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Friday, May 13, 2011

Ana-White.com = Awesomeness

Here's a little story for you.

Once upon a time, a little over a year ago, I stumbled across a website that changed my life and saved William a bazillion dollars.  I spent three days going through the plans on this website, amazed at all the projects and how simple everyone claimed these projects were to build.  Ana White was my new hero, and her website was my new obsession. 

I finally settled on the Spa Bench as my first project.  

I printed out the shopping list and cut list that Ana provided on the plan page, and headed off to the hardware store for a shopping extravaganza.  I came home with a SUV full of lumber, polystain, cheesecloth, paintbrushes, sandpaper, and a big ol' pancake air compressor and nail gun...and an empty wallet.  

That night, Will and I cut the lumber with a circular saw (who would have ever thought I'd use those power tools Dad thought I needed?) and attempted to figure out our new nail gun.  After a near death experience and a near divorce argument, we put the air compressor and nail gun back in the box and I vowed to return it the next day.  

That was March. 

In August, our power-tool-inclined friend came to stay for a few days.  My sad attempt at furniture building was brought up, along with our air compressor mishap.  Within thirty minutes of showing him our situation in the garage (luckily, I put off returning the air compressor), we had built the spa bench! 
We were builders!!

Next came the headboard in September (plans found here)....

....then the bar in time for the work Christmas party in early December (found here!)....

....and the bookshelves during an unseasonably warm weekend in January (here). 

And then no more building.  

Colorado got cold and our garage is not heated.  Life got busy.  Amanda got lazy.  


Then the craziest thing happened.  Ana made me a featured builder!  I called my Mom to tell her to pull up Ana's website right away.  I showed the girls at work (a few have built their own projects from Ana's site, too!).  I showed Will.  I showed the mail man.  Ok, not really, but I was so excited I might have, had he knocked on our door yesterday. 

And suddenly, I was motivated again!  I have the excited feeling that I had when I first found her website; the one that makes me think I can build anything I could ever possibly want to have in my house.  

I now have a goal for the summer: DIY home decor. 

Build a buffet. 
Build a barn shelf. 
Paint the living room. 
Build a fireplace mantle. 
Repaint the garden room. 
Build end tables for TV room. 
Build a bench for the front porch. 
Paint the kitchen. 
Put up new mirrors in the master bathroom. 
Put up new mirror in the powder room. 
Paint the powder room. 
Build a putter display rack. 
Create a stacked stone fireplace surround. 

I have a list.  I can do things if I have a list.  A long weekend trip to Iowa soon, then I shall get to work on my to-do list! 

Don't tell Will about my list - he might run away and hide. 





1 comment:

  1. So what was it? with your nail gun? How did you figure it out? I too, am obsessed and amazed, with all of Anas plans, and so grateful, that I found all of her wonderful projects, when I did! I really needed something, something for me! One day maybe I will blog, or jourmal, for now when, the frown and my waterworks start, I quickly find a piece of wood! I just get sooo frustrated, when I split the wood, and break a zillion impact drill bits in 2 seconds! Tell me your tips! Plleeaassee!

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