First Order of Business!!!!!!(UPDATE!!)

Okay, I have the updated final pictures from my friend's bench that we made for her. If you didn't get to see the previous post you can take a look HERE. Are you ready to see the final results? Now remember, this bench was colored matched the best it could be to the table. And may I say that the match is pretty spot on! I think this turned out beautifully, and my friend and her family are LOVIN' their new bench.

This is the bench next to the table.

Pretty close huh? 

Matching was hard. You can't exactly replicate what a company does and this table has been used for a few years. 

Close up of the legs

My friend stained the majority of this project. We like to keep it hands on so that people can learn too. Didn't she do an awesome job?

Here it is from the other side in different light. This is entirely florescent lighting. 

What do you all think about this project? Any interest in building and finishing your own projects? Or would you rather have someone else do it entirely? Or could you be up for a learning, hands-on project like this one?

First Order of Business

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This past week we completed our first order of business!!! Friends of ours were enamored with our Farmhouse Benches(plans found here) that they "ordered" one for their table. Ok this was like months ago that they ordered this. But you know, because of work and family scheduling was difficult until this past weekend. The way this bench turned out is AH-mazing!! It's giving us bench envy lol. We want to scrap ours and build ones like these. We changed up a few things. First, we used 4x4's instead of two 2x4's on the legs. The we used a 2x12 for the seat and cut it down to size instead of using four 2x4's. This allows for less cleaning. No food escapees in the cracks. They purchased the top portion for about $45. It's Number 2 pine. Alle the other wood we had on hand(I believe).

Here is the 2x12x8 cut down to size and being sanded.

My husband did a nicely rounded edge.

Hubbs using a 20lb. weight to keep the wood in place a add pressure while waiting for the wood glue to set on an end apron. 

When you don't have a workshop or a real garage with proper equipment, then you have to be inventive.

Another piece drying.

Legs, feet(the hubbs) and aprons

Applying more aprons

Lylian riding Maddalaena's trike.

Ok onto the staining. This was an awesome opportunity for my friend and myself. I had never stained with stain and poly in one. And she is new to this DIY stuff(me too :)). So we both learned something. One, this stuff dries fast. Two, it's really HARD to apply even coats. Three, no real need for wiping, but we did anyway. And Four, use a staining brush to a foam brush.

The stain on the Douglas Fir legs. It's gorgeous isn't it? And this was one coat. She did three.

This is the frame next to one of her dining room chairs. We were trying to match this color.

The underneath of the board top. 

Minwax's PolyShades in Tudor Stain. I LOVE this color after a few applications!

Second coat on top!!

It's beautiful. That's all I can say. The bench itself was gorgeous, but now with the stain...it's like they were meant for one another, like my hubbs and me, or like chicken and dumplings! They are so good.

Here is the pretty much finished product. She sanded a little and added one more coat of stain.

And just some humor for your day :)

So any locals looking for some furniture? My hubbs is turning out to be quite the woodworker wink wink :).

Celebrating Birthday Number 4 For Lylian Rose

Yesterday, family and friends came to our house to celebrate the fourth birthday of our eldest daughter Lylian(What's funny is all of our friends came and basically helped us cook, clean and set up for this endeavor. Thank you to all who came and helped out as well as celebrated!! We definitely could not have done it on time without you.). She is the epitome of girly girl. She loves Disney princess', dressing up, make-up, having her hair and nails done, babies, stuffed animals, Justin Beiber(just kidding, she has NO clue who he is and I'd like to keep it that way) and she LOVES kitties. Everything super sweet, she loves. But she's brilliantly smart and crafty. And I mean manipulative when I say crafty. She's the blonde in the Mean Girls movie. Except she's four. At the same time she's extremely motherly. She "herds" our children around and helps them out. So it's a win-win :). Here are some pictures from the festivities. Sorry for the lack luster photos, not a lot of editing time and not a lot of picture taking time. Enjoy!!

This is the birthday banner that I made using my mom's Cricut machine. I forgot what cartridge I used but if you haven't used on of these you need to. Go get your hands on one and experiment. It's so amazing the things you can do with a Cricut.

Yes, these are tissue paper pom poms. But until like a true DIYer I purchased two packs of these, at an astronomical price, at Michael's from the Martha Stewart line. I didn't have time to fold, cut, fluff and hang all of these. But here is a tutorial I was going to follow had I the time.

They came out amazingly didn't they? We'll be moving these into the girls room later this week. They compliment their bedding perfectly.

This is a sign with my daughter's name on it also using the Cricut.

This was taken underneath one of the pom poms. I think that this is the best pic yet.

These were the hit of the party. Ice cream cone cupcakes. The kids kept asking if they could have "ice cream". Hehehe we had to keep telling them that these were cupcakes.

They are super easy to make. Just follow the directions on the package to make the batter, then pour into a cupcake tin with liners and place ice cream cones on top and bake for 17-22 minutes.

Who doesn't love watermelon at a summer birthday party when it's raining outside?

My baby girl turned four. And she loved every bit of the attention.

Since my little girl is a princess, it was fitting to buy her a princess cake. And who else couldn't have filled that roll better than Cinderella?

Yes that is a KitchenAide mixing bowl. I converted it into a punch bowl when I ran out of other bowls. I had friends lend me their bowls to help organize the party favors. 

The Punch:

1/2 gal Hawaiian Punch Regular

1/2 bottle Sprite

5-6 scoops of rainbow sherbert 

Mix and serve.

These "cupcake stands" I made using a candle stick from Michael's, fabric from Joann's and plates I already owned. Tutorial on that later in the week.

Cinderella. If you look closely her lips are off center. Who does that?

Mmm sprinkles. Or to my two year old Sparkalies.

The gifts. My lovely little lady received two of the same costume but was generous and gave her little sister one set.

Birthday girl in purple.

Left to right: Jake, Seamus(mine), Maddalaena(mine) my mother(I'm hers) and Lylian(also mine).

More presents. I just burned my children's lunch writing this post lol Mom of the year right here.

Waiting in anticipation...

Everyone was singing Happy Birthday to her. She ate up the attention.

Maddalaena and Henry

The beautiful Alliyah

The Birthday Girl

Myself trying to look productive

Ms. Jamie pouring drinks into mason jar cups.

Mr. Adam

Kayden enjoying some fruit punch.

Baby Noah. Don't you just love those eyes??

This little dude is such a charmer!

"Bubba" That's it. That's all he needs lol.

 Mr. Enrique

Beautiful and sassy Sophia

Mr. Rich aka Daddy and Baby "Goldo" Blake.

Lylian being herself

One of the Tinkerbell Costumes she received

I told you those cupcakes were a hit!

Ms. Alyssa with Baby Blake. Even he wanted in on the cupcakes. Seriously, look at him eyeball that thing.

Me, myself trying to unwrap the present I wrapped and made for Lylian. 

Boys.

Boys at a party.

Boys.

Crazy. Boys.

Boys at a girl's party.

Tiana shoes for Lyl.

Lylian and her rock, "Bubba".

The girls all dressed up.

Chalkboard painted mason jar drinking glasses.

The cups were the party favors. The kids loved them and the adults enjoyed them too. Someone came back yesterday to get one for themselves lol. I got the straws HERE. The grommets HERE. And the bottles HERE. The unsanded tile grout came from Home Depot and I had the paint on hand. 

We used sidewalk chalk to write on the jars, but of course feel free to use any type of chalk :)

And last but not least the purple straw.

The party was a success. And it was followed by a kick butt sleepover next door. All my children that can walk stayed the night. All I got was a yelled goodbye from one child. It wasn't even my two year old! 

Any birthday news or ideas on your homefront?