abodewell

New items in Abodewell's Etsy shop and new Etsy shop for leather goods!

2011-07-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

I've been a very busy monkey over the past few months, making new stuff for my Abodewell shop and starting up my new Etsy shop for handmade leather goods, Sorringowl & Sons.

Here are a few new items from my new leather goods shop on Etsy, Sorringowl & Sons:

And here are some items from my new Etsy Abodewell shop:

I will also be adding some "new" vintage and refurbished items on my blog here and advertising them on Apartment Therapy soon. So... stay tuned!

And Thanks for looking!

New items on Abodewell! and Happy Belated New Year!

2011-01-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, yes, I haven't written in awhile (and for that I apologize), and yes, I haven't posted any items on here for awhile (again, my apologies) and, yes, I haven't really been around. But if this were school and I had to give you a note, well, it would go something along the lines of the excuse my sister once gave her homeroom teacher in high school for being absent:

Dear Blog Followers:

I'm sorry I was absent but...

I had to go to the beach.

Sincerely,

Frank @

Abodewell

And while, technically (and despite living in L.A.) I'm not a beach person, and while, technically, I didn't really go to the beach, I did need to get some stuff in order and take a much needed break, which, for all intents and purposes, was my "beach". So, I hope you can excuse this and hopefully I won't have to make it up in summer school.

So now that that ugly but necessary business has been taken care of, onto brighter things.

Happy (Belated--see above) New Year! It's a New Year and I have some new stuff (with more to come here and in my Etsy shop)!

First up, this beautiful, all solid wood (maple, no less) butterfly gate leg table.

The top on this has gorgeous tiger striped grain...

And this is like three tables in one. Both leaves can be folded down (to a size of 22" deep x 40" long x 29.5" high) so this can be used like an occasional table or sofa table, which is great if you don't have a lot of space. It can also be used with one leaf up, as a desk or small table (size with one leaf open is 39" long x 40" deep x 29.5" high)...

And, of course, fully open (size is 56" long x 40" deep x 29.5" high fully opened) for dinner parties or an extra buffet table that you can tuck away after the party.

This is available for sale right now on Craigslist (see the ad here) or, contact me directly me through my blog here. Only $225. Practically a steal!

Happy Belated New Year!

Frank @
Abodewell

Update 1/20/11: This item has gone to a good home. More to come.

Vintage Swiss Grey Dresser on Apt Therapy L.A. Scavenger!

2010-10-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

The nice people at ATLA have included the Vintage Swiss Grey Dresser I have up for sale today on Craigslist! Those are some swell folks! (with good taste, wink, wink...)

Vintage Swiss Grey Dresser on ATLA!

New Vintage items up on Craigslist L.A.!!!

2010-10-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new items up on Craigslist L.A.

First, we have this lovely Swiss Grey Tallboy Dresser. Made of solid wood with the original brass hardware.

I love the color of this and I really like the way the old brass looks up against this. Reminds me of an old piece of military furniture from an officer's quarters. Solid wood and solid brass hardware. See the Craigslist ad here for this beautiful dresser.

Next up is a Mid Century Coffee Table made in Sweden. Very nice teak on this and the turned, solid wood legs are solid (no wobbling here).

Has recently been refurbished and oiled and waxed. This is a gorgeous, retro piece that will really stand out. Check the Craigslist for this coffee table here.

And finally, this week, check out this cute, little solid wood table with turned legs and a little drawer.

This would be perfect for a side table, night table, occasional table or even a laptop table. It's the perfect desk height to work on (26") and is very well constructed. Put some small notepads and pencils in the drawer and you're good to go. See the ad here.

Email via this blog or via Craigslist to see any of these items. Have a great weekend!

My First Treasury List on Etsy!

2010-09-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

The other night I couldn't sleep, so, I decided to get online and just browse Etsy as a shopper (something I rarely do). I saw so many beautiful things, I decided to make a Treasury List. Here it is, inspired by tobacco and literary figures, Tobacco Wrote

Green & Chrome Chairs on Etsy's Front Page!

2010-09-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Just recently found out these made it to Etsy's Front Page!

Suh...weeeet!

Furniture Makeover! From boring, outdated armoire to very hip, modern and oh so tres chic Barmoire!

2010-08-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

What is a "Barmoire," you may ask? It is a fancy name I came up with for an outdated armoire, like so...

...that is repurposed into a new (looking), modern Bar, complete with sliding wine rack drawers, mirrored tile, fancy (and eco-friendly) lights and a wooden glass rack overhead. As in, like so...

Here's are a few close ups of the components:

the inside

battery operated, eco-friendly L.E.D. lights add nice, soft mood lighting at very little expense to you and the environment

...and the sliding wine rack drawers are a nice place to store your favorite bottles of Chateau Bluh Bluh Bluh, '57 (obviously, I'm very knowledgeable about wine).

the finished piece complete with glass knobs.

So, before you throw out that hulking or outdated piece of furniture, you might ask yourself, "Hmmm....I wonder if I can use that for something else?"

Mid Century Green and Chrome Chairs on Apartment Therapy's Scavenger Roundup! SOLD!

2010-08-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through Apartment Therapy today and, lo and behold, on today's installment of Apt Therapy's Scavenger Roundup, I see the set of Mid Century Chairs that I currently have up for sale on ATLA classifieds and Craigslist! Perdy kewl!

Almost makes me want to keep them...

...but then I'd have to find space for them...

...and... seeing as I already have eight chairs...

and four more would make twelve....

...in a place where I'm the only one around......

....hmmm....
...maybe I could...
...bolt them to the ceiling???...

Fine. I'll just sell them...(grumble, grumble)

So, uh...if you wanna' see them...I guess I'll show 'em to you...whatever....
...just email me through my stupid blog...or...whatever...whatevs...

New (Vintage) item up on Craigslist! Vintage Swedish Grey Dresser --Sold!

2010-08-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Just recently completed some big custom jobs I was working on this summer and now I'm starting to put up more vintage and mid century items on Craigslist and Apartment Therapy LA classifieds:

Here is the latest: This is a Vintage Swedish Grey Dresser in solid wood, with turned wooden knobs and brass hardware...

As you can see, I had a pair of these but the first one sold in about three days! The second one, (pictured in the top left photo) is in very nice condition and awaits its new home. The solid wood drawers slide in and out easily and this is ready to be put to use now (as in, right now!).

Some detail of the hardware:

...and one last pic for the road...

Check out the Craigslist ad for this here and on Apartment Therapy L.A. classifieds and/or email me through here to see this Swedish beauty! Thanks for looking at my blog!

Update: 8/24/10 This item has sold!

2010-08-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Antique Dresser -- From Hidden Gem to Swedish Jewel

Before

This antique, solid wood dresser was sitting in a closet (literally) for years when a client showed this to me. The construction was very well made, the finish still in fairly decent condition for it's age (1930's, most likely) and the original, thick brass hardware, was still nicely secured and worked perfectly. When I asked her why she had such a nice piece of furniture in the closet, she answered, "I hate the look of it. The brass hardware is dated and it's too dark. It doesn't really fit in any part of my home."

