Thursday, April 09, 2015

Five On Friday

It's been pretty grim looking outside this week. Although not raining torrents, it has been raining. The wind and cold 0'C temperatures have not enticed me outdoors beyond an obligatory morning walk.

I'm going to show you some things my talented husband has made in woodworking. He's been making furniture and other decorating features since I met him almost 30 years ago. In fact some of our first dates were spent in his parents' garage working on a stereo cabinet. He began woodworking when he was in high school, and I'm really proud of the things he has made. Often the only two things holding him back are the expense of the lumber, and a place to put the finished pieces in our home. I've shown you the beautiful low bookshelf he made a while ago, and also a cabinet to hold our fish tank, so today I'll share a few more things he has made.

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My husband and I love to go canoeing ... not in white water, but quiet paddles around the lakes and rivers we visit while camping. This spring my husband created this beautiful paddle rack for our modest collection of paddles.  He had seen this idea on a woodworking show. The wood pieces are vertical slices off a tree trunk with the bark "live" on the edges. His biggest challenge was finding someone who sold these slices which took some time. He finally found a guy a couple of hours north of us that supplies logs for log home builders, and he happily sold them to my husband for a mere $20 a piece. People here in southern Ontario were trying to sell them for close to $100! He was really pleased with the pieces he picked up, and left them to thoroughly dry in our basement over the winter. I think he did a magnificent job with the paddle rack, and it now hangs proudly in our front hallway for a really stunning impact when you come in the front door. 

The two paddles on the right are mine ...
both given to me by my husband :)



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In the fall of 2013, my husband surprised me with this beautiful cherry bookcase for my birthday. It is patterned after a bookcase that was once in my parents home that I really liked. I have this one in my bedroom with all my novels. It was difficult to decorate it exactly how I wanted it with a few bits of artwork etc. because the books filled it all up very quickly!  It's quite narrow, which is perfect because of limited space in my bedroom.




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We refinished our family room quite a few years ago, and my husband made these sturdy mission style end tables for the room out of cherry. They're a really nice set of tables that are a perfect size. We both love mission style furniture, and he has lately made more furnishings in this style with great success.


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He has also made these handy oak shelves for our two kids. My son loves little bits of memorabilia, and has put his shelf to good use. He has everything from his great-grandfather's bowler hat to railway spikes found on a camping trip. The centre panel is corkboard, and the shelves are all adjustable.


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I've shown this next piece before, but didn't tell you about it. Also made by my husband when he was in high school, is this handy little pine dry sink in our kitchen. I find it very useful for large awkward pots and also for my vases and candle holders. He gave it to his mother when he finished it, but when they moved house about 18 years ago they gave it back to him. I'm really glad they did because I love it!


Thanks for stopping by today!

Wendy
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33 comments:

  1. Talent runs in your family, Wendy! What wonderful things. My father has been doing woodwork his whole life and I know how much work and attention to detail is involved. I also know that my mother always says: there is no more room in the house :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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  2. How beautiful these are, Wendy! Your husband is amazingly talented! I think that things hand-made with love are the very best things, and it is extra special when they are so very lovely. You must cherish each piece so much. I love that they are light colored wood, too. I have pale wood pieces in my home and they are getting harder to find these days. It's so nice that you canoe together and have your own paddles so nicely displayed. I used to have a little rowboat of my own when I was a girl....me and my dog would go out on the pond and fish together. Thank you for showing us these beautiful pieces. xo Karen

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  3. Everything he has made is so beautiful. Takes a lot of patience and skill to create such beauties. Does he make anything to sell, or solely for pleasure and your own use? Have a fabulous Friday. Tammy

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  4. Golly!! He is amazing!!! Really!! These pieces are unique and flawless in their craftsmanship!! You should be so proud! That paddle rack is awesome! And that end table...I bet in some of the high end shops around these parts you would pay close to 500 dollars for a piece like that! Such a wonderful post highlighting his talent!! Happy weekend to you pal! Nicole xoxo

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  5. Wendy I think your husbands projects are just awesome. Beautiful and satisfying work! and what a lovely tribute for you to feature him

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  6. Oh lucky you to have such a creative husband. He is very clever! Mike has just started to get back into woodworking so maybe one day!

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  7. Wow, your hubby is very talented at woodworking.. I love all the pieces from the paddle rack, the bookcase. The Mission style tables and the dry sink are my favorites.. The shelf for the grandson is awesome too. What a great post! Have a happy Friday and weekend ahead!

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  8. So very nice to meet you via Amy's Five on Friday. Your husband's woodworking is wonderful. I love all of the pieces you shared today. The paddle rack is so unique and useful. My husband would love one similar for his baseball bat collection. Wishing you a nice weekend.

