We Bought a Zoo

OK, so it was just a house. And technically we haven't bought it yet. But the contract is pending, so that's something, right? RIGHT?! Well, if it goes through, that means two things:  

1) I will not be able to update this blog very much in the next month or so, because of packing, moving, waiting for hours on hold with utilities/DirecTV/AT&T, etc., and
2) I will finally have a use for all of (or "most of," if you ask the wife) the creations I have made over the last 8 months.

So, while I might not be able to start/share a bunch of projects with you in the immediate future, I will try my best to update you on some creative items on my honey-do list, like a wall cabinet with recycled window door for my wet bar, for example. But, before I sign off into moving hell, I wanted to share with you a little somethin' I recently finished. It is a shelf thingie for the wall, it has hooks for keys/jackets/dog leashes/whatever, and it was made completely from scratch out of (surprise!) old pallet wood. I know, weird that I would make something out of pallets, right? I made it in two separate pieces, the back and the shelf part:

Used pocket screws to join the boards together for the back board

Well, actually, I made it in three separate pieces of you count the detailed trim cutout. But, i think that's the part (along with the curved lines on the back board) that gives this piece a decorative look, as opposed to purely utilitarian. It gives it an, I don't know, cottage feel?

Because I am becoming more conscientious (definitely had to run that one through spell check) of my time, I decided to try the design for the trim on a handy manilla folder first, then when I was happy with it, I applied to wood, traced and boomshockalocka (no help from spell check there), no problems. Marry them all together with pocket hole screws, add a really shoddy coat of black paint, do some sanding, and apply a generous stain wipe of Minwax Early American and some hooks, and you've got a nice piece to hang on the wall to house your jackets, keys, and other crapola.