Our Nostalgic Memories Blog

I was almost as excited as this kid when I saw my friend's blog-- OurNostalgicMemories.blogspot.com .  Pretty cool stuff if you like nostalgia, retro, vintage images and videos.

 

DIY Mail Organizer Unit

DIY Mail Organizer Unit

Materials
 •Tape measure
 •Handsaw
 •Pencil
 •Spirit level
 •Screws
 •Cordless drill
 •Tryggve shelf (79cm x 28cm)
 •Brackets
 •Knuff plywood magazine files from Ikea
 With a shelf and a few magazine holders you can create a space for mail and accessories.

Step 1.

Choose a spot in your home where you would like to install your mail station – perhaps the hallway, kitchen or home office. Measure the area to determine how long the shelf needs to be. We cut ours to size using a saw, but Ikea stocks this particular shelf in various lengths. If one of these is the right one for you, the process is even simpler.

Step 2.

Install the shelf and brackets according to the instructions, making sure they’re level using a spirit level.

Step 3.

Using a pencil and tape measure, mark the wall where each magazine holder will be placed. They need to be equal distances apart.

Step 4.

Place a magazine holder against the wall flush with the underside of the shelf. With an electric drill, screw the holder to the wall in two places. Repeat until all holders are attched to the wall. Too easy!

Patio Planter for Pre-Potted Plants

Patio Planter

This planter is designed to make patio or deck gardening much easier. Instead of just filling the well with dirt and putting in individual flowers or plants, you can simply use pre-potted plants. That makes it easy to change plants as the seasons turn or unload the planter and move it to a new location.
• We designed this piece to hold pots up to 11" dia. and 10-1/2" high. To create the illusion of a dirt-filled planter, you can fill in around the pots
with wood chips, bark or other mulch. The base or bottom of the planter has 7/8" holes drilled every 6" to drain away water. The sideboards
have a 1/4" space between them to ventilate the mulch and keep it from getting soggy.
• The planters can be built in two different lengths, but you can also adapt them to meet any size requirement. You can even change the width
by nailing a pressure-treated 2 x2 to the side of the 2 x12 base to accommodate a slightly wider pot.
This project gives intermediate woodworking students the opportunity to complete a sizeable project while employing such skills as measuring, templating,
crosscutting and assembly with screws. Since these planters can be made to fit a particular space, this project is also a good exercise in custom-sizing.

Get complete, FREE, plans for building this project here:  http://www.minwax.com/wood-projects/pdfs/intermediate-project-patio-planter.pdf

TOOLS REQUIRED

Hand Tools
– 12" Speed Square (as cutting
guide with circular saw)
– Block plane
– Bar clamps
– Hammer
– Tape measure
Power Tools
– Jigsaw
– Circular saw or table saw
– Electric drill with pilot /
countersink bit and 7/8"
wood boring bit
– Power screwdriver
Miscellaneous
– Pencil
– Safety glasses
– Exterior wood glue
– Gloves for finishing
– Sandpaper
– Masking tape
– Clean, lint-free cloths
– Mineral spirits (for oilbased
finishes)
– Water-filled metal container
with tight-fitting lid
– Exterior paint pad, brush
or roller

Recommended Finish
Thompson’s® Water Seal™ Deck & House Latex or
Oil Stain. Available in 117 solid and semi-transparent
colors in both latex and oil formulas for the legs and
apron and Thompson’s® Water Seal® Clear Wood
Protector for the body.
Alternate Finish
Thompson’s® Water Seal® Tinted Wood Protector.
Available in five colors: Honey Gold, Natural Cedar,
Rustic Red, Nutmeg Brown and Coastal Gray.

Clothespin Giraffe ~ Simple Project for Kids

Want an easy and fun craft for the kids?  Give this a go with just a few basic, dollar store items.

Clothespin Giraffe

What You'll Need:

Card stock, scissors, paint, paint brushes, clothespins, pom poms, pipe cleaners or chenille stems


Make It:

1.Cut an oval from the cardstock.
2.Paint the oval and three clothespins yellow. Add black paint to the tip of each clothespin as shown.
3.Once the paint has dried, let your child use his fingertips to create brown paint spots all over the oval body and clothespin legs and neck.
4.Clip the legs and neck onto the body. Stick a yellow pom-pom face onto the neck and adhere a folded pipe cleaner or chenille stem along the back of the neck to complete the giraffe.

http://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/how-to-clothespin-giraffe/

Easy to Make ~ Baseball Cap Rack

Baseball Cap Rack

For rookie woodworkers with a fondness for baseball, this stylized cap rack is sure to hit a home run.

