Mommy smells like sawdust!

I did something very exciting this week: I built furniture.

This might be the most exciting thing I've done since giving birth.
(Well, moving from Korea to America was exciting. Oh, and so was buying a house. This was up there with 'em, though!)

my helper 

I've been wanting to work on our home, but cost is a factor.  The stuff I like in magazines like Pottery Barn is always so expensive. I figured, hey, how hard can it be?  Lucky for me, I discovered Ana White's website, which has all sorts of free plans.

First lesson: measure twice, cut once. 

My family is made up of carpenters.

My father's father and my mother's father were both amazing woodworkers.  My grandparents and parents have houses full of homemade furniture and things like handcrafted grandfather clocks, china cabinets, wooden trains, and intricately pieced bowls.

My cousin built his own house from the ground up at 20 years of age.

My brother can knock shit down and rebuild it better in no time flat.

My uncles send me handmade wooden jewelry boxes and napkin holders for gifts.

And the list goes on! These people are amazing.  I am not amazing at woodworking, but I sure think it's fun so far.

And now, some pictures of what I learned doing this project, just for all my relatives to laugh at me! 

Fail.  (Boards should be seamless).

Fixed.

Fail. (Busted pocket hole.)

Better.  Pocket holes in the right spot, nails securing the shelves.

Fail.  (Warped board.  I'll be more choosy next time).

I stained it with a dry rag and wiped the stain off to achieve
a weathered look. It was so much easier than using a brush!

I am very pleased with the outcome.

This will definitely not be my last project.

The bench has a nice little compartment for gloves, bags,
umbrellas, and mail.  Perfect for an entryway.