While I would always recommend considering refinishing a quality piece of furniture to its original finish first (which this piece really didn't need) or selling it to make room for something you do like, this piece had been in the family for many years and was not something she wanted to part with.

In that case, updating a piece of furniture so that you can actually use it (and not have it hidden) is often the best option. We talked some more and she told me she needed a dresser for her child's room and thought to use this one but again, she thought it too heavy, dark and severe looking for a young girl. I agreed. But how to make it fit? Painting such a quality piece a bright "kid's" color would be a no-no, but a sophisticated neutral is sometimes the right way to go. So, we decided on a slightly distressed, dove grey finish, in the Swedish style.

Here's the result:

After

Sometimes, painting over what seems like perfectly good wood is better than hiding an outdated but functional, well made piece of furniture. And since the original finish was still in good shape (acting as a protective layer underneath the paint), should she change her mind in the future and want to refinish it, stripping this would not be that difficult as the paint will not be going on (and into) the wood itself, but rather, over the finish.

Now this looks like more of what it actually is: a family heirloom that has been around for years but that is so well made it has stood up to the test of time beautifully and with some character to boot. The paint is applied in layers, distressed carefully, and then waxed by hand, using beeswax and natural pigments to make it look like this was found in the attic rather than hidden in the closet.

Set of four green Mid Century chairs for sale

2010-07-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

This is a set of four, Mid Century, green vinyl and chrome tubing chairs, in excellent shape! Just got these in and did a thorough cleaning and polishing so, they look awesome and are ready to use right now (like, now!).

They won't last so, if you're interested, you can see the ads here on L.A. Craigslist and the classifieds section of Apartment Therapy L.A. and contact me through those ads or right here from my blog. Thanks for looking!

More Furniture Makeovers!

2010-07-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

From Seventies Party Pooper to Modern Day Life of the Party!

Before

This Sixties Hollywood Regency Credenza goes from a snoozer with tired paint, outdated brass hardware and a dated, early '70's, gold and dull yellow paint combo to...


After

...an eye catcher! With a fresh Mermaid Blue/Ocean Metallic paint finish and new (and much smaller) chrome/glass handles that draw the eye to the lovely frame and panel doors, this once obnoxious party pooper has been updated to a modern, functional, life of the party centerpiece that can be used as a bar, buffet, media cabinet or as storage for books, china or collectibles. This piece says, "Yes, I am still funky but I clean up nice for parties and special occasions!"

Before and After

2010-07-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

Mid Century Vintage Danish Dresser -- From Wallflower to Showpiece

Before

This is an interesting piece a client brought to me that was in need of some TLC: a Danish Mid Century Dresser with teak veneer and solid wood drawers. The veneer was peeling in places and scratched, the finish had either disappeared in spots or melted into a plasticky puddles. Instead of this piece taking the spotlight as a show stopper, it meekly whispered, "Oh, no, that's cool...I'll just be right here in the corner."


After

Well, working with my client (who had just moved and wanted to make a statement with her place), we came up with a plan to really make this piece shine.

The construction of the piece was solid but the condition of the veneer on the drawer faces was such that it would have to be replaced (an often difficult and expensive undertaking) and my client wanted to stay within a budget.

So, we decided to give the front of this piece a new facelift and paint it white. For this, I used a quality semi-gloss paint that would resist fading, yellowing and stains; I also added a few coats of wax to the finish to give it even more protection. The top, sides and legs of this piece were then sanded carefully (so as to avoid sanding through the very thin teak veneer), stained with a natural walnut stain and finished with an all natural, oil and beeswax finish (all applied by hand) and then hand buffed.

The result (which we were both very happy with), is a piece that now says "I'm sophisticated, I have great bone structure and I won't be ignored." Shine on, you beautiful, little Danish diamond. Shine on.

Pipe Dreams and Manly Men!--Father's Day Gift Ideas from the Men of Etsy!

2010-06-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

As we approach Father's Day, I have been feeling more of a need to get in touch with my masculine side and reconnect with my muy macho muchachos (aka, my buddies). Maybe it's because it seems harder nowadays to have male bonding time. What with me being a full time father of three (cats: Primo, Bella and Camilla) and trying to raise them correctly (teaching them valuable lessons, like, they shouldn't jump on the dining room table...anymore--okay, I let it go on longer than it should have), finding the time to be a "man's man" often gets tossed to the side of the road, like a discarded and under-appreciated Tom Selleck Moustache (which, in my opinion, is a work of genius not to be attempted by anyone other than Mr. Selleck himself).

Well, in the words of "Lost" Scotsman and manly man himself, Desmond Hume...

"No more, Brutha'!"

In fact, recently, I've been thinking about the age-old question, what makes a man a man? Is it, as the BIG Lebowski once posed to The Dude, "...being prepared to do the right thing, whatever the cost?"...or is it just the Dude's well thought out answer to that question of questions?

Well, I never figured that one out, but I do know this, there are probably few things as definitely masculine as a pipe!

So, here are some pipe inspired gift ideas for Father's Day from none other than a few of the men of Etsy, or MoE's.

I recently joined the Etsy Group, Men of Etsy (spearheaded by another MoE, Giani, who makes great jewelry, his Etsy shop is here. ) These are the brave and fearless few of the male species on Etsy, who are dedicated to making things out of wood, glass, stone (and other manly materials) using their bare hands, hand tools (or sometimes nothing but their teeth), to create things like wood furniture, stone jewelry, clay pottery, art, housewares, things with electrical switches, and other doo-dads and thingamajigs that they've created in their man caves (aka, garage or shed, or an unused portion of their girlfriend's closet--and I say, "doo-dads" and "thingamajigs" because I'm too busy making things to actually name them--like a real man).

Looking through the many Men of Etsy shops , I noticed a pattern: Pipes!
(Okay, well, maybe I was looking for that pattern because I wanted to do a pipe-related post for Father's Day and it appeared to me after searching for it but, whatever.) Nothing says "Man" more than a pipe! And what better way to say Happy Father's Day to your favorite man than by giving him one of these pipe-inspired creations and saying to him, "Here, Dad. Put this in your pipe, and smoke it."

Here are a few of the MoE shops that highlight Pipes (and pipe related doo-dads, what-nots and what have yous):

Etsy MoE Shoppe Numero 1: Matteart

First we have a few prints, or "etchings" as I like to call them (as in, "Would you like to come back to my place and see my etchings?"), featuring pipes by artist Matte Stephens, whose Etsy shop, Matteart features, among many other things, his many pipe inspired musings and very distinguished fellows (hmm..."musings" is not a very manly word...my apologies, brutha's):

His artwork not only has this great retro feel to it but even has these super creative titles, like, "Count Abernathy was an avid bird watcher" (2nd print above, on the right) and "Uncle Rutherford comes for a visit" (3rd print on the bottom). So, sit back, enjoy a puff and check out his very neato blog here filled with great art!

Etsy Shoppe Number Duece: MansFaceStuff

For the furry-faced dad in your life, we have a great grooming product from two very distinguished gentlemen (as evidenced by their names alone), Evan Dumas and BT Livermore: All-Nighter Coffee and Pipe Tobacco Moustache Wax

And, yes, as the name implies, this is a moustache wax that smells like a warm mug of coffee and a steaming bowl of pipe tobacco! Guaranteed to keep that darned, wiry, bird's nest under your nose in control and keep you alert while you burn the midnight oil, doing whatever it is you do into the wee hours (I won't ask but for god sakes, man...be discreet). Their fancy moustache waxes, which are handcrafted and all natural, also come in Unscented and Gin & Tonic flavors! You could probably even eat them!...but don't do that...

