A Man Is Nothing Without