Newest Project....

Hello again....it's been a while to say the least.  Chalk it up to new puppy and a bathroom reno.  Plus a trip to Vancouver for an event set up.....all that put together sort of did me in for the past month.

Now that the weather is warming up and spring appears to be here????  I am inspired to get cracking on some projects and finish up all those things on my to-do list.

We are still putting the final touches on the master bathroom we just had put in.  We took on the finishing work ourselves to save some $$.  It's a bit stressful (okay a lot stressful) but worth it in the end.  It's a functioning bathroom right now but I want to wait til all the trim and door work is done to post the results... all those little things like towel hooks etc that take a while to finish off.

In the meantime....I had a commission that I got from my site on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/offherhinges?ref=si_shop
The client contacted me and was in Toronto so came over and we discussed what she wanted.  She was looking for a sideboard similar to a piece I made for us here.

But they wanted it longer and with mesh in the doors/windows and a shelf inside.

I hunted around for the right sized windows to use as doors and the right sized door to use for the body of the piece. 

This piece took quite a while to get together....lots of measuring twice, biscuit joining, sanding scraping, gluing, screwing, cutting....phew!

When it was almost all done I sourced a piece for the top....the only one I could find that was great looking was an old barn floor board.  Almost 16" wide and 2" thick!  This baby had some substance!

Once assembled the piece was really heavy.....I mean back breaking how the heck am I going to move this heavy.  But we finally got it into the van, drove across town and loaded into the client's home.  They absolutely loved it...which made me feel great. 
I realized how much I love making things and wished that I could just do this all the time....but alas, a bathroom reno won't pay for itself!  But I do really feel pretty lucky that I get to do things like this that I really enjoy and get paid for it.
Here's the finished product:

Making this piece also makes me realize how much time and value goes into handmade things and that we all need to be conscious of that in our daily shopping.  In this mass produced era where things are so abundant and so inexpensive, we often have to remind ourselves to support small businesses or craftspeople.  I hope it isn't a dying art to have people hand make things (I think the success of Etsy which focuses on just that is an example that it is thriving) because often the most beautiful and well made things are crafted by hand with lots of time, effort and passion put into them.

Right now I am working on trying to get a Flea Market happening in our neighbourhood....similar to the Brooklyn Flea we visited in July last summer and fell in love with ....and the Junction Flea in the west end of Toronto.
We are finding that there is a lot of paperwork and naysayers....which is frustrating.  I think our city needs to pay some attention to the small businesses and entrepreneurs who make our neighbourhoods amazing and are a big reason this city is so interesting.  If Toronto is to thrive we have to make sure that big box stores aren't taking all the focus away from the little guy.  Don't get me wrong I shop the big box stores from time to time for price and convenience....but we need to make sure the mom and pop shops aren't forgotten.  Or that it is too difficult for these small enterprises to thrive.

Okay...enough of the soap box for me!  Off to walk the dogs!

Puppies and Slipcovers...go together like peas and carrots

This past Sunday we got our new puppy!!  We've been wanting to get another dog for a while now and when I found a litter on Petfinder....www.petfinder.com....I filled out the application for adoption right away.  We got Scout, our first dog, on Petfinder too and it's an amazing place to find rescue dogs.

Here's our new addition Carter:

We adore him....and so far everything is going well.  But what I had forgotten about getting a puppy is that is really makes you housebound.  I've booked some time off my regular work to stay home and hang out with this little guy.  I'm loving it, but I am remembering how much time it takes and that you really are stuck at home quite a lot.

So, necessity being the mother of invention, I decided to start on some projects I had long put on the shelf.  Those projects we all have that get pushed aside?  I've got tons of them so I decided to make the most of my stranded state and get cracking on them.

I had purchased fabric for slipcovers for our kitchen chairs way back last spring.   I also recently took my sewing machine in to be re-serviced so the timing was perfect.

We've had such a long cold winter (I know....I know....I'm Canadian, should be used to it....but, well...I'm not) that it was the perfect time to get some colour into the kitchen with these chairs.

Slipcovers are fairly easy to make especially if your furniture is as simple as these parson chairs.
Just pin the fabric on with the good side facing in...slip off....sew up....and voila!

I love how bright and graphic they are....and I had forgotten how much I love sewing since I've been doing so much wood work lately.

If you are tired of winter too....see what you can do to inject some colour and life into your house....even a bright and colourful spring plant will do wonders!

I've got lots of other projects in the works now too....I've gotten a commission to design and make a sideboard for a client out of old doors and windows so that will be the next thing I will be working on while home with the pups.

Hope you all have a great family day weekend! 

