Projects

Lots of projects going on lately.

First and foremost, John finished the crib - only 4 years in the making. When Ava was a baby and we were living in Upstate New York, I told John how much I'd always dreamed of having a cradle for my babies. He got to work on it right away and the morning I went into labor with Ava he put the last coat of tongue oil on it.



It was (and still is) extremely cool and functional, for about the first 2 months of a baby. He was very impressed with his woodworking abilities, so he decided he wanted to make Ava a nice crib instead of just a pine one like the cradle was. I was all for it since I was thrilled with the cradle so $200 later we had enough oak and ash to make a nice crib. He's worked on it sporadically throughout the past 4 years, in between getting a Masters, getting his first real job, and having 2 more babies. Luckily, we still happen to have a baby that needs it. Here's the finished product:

The Crib

And my finished product to put into the crib.

All I can stay is it was worth the wait. I'm constantly amazed at the skills John surprises me with and this is just one. He made the entire thing from scratch, designing and planning the whole thing in his head and on a few pieces of paper. I tried to add my two sense but when he started doing trigonometry to figure out the curves on the back I realized I was way out of my league and let him be. I'm mighty impressed with his handy work and will gladly wait another few years for the next project, which is this:








It's a very big, very old, very cool:

Black Walnut Tree

that has resided in our backyard for the past 100+ years but which is now sitting at the local woodchuckers (ie local lumber jack guys). They are going to cut it up into a ton of boards and posts so that we're able to use it. Once it gets back from them John's going to make us a bed and maybe a dresser and a few nightstands. It's a huge chunk of wood and I'm very excited to see what comes of it.



Here's what's been occuping my time lately.

Nathan's Cowboy Quilt

My ward has had a quilting enrichment night the past three months and I've been trying my hand at it. I'm making a cowboy rag quilt for Nathan's new "big boy bed" and it's been fun, but tiring since I only get time to work on it late at night after the babies are asleep. It's coming along well, especially since it's my first big quilt I've ever made. It has 7 rows and 6 columns for a total of 42 suares and three layers of fabric on each square. Eventually the middle fabric and the design will be ragged up but for now they're just there. I think it's kinda cool (I have to since I've put so much work into it) but I can't wait for it to be done. Which will be awhile since I still have to put it together with the backing, quilt it, and bind it. Wish me luck.

I've also been working on getting things up on the wall. John has threatened to start decorating for me if I don't so I'm frantically trying to put things I want up rather than Bob Marley posters all over. Here are a few attempts.



I actually really like this one because 1. John's instruments finally have a place I can put them away at that the kids can't get and 2. I actually put something on the wall. I have committment issues so don't often follow through with anything but these are on the wall and there to stay. Finally - we've only lived here 2 years now.

This is actually more letters (12 inches tall) that are light brown and will be centered above the couch in the family room. I've got 11 x 14 inch pictures of the kids faces matted to 16 x 20 in mat and then framed in 4 inch thick frames (in other words, huge pictures )to put under the words. John gave me the frames, which are made out of old fence boards, for Christmas last year but I was pregnant and life, let alone decorating, doesn't happen when I'm pregnant. I'll let you know if I ever actually get these up on the wall.