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  9. What wonderful things!! The paddles and rack are amazing aren't they, it must be a wonderful welcome to your home and everyone knows what a great woodworker your husband is and what great canoeing fans you are as well! I like your mission style pieces, they are beautiful aren't they! Tell your hubby that he is very talented - although I am sure he already knows! Thank you so much as always for joining in. I hope that you have a great weekend! xx

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  10. Any man who enjoys creating is a treasure. Both my Dad and husband are men of this disposition and
    their character reflects that! Love all of these treasures.
    Have a wonderful weekend,
    Jemma

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  11. Your hubby is a talented wood worker Wendy and I like the rustic paddle hanger. I didn't realize paddles came in such pretty patterns. Now I'm wondering if your husband has made paddles for the both of you?
    Have a good weekend.

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  12. You have a very talented husband. Nice work.

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  13. These are such lovely pieces of fine workmanship. They're really beautiful.

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  14. Your husband has a wonderful talent - he does beautiful work!

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  15. I love wood, and admire every one of your husband's creations. Cabinetmaking is such a demanding, detailed skill! Gorgeous pieces. And cherry is one of my favorites, too.
    And using slab for a rack - or even just for a simple shelf as I am now pondering - is brilliant. Great job! I'll be mentioning this blogpost to both my friends with small sawmills.

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  16. Very nice woodworking! (Nice paddles too)!

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  17. Wow, so nice to have such a handy husband, the woodwork looks really great and professional. We love kayaking but don't go out enough on ours. I'd love to do more. Nic to link up with you through Amy's blog :)

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  18. You are so lucky to have a talented woodworker in the family! Love the canoe paddle rack, I have never seen one before.

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  19. You have a very talented husband Wendy his work is beautiful just as nice and even better than anything you would see in the stores, I love the bookcases he made for your birthday. :) xx

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  20. Your husband is very talented. My husband would love the paddle rack. He is an avid canoer. I prefer the kayak. Cheers.

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  22. I'm impressed by the quality of the work ... very talentued husband .... everything you're showing here is so beautiful !! have a lovely weekend !

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  23. Some fabulous pieces of woodwork Wendy. What a talented husband you have.

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  24. Hi Wendy, I am green with envy - your husband's work is BEAUTIFUL. It's so nice to have handmade things on display in your home, especially when they have been made by someone you love. I look forward to visiting you again. Hope you've had a good weekend. x

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  25. Oh! I love that dry sink your hubby made! I reminds me of the one my Oma had in kitchen while I was growing up. Your hubby is very talented. Woodworking os not a strength of my husband- he should stick to playing the saxophone! Where on Lake Ontario are you? Oakville? Mississauga? Burlington? We are in Milton - not too far away!!

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  26. It is so lovely to see such craftsmanship. You are one lucky person to have such gorgeous pieces in your home, each with a story to tell! I was also just enjoying looking at all those divine quilts from the quilt show - I can never tire of looking at quilts! Enjoyed your blog. xCathy

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  27. Your husband is very talented at woodworking. I like the paddles hanging in the entry way. Our son-in-law hung a single paddle on the wall in their entryway. The shelves for your sons are really nice and practical and the commode stand is beautiful! Really nice work. Pam

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  28. Wow, Wendy! Your husband's work is beautiful!! I love wood.

    -Soma

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  29. Hi Wendy,

    Your hubby is a very talented craftsman. All of his projects are beautiful, and I especially like the dry sink and the end table. I can't believe he mastered that sink while in high school! Kudos to him!!

    Wishing you a bright and sunny week!

    Poppy

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  30. I am so glad that you stopped by. I have been wondering how you were doing and have been meaning to pop in for a visit. Glad to have your link as a reminder to finally do so. It has been such a long miserable winter hasn't it? It was chilly with the strong wind yesterday and now it is raining and quite cool today again. Hopefully the weather improves as the week goes on.
    Your hubby is so talented! It must be wonderful to have handmade furniture pieces in the house that have special meaning. I particularly like the canoe rack. It must be nice to have something so striking at the entrance to the house.

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  31. Wow! your husband is so very talented my dear! What a lovely thing to be able to work so well with ones hands! Hazel x

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  32. These are all so beautiful Wendy. What a great skill to have, when so much furniture is shoddily and cheaply made. We just got bookshelves from Ikea, and I can tell you that, even though they look okay once filled with books, the "craftsmanship" and materials is quite poor. To be able to build your own with beautiful "real" wood (a lot is just laminate) is wonderful.
    Love the side table, too, and the dry sink. Quite an accomplishment for a high schooler!

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  33. wow I love all your wooden objects and the paddles look great displayed like that ! hope the weather warms up for you soon !
    Gail x

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Thanks so much for leaving a comment, it's nice to know when you've stopped by! :)

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