Instead, order a tin or two (or three!) of this Man's Face Stuff in time for Father's Day, slather it on, and pull an all-nighter with Dad by watching one of my favorite French flicks, "La Moustache!" an existential little thriller about facial hair or (twirling my moustache)...the absence of it...? The film asks the question, "If a man shaves his moustache in the forest and no one is there to witness it...did he ever have a moustache to begin with????" Hmm...intrigued? Yes, you are.

Messrs Dumas' and Livermore's' (extra apostrophes in there, just in case) Etsy shop, MansFaceStuff (see, they don't have time to make up fancy names either) is based in Portland, OR, which, according to these gents, is "the most facial hair friendly city in the world." And they should know. Here they are, pictured during what looks like a very manly meal of brisket, bread and hearty ale (or a stouty mead of some sort, no doubt.)

Despite the potential threat of this saucy smorgasbord turning their sweet 'staches into muddy hornet's nests, does it look like either of their face-do's are in need of grooming? I say, man, does it look like either of these gentlemen's lip brows are unkempt?? I think not.

Take note, gentlemen, and get your grubby mitts on some of their fine moustache malts and once and for all, get your facial hair affairs in order! To Evan and BT, I say, well done, gentlemen. You're keeping the men of America looking groomed and gentlemanly (and god knows we could use it) and fighting irony everywhere (damned Ironists)! Keep fighting the good fight!

Etsy MoE Shoppe Numero Tres: HendersonPipes

Finally, what kind of article named "Pipe Dreams" would be complete without a real, honest-to-goodness pipe maker?

What's that you say (in a quivering voice)? "I didn't know there were actually people that still make pipes. Aren't pipes made by robots now?" or "Do people still smoke pipes?...I mean, like, for...tobacco?" you ask.

You sad hooligan. Robots do not make pipes. And they never will. At least not while they do not have lungs, and at least not while I can still live and breathe using my own lungs (or an iron lung...or someone else's lung [not without their permission, of course--that would be ungentlemanly]). Of course there are still pipe makers! and yes, people do still smoke pipes, and no, not just with that other tobacco, but real tobacco!

Andy Henderson of Etsy shop, HendersonPipes is not only living proof of that but a real, honest-to-goodness pipe maker. No, I would go one step further: Andy Henderson is an "artiste" of pipe making (and no, I would rather have not used the word, "artiste," thank you very much! but that's what he is, dammit!).

Pictured below is his Bent Ebony Billiard with a Handmade Stem

As you can see from this beautiful example, Andy combines time honored pipe carving skills with modern, yet still classic, shapes and finishes, all done by hand (take that, robots!). He even goes so far as to make the stem by hand (which can take almost as long to make as the pipe itself)!

Next, we have the Freestanding Emerald Quick-Smoke Pipe

This is for the elegant, modern man on the go! It says, "Yes, I am traditional in that I smoke a pipe," but the smaller tobacco chamber, or, the "quick smoke" part of it says, "I am also modern in that while I'm taking the time (from my very full schedule) to smoke a pipe, I can still answer your electronic mail letters to me whilst doing so (however, if you email me while I'm smoking this particular pipe, I probably won't answer you as I'll be too fascinated by it's beauty to notice, so please, stop your incessant tweeters or whatever you call them and leave me to puff in peace)."

And the freestanding part on the bottom says, "I don't need any kitschy Scottish Dog shaped pipe holders! I can stand on my own one foot, thank you very much!"

The Freestanding Emerald Quick-Smoke Pipe is a beautiful little feat of modern engineering and traditional, time honored skill, and would make a great addition to any man's face, pipe case or a special place on his mantle. In a word, methinks it awesome.

And last, but not in the least, the piece of resistance: Behold! the
Blue Dragon's Egg Pipe!

This blue-tinted beauty is described by Andy as being "the perfect pipe for anyone who enjoys reading about dragons and magic."

Do you know any man who doesn't like reading about dragons and magic?

Neither do I.

In addition to being a work of art to look at, this pipe would make a perfect gift for the fatherly Gandalf in your life, or a younger (read, present day, older) Harry Potter-ish Dad. Even the Gollum in your life (you know, the ungrateful bugger who is always hard to shop for) will love this "precious." (Just make sure he doesn't eat it thinking it's an actual dragon's egg--those are rare and must be protected.)

To check out more of the many great Men of Etsy Shops, visit their blog, and this Father's Day purchase something nice for your Dad from another manly man whom he might like to sit down with and smoke a pipe! (and for the sake of Jobe, man, be discreet.)

New Eco Friendly Items at my Etsy Shop!

2010-05-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

This week I am adding all new items to my Etsy shop. They are earth friendly, made of recycled wood and have a rustic but modern edge to them.

These Napkin Rings are made of one chunk of beautifully scented Eucalyptus wood, cut into four sections.

The knots and checks in the wood have been left intact to remind you that this was part of a tree (and not something that does not resemble a tree, or even wood). These are hand finished and left in the sun to mellow the patina.

These would be great on a summer night for an intimate, outdoor dinner or during the day for a Sunday brunch.

And if you're looking for some great eco-friendly napkin options to go with this set, please visit TerreMum's Etsy Shop (who was kind enough to include one of my candle holders in her awesome blog by the same name--Thank you, Jennie!--more on that later).

She makes really beautiful, handcrafted, hand printed linen napkins (you know, proper napkins--but ones you can use everyday) like these:

To see these, and other great, eco friendly gift options, check out my Etsy shop (and others) and thanks for visiting my blog!

New item for sale! Mid Century Modern Metallic Silver Cabinet/Bar/Hutch or what would YOU use it for? -- Sold!

2010-05-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is a very nice, Mid Century Modern Cabinet with sliding doors that could be used for a bookcase, extra storage, a hutch, a fancy bar or to house a collection of your favorite art, oddities or collectibles. It has a Metallic Gunmetal Silver finish and the original brushed chrome handles have been polished to perfection!

This is in excellent condition and is ready to be put to use! It is for sale in the Los Angeles area on L.A. Craigslist and Apartment Therapy Los Angeles Classifieds (click the links to see the ads).

Email me through Craigslist, ATLA or right here, via my blog if you have questions or would like to see this in person. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Trash To Treasure Series! Ugly Duckling Dresser turned into Dove Grey Beauty!

2010-05-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

This was a piece of furniture I acquired as a partial trade toward a refinishing job I completed fairly recently. The dresser had good bones (frame and panel sides and a solid top and drawers) but the finish was badly scratched and there were enough holes (30, in all!) on the drawer fronts to make it look like it had been part of the set for the movie, Scarface. The one thing it had going for it though (besides the good bones) was the interesting, faceted drawer fronts. I wasn't sure what I would do with it but I knew it was an ugly duckling just waiting to be turned into a swan.

