Cool Tool

It was my birthday last weekend and, not to brag (okay maybe brag a little), my boyfriend gave me the best present ever!!!  A planer!!!  Now, you may be tempted to think...really?  A planer?  Not very romantic...  Well, think again, because this is the coolest tool I've ever used!  Plus, it makes my job easier...it shows how well he knows me...and it demonstrates how much he supports me doing what I love.  If that's not romantic, I don't know what is!

So, I got down to work with the planer today...planing barn wood scraps, pallet wood (that's what I'm feeding into the planer in the photo above), pretty much anything with a rough side.  Made a mess of my studio, but had a ton of fun and managed to finish a project at the same time. 

I picked up this old factory cart at Mill City Antiques a few weeks ago.  No top, plywood shelves...definitely needed a face-lift.

Here's what it looks like now, with slatted shelves made from reclaimed pallet wood.  Makes a great little wine/cocktail cart!

 

 

Now for some close-ups...

 

Here's the top.  I love the character in the wood...a few coats of linseed oil will really bring out it's depth and character.

 

I decided to leave a rough edge on the lower shelves.  What do you think?  I like the natural element it brings to the piece.



Can't wait to see this piece with a finish on it!  I'll be including it in the Barn Loft Grand Opening, September 29 and 30.  The Nashua Art Walk is the same weekend, so you can visit Barn Loft as well as Brookline Street Studio and several other artists at the Lake Street Mills.

Thank you, Doug, for inspiring this post, for giving me the coolest tool ever (!!!!), and for being my perfect match:-)

Have a happy day!

Michelle

Now at Mill City Antiques!

I'm thrilled to announce that Brookline Street can now be found at Mill City Antiques, in Manchester, NH!  I moved in today and am thoroughly exhausted!  As invigorating as it is to create a new space...schlepping furniture all over creation is just plain draining!  On the up side, I ran into several friends while moving into my space; a couple from church, a dealer friend from Sage Farm, the other dealer-friend who tipped me off to this place (thanks, "D").  Honestly, I'm wiped out but happy.  Great day and great move!

Now...let's take a look at my space...

Okay, so I really am exhausted and must end here.  Go to Mill City!!!  You will not be disappointed!!!  It is located in the Waumbec Mill, 250 Commercial Street, Manchester, NH.  Open Monday through Saturday, 10-6, Sunday, 12-5.

Hope to see you there!

Michelle



Best Dumpster Dive Ever!!!!

I was moving the last few items out of my storage unit a couple weeks ago and....there it was...this gorgeous piece sitting sadly by the dumpster. (Do you have to actually go in the dumpster for it to qualify as a dumpster dive?)

Is it trash I asked?  Yes. 
Can I take it? Yes.
Yes? Yes.
Yes!

I had this piece in my car and off to my studio in about 10 minutes flat!  It's solid oak, over 5 feet tall, with 12 drawers.  And look at the hardware!

And a pull-out writing surface...must have been in a library.  Most of the drawers are divided into two halves.  The bottom two are deeper than the rest.  A couple drawers need to be reglued, but otherwise the piece is in excellent condition!

This is truly the ultimate dumpster dive.  I believe I heard angels singing Hallelujiah as I packed this gem into my car.  Needless to say, it's a keeper.  Yup, found the perfect spot in my studio.

Happy hunting!

Michelle

York Beach, Maine

In case you were wondering where I disappeared to these past couple of weeks, I've been in York, Maine, enjoying a beach vacation with my kids.  Free from the pressures of work and home, the constant running around from camp to sports to playdates, we enjoyed a beautiful week filled with...

...playing in the sand...

...and the surf...

...searching tide pools for treasures...

...and just hanging back and chilling out.



 Most of all, we spent time together as a family, creating cherished memories to last a lifetime.  Cadie and Tuck, I love you with all my heart.  I'm blessed to be your mom.

Create some happy memories today,

Michelle