Mod Log Table

I have been dreaming of an outdoor end table for quite some time. When my neighbor decided to chop down his very dead pine tree, the opportunity afforded itself.
I love neighbors with chainsaws.
Here’s a view of the finished Mod Log Table. Yes, it’s inside my house. No, it hasn’t spent a day outside yet. I think it’s kind’ve pretty inside…

In order to make your own Mod Log Table, you’ll need a dead tree-preferably very dead. I hopped the fence into my neighbors yard and picked out my victim from amongst the carnage laying before me.

I let my Little Mini chainsaw rest while I borrowed the neighbor’s beefier chainsaw. I tried to make the cut as even as possible, knowing I would have to sand down any high points on the wood later on.

I had some vintage legs laying around, but you can use pre-made legs that you can buy at Lowe’s. You’ll also want lag screws to fasten your legs to the log, polyurethane, a foamy brush, and gloves. You’ll want some steel wool & a microfiber cloth for in between your poly layers.

You’ll need a drill with a drill bit slightly smaller than your lag screw and a belt sander with 40 & 80 grit sandpaper, a socket set and a level(not pictured-sorry!).

Sand the top and bottom of your log until it’s smooth, starting with the 40 grit. Use the 80 grit for your fine sand.
That’s fine, baby, that’s fine….

Once your log is smooth, use small set screws to temporarily attach the legs to the underside of the log. Outline the table legs (so when you remove them later on, you’ll know where they go) and flip your table over to check for it being level.

Using your level as shown, ‘shim’ up your table leg until the table sits level. Measure the amount you will either need to router out of the underside of your table, or shim up with scrap plywood.
Or you can choose to sand it even more until your shoulder falls off.
Flip your table back over and remove the legs.

I cut out pieces of plywood with a jigsaw to make up the difference I had measured earlier in order for the table to be level. I chose to shim up my legs, mainly because I do not own a router. This doesn’t look quite as finished, but for an outside table, I was ok with it.

Drill pilot holes for your lag screws or for your pre-made table legs using a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the screw you’ll be using.

Use a socket set to insert your lag screws, if you have legs like mine (tee hee). If you have pre-made legs with the screw already sticking out of the end, just screw them into where you drilled your pilot holes.

Wipe the table down with a microfiber cloth-get all the nooks and crannies. Now it’s time to make it pretty! Enough of the functional stuff. WOO-HOO!

Apply your first layer of polyurethane and let dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It’ll be so purty when you’re done with the first layer!

Use your steel wool to get any of the bubbles out by ‘sanding’ it lightly.

Use your steel wool to get any of the bubbles out by ‘sanding’ it lightly.
Wipe the entire thing down again with your microfiber cloth. Apply another coat of poly and let dry.

You now have such a cute table, you may not be able to bring yourself to put it outside. Mine hasn’t made it outside yet. I keep telling myself to let go…but I’m worried it will be lonely outside…

Sew Vintage Blank Note Cards

Biceps owned several vintage postcards P.R. (pre-Rebekah).
Neither of us knew what to do with them, and we revered them too much to actually use them as postcards.
But things are meant to be used in a practical way and not made to look at and clutter up my desk drawers.

Stitching Bicep’s vintage postcards onto card stock seemed like the next logical step in my strange brain.
You can do this with old photos, as well. As long as they’re weird. That’s my only stipulation.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own ‘Sew Vintage Cards’:
Old, weird photos or postcards
Vibrant colored thread
Scissors
8.5 x 11 Card Stock or pre-made blank notecards
Sewing Machine
‘Jean Needle’ (100/16)
Envelopes 3.5” x 5”
Pen
Ruler

If you don’t have pre-made blank notecards on tap, use card stock and make your own.
Fold your card stock in half and draw a line down the middle using your pen and ruler. Cut your card stock in half, making sure it fits inside of your envelope.

Dust off your sewing machine, slap in your heavy duty ‘Jean Needle’ and choose your favorite decorative stitch.

Test the look of several different types of stitches on a piece of cardboard, just to see what you are getting yourself into.
Once you’ve decided on a pattern you like, temporarily tape your photo/postcard to the card stock or your pre-made fancy note card with scotch tape.

Tack down two opposing sides of the photo/postcard with your preferred stitching method to prevent it from sliding around.

Sew around the entire perimeter of the photo/postcard, changing up the decorative stitch if you feel so inclined.

Using a straight stitch, take your time slowly stitching whatever crazy phrase comes to mind that compliments the picture. I thought that the phrase, ‘Miss You’ seemed appropriate.
Don’t get picky, get weird.

Decorate the flap of your envelope with a decorative stitch, as well.
Finally, choose someone you really love that deserves such a cool hand-crafted card. Sending them this piece of snail mail will surely impress them and make them have warm fuzzies.
If you need my address, just let me know….