I planned to refinish this and put it up for sale but I had a client who came to see another dresser I had and she liked this one so much (ugly duckling and all) that she purchased it before it was even completed and had me finish it to her specifications. I sanded this over a few days (did I mention it was REALLY badly scratched?) and plugged up all the "bullet" holes. I then mixed the dove grey paint (just enough for this one piece so, it will never be replicated exactly again). It was then primed, painted a few coats, all by hand, over a few days and then I hand applied different colored pigments to give it an aged, burnished look. It was then waxed, by hand, using a mixture of wax and pigment to give it another layer of color and then distressed. The distressing revealed layers of paint below that ranged from mahogany stain to a navy blue to a bright taxi cab yellow underneath. The resulting finish is multi-layered, giving this a patina that looks like it has been in the family for ages.

But what about hardware? We thought about Glass handles from Anthropologie but it would probably require two per drawer (ten, total). The handles could have easily cost as much as the dresser itself so, my client, wanting to stay within her budget, asked me if I could come up with a more economical solution. So, I did: leather handles. I had some leftover, metallic silver, leather that I purchased to make some guitar straps a few years ago. I used that to make five leather handles like you might see on a vintage piece of luggage. I made loops from the same leather and nailed them in for a secure yet modern solution to expensive, store bought hardware.

Devising a final look for this piece was challenging as I didn't know what it looked like originally but it helps to have a client that's open to suggestions, willing to try something new and trusts in your vision--even if you don't know what that is right away (thanks, Sandra)!

Enjoy your new (vintage) dresser!

Custom Color! Vintage Desk Redux in Siena Sunset!

2010-04-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is a before and after pic of a desk I just refinished in a custom color that I call "Siena Sunset." I mixed the color myself, for a recent client who had seen another desk of mine, painted in a lighter shade of orange called, "Marmalade Glaze." He was looking for something a little darker, like an Hermes Orange and I was more than happy to oblige him. The desk has six coats of paint, applied by hand and two coats of hand applied wax. The original brass hardware (which was caked with layers or tarnish) was cleaned and polished carefully, so as not to remove all of the patina, keeping its warmth intact. I love the color and now am thinking if I could make some room in my place for a desk...

New Item for sale! Vintage Tall boy Dresser with turned knobs -- Sold

2010-04-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a new item I just finished and just posted for sale on Craigslist!
Vintage Shabby Chic Wood Dresser Tall Boy -Free delivery - $175

This is a Vintage, solid wood Dresser with four drawers and turned wooden knobs.

The boards that comprise the top and sides of this vintage dresser are made from one solid 15 inch wide board! Very nice and very hard to find nowadays (as trees are now rarely allowed to grow to the point where you can harvest 15" wide boards from them). This might have been made by a single furniture maker (perhaps for personal use) as the construction doesn't appear to be factory made.

This is painted with a custom color I mixed myself, which I call Storm Cloud (a combination of dove grey and a creamy almond color). I then wax this with a homemade wax that has a bit of white liming added to it, to give it a deep, weathered look that is actually very soft to the touch.

The turned wooden knobs are stained with a Colonial Red stain that I mix myself, allowing the grain to still show through and the piece is lightly distressed.

This vintage dresser would look great in a rustic, shabby, paris chic or beach cottage home and will last for years to come. It is ready to be put to use today! If you live within 15 miles of Los Feliz, I offer free delivery for this piece. Thanks for looking and if you'd like to check out the Craigslist ad, you can view the link here:

Vintage Shabby Chic Wood Dresser Tall Boy -Free delivery - $175

and if you're interested in this piece, or in refurbishing a piece you already have, you can email me through here or Craigslist. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Vintage Shabby Swedish Table for sale now! SOLD!

2010-03-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Vintage solid wood table for sale on Craigslist today. Painted a Swedish blue and ready to be put to use! Check it out here:

Vintage Shabby Swedish Table desk console paris chic -Free delivery - $175

Here are some more pics:

SOLD! Vintage Green wood Desk with Anthropologie hardware!

2010-03-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest makeover subject. A Vintage wood desk that I refinished and painted a Bamboo Green. More citrus colors!!! When will it stop? (Probably not any time soon.)

I also put some timepiece knobs on this from Anthropologie.

Let me know what you think of the color and hardware. I love the color but I know it's not for everybody. I would love to hear your take on it!

I was thinking, if I were going to keep this piece (hmm...don't tempt me...) what are some desk accessories that I would match this up with? Here are a few items from my fellow Etsy sellers, tushtush, pilotdesigns and ikcdesign, three very creative sellers that all have great stuff. Please check them out!

Tushtush is one of my favorite painters of small works on Etsy. Her portraits are intimate, beautifully composed and best of all, very reasonably priced. This portrait, Acoustic Guitar, is one of my favorites by tushtush

and it's only $15 duquets for a print! Whaaat?! Yup! A steal! ($60 for the original, which, for an original painting is an even bigger steal! [But notice that the link I posted for Acoustic Guitar goes straight to the print version....okay, that's because I want the original. So do me a favor and don't steal this steal from me...because I wanna' steal it. Alright, buy it if you really want it but then do me a favor and buy something from my shop so that I can afford one of tushtush's paintings--See, win-win!--what a sneaky Sicilian I am.])

Okay, next up to go with the Bamboo Green Desk (that I want to keep but am going to force myself not to), a lamp by Etsy seller, Keith Moore, whose Etsy shop, pilotdesign, features some very cool, very inspiring and very creative accessories for the home (I know, a lot of "very" but his work is just very "very!"). The Postage Lamp is one of Keith's designs that's just, well, "very," as in it would look very cool on the desk:

I love the graphic look of this piece and the fact that Keith uses a lot of recycled and sustainable materials, like bamboo, in his work. Nice work from a very interesting guy (read his profile here) whose life does sound like a country music song--but not in a Hank Williamsy kind of way.

Lastly, it would be nice to have something to write in whilst sitting at this desk, whether it be a journal, some business papers, or what have you. Let's go with Etsy seller numero trois, ikcdesign's

Recycled Record Journal, pictured here (diagonally!--like in the Connect Four commercial!)

At night, whilst sitting at your bamboo green desk...your Postage lamp dimly lit, pondering tushtush's Acoustic guitar print (because the painting is mine--it will be mine....it will be mine...), you can open your brand new, recycled Bob Seger record journal and bust some pen and ink night moves in the form of poetry to your lover (imagined or real) or random musings about life and death (if you're feeling in a particularly French existentialist mood) or just sit there, staring at a blank page, maybe sipping a glass of your favorite two buck Chuck (as I often do in my marathon, non-productive, "writing" sessions) knowing that all is well (and it really is) because at the very least (if not more) you have some nice things to look at in your house--g. dammit!--if really, it's only in your home office (or, for me, the space in my bedroom I refer to as "my office").

Just posted the desk on Craigslist, here in Los Angeles, for all you local folk (and I also offer delivery) and this will also be up for sale in my Etsy shop very soon.
To see the craigslist ad, go here:
Vintage Bamboo Green Writing Desk Anthropologie hdwe
To see more pics of this and some of my other past pieces I've sold, visit my new Flickr photo page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/abodewell/

To see this in person, email me here or on Craigslist! "0\/0"

Vintage Orange Desk on Apartment Therapy's L.A. Scavenger!!

