Woodworking

So, Ben has a new talent.

He is my new live-in woodworker.

I have been begging him for a mudroom bench for so, so long.

The problem is, I don't have a mudroom.

It has been driving me crazy that when we come in from the garage with jackets, backpacks, the diaper bag, and car seat that we just walk straight into our kitchen and set it all down leaving the kitchen a mess within 30 seconds of being home.

  So, I convinced him to take down a cabinet in the garage and build a bench in the garage right before you get in the door.

 

Since this was our first project, it was truly, truly DIY.

We did not have plans or the right tools or any instructions, or finishes and we totally just winged it.

This is the garage wall after we took down a cabinet before the build.

 

The raw wood before the hooks and stain...there is a gap at the bottom on the back so it will sit on the baseboard flush against the wall.

stained weathered grey

The kids put it to use right away and Kinley even made a sign that said "Go Mom and Dad!" (gotta love those sight words)

It is not the most professional, straight, or beautiful build, but it is getting constant use and I am thrilled to have it!

 

Well, after that small project, I decided Ben was ready for the big time.

I enlisted him to build me a dining room table before the holidays.

Alex and Mendy have built lots of furniture before and have all sorts of tools and know good websites for plans and stuff so, we took a page out of their book and bought and borrowed some good tools and got a plan off of Ana White's website and went to building.

It was so cool because the table we picked is one that is all over pinterest and featured on Shanty-2-Chic's website.  Whitney is a friend of mine from high school and lives right around the corner from me and she and her sister, Ashley, are super experienced and professional builders. I had no idea the extent of it until we built this table and it is so cool seeing all they can do and all their endless ideas!

 

  Ben did an amazing job on my table and I am beyond thrilled with it.

All I really did to assist was stain and poly.

 He did everything else with a little help one day from Alex and Gary and Ty.

Aren't they cute!

It fits perfect in our dining room and I got the new chairs at World Market.

I am already thinking about what I am going to have him build for me next!