Woodwork Archives - Lumber in My Minivan

2021, 24 Days of Christmas, christmas, decor, DIY, for less, Wood crafts, wooden signs, Woodwork

24 Days of Christmas: advent calendar DIY

December 6, 2021December 7, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

It started with a pile of tiny red mittens, numbered 1-24. They were adorable and very useful- what could I do with them?

So I did what I always do- I found a board. I painted it white and i added some stencils to it.

And I glued 25 little tiny clothespins to it with wood glue.

And then I painted the cute little stenciled areas with acrylic paint.

And I added some vinyl to the bottom.

And I added my cute little mittens to the bottom.

I think the board is a bit narrow, and the only thing I’d change is to use a longer board to space the mittens out further. It’s kind of hard to see the numbers on them like this.

And it didnt turn out too badly. I still may change it next year, but I do think this turned out cute.

2021, budget decorating, DIY, farmhouse decor, porches, repurpose, rustic DIY, Wood crafts, Woodwork

Make a storage side table from a repurposed flower pot

September 27, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

Our old house had this fantastic front porch, but our new one does not have a front porch at all. We do have a pretty amazing back porch.

Well, at least it could be amazing if we would clean it up. And paint it. And put the ladder away. Truthfully, we are currently working on it.

For instance, I wanted a cute side table for the rocking chairs but I really couldn’t find what I wanted. I also didn’t really want to spend money for anything new. So I did what I always do. I decided to use something i already had on hand- a flower pot and a wood circle.

I decided if I made these things into a little side table, I could store pillows under the wood slice in the flower pot. So I grabbed a can of stain in my favorite finish.

And I got to work.

Two coats later, I had this:

Our porch still has a long way to go, but I do really like how this works. I got a cute little storage table for less than $50 and I found a new use for things I already had.

Be prepared for some more quick and easy projects soon!

2021, crafts, Creative spaces, decor, decor tips and tricks, DIY, getting organized, rustic DIY, thrifty decor, Woodwork

Three creative wood coatracks you can make yourself!!

July 12, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

I don’t know about you all, but I’m so obsessed with the unexpected. When it comes to hanging up coats, I love finding unique and interesting ways to hang up our clothes and coats.

1. Unique door knob coat hanger

This remains one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done and I still use this in my bedroom. You should totally try it! Click the link for the directions.

2. Reclaimed wood coat rack

You can easily make this one with a reclaimed board, some hooks and some paint. Most of us have an old board around. Make this one.

3. Built in coat tree

I wish so much that I had “stages” pictures and directions for this. My dad did this for me shortly before he died. I do know he made it entirely from 1x4s and nails. I love this so much.

I hope these ideas spark your creativity! If you use any of these ideas, please share it with me!

2021, DIY, farm, for less, pets, project planning, projects, repurpose, Woodwork

Scrap wood Challenge: a plan-less chicken coop or rabbit hutch

April 12, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments

I never like to build anything without a plan- it’s so difficult and something always turns out wrong. BUT- is it really a scrap wood challenge if you use a plan? It’s still challenging, but building on the fly is a whole ‘nother level of challenging. It’s aggravating.

I knew from looking at a neighbor’s chicken coop about what design I wanted. So I started by creating the bottom with four four by fours cut at 30 inches long. I cut my 1x4s to 24 inches and built a frame. I then used two 1×12 shelf boards to build the nesting box. I cut the sides and the divider to 12 inches and cut one to 30 inches to form the back of the nesting box. I also added a 1×4 board frame to the bottom of the legs for stability and to add the wire later on.

I then added plywood to the bottom, top, and added a floor to the inside of the nesting box. I also created a small door for the coop.

Then, I added a 1×4 frame “chicken run” to the outside of the coop. I also added a plywood roof to the top.

And my youngest daughter decided she should try out the chicken run. 🙂 We started adding wire to the outside until we completely covered the open areas with wire.

And then we added hardware to the doors and egg hatch.

Three coats of paint and several shingles later, we ended up with the final product…which I will show you next week 🙂

Have a wonderful week!! We will see you Wednesday for school lunch ideas and on Friday for Farmhouse Friday.

2021, DIY, family, kid spaces, kids, outdoor spaces, outdoors, projects, Woodwork

DIY: A Swing Set Made for A Princess

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

How a few hours on a Saturday can lead to hours of fun

We have an aging redwood playset that my kids have had since my nine year old was two and a half. It’s been a lot of fun, but it is badly aged, and both kids are too big for it. I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on a new swingset, since both kids will likely age out of it in the not-too-distant future. But with Covid still on the rise, and the parks being too risky, we decided to DIY a simple yet sturdy swingset they would enjoy.

First, we bought four treated lumber 4X4x8 posts, a treated lumber 2x6x10 board and one treated lumber 4x6x10 post. We also bought metal swing set hardware from Amazon.