2010-03-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Apartment Therapy's Los Angeles Scavenger is featuring some items for sale today in the L.A. area that feature the colors of the citrus rainbow. My Vintage Orange Desk is one of them! Thanks to the editors at ATLA for featuring the desk, along with some other really interesting pieces, like this one:

and this'n:

It looks like I'm not the only who is feeling kinda' fruity!...um...you know what I mean.

Sold! Vintage Citrus Orange wood Desk with Anthropologie hardware!

2010-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

Okay, I never thought I'd say this after last year's "Africa hot" summer here in Los Angeles, but I think I'm ready for beach weather. Maybe it's all the wet weather we've been having this winter that's been giving me the blues, or blahs--or maybe it has nothing to do with the weather at all. Maybe I'm just missing the colors of summer!

That must be why all the pieces I've been working on lately have been bursting with color! Like this Citrus Orange Vintage, Solid wood desk! This a nice sized beauty that's not only gorgeous to look at but very well made and very functional. Solid wood and panel construction, a solid top with solid drawers (and the drawers are dovetailed).

Oh, and did I mention the color? So nice to look at! See for yourself here:
Just posted this on Craigslist, here in Los Angeles, for all you local folk (and I also offer delivery) and this is also up for sale in my Etsy shop!

To see the craigslist ad, go here:
Vintage Retro Chic Orange Solid Wood Writing Desk Anthropologie Hdwel

To see more pics of this and some of my other past pieces I've sold, visit my new Flickr photo page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/abodewell/

Lots more vintage pieces to come and a few new items to be added to my Etsy shop!

SOLD!! New Craigslist Treasure! Vintage Apple RED wood Dresser with Anthropologie hardware!

2010-02-24T09:18:00.000-08:00

I'm crazy for Red lately, what can I say? Just posted this Vintage Apple Red, solid wood dresser, on Craigslist, here in Los Angeles! This is a very nice, very solid piece that I think would look great in a retro chic home. To see the craigslist ad, go here:

Vintage Apple Red Wood Dresser w Anthropologie Hardware Retro Chic !

More delicious finds to come in the next few days! Stay tuned...

Don't you love RED? Red Campaign Desk in Etsy Treasury!

2010-02-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

Been busy as a bee lately, working on new projects and hunting for vintage furniture in need of a new lease on life, so, I have LOTS to catch up on here in the upcoming weeks. Just wanted to mention, though, that my Red Campaign Desk was included in a great new Treasury by a very interesting Etsy Seller out of Pennsylvania, Melissa Mitchell, whose Etsy shop, Green Home Road, takes recycled materials and furniture pieces and gives them a much needed and bright new hairdid!

Her Treasury is called, "Red Hot Home!" (which is an awesome title, methinks), and includes some of my favorite pieces on Etsy, like the hand painted Sherpa stool (below), by Etsy seller Fauxkiss

and the Block Printed Lamp Shade by Etsy seller, HomeSweet

Melissa has some very cool, very recycled and tres chic pieces of furniture, in her Etsy shop, Green Home Road, that are (as my dad would say, in his Brooklyn accent) "bee-yootiful!"

Check out her Rustic Recycled Old Door Coffee Table made out of an antique, solid wood, frame and panel door! Very creative and muy sustainable!

And then, there is the piece of resistance (or should I say, least resistance), her "Little Red Table That Could," a nice little, vintage, demi-lune number with turned legs and a red lacquer finish (nice job on the finish Melissa!--it's very challenging to get such a nice, smooth finish with lacquer and Melissa did a great job). Love that red! And I love saying "RED Lacquer!" Just saying it makes you smile like a loon! (that and the vanilla latte I just drank). I think the "Little Red Table That Could," could (as the Dude would say) really tie a room together.

Check out more great RED pieces and the rest of her Etsy Treasury here: Red Hot Home!

Thanks for the include Melissa and for such a nice treasury!
Frank @
abodewell.etsy.com

SOLD!! Craigslist Treasures!--Newly refinished items up on Craigslist!

2010-02-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

Just listed a couple of vintage pieces that I refinished on Craigslist: a beautiful, sage green solid wood desk, complete with Anthropologie Hardware (you can see it here) and a matching, sage green and white, solid wood bookcase. I will post the process of refinishing the desk, from start to finish, in an upcoming blog! Thanks for watching!

Bloomsbury Birdhouse No. 1 -- SOLD!!

2010-01-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

New Item in my Etsy Abodewell Shop:

Bloomsbury Birdhouse No. 1

This is the first in a series of decorative birdhouses and architectural elements for the home. It is made of recycled materials and opens to display your own little inspirational interior. The images of handwritten letters, intimate interiors and art all combine to create a little haven where you can escape. You could also use this as a birdhouse (wink).

More of these to come...

I'm also extending my support to the Haitian Relief into February. For the months of January and February, purchase any item in my Etsy Shop and 20% of the proceeds of your purchase will go to support the organization, Doctors Without Borders, in their effort to help the people of Haiti.

Thanks!

Abodewell's Shop will be donating 20% of its sales to Doctors Without Borders in Haiti!

2010-01-25T22:33:00.000-08:00

Inspired by my participation in Craft Hope for Haiti's fundraising effort on its Etsy Shop, Abodewell has decided to begin its own fundraising effort for the victims of the Haitian earthquake.

For the month of January (and possibly February) Abodewell's Etsy Shop will be donating 20% of its sales proceeds to Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.

Purchase any item at my shop: abodewell.etsy.com and I will donate 20% of the item's price to Doctors Without Borders to assist them in acquiring medical supplies and care to the people of Haiti. Thanks for your support and let's continue to keep the people of Haiti in our hearts and minds.
Frank @
abodewell

Craft Hope for Haiti is approaching the $10,000 mark!!!

2010-01-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the great people at Crafthope.com (Sarah and Jade) and some angels who have helped me to spread the word about their effort to raise money to help Doctors Without Borders in their Etsy Shop, (like Scott Fazzini at Domicidal Maniac -- Thank you, Scott, you're a saint! I owe you one), Craft Hope for Haiti is fast approaching the $10,000 mark in just a matter of a few days!!!

Many Etsy crafters (and other crafters), like myself, have donated our handmade items for sale to Craft Hope's Etsy shop to help their campaign, Craft Hope for Haiti and the results have been overwhelming! Read more about it here and please support the handmade community in their effort to help the people of Haiti by buying items from Crafthope's Etsy shop. You will get something unique for yourself and help a great cause! Thanx!

Frank @
abodewell

Abodewell is on board with Craft Hope for Haiti! -- Please Support This Creative and Worthy Effort!

2010-01-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Shine a light on the Haiti Relief Effort by supporting Craft Hope for Haiti!

Abodewell has just donated its "Twilight Candleholder" to support the Haitian Relief Effort created by the good people at Crafthope.com. They have come up with a creative way to help the people of Haiti, called Craft Hope for Haiti, by having crafters, like myself, have the opportunity to donate items to their Crafthope's Etsy shop for sale.

ALL of the proceeds of the donated items that are sold in their Etsy shop will go to help the people of Haiti via the organization Doctors Without Borders (who, as you may know, are in desperate need of supplies and donations).