It's a Shoe In

Finally finding some time to write another post...lots has been happening around here.  Our 3rd floor bathroom reno began yesterday - very excited about this!!! finally an ensuite!!! so sweet!
And we are in the process of applying to adopt a rescue puppy - very exciting as well!!  And of course, because it would be boring otherwise, I am doing some more shows to sell my things....and planning an event in Vancouver...and prepping to get some of my things into a local store...and trying to sell our car...and planning a birthday party sleepover complete with custom made Hobbit swords as giveaways!

Made by my amazing husband for our son's 11th Birthday party! Each guest gets their own sword with a personalized insignia Luke is designing for each friend...crafty much?

So, yup a lot going on in the Roberts household!  But anyone who knows me realizes I wouldn't have it any other way!  It is a very busy time but it's all positive and I feel fortunate for how many things we have going on right now that are so great.

On top of all the usual, and unusual, stuff going on around here I completed a project some friends hired me to do for them.  To build a custom shoe cabinet to go at their front door.  It had to be narrow to fit in there and be able to hold as many shoes as possible...and have a nice top surface to hold keys etc at the front entry.

I used an old door for the side panels and frame....and found two windows that were almost the right size. 

 

The window/door frame in pieces

 

 putting it back together after cutting to size...and sanding it down

They now fit perfectly as "doors" for the cabinet

The top is an old reclaimed piece of wood that was just the perfect size....love when that happens!

The client wanted tin ceiling inserts in the door and the whole thing to be painted black to match some of their existing cabinetry.  I sourced the tin from a local salvage shop.

Here is the final result!  It looks great in their front hall and is really functional too...which is what every designer hopes to achieve.  They are really happy with it also...and that is why I love making pieces like this.

Catching Up.....

Hello....and Happy New Year...belated I know but things have been really busy around here so I thought I would catch you up on what's happening.

The holidays came and went in a flash...ours were fantastic.  The perfect combo of Canadian winter, family gatherings and some good old lazy days.

This is a pic at my sisters cottage of the lake "rink" being made....fantastic!!

I am super excited for the new year ahead and look forward to all the great things I already have planned.  OffHerHinges will be at 2 shows this winter...ladies days at 2 ski clubs. These are a great venue to show my wares so I am pretty happy to be doing those!  You may remember the "Jimmy's" from my last post?  Luckily I have 2 very skilled brothers in law that chainsawed up over 30 more slices I will be transforming soon into Jimmy boards.

We are also planning another reno at the homestead.  Finally we are putting in another bathroom.  I cannot believe how excited I am for this to happen.  We will be taking over the 3rd floor here and making our Master Suite!!! 

As you can imagine this project has swamped me with ideas, planning, obsessing about colours and materials etc.  My husband listens and nods politely and then just tells me "whatever you choose will be fine"....which is pretty great right?

Choosing from the more than "50 Shades of Grey"

If anyone else is doing a reno or planning one in the future, I have to say I am addicted to 2 different sites.  Pinterest and Houzz www.pinterest.com and www.houzz.com 

They have become invaluable tools for all sorts of inspiration.  You can search products, rooms, paint colours...you name it!  Sort of like a ramped up Designer's version of Google images.

I've also been sourcing fixtures and materials for this project.  Anyone who has done that knows it is totally consuming and at times overwhelming. When I am working on projects for clients I don't usually have this much trouble selecting finishes and fixtures...but for our own project I have been obsessing....an unhealthy amount!

Upon searching around I realized a few things:
1.  There are things you need to splurge on....cheaping out on a major piece like the vanity isn't wise
2.  Go with your gut instinct....usually what your first thought or idea is will be the one you end up happy with.  Just make sure to do some research to be sure you are making the educated decision.
3.  Buying from a local source who specializes in what you are looking for is the best way to get the quality and service you want.  Upon shopping at a neighbourhood bath store I learned that the Orange Aprons (you know who I mean) couldn't touch the price, quality, knowledge or service of this great source...if you live in Toronto, I highly recommend Bath City on Kingston Road.  http://www.bathcity.ca
 As well as The Tile Store on Bermondsey.  http://www.thetilestore.ca/  These guys were about 1/4 less expensive than the orangeys and really know their stuff.

I wasn't surprised that the service and knowledge were far better at these amazing stores, but I was surprised that their pricing was really competitive.  Sometimes we avoid the specialty shops thinking we will get a bargain at the big box stores but it isn't always the case.  I encourage you to check out these "little guys" and you may be pleasantly surprised.

I will keep you posted on all the upcoming events....the shows and the renos and all the projects I have on file to be completed.  2013 is going to be a busy year!

When it rains....it pours!!

wow...it has been a nutty month.  It seems everyone is buzzing this time of year, but in particular these past several weeks have been really crazy!

In addition to picking up an almost full time gig (yay!), I was part of a craft show/Christmas Market with some other people in my neighbourhood.  It was such a success we have decided it will be an annual event.  It is really great to see all the people you love from your neighbourhood and to look at the talented artists who I know.  There were so many great things for sale and it was a really fun night to boot.  Here are some pics of my things at the sale that night.

