I Finished theTrompe L'oeil Grandfather Clock!

I'm done.  

My Pier 1 inspired Trompe L'oeil Grandfather Clock is finished--I thought I'd never say those words...

Isn't he handsome?

He's barely 2" deep but stands a whopping 6'6"!

Here's my inspiration.

And here's the process in pictures...

The pattern was drawn and cut from poster board -- he's 6'6" so it took several pieces. Well, half a pattern anyway.  I just flipped it over for the other half.

A dear friend gave me this piece of 3/8" exterior bead board.  I used a Sharpie to trace around the pattern.

This part takes a while.  You can't get in a hurry cutting it out.

A Mouse sander does a great job of sanding the edges.

The wood trim came from my scrap pile.

I mixed several left over paints and came up with this creamy green.

A $1.29 Goodwill find gives it some needed dimension.

Add to that a $10 clock from the Dollar Store and I think I've got a pretty grand clock here.

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I'm linkin' up with

 

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Trompe L'oeil Grandfather Clock

Just checking in.  Although I'm standing dangerously close to the edge, I wanted you all to know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  My problem?  It's cold.  I mean really, really cold.  And, I'm right in the middle of a wood project that I can't get outside to cut.

I considered bringing it into the house to do it but my husband thought better of it.  Bah humbug.

So, I'm going where I have never gone before by giving you all a little glimpse of what I'm working on before it's done.

Wrinkles and coffee stains courtesy Lindy

I spotted this adorable clock in the February issue of County Living. Awesome issue, by the way.  Anyway, it got me thinking I needed one.  As great as this one was (and at a decent price, I might add)-- it just wasn't  exactly what I wanted, though.

I was thinking something a little taller, less ornate, in a different color and for a lot less money.  Hmmm, now I'm wondering what I saw in that old Pier 1 version after all...

I decided to make my own and found these pictures on the internet while looking for inspiration. 

Pretty, but too ornate.

Way too ornate.

Too plain. 

And then I found this one. Gorgeous.

and this one...

Perfect.  

Here's where I am on mine.  I'm working on the pattern. 

And with a $10 clock from Dollar General, a free panel of exterior beadboard and a quart of paint (which I haven't picked out yet) I will have an 18" taller, just the right color, perfect for my space, grander, grandfather clock all my own.  

Just give me a couple of days...

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HELP!!!

One more thing.  I haven't been able to "follow" anyone in a while.  When I go through the steps, I get a message that I am a follower but when I go back and check, I'm not.  I've tried over and over. (What's the definition for insanity? Something about doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result?)  Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on this -- I am super technically challenged...

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DIY Sewing Cabinet

  The transformation of this antique french armoire into a sewing cabinet has been months and months in the making but I think it's the best dang (math) project  I've ever done.

Not that I'm mathematically challenged.  I just don't challenge myself mathematically -- that's all.  But for this one, I had to rip out the old count-u-la-tor and a few extra brain cells to get what I wanted. 

The "fit" had to be exact and I'm not sure how, but I got it on the first try -- but just barely.  The problem was I needed the table to be as large as possible but still fit inside the cabinet.  Oh, and I wanted the doors to close, too.  Pesky doors. 

I wish I had some really great tutorial to add here but everyone's armoire and measurements would be different so that won't really work.  I can post a boat load of pictures so you can see just how it works.  Here you go...

Little Miss Plain Jane...

 I used just one sheet of birch plywood, three piano hinges and drop leaf table hardware I found on the internet.

I had to lift up the back end so the height was right.

I added a yardstick to the front edge for convenience.

 And then I added a few bells and whistles.

Hooks on the back wall hold templates.

I wanted hanging storage on the doors but the doors wouldn't close with it hanging there so...

I stitched them onto child sized hangers.  I flip the hangers to the back when they're hanging on the doors....

Then I hang them in the cabinet when I need to close the doors.

My sewing machine slips right into place...

The table folds up...

And my sweet little grandtwin's guest room is back in business...

I'm linking up here

and with sweet Amy @

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my Etsy Store...

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