Please visit Craft Hope's Etsy Shop and browse among the many items offered by the very talented and generous crafters of Etsy and beyond. You can get something unique, made by hand AND help a very worthy cause.

I think the phrase below (taken from Crafthope's website) captures the spirit of this effort and best says it all:

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank

So, don't wait, go to Crafthope's Etsy shop now and do something that's not only good for yourself but good for the world.

Thanks!

Frank
@ abodewell

I'm a Marina Script. So, what's your Type?...and do you come here often?

2010-01-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Check out Gina DeDominici's blog today to see what typeface you are. I'm a Marina Script. It's Fun, clever and so true, it's a little scary (the test, I mean, not me...although, come to think of it, I can be those things too). Have fun! and thanks to Gina DeDominici for posting this on her great blog! You should also check out her great graphic design website: ginadedom.com, especially if you're thinking about jumping the broom together (you know, "Mahwage"--anytime I can get a quote in from "The Princess Bride," it pretty much makes my day). Really nice stuff! Thanks again, Gina!

Trash To Treasure Series: Vintage Green Desk found on street

2010-01-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

This is the first in a new series of articles about trashed items I find (sometimes on the street, sometimes around my house and sometimes from clients) that I rework into treasures.

I found this vintage green desk a couple of blocks from where I live. It was put on the street for trash but from the moment I saw it, I knew it was worth saving.

Here it is in my workshop. My first exam of this patient turned up a beat up finish, peeling quartersawn oak veneer, over solid hardwood (which places its manufacture probably somewhere between the 1930's to the early 1960's), a solid hardwood base (oak, as well) in pretty good condition (and very stable still), replaced knobs, and drawers that still slide in easily (albeit with worn drawer bottoms). There was a black wooden board attached to the right side back (for what, I have no idea) and a narrow board of pine that was used to replace a missing side, screwed in with sheetrock nails (ouch!), leaving a gap exposed at the side's top (perhaps to air out stuffy papers in the drawer?).

There is some writing on the front of the desk that looks to be from the hands of children, which makes me happy to think that at least somewhere along the line this desk was shown some love by being used as a play table.

Despite the black eyes and missing teeth, I could tell that this little desk was a swan waiting waiting to be transformed. The scrolled, front legs were beautiful and the base was solid. The veneer on the top and drawers was a little rough around the edges but this was not a big deal to sand out, fill and smooth over. I decided to bathe it in a fresh coat of the lovely green it came in (probably not the original finish) because I could picture sitting at it and being refreshed just by the color. Hell, even if you had writer's block, it would be nice to just sit there and look at that color!

So, first step, clean it up, wipe it down and remove the offending boards in the back and side and the thorns they were attached with.

I then cut a piece of solid wood for the right side on the table saw and glued, nailed and clamped it into place, replaced the "air conditioner" board that was there.

I then began the initial sanding using 150 grit (fairly fine but still rough enough to take off any loose finish without leaving too many scratch marks). In this process (which took a couple of hours) I realized the veneer that surrounded the edge of the table top (and parts of the table top's solid wood edge underneath) was too damaged to be filled. I could redo the veneer but that would probably result in the same condition after time. I decided to replace the veneer with a thin, solid wood strip around the table's edge, giving it sturdier protection against bumps, bruises, scratches and inevitable peeling.

After hand planing the top of the strip so that it met flush with the table's top (which was slightly uneven [which is natural for the age of an everyday piece of furniture like this]), I gave the entire desk a couple more sanding passes, using finer, 220 grit sandpaper.

Since I'm going to repaint this, it's not necessary to "strip" this down to the bare wood. In fact, in most cases, you should always try to avoid completely stripping a piece of furniture (especially, vintage and antique pieces and especially pieces with veneer) and instead, aim for a smooth, even "surface" to which you can apply a newer finish.

Detail: This is the original brass keyhole in one of the drawers. The desk came with two locking drawers (the locks, which were mortised into the top of the drawer front, are brass too). If only I had the original key...the secrets I could lock up in there (if I had any).

At this point, everything is sanded, filled, repaired and plucked. It's time to paint!

The first coat goes on smooth, using semi-gloss latex enamel (a green that the guys at my local Home Depot mixed up for me using a green background from a magazine ad that was pretty darn near close to the original hue) and a small smooth roller pad. This gives it a nice, even, streak-free coat that is difficult to get using a paintbrush. I perch the table on four small paint cans so as to get as much paint to the bottom as I can (later, when the paint on top is dry, I'll lay the desk on its back and paint the bottoms of all the legs--I like to be thorough). The green paint on the side of the drawer on the left is from the original green paint, so I left it there, for three reasons;

1. I like to remind myself of the humble beginnings of an item, especially when you can only see it on the inside (I believe objects can have dirty little secrets too).

2. No one but the owner of this desk will see the green paint on the side of the drawer (and if they do, they shouldn't be looking in there in the first place).

And 3. I believe that behind every beauty is an ugly duckling just waiting to be discovered.

Okay, after a few more coats (took me about four coats to get to the finish I liked and I ran through about a half a quart of paint--not bad--the smooth roller, although more expensive than a cheap brush, actually saves you money because it spreads less paint more evenly).

And now, the reveal: Voila!

I left the silver replacement knobs (even though they clashed with the brass keyholes a little--that's okay--not everything should be so matchy matchy) because they still had a nice shine and they give the desk a little pop!

Despite four coats of paint, the finish on the top still reveals the wood's grain pattern, which I always like to see (it's nice to be reminded that you're sitting in front of something from nature [that is now in your home!]).

The finished desk, all dressed up and ready to go!

Now, if I only had something to write about...hmm...

UPDATE: This item has been sold!

New Items up in My Etsy Shop!

2010-01-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

These are some new items I've just listed in my Etsy Shop, click here to check them out!

Go Eco-Friendly! Sunlight Candleholder featured on Etsy's Blog, The Storque!

2010-01-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Emily Bidwell at Etsy for including my Sunlight Candleholder in her article in The Storque (Etsy's Blog): Etsy Finds: Lean Green Machine Thanx, Emily!

While you're there, check out some very cool Earth Friendly finds from some very creative people all over the world! Etsy seller, Fibrillaria, from Hungary (first of all, how cool is Hungary!), sells construction plans to make your own earth friendly doghouse out of "clay, straw and manure (horse or cow) that stays cool in summer and protects from snow, rain and harsh winds in winter." All for 6 bucks! How freaking cool is that?? (Okay, maybe I would use mud instead of manure, but I am, after all, a city boy. I do live near horse stables though...hmm....?)

Also, too (as it's recently been pointed out to me I say a lot, Thanks, Pete), check out Snowdon's, (located "near Manchester," yes, my friend, in "EEN-glond") eco-friendly "Nutter Bag." How's that for mixing eco-friendly with English cheeky...mate! (I used "mate" in a sentence, even though, no one really says "mate" in England--see the film Rushmore. [giving myself a gentle punch on my shoulder...my other shoulder--not the same one with the fist--it's confusing to me too, just trust me on this]).

