Sewing Cabinet: Part 1

Hi everybody! My latest project has been taking me forever, so please bare with me and my recent infrequent posting.

My dad loves to woodwork, which my Grandfather taught him as he grew up. My Dad became a mechanical engineer, but to this day still loves to build, fix and tinker. Recently he made me a beautiful sewing cabinet! Complete with swing open doors, built in storage and an expandable work surface, it even has adjustable shelves and drawers so I can move them around. This cabinet is perfect. He even left it unfinished so that I could do the finishing myself. Which is what I’ve been up to for the past month or so.

I sanded and stained the cabinet first, then coated it with three coats of semi-gloss polyurethane, sanding with fine-grit sandpaper in-between coats. Sanding all those little crevices and panels was a *bleep but it came out great. Luckily we don’t have dining furniture yet so I commandeered the dining room for this whole project. Don’t mind the still-packed boxes in the back of the room. It’s a work in progress.

Supplies I used:
- Golden Oak Minwax oil-based stain
- Minwax clear semi-gloss polyurethane (three coats for extra durability)
- 220 grit sandpaper for smoothest finish between coats of poly
- Mask to help protect from fumes and dust from sanding…. also used a wet towel to wipe cabinet down after I sanded each side each time… kept the dust level down.

Before:

After Staining:

Finished (with the exception of the forgotten drawers… woops):

Much better photos to come in Sewing Cabinet: Part 2. Once everything is complete and I can put the cabinet in its place I’ll be able to get better photos!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!
Bridget, XOXO

Honeymoon Basket

What do you give a to-wed couple who has all the usual housewares and doesn’t want anything? I recently had this dilemma. One of my closest friends, Erin, is getting married in June. She didn’t want the usual house stuff; she has a house and all the fillings already. So then what do I give her? Lingerie? Overdone. Booze? Uncreative. Money? Expected. The one thing she was interested in? Contributions toward her honeymoon. Perfect!

Honeymoon Gift Basket: chuck full of items for the couple on their honeymoon. Erin and her fiancé are going to Jamaica so I loaded them up with beach necessities and other fun vacation items.

Items I included:

1. Fedora – to keep the bride stylin’
2. Sippy cups – mason jar style! Perfect for drinks by the pool or on the beach.
3. Beach towels
4. Ibuprofen – for mornings after hehe
5. Hand sanitizer – I can’t help it, I’m a nurse
6. Tums – also for mornings after, but also for all that delectable food they’ll be eating
7. Waterproof camera – skinny dipping pictures optional
8. Gum – to keep that breath fresh!
9. Chapstick with SPF – to keep those lips ready for kisses!
10. KY – self explanatory! Keep it PG people, this is a family friendly blog.
11. After Sun lotion/ Aloe – to ease skin after days in the sun
12. Sunscreen – to prevent sunburns that could ruin the trip!
13. Luggage Tags

I bought all of this stuff at Target, Homegoods, or online on Amazon. I think I might also add a bottle of champagne or a handful of nips. You can really get creative with the stuff you include! I went pretty practical and functional, but you could definitely add more romantic things or joke gifts.

Best wishes to my great friends Erin and Bill on your coming nuptials! Can’t wait for the big day!

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers,
Bridget XOXO