Simple Textured Raven

Remodeling offers odd benefits.
Not only are you equipped with hard callouses that are quite attractive on a lady’s hand, but you get to keep the spoils of your remodeling leftovers.
You can make this modern silhouette quickly and for pennies on the dollar. I like that.

My ‘Raven’ was made from a piece of duroc (some call it hardi-backer: this is the material they line shower walls with).
Duroc has a great texture to it and is oftentimes filled with holes and riddled with crazy patterns. It resembles a piece of rough concrete.

Here’s what you’ll need for you very simple duroc art:
Piece of leftover duroc or hardi-backer
Skilsaw with a masonry blade
Wood Stain-very small amount
Plastic cup, lintless rag, and gloves to apply stain
Marker
Oops paint & foamy brush

Begin by measuring the space on your wall you would like to fill with your purty art. Cut your duroc to fit the space using a masonry blade.
My purty piece measures about 1.5’ by 2.5’.

Fill a plastic cup about halfway with water and dilute your stain, adding about a tablespoon at a time until you are happy with the color.
You need to dilute the stain so that it will flow easily over the duroc.

Use a lintless rag to apply the stain onto your duroc.
I would recommend wearing gloves…or if you are like me, live with the disgusting dirty nail consequences.

Once your stain is dry, use a marker to outline your preferred silhouette.

Paint your creation onto your duroc using oops paint and a foamy brush.
Let your piece of art dry while enjoying a cold beverage.

We hung ‘Raven’ by screwing drywall screws directly through the piece and into the wall. I touched up the screw heads with more black paint, which are now incognito. I am very, very sneaky.
I am also very pleased with my one-of-a-kind ‘Raven’ that cost me less than a latte from you-know-where.
Make your silhouette of anything you fancy; a flower, an owl, a child’s face, your own face…
And use any color of paint your little heart desires to paint your silhouetter; orange, yellow, blue, fuschia…
Get bold. Get crazy. Get creative!

Gold Clay Deer Antlers

I have no desire to stand out in the freezing cold, toting a rifle and not talking for hours in order to ‘hunt’ deer.
But, I really wanted a pair of deer antlers for my office.
I don’t know why. I don’t wear plaid or own a gun rack. (But, to be fair, I did make a coat rack from deer hooves…)
If you aren’t into the whole ‘antler’ thing, you can use this same tutorial and make what you do fancy such as a cute bird, a turtle, or you child’s hand impression.
Get crazy. Get creative.

Circumventing the whole ‘fun’ hunting experience, I decided to make my own deer antlers from clay that you can bake in the oven.
I believe Bambi is happy with my decision, which makes me happy.

What you’ll need to make your own set of antlers, or anything else you fancy:
Oven Bake Clay
Picture Frame
Gold (or your preference) spray paint
Scissors & ruler
Fabric (I used faux black fur with a short nap)
Scrap Plywood
Hot Glue Gun
Staple gun & staples
(2)Screws
Drill with a drill bit the same size as your screws
Jig Saw

Trace the inside of your frame onto your scrap plywood.
My fancy ‘frame’ is actually a light cover that I picked up at Habitat for Humanity for $1. Boo yeah.

Using your jig saw with a wood blade, cut out your traced image.
Before covering your piece of plywood with your fabric, make sure that it fits into your frame first. Cut or sand off any necessary edges.

Find the center of your piece of plywood and measure an equal distance from the center to the right and left if you are doing antlers.
If not, you are on your own to decide where you would like your creation to screw into the plywood.

Pre-drill holes into your plywood that will receive your screws.

Cut out enough fabric that will wrap around the edges of your plywood. Use your staple gun to attach the fabric to your plywood.
Hammer those staples down if they get ornery and try to stick up.

Cut away the excess material from your piece of plywood. Cut out a second piece of fabric that will cover the back of the plywood, attaching it with a hot glue gun.
I recommend before you cover your plywood completely with fabric, flip over your plywood to the front and stick a couple of nails through the fabric, into the pre-drilled holes.

Time to make your fun creation from the oven bake clay!
I used a knife, a chopstick and my little mittens to shape out some cute antlers.
Again, get crazy and get creative. It’s my mantra today.

Stick your screws into the bottom or the backside of you creation. Make sure the clay is completely surrounding the screw and there is no play.
Bake your creation according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Spray your creation with your choice of spray paint with several light coats to avoid drips.

Gently hand tighten your creation into the plywood. I got a little crazy and broke the screws free from my antlers as I was tightening them in.
But, I fixed it with super glue. It held the screws in much better and it didn’t bat an eye at my apparently enormous muscles….

I love the antlers, but I could also see a cute, gold bird in the center of this frame too. Or an apple. Or a butterfly.
And I do have some leftover clay and a glass of red wine…hm….