Twelve Things for 2010 -- Part Two, Five through Eight

2010-01-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

5. Take a regular Yoga class. I consider myself to be neither flexible nor particularly athletic but when I see a person doing yoga, no matter what their physical appearance, I think to myself, "wow, not only are they flexible but they must be very athletic." Now, am I saying I want to be like this yogi?

No. It's just that I no longer want to feel like this Yogi:

(Actually, striking that pose, even Yogi Bear seems to be more flexible than I am.)

6. Create a music space in my home. I like to strum my guitar and write songs every so often; songs that I have no intention of sharing with the world, with titles like, "The Relationship Song (or, Just Tell Me What You Want, Already)."
I have no interest in starting a band, or going on tour, or even necessarily making an album but by the power of Ziggy Stardust, it sure would be nice to have a dedicated space to sing badly and make up songs that make me laugh, cry and occasionally, confuse me...maybe a lil' sumpin' like this (courtesy of Elle Decor):

7. Stage a play in my backyard (Summer '10).

I have always wanted to stage a play outdoors, under the twinkling stars of a warm summer night but as I don't have access to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, I thought, "Why not my own backyard?" I have been writing a play that I want to stage this summer. Now, I just need to finish it, cast it, have six weeks of rehearsals, create scenery, lighting and all of the rest and panic through opening night! More details to come.

8. Clean up and decorate my backyard (in preparation for #7). Below, is what my backyard kind of looks like now (except, not so neat):

You do the math (see photo in #7).

Twelve Things for 2010 Part One - One through Four

2010-01-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Here are 12 projects that I would like to complete this year, in no order (in other words, whichever I get to first is cool beans with me). I will be posting the progress of these (and others) in the future so, now that I've posted it here, I'm committing myself to following through on these (.....gulp...).

1. Create a Writing area. This is not to be confused with a surfing the web/eating/paying the bills/cat nap destination/putting my feet up and joining the cat in a nap area. Just a place to WRITE...and nothing else. Maybe with a handful of books, a bulletin board to post things that will inspire me (to write) and a desk with a small drawer or two for the necessities (paper, pens and...what else do you need?). Just thinking about that sounds like heaven.

2. Create an Arts & Crafts area. No, not where I would glue raw elbow macaroni to paper plates to make faces (although that sounds tempting). But a place where I could make stuff that I like to make which can't be made in my wood shop (because it's too dusty and loud most of the time); stuff like, leather goods, drawings, paintings and what have you. All I would need is a work surface, some shelving and some leisure time. The former two will be easy to come by, the latter, not always so much but this year I'm committing to living the way the Italians do; with ease, grace and plenty of good food, wine and friends around.

3. Make a guitar. "Like a real guitar? with strings and everything??" you may ask. Well, of course, what other kind is there? Actually, a flamenco guitar, to be exact (in the style of Antonio de Torres, like the one pictured below, would not be too shabby). I have always wanted to do this and I've never taken the time despite having a fully equipped woodshop.

4. Finish decorating my place. It's been three years since I've moved and I still have curtains hanging from my walls with thumb tacks. Enough said.

More to come...

The Making of the Tenzin Sake/Tea Set: Part Two: Instant Sake/Tea Set!

2009-12-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Okay, NOW, without further ado, the making of the Tenzin Sake Tea set.

1. This small slab of wood came from one of the logs mentioned in Part One of this odyssey of wooden madness. Buahahahaha!

2. Each piece of lumber that was cut with the MOAB (mother of all bandsaws) was painted with water based paint on the ends (to keep the edges from drying too fast and the wood splitting) and then dated and marked (this is number 3 in a series of "bookmatched" logs--meaning if you split a piece of wood, lengthwise, in two, each piece would mirror each other when you "opened" them up, like a book, hence the term, "bookmatched). Hard to believe this has been drying for eight years. I will not use any wood before its time (and until I can come up with something that I think is suitable for such beautiful wood).

3. The board on the chopping block. It was there for a few minutes before I could get the courage to cut into it.

4. The first cut is the deepest (at least that's what Sheryl Crow says, and she knows...I have know idea why I just said that. I don't even know Sheryl Crow or her music).

5. With my thorough, scientific technique of measuring (I eyeball it until it just "feels" right), I cut the first piece which will eventually become the pouring vessel of the set. I feel good about the cut too. Nothing worse than wasting nice wood you worked so hard to make useful.

6. The sections of the slab that will be used for the drinking cups. At this point, they seem to me like they should be smaller than the pouring vessel; lighter and smaller and more delicate.

7. So, I cut them down and drill the holes. There. Much better. And then, after some sanding, shaping, finishing (by bathing them, in food safe oil), and putting them out in the sun to dry and mellow, Voila!

Instant Sake/Tea Set!

Well, if you consider 8 years from start to finish as being instant, then yes, Voila!

Instant Sake/Tea Set!

If you would like to see more pics of this set in my Etsy shop, click here and thanks for reading my blog! Tenzin Sake/Tea Set

The Making of the Tenzin Sake/Tea Set: An Odyssey in Two Parts

2009-12-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

Part One: Let's go back in time...waaay back...

The Tenzin Sake/Tea set is the first in a series of limited edition, handmade objects for the home, made from a couple of wide logs of a walnut tree that I split myself (using only an ax and a couple of log splitters) almost eight years ago.

My then neighbor had a few big sections of a walnut tree she had chopped down. Why you would chop down a walnut tree in your backyard is beyond me, but hey, I'm not complaining, since I ended up with a nice little harvest of beautiful walnut. It did take some effort though (a lot, in fact). I had to bring over the logs to my yard using a furniture dolly (I figured the logs would end up as furniture so I thought it was appropriate to use that--also, the logs, which were still wet after sitting for a few years, probably weighed about 250 pounds each).

I was only beginning woodworking back then so, once I had "transported" (in quotes because each of the logs fell off the dolly at least three times on the way and the effort required to put them back on the dolly felt like I might as well have just carried them) the logs back to my yard, I thought to myself, "Huh...?..." as in, what the hell do I do with this now??

After learning the hard way that you cannot split a 3 foot wide log, Abe Lincoln style, with just an axe (unless you like the feeling of your hands and arms ringing like the Liberty Bell--or unless you're Paul Bunyon), I read up on splitting a log the proper way (which is probably what I should have done in the first place, I know--but I like to get myself into trouble first and then figure out creative ways to get out of it).

Four days, all of my muscles sore and ten pounds of weight loss later, I had successfully split the logs the proper way, using the other side of the ax head (as a mallet), a few log splitters and some blood, sweat and (probably) some tears.

But the sections I had cut still had to be cut down into smaller, useable boards and then air dried for god knows how long to actually be useable (1 year per inch of thickness, I later found out is about the standard). Instead of massively wide logs that were only useable as a place to put your drink down outside, I now was the proud owner of smaller (yet still massive--to me, anyway) chunks of wood.

"Hmm..." I thought to myself, "what the hell do I do with these?" They were too big and chunky to make furniture out of. And even though I like "rustic" furniture, any furniture made out of these meteorites of wood would only be suitable for hobbits, forest creatures or wood nymphs.

So, like a good Wile E. Coyote that I am, I put my visor and sleeve garter on and went back to the proverbial drawing board. That's where I learned about the wonders of the bandsaw.