It’s the sort of project that makes learning woodworking techniques fun, and it’s the perfect addition to any fan’s bedroom, or a great gift. Standing 54" tall, it can accommodate as many as eight caps, so along with displaying your favorite baseball team, there’s room for caps from your other favorite sports and hobbies.

Making this 
rack will give beginning woodworkers the opportunity to learn and practice a few important, fundamental techniques, such as measuring and marking, making straight and curved cuts, doing precision wood boring, and shaping edges with a router. And when it’s all assembled, you’ll learn more about applying and using stains and finishes to protect the wood and keep it looking beautiful.

For complete, FREE woodworking plans:

http://www.minwax.com/wood-projects/pdfs/beginner-project-baseball-cap-rack.pdf

How To Bend Wood With a Jig

Learn how to bend wood with a jig with these instructions.  In this example, we learn techniques necessary to make an awesome coat/hat rack.
Find the full instructions for this project at lowescreativeideas .com
To make your wood bending jig, you will need a melamine shelf board, a backer, angle blocks, a clamping block and clamps.
Attache the backer along the back of the melamine shelf. Attache the two bending blocks to the face of the shelf. If you're bending multiple pieces of wood, mark reference lines.
Use thin flexible wood. Laminate the wood together. Lay the laminated wood on the jig with the two ends touching the angle blocks. Pull the wood back toward the backer, and put a clamping block in place and tighten slowly with a clamp. Add clamps to each end of the clamping block. Add clamps at the angle blocks. Let dry.

Faith Makes It Possible

Sonic Boom

“Faith makes it possible to achieve that which man's mind can conceive and believe”. Bruce Lee

Veneer Sphere Birdhouses

Veneer Sphere Birdhouse

Use simple strips of wood veneer edge banding to form a brilliant decorative birdhouse. Our how-to video will help you get the ball rolling.

Skill level: Intermediate
Estimated Cost: $19 plus stain
Time Estimate: 2 hours plus drying

Tools:

• Scissors
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Double-sided tape
• Large plastic or Ziploc bags
• Large piece of cardboard
• Sharpie
• Measuring tape
• Center of a tape roll (or other round object)
• Rag

Step 1. Cut two pieces of double-sided tape and place them on a large piece of cardboard about 20" apart. Repeat with six additional sets of double-sided tape.

Step 2. Cut seven strips of wood veneer banding -- starting at 24", then increasing the length by about 1/2" with each successive strip. Place these on the seven sets of tape.

Step 3. Stain the veneer strips with a 1" foam brush. Wipe the stain off with a lint-free rag, then let dry.

Step 4. Repeat Steps 1–3, staining additional sets of veneer strips in different colors. (We used four colors altogether, and left one set of strips unstained, so that we had 35 total strips.)

Step 5. Put all the smallest strips from the five sets into a bag labeled “1,” the second-smallest strips into a bag labeled “2,” and so on until you have seven bags.

Step 6. Take a strip from bag 1, form a circle with it, and hot-glue the two ends together. Repeat with the rest of the strips from bag 1, placing the circles around one another to begin forming a ball. Repeat this process with the strips from bags 2 and 3.

Step 7. After you’re finished with bag 3, establish where the birdhouse entrance will be by lodging a round object -- such as the center of a roll of tape -- into the ball. (You’ll work around this until it’s removed.) Then add the remaining sets of strips to the ball, covering up any big holes as you go along.

Step 8. Remove the round object (the birdhouse entrance). Insert a rope through a small hole in the top of the birdhouse, feed it through the entrance, tie a knot, then pull it back into the ball and hang.

You'll find these full directions and video at http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Veneer_Sphere_Birdhouse.aspx

 

Kid's Wood Crafts at Parent.com

I have to share this wonderful collection of Kid's Wood Crafts I found on, Parent.com.

