My latest project

I started a new project last week.
I know I previously mentioned how excited and inspired I've been by Knock Off Wood blog that I've been following. The blog is all about making your own furniture, and much of it from recycled and reclaimed wood. Ever since I found the blog, I've been thinking and dreaming about starting to make a few items that I'd like to have around the house.

In the bathroom for instance. I HATE to have messy toothpaste and toothbrushes on the counters. But that's where I always seem to find them. Blech!

I spent the day last Friday on my very first project. I grabbed one of the halves of the old bunkbed that was sitting in the garage, and decided that I was going to make myself a medicine cabinet/toothbrush & paste home.

I learned how to use our Kreg Jig - (a VERY nifty and fun tool I must say). I got it 89% finished and was just trying to finish hanging on the door when I realized that it wasn't going to work and that I needed to hang the door differently. Unfortunately, I realized that the screw was cheap and had stripped going in. That put an end to my finishing the project on Friday.

Here are the nifty toothbrush holders I made with the jigsaw and then sanded down with my little dremel.

 

My husband said he thought there was a tool to back out stripped screws and so we stopped and got one Saturday night. it didn't work. I was so bummed, and racking my brain trying to figure out a solution.

For Mother's Day I got a Dremel tool. I tried and tried yesterday to figure out how to get it to work and I just couldn't find a small enough bit to attach the rotary cutting bit. Finally, I called Dremel this morning just before heading to the store to get the right attachment. It was so simple. Within 2 minutes, I was merrily on my way. Sparks were flying, I wondered if my eyebrows or hair would start on fire - or the house for that matter, but finally, the entire hinge fell off, and I got to finish off the screw head as I watched it turn orange and begin to glow.

I figured out the hinge thing and re-did it, sanded and sanded and sanded, and finally filled all of the holes with filler and stained it.

Here's the inside view

 

My husband helped me to hang it this evening and wallah! I no longer have messy toothbrushes on my counters.

Here's the full finished product

 

While the workmanship may not be fine, I'm pretty thrilled that I did it! I didn't have any plans and I learned TONS. I learned how to use a circular saw, a jig saw, a kreg jig, a dremel, and got lots of drill time.

My next project will be with plans and will be a kids picnic table I can't wait to start!