If I could get a big enough bandsaw (I told myself, foolishly), I could cut down these chunks into useable planks or slabs and maybe even some boards. Problem was I didn't have any bandsaw. (I later discovered, by the way, that I probably could have taken this to any decent sized cabinet making shop or small mill, and for a reasonable price and very little effort on my part, they could have easily cut down my massive logs into slabs, boards or hell, veneer! for all they care, and done it in a fraction of the time and energy that I expended.--That being said, however, I have discovered in my life that timely, useable knowledge comes to me in the form of a very slow, often erratic, crosstown bus, driven by an older, nearsighted fellow who goes around in circles until he eventually arrives at his destination, not always, but often, more worse for the wear. But I digress... If I could just get a bandsaw, I thought to myself, then I could make these logs useable. I just had to find out what an actual bandsaw looked like, as I had no idea.

Eventually, I saw a bandsaw listed in the local Pennysaver (this was before Craigslist's hostile, corporate takeover of the local classifieds market). The owner of said bandsaw lived in the tony section of San Marino, in Pasadena. When I met him, I was kind of surprised, by him and the beautiful place he lived. His house was old, like, REAL old. Tuscany old. The house was made of stone and the grounds were beautiful. Here was this young guy, casually dressed (can't remember his name now) who didn't look like he had made his fortune on Wall St. (which he would have had to in order to afford such a place), living in this beautiful stone house that looked like an old mill or something.

It turns out it was an old mill, The Old Mill, in San Marino, a Historical site in California (you can read more about it here: http://www.old-mill.org/history.asp) and he was its caretaker.

He gave me a private tour of the place and told me about its history (all of which I've forgotten, naturally, because I have the retention skills of a sopping wet sponge) took me to his living quarters and in the back he had a little workshop that looked like it had been built by hobbits or a whole lot of gnomes (Mmm...No, it was more likely hobbits. Gnomes are dilettantes by nature and therefore have no use for work).

There, in all its glory, with a halo of light surrounding it, was this massive (bigger than any of the logs, that's for sure) bandsaw...for cutting meat. It was a meat cutting bandsaw. (It kind of looked like the one below except not as nice--I ended up selling it later, which is why I don't have a picture and which was a lame ass move on my part, I know, because I wish I still had it).

"A meat cutting bandsaw? Really?? They make those?" I thought to myself, followed by, "Wait, does this guy think I'm a butcher?...Is he a butcher?..."

I then looked at him and thought, "Are you the killer?"

Turns out he was a very nice young man (and not the killer) and had taken this meat bandsaw and converted it into a wood cutting bandsaw (see, I made it scary for a minute but it turned out not to be so scary at all).

300 bucks later, and some muscle delivering it to my garage (he was nice enough to deliver it in his truck [because it wouldn't fit in my Ford Explorer--which I later sold, without regret] and help me put it in my garage).

I had the mother of all bandsaws in my possession and now it was time to get medieval on some woods (that's how I talk when I get medieval, in non-sequiturs). Anyway, you get the picture (This post has turned into a novella and I have to get to the shop and actually make stuff so I'm cutting this "short" here--TOO LATE!).

Part Deux next...

Sunlight Candleholder, first in new series of handmade housewares, now up on Etsy!

2009-12-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

This is the first in my new series of nature inspired objects for the home, The Sunlight Candleholder! Check it out! (Click on the title of this article to see this item on my Etsy page and Thanks for looking!) More to come...

The Making of a Dovetail Cubby

2009-12-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

I don't like to waste things. In fact, if I can reuse something to make something else, that's even better. Sometimes though, thinking about what to make out of something is often harder than the actual making of the new thing you're trying to make. The Dovetail Cubby was one of those things.

I had acquired some beautiful but thin walnut boards (only about 3/8ths of an inch thick) from a man in Pasadena who was looking to get rid of a whole bunch of prized hardwood and some tools. His father, a life long woodworker, had passed on a few years back and left behind a treasure trove of lumber, much of which he had cut himself from the actual trees and a few old, but very well made tools. After some negotiating and some interesting history about his father, I drove away with a truck full of wood, an old, cast iron lathe (something I had always wanted) and a front seat full of clamps, hand tools and doo dads. He gave me a good deal and I promised him that I would make good use of the wood and the tools and not let any of it go to waste.

I wanted a simple, small cubby on my living room wall to display some of my favorite books, candleholders and art. So I thought of this simple yet elegant design: a box, with no back, with the top overhanging just a bit (I like things a little off center) and a rough, or "live" edge on the front.

I decided I would make it out of the thin walnut I had acquired, as I wanted it to appear light, like it was floating in the air. I was excited because after two years of looking at the beautiful wood sitting in my shop, I found a use for it that I thought was worthy of the all the old woodworker's time and effort.

I liked the design immediately but the problem was the wall I wanted to hang it on only had one accessible stud that I could hang something from and the dimensions of the cubby weren't wide enough. I could have made it really wide (to reach all three studs) but at that length the thin boards would look flimsy and would eventually bow due to the extra weight sitting across its length, which would amount to the material being practically wasted.

So I stuck to my guns and figured a way to keep the aesthetic and function intact. I came up with an idea to fasten a thin, dovetailed board to the wall stud horizontally and cut two notches into the sides of the cubby so that once the dovetailed board was fastened the cubby could slide right on.

The result marries function and form. This design also makes the construction extremely sturdy as when the back board is fastened to the wall, it bows forward slightly, actually pinning the sides of the cubby closer to the wall, making it fall proof. Who knew one screw could be so strong?

The following series of photos shows the process of making a dovetail cubby (actually three) from start to finish. This series of cubbies was made from wood that came from the sides of drawers of a vintage oak filing cabinet.

Step 1: Gluing up the drawer sides together to make the tops and bottoms of the cubbies. You can see that the original, badly marred finish is still on the wood at this point.

Step Deuce: The now wide boards have been planed down to strip the original, plasticky finish (yechh!) and to get them ready to be cut. The finger joints of the boards are still attached (but not for long).

Step 3: The boards are then cut to finished size and put together (without glue) to make sure I didn't screw up. If everything looks good then I cut the joints and hope I don't screw those up.

Step 4: No screw-ups means quick glue ups! This is where I carefully glue the boards together and clamp everything. Did I mention this design does not include any nails? Just good old-fashioned joints and glue.

Step 5: This is where the boards go into my medieval torture device/brundle fly machine to be squeezed into becoming one piece of wood (well, one piece of furniture made from four separate boards). I clamp these overnight so that the boards can really bond (and I mean that literally and figuratively) and just in case there are any boards that are resistant to being part of a team. Remember, wood is alive and each individual board has its own personality. I have seen boards not bond to others simply because they didn't want to, not that I have anything against individuality. To those boards I say, go on and be free my little wooden beatnik.

Step 6: The transformation is complete. Brundle has become Fly and vice versa.

Step 7: As a reward for the boards coming together, I then give them a nice bath in Danish oil (my own secret recipe which I cannot divulge [because it's secret]) and let them sit out in the loverly California sunshine. This literally tans the wood and gives it a nice, mellow patina, which will only get darker as it ages, kind of like Pam Anderson.

The result is a trio of cubbies that despite being sliced, diced and bathed in oil, all seem to be very happy together.