Train with Tracks:  "Your child will delight in playing conductor with this easy-to-make train and track set.
Make It: Give your child three wooden blocks, a wooden spool, and six pieces of wagon-wheel pasta to paint. Cut a chipboard rectangle for the top of the train and two squares for train windows; let your child paint the pieces. Once the chipboard is dry, glue the pieces together as shown. Glue a tuft of cotton to the spool for smoke.
To make the tracks, cut a strip of chipboard a little wider than the length of one mini craft stick. Glue mini craft sticks at short intervals along the strip and top with regular craft sticks. For extra fun, create several sets of tracks for your child to place together."

There are a dozen cool crafts listed there.  You have to check it out:  http://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/simple-wood-crafts/#page=1

Wood Distressing Continued

Another great example of distressing techniques for new wood.  The ideas for creating that aged look are practically endless...

Visit my blog often:  http://www.cappysblogspot.com/
of at my website:  http://www.cappyscottage.com/

Build Your Own Cedar Bar

One of the most useful items for a deck or patio is a large flat area where you can prepare and serve food, pour hot or cold drinks, and have adequate storage for these tasks close at hand.

This cedar bar is designed to provide you with the convenience of both storage and a work surface at a convenient height. The top of the bar can be separated from the shelving unit for storage if necessary, by removing two screws.



I designed the storage area to accommodate a medium-sized cooler, but the cleats for the shelving can easily be altered to adapt to your particular needs....

To learn how to make this and many other outdoor wood furniture projects, visit http://cappyscottage.com/Free-How-To-Make-Outdoor-Wood-Furniture.html for a whole bunch of free woodworking plans!

                                

                                 

*The Graphics Fairy LLC*: Vintage Image - Colorful Sunflower

*The Graphics Fairy LLC*: Vintage Image - Colorful Sunflower

Looking for Vintage Graphics?  I always visit the undeniably magical, Graphics Fairy!  :)

From Pennies to Gold

One whole week left to get dear old Dad a Father's Day gift. Plenty of time left to shop or make him something special. I have heard that, on average, we spend less on Dads than on Moms. But I can say that most of us Dads prefer hand made gifts than the store-bought, anytime. The things my kids have made for me over the years, I will cherish forever...and they only cost pennies to make. Now, in my heart, they are worth a fortune.

Barnwood Bookshelf This is a wonderful example of how old wood, that often times goes ignored, or thrown out, can be reclaimed and given a new purpose! Warped, bowed, knotted, and cracked, these weathered boards, with just a little creative planning, became a center piece. The boards can be laid out to begin the planning process. First, lay down the vertical pieces. Hold your horizontal pieces where you will want them located, making certain they are level. Mark your vertical pieces where they will be cut. Make your cuts. Each vertical piece can be nailed or screwed to the horizontal shelf and add a bit of wood glue to help strengthen the joint. Only the topmost nails are going to show in the finished product. Idea: Use a couple of rusty nails for this portion. As you work, be sure to check that your shelves will be level. If not, simply cut your vertical pieces accordingly. Once all the pieces are together, finish with a nice matte clear coat or some spray on Minwax stain. The possibilities are virtually endless for a project like this. Each will be as unique as the wood that you have collected for the project. Good luck and let me know how this one works for you! I'll be in my shop making more shelves.... Hey Gang! The new website is coming along nicely. I still have a lot of work to do, but stop by and check it out! Cappyscottage.com

Home Hardware - Chalkboard Game Board

A simple, easy-to-make project for the home.  Pictured, is a plain frame.  Just imagine the possibilities...

Home Hardware - Chalkboard Game Board

Redecorated Magazine Rack

Awesome redecorating idea with detailed instructions from myveryeducatedmother.com.  Check it out!:

My Very Educated Mother: Redecorated Magazine Rack

Decoupage Basics for a no-wrinkle finish

I've found a nice video on the basics of decoupage.  So simple and a great amount of fun and satisfaction from this technique!

Aging Wood: Make the New Look Old | DoItYourself.com

Here are some great techniques for "aging" wood for your crafts, signs, etc.  There are lots of ideas out there and I've used some of the ones listed here.  I'll feature other techniques in time.... FREE!  Here at Cappy's Cottage!  :^)


Aging Wood: Make the New Look Old | DoItYourself.com

Are you looking to give your new wood that aging wood look? You can treat new wood and give it that vintage aging look. All you need are the right materials and this guide to help you get started. All the materials can be picked up from the local hardware store.

Step 1 – Prepare the Work

Get the wood to be treated to a place where you can work easily, something like your work room or garage.

