Garden center begins

First of all, I hope everyone had a great turkey day.  It is said that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird but it was voted down for the eagle.  Imagine having the turkey on our money and eagle meat for dinner.  Of course, I've never tried eagle (and it's on the protected species list) but I think ick is the word I would use.

Yesterday was a run-around-for-100-errands day.  One of those errands was to get new phones.  It began when hubby's flip phone kept losing juice.  I had a 3G.  Went to the AT&T store and found that neither of our phones were in existence any longer.  Hubby's went out with the Model T.  Ha.  But since our contract was up, we both got new phones.  The iPhone 4s.  I haven't even looked at mine.  Hubby is better because he's playing with his to see what it can do. 

So, what did I do today?  I am in a swap with another lady.  I already have her gift.  This is a Christmas swap so it has to be to our swap partner by Dec. 15 and we can't open it until then.  I looked all over what to make her.  I saw a little potting garden center somewhere on Pinterest.  I decided to make something like it. 

I used Woodsies in the shape of popsicle sticks and thin sticks, a base, basswood, paint and glue.  I racked my brain for a suitable patio base because I haven't the time to make bricks.  So I stumbled across an extra vinyl tile that we have in our home.  It resembles slate.  And two great things: it was free and it has a sticky back.

 

I put an edge on it and put it in the gluing jig to dry square. 

 

 

I took basswood and attached it to the bottom of the base.

 

 

Then I began the back fence.  The original picture used 14 sticks so I did, too.  As I glued them together, I put them in the jig to keep them square and even. 

 



 

After I finished them, I put two thin pieces of wood on the top and bottom.  Then I painted them dove gray.  I noticed a slight bend so I put clamps on them and clamped them to the extra piece of vinyl.  Hope it works.

 



 

 

The original photo showed a very fancy table for potting.  Since I've never tackled something like that and time is of the essence, I decided to make a table top that would be attached to the back fence.  I used two pieces of basswood, gluing them together for strength.  I also had to clamp them.  Then used two skinny wood pieces for the three sides.  It's also painted dove gray. I love how it came out.

 

 

 

Tomorrow I will attach it to the back of the fence.  There is also a top shelf for the fence.  I have a few more things to finish.  All will be glued down.  Then I can find items to put in it. 

 

 

Until then,

 

Pat