I sold a lot of my wares...and also got my name out there.  Took some custom orders and generally had a wonderful time catching up with all the people in my neighbourhood.  Who are truly wonderful!!

From that night....a star was born...and his name is "Jimmy".   Back in March we were lucky enough to be invited up to a friend's brother's cottage for March Break.  We all had a great time and in the process I spied these cut off round of wood in the wood pile.  My friend checked with her brother and he generously donated them to me.....and the "Jimmy" was created.  Named after their donor, these babies are lovingly sanded down and oiled with food-safe Tung Oil to create cheese boards...or Charcuterie Boards for those of you more fancy folk!

I love sanding them down and discovering the grains within.  As a kid I really always loved fallen trees and especially loved counting the rings on them to see how old the tree was.  So the fact that these boards make really lovely presentations out of your cheeses for entertaining...and that you can literally see how old they are is just too sweet!

Here's a look at Jimmy being created:

I've asked my friend to see if there are any more around....and to tell her brother that he is a much wanted commodity amongst my friends in the hood!

Hope your past month of getting ready for the holidays was as wonderfully busy, fun and varied as mine has been!

White Out

Wow...it's been ages since I've posted...you may (or not) be wondering what I've been up to....lots!!

I just finished designing and setting up an event for a corporate client.  This is about the 6th job I have done for them and each time I enjoy it more.  They are great people, the budge is healthy and they allow me to basically do whatever I want.

The theme for this event was a "White Party".  My first thought was to design a white winter wonderland but they didn't want to do seasonal since we had already done Christmas in July (I know...nuts!  but that is the business).  So my next thought was to just use all textures of whites.  I got inspiration from the Spring/Summer 2012 Chanel Show...it was the first thing that caught my eye when I googled "white party decor". 

So I ran with it.

I drew up the floor plan according to their needs for the event.....they were having a speaker so they needed a "front" of the room, and bar and buffet stations.

I sourced some fabulous all white furniture from Lounge Rentals Inc loungerentalsinc.com....highly recommend them!  My friend put me on to them and they were so professional and helpful....which just makes my job easier.

There was a long divider wall made up of those folding panels that they often use in venues to divide up the larger rooms into smaller spaces.  It wasn't hideous but wasn't gorgeous either.  So I decided to cover it up with a floral wall like the one above.

That led to a floral theme...so off I went to the Art supply store to get rolls and rolls and rolls of white paper.  And lots and lots of hot glue sticks.

I started making the flowers using some websites I found with tutorials.  I am constantly amazed at the things you can find out how to do online.

Each panel took about a day to finish.  Here is a peek at the flowers coming to life.  Note my dog lying there saying..."play with me and the ball!!"  Sorry Scout, flowers won't make themselves!

 I made several different kinds of flowers and then added them to the 4'x8' foam core panels...believe me, fitting 4 of these in my house was no easy task!

Then I made some extra flowers to use as decoration loosely around the room.

Needing to fill up the space and add drama, I sourced some huge vases (actually styrofoam planters??) and made giant paper flowers on "stems" (aka threaded rods).

I also wanted to string up some white paper lanterns above the buffet table.  I hung them at various heights from a wooden rod.

 This was an interesting task at 10pm in front of full height windows 8 floors up!!  I had to keep chanting "don't look down"...

Once I had everything in place and the furniture arrived I did all the finishing touches.  Like white flowers, white pashminas rolled up for the guests etc.

And......here is the end result.

I got Benched!!

As the title infers....my latest projects have been benches.  Two very different styles of benches but both using reclaimed materials. 
The first bench I made from that old piece of wood that I almost climbed into the dumpster for.....recall my ill fated trip to the salvage yard in a dress and flip flops?
Here is the block of wood before....

All it took was a lot of sanding....starting from the coarsest grade down to the finest....then I added some blocks as risers...and some metal legs...a coat of stain and tung oil.....and here is the final result.

I'm hoping to sell this and several other pieces at some shows I am doing in January/February.  So you will be seeing lots of other projects happening here soon to get ready for those!

The next Bench project was for my son's room.  He has wanted to make a bench out of old hockey sticks for over a year now and we finally collected enough to do just that.

We looked at lots of different designs and decided on a simple one that uses only hockey sticks for the bench, legs and supports.  I built the top of the bench first...

And then added legs and cross supports....

It looks great in his room and is a personal and quirky keepsake now! 
After completing these 2 very different benches I realized how practical that particular piece of furniture is and how different they can be made for every space.  You can bet I will be making more benches in the future.  It seems that they are just the right size and scale to fit in many areas of the home and are useful for many things.  Although I think in my son's case it may just be one more place to throw dirty clothes on...sigh....