Step 2 - Safety

Protect yourself with gloves, overalls and other protective gears.

Step 3 – Instructions for Using Tools

Make sure to read the direction before using any tools or substance.

Step 4- The Natural Technique

The easiest way to make a new piece of wood look old is to place it under direct sunlight on a slab. It should not have direct contact with the ground. If it does, the dampness will hinder the aging. This technique is extremely simple, but takes weeks to get the desired effect.

Step 5 – The Graying Effect

Here, the wood almost turns gray with traces of the original wood peeking out. Get this look by spraying the wood with an oven cleaner. Make sure it is lye based. Lye is a corrosive substance. Spray the wood with a layer of white vinegar. The result is a perfectly aged gray wood.

Step 6 – The Blow Torch Method

Some wood have either black or dark brown patches, this is achieved by using a blow torch on the surface of the wood. You can use a blow torch, but exercise caution while using it.

Step 7 – The Easy Way

Shoe polish will give the wood a natural aged look. Get a brown polish. Apply the shoe polish with the brush and polish the wood. Keep rubbing so that it seeps into the wood.

Step 8 – Petroleum Jelly

Examine and mark the areas that have to be aged. Apply petroleum jelly to the marked areas. Now, paint the wood completely. Take a towel to lightly scrub over the marked areas. As you scrub the grains of the wood will be visible. This will create the distressed look.

Step 9 – The Barn Look

Do you desire the weathered look with dents, nicks or scratches? If yes, then beat the wood surface with a hammer and sand it to get the old barn look.

Step 10 – The Good Old Coffee

Another way to age wood is to sand the wood and pour coffee over it and rub in mud. Wipe the dirt and apply several coats of Briwax.

Step 11 – The Inexpensive Method

In a  jar, mix white vinegar with fine steel wool and tea bags, close the lid and let it sit for 2 days. Sand the wood surface and scrub with the fine steel wool. Use rags to wipe the wood. You will notice the wood changing its color.

Step 12 – Effects on Different Wood

The above method has a different effect based on the type of wood you are using. Oak will show a blackening effect, light pine will turn golden red and red cedar will show gray or pink textured effect.


Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/aging-wood-make-the-new-look-old#ixzz1vEklCrPZ

Transfer Inkjet Image to Wood

Ever try this simple technique for transfering an image to wood, glass, or fabric?  The video is short and sweet and it will get your creativity flowing.  I just ordered some gel medium from Amazon.com and already have the other supplies needed.

In one of my first posts, I showed an example of a wood framed poster that I created.  The hardest part for me, and maybe it is for you too, is cutting an accurate 45 degree angle so that each side of the frame matches perfectly.  I have always used a miter saw.  However, I found a nice video on YouTube that shows a good method for creating, virtually, free picture frames using a table saw.  See below.  He mentioned that in subsequent videos he goes over other picture framing issues such as gluing and cutting backer board, etc.  It's worth watching if you are at all interested in making your own picture frames.  You can create custom frames for pennies as opposed to paying a small fortune at a frame shop.

Milescraft Router Pantograph

Ok...I just ordered a pantograph for my router.  I haven't had a chance to set it up and try it yet due to some other projects I'm working on.  I was fascinated by this tool!  Has anyone every tried one?  I got mine at  Amazon for a pretty sweet price.  I'm anxious to try it out.  Videos make it look so easy, but I must admit, I'm not real experienced with routers, outside of the basics.

Old West Wanted Posters

Wild West framed outlaw wanted poster of Billy the Kid

I created about half a dozen of these with various reproduction wanted posters.  The posters were already distressed by the manufacturer and aged using a special technique.  A similar process would be to soak the poster in tea or coffee, then dried, and after application, coated with a clear finish. 

I mounted the wanted posters on backer board and cut wood frames.  The frames were distressed and then stained--I like to use Minwax Early American which is, I think, much like a light walnut color  On some of the other framed posters, I included embellishments such as a rope, sheriff's badge, old replica coins, and stage bullets.

My first blog entry!  It's taking me awhile to get used to this system so, I'll make it a quick one today.  My name is Richard and my blog is Cappy's Cottage.  I will be featuring and talking about many things including wood working, wood crafts and my rustic framed art, pallet / crate art, chalkboards, and other projects.  I'm excited about this new beginning!