Pallet for Home

Ya won't find your grandma's slippers, mass produced like a trucker with Caffeine filled veins, on here, darling. We are kicking that box down & bringing a whole new respect for Hand made gifts this Holiday season. Thumb your nose at the hours in line, grouchy faced shopper crammed stores and get in touch with the TRUE meaning of gift giving from the heart.

Ingenious all in one Boot scrubber & scraper! With the look & quality of something you buy in a Gardener specialty store. Perfect for any home where mud or snow is possible. A door hinge for boot bottom scraper? Now why didn't I think of that..

Original source: *    http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/project-20110124.asp *

Perfect for a wide range of recipients. From a gardener, a farmer, Dad & the boys who romp about outdoors and the special little Lady who comes & goes from yard to kitchen. What about those with a camper or tent camp? You are bound to know someone whom would love your personalized gift. Keep this one in mind year round. Great as a New home gift! I would forgo any plastic handle brushes. They would just make your project have a less indulgent appearance. Wood top brushes range from $2 or more. For some they may even be a little more searching to acquire. But remember, Presentation is not just about the packaging. 

I advise against Painting. Seal/weatherproof the wood before screwing in the hinge/brushes. Do the same sealing on the wood handle brushes before assembling. This will seal out moisture & protect the wood for many years to come.

Be sure to include a How to use tag. " To use, Hold the Boot Scraper in place by stepping onto the "platforms" on either side while Scraping the opposite boot."

Why not SHARE that heirloom Doily with other members of your family! This is one way to share a precious memento hand me down with other members of the family whom would treasure a piece of past.
Do you remember Victoria Magazine, when they became AWOL for almost a decade? I LOVED that magazine and still have a few of my favorite editions from the early 90's. Talk about disappointment when I could not find anymore issues before I realized they closed down the press. Well they made a come back recently with a bit of modern flare. This is from their May/June 2011 edition. Sharing with us how Maggie Weldon, the creator & owner of Lace Pottery creates breath taking yet simple plates. You could easily make a platter, a bowl or on down the line to your desire. A simple hand woven Doily with the looks of an Heirloom treasure can be shared with many others.
 Ever so grateful to have found the tutorial being my issue containing this tutorial became a home for winter hibernating mice in the garage. Never should have left it out there...

Remember the Book cover sketch book in Part 4? And the Cant live without Cast Iron bread pans in Part 3? Well baby if you like those, then your gonna LOVE playing with this one.

Find an OLD hard back while shopping in the thrifts, the Library sales with this project in mind. Make a recipe card scrapbook they can keep adding to over the years! Just be sure to add some already filled in with favorites. Like taking photos? Why not add in a few photos of the food item to accommodate the card? Put pictures in plastic protective sleeves for that extra special "just for you" touch.

Complete tutorial over at  *Two Peas in a Bucket* .

Originally meant as a mini photo scrapbook. I saw the metal rings & instantly brought to mind a better use for storing those recipe cards. Now THAT is a kicker use for the love of Hard back book covers!

Despite a more natural approach with my own Hair, Panda has been rather flustered with hers. Not only did she inherit my smashing good looks, attitude & pretty much everything else. Poor thing inherited my exact hair. What once was fine baby black hair has transformed with her maturing into my ethnic texture strands. With haphazard annoying curls appearing in some sections. She began using the flat irons while at her friends homes and a year ago I succumbed with compassion to buying her one of her own.  Apparently the lower end brands do not give her the same results as those she found using her friends straighteners.

So I found the one she has been begging for priced 50% off {at Ulta Beauty}and even then it is far more then I would willingly spend but was met with "All I want this year is a Chi Hair straightener. Mom, I don't care if I get anything else.". Thanks to Grandma the super sale queen, I found one, even better then she requested.

The point of this gift is that MANY girls/women use the hot flat iron or even a curling iron on their hair. I do not know a single teen girl that I have encountered whom does NOT use one.This is a simple gift but can be combined with hair accessories such as a nice brand of hair protector spray or gift card for the local beauty supply which any Teen would be smiling about.

WONDERFUL * tutorial for the hot or cold storage travel case for their flat iron.  * Get a peek at the recipients flat iron. {they do vary in width. From 1/2 inch plates to 2" plates of the straightener. If for a younger female, simply ask "Mom" what the size is before you whip it up. Otherwise, you might have to resort to a bit of creepy snooping in their bathroom with that hidden in your pocket measuring tape. Your on your own there 'Sista!

Via Sew4Home*

'..You can pack it two different ways, depending on whether the tool is warm or cold. If the tool is warm when you need to pack it, put the tool itself in the inside tool pocket and loop the cord around to the outside cord pocket. This way you don't store the cord next to the hot tool."
https://sew4home.com/projects/storage-solutions/travel-accessories-curling-ironflat-iron-case

Gift #6
For the Gym, The local pool, sleepovers, or for that youth whom plays a sport. Panda played Cross Country this last season and always had a separate sling back bag for stuff. And due to the dirty shoes and sweaty uniform, had to be washed.. Often..This one is a great unisex gift. Do NOT let the circle grommets scare you. Truly they are the easy part if you have a problem with cutting straight lines.

*Via Sew4Home*

https://sew4home.com/projects/storage-solutions/make-fall-fabulous-shoulder-sling-sport-duffle

Can you believe just 2 more weeks to get your gifts done! Now that I put that down, I realize I better get a move on my list. I've been far to busy with winter cleaning and organizing this past week. I have only accomplished the back seat cover for the car since I've been spending as much time cleaning it from Moose Tracks as I am other rooms of the house...
Now Ya'll get moving. Time is closing in on us!
Sweetest Dreams,
~Tammie

This month in the land of The Unusual Farm Chick, we are playing Pallet Queen. Yes. I declare myself Queen of the Pallets. The Captain has brought many a truck load of so called "broken" pallets home from work to use as fuel for weekend Bonfires. I have been eyeing his piles for some time and finally have the opportunity to attack. I drug out every pallet piece, laying them out for size comparison as well as quality before the dew had even dried from the grass blades. The Captain came walking out to see where I had disappeared to. Most husbands would have the look of bewilderment to come upon such a scene. Not my husband. He gets that look of amusement throwing in a statement of "I wondered where you were so early this morning. What are you making now?". yep. My King has only amusement for my antics throughout the years.

"I'm building a couch. Here, hold this up for me", as I try to size up two pallets. Like a good King, he does what he asked and does it with a smile holding back his laughter.

I know what some of you are thinking. A couch? Really Farm Chick? Have you gone bonkers? Yes. Well no. I guess when people think couch, they think of the soft indoor seating pieces. This is an outdoor couch. One that will have cushions custom made from even more upcycled items. A couch my Captain can enjoy sitting back in as he sits by his most enjoyed Bonfires. So I guess you could call them Bonfire couches... complete with cup holders... Far more comfortable then a bench. It's all a part of the Bonfire area remodel. My gift to him for his summer enjoyment.

The first couch in RAW FORM:

 I'm not the first to build such things from pallets, nor am I the last. There are so many being wasted, thrown to the landfills because of a broken slat or company disregard. Some people have even made a business of remodeling these free to cheaper then a cup of coffee pallets, making furniture or other useful items. Albeit, the pricing is not even close to a budget minded individual. A simple engine search using the words " pallet furniture , Pallet chair , pallet couch , pallet projects , etc will produce MANY sources of inspiration & how to's. The hard part on working with pallets, besides being a pain in the Arse to dismantle the pieces, they come in many sizes and shapes. Rarely ever being exact in size to similar pieces. Creative Problem solving is very common when utilizing Pallets for recycling.

I have utilized a few various kinds of pallets. Most think of the typical square shape with slats. I have found a source for 3 tier shipping pallets at a local Garden nursery, which is the source for the framing of my Potter shed last Fall.

 Now I have 2 Fireside couches using pallet wood and a few additional pieces found in the scrap cart of Home Depot for 51 cents each. I still have some paint touch ups left before I do the cushions.

The almost finished Pallet couch ensemble:

Including the price of screws as well as the scrap lumber, I made these two pallet couch projects for under $12. The screws were $10 a box and I still have a small amount left to utilize in this next project.

A Fort Club house for the kids, in the woods!

Another shipping 3 tier pallet found at the Garden Nursery Free wood spot. Even has a poly roof piece:

You'll need to stay tuned for the this next project's finished look. Little Man & I are busting out the tools to take on this next pallet remodel as soon as he gets home from school. I have a most adventure inspiring style in mind and can not wait to get it out. I'm hoping to incorporate their Zipline into this but I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to clear more between the trees as well as rip away the poison oak I have found twining around a few trees. I'm the only one in the family who does not break out in ugly blisters when dealing with these things, so you know where I'll be in the morn. Playing in the woods!

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

No, that is not an exaggeration. It truly took 6 months from start to finish. Not because the table actually required that much work. No, it's more like I refused to brave the cold & work on it during the winter. Yes, I dislike being cold that much.

I first mentioned this Project last September, showing a beautiful upcycled barn wood table. It had a rather alluring bottom shelf for the Farm House table. LOVED IT! So begun the construction which did not end looking like the one in the picture. None the less, it is unique and huge! 8 ft long and 3 ft wide.

 I'm not Bob Villa but I am very happy with how it came out. I made it so the top sits at 34 inches high, perfect to prevent slumping over the top in normal dining chairs. Once my new dining chairs are finished with their new cushions, our old table chairs will be transformed into wood bottom {removing the cushions} for using with this table outside, under the future Arbor.

I also managed to finish tilling under the winter rye cover crop in the garden. To feel the cold soil freshly turned under my feet, was exhilarating. BUT it came with a consequence. Within 1/2 an hour I soon broke out in a massive case of itchy red skin & hives all over my body.It felt as though my skin was really crawling. I could feel a swelling in my throat & saw my limbs begin to get puffy.I grabbed the benedryl, which was followed with the antihistamine induced nap. I woke up as though I had partied the night away.Headache, sensitive stomach. Ack! Lesson learned. Do not till winter rye while barefoot.

The chickens are loving this recent turn of Mother Nature. Their coop is still awaiting it's final home INSIDE the chicken pen, but they stay with a 10 ft range of the coop despite not having barriers. Dust bathing, playing "who's got the worm now football" and of course flying in circles testing out their wings.