I'm likin' it. It dries fast, to touch in 15 minutes and I can recoat in 45. Certainly not like any oil based paint I've ever used before. I have read reviews that people think it stinks a lot. I have not found the odor to be offensive at all. Certainly not near as bad as the paint thinner I used to clean the piece. I thought I would have to open a window or 2 for ventilation, but, unless I'm just used to the smell, it seems to go away quickly.

So, here's the question. See those metal supports between the 2 shelves on the one table? I'm not sure if I should paint them to match the handles (pewter) that go on the piece...

 or paint them the same color (pine, with a brown glazing) as the main piece.

Approximate color

The color of this house. Dutch Boy won't let me copy a swatch, only the whole picture.

Any thoughts?
It's too bad white doesn't go with my scheme, 'cause that's lookin' good with just the primer.

LIVING ROOM WORKSHOP

   It's come to this! This is my living room, but I've had to temporarily take it over as a workshop, since I don't have a decent basement.

 Our basement is a dirt floor and only under one section of the house. the other part is a crawlspace. Anyway, there is barely enough room down there for the utilities and canning products, not to mention the ceiling is so low, I can barely stand up straight in parts without hitting my head on furnace pipes.
   It's gotten too cold to be painting in the garage, so I have to move my projects indoors. In fact, I had to move Henry's Train-Activity table/ Toy box into the mudroom to finish it. Just for the painting though. I will finish all the prep work in the garage, since that doesn't matter if it's cold or not.
   This is the reason my living has become a workshop.

  This being my plant stand. It should have been done  long before now, but life gets in the way.

Here are the excuses reasons why I don't have this done:
 
#1 Farming. This is one of our busier times of the year with harvesting as well as the normal chores. I did get a couple of days to work on it when a piece of equipment broke down, but only enough time to get everything done but the painting.
  
#2 Material Procurement. Since I needed several different kinds of tables for this project, it took a long time to find them. I had a couple from our first furniture and found one at Goodwill. The best luck I had finding tables was when a neighboring town had their citywide rummage sales. I picked up 3 of them there; actually 4, but Gary thought the one was too nice to cut up, so it will be repaired (it has a veneer top that is damaged) and painted. Anyway that brought us to the middle of September. The final piece I found on Craigslist a couple weeks later.
   
#3 Other Projects. Specifically, there are 3 Grandkids birthdays this time of year, and I like to make them each something homemade and the rest of their present, money for their savings. So, I made a tote from some pillow panel fabric for Blake to carry his tractors in, a train-activity table/ toy box for Henry, and a pair of slippers for Jayden. When I get the plant stand done, I have to start working on Christmas presents. No rest for the weary I guess. PHEW!
   
#4 Laziness. I did have a couple days when I could have worked on this project, but I chose to spend the time resting and catching up on recorded TV shows. To be fair, I did need the rest, 'cause we have been going almost nonstop since we started filling silos. Thankfully, we only have one left and that's the easy one. If all goes good it'll only take 2-3 days to fill.

♫That's my story and I'm sssstickin' to it!♫

   
BTW This is what my kitchen entry looks like for the moment. Had to get those plants inside. I've already waited too long in some cases, but hopefully they'll look better once I do a little pruning and such.

 I...can't...wait...til... this...project... is... 

FINISHED!

INDOOR PLANTER STAND

I need a different place to put my plants, when I bring them in for the winter. Last winter, the suspended ceiling buckled under the weight of the hanging plants.....AT MIDNIGHT!!!!! What a rude awakening that was! So, when I showed hubby what I had in mind for putting my plants on this year, he was all for it.

Here is my inspiration:

Sorry, this is the closest I can get you to this one.

http://imgfave.com/collection/21836/Decor+Dreams

You have to scroll down for it.

This one comes from 

http://www.recyclart.org/2009/08/storyteller/

Anyway, here's my design

Mine will be painted green, because it will be in the dining room and that's the color scheme there.

I just finished procuring all the tables I needed and hope to get this project finished before the snow flies, so we can have the garage back. First we have to finish the train/activity table.

TRAIN/ACTIVITY TABLE DESIGN

This is the design I have in mind for Henry's Train/Activity Table.

Jessica will get baskets to slide through on the bottom shelf, to hold toys.

We are still trying to decide if it should have casters on the bottom to roll the whole table around. 

What do you think, Jessica? Do you want casters?

I was thinking for Christmas, maybe I would make a reversible town/farm insert to go with this. 

Some thing like this...

Only painted on hardboard or plywood.

Or, maybe I'll paint it on indoor outdoor carpeting, but I think the board idea would work better for "driving " cars or trains on.