My first build!!

This was so much fun!  I saw a posting on CL about 4 months ago for old barn wood.  FREE!!  The barn was over 100 years old.  I love when something has a great story like that, makes it that much better.  Well, the wood was free if I was willing to do the work.  And let me tell ya it was a lot of work!!  It was a cold wet day in Washington so not ideal, but at least the sun was out.  I couldn't let someone else get this gold before me.  I drag my two oldest kids with me and we head out.  4 hours later and a SUV full of wet wood we are home :)  My poor kids were so cold the people who owned the barn gave them hot chocolate to warm them up, needless to say I did most of the work.

Here I am hard at work :)

This is the wood drying in my garage for the next few months

Now I waited and waited until just the right time to make something :)  I used some of the wood as backs on bookcases and on my china cabinet but I hadn't built anything.  I spent months watching videos and reading blogs on building furniture.  Up until this point I had never actually constructed anything from the ground up.  I knew I wanted a Kreg Jig and a Compound Miter Saw.  But as you might know if you have ever priced these two items, they are expensive!  My wonderful husband got me the Jig for my birthday and the saw I saved up enough money and got it last week, yippee!!!

Isn't she beautiful!!

Finally I get to make something!  I decided to start simple.  I planned to make an entry table, it could also be used as an island, buffet or plant stand on the front porch depending on my needs.  I wanted to only use the wood I had so I had to come up with my own design and plans.  There was some altering as I went but all in all I love how it turned out!  I was impressed and so were my husband and kids :) To fit in with my decor I decided to white wash it and stain.  I polyurethaned the entire thing to seal all the old goodness in :) Here she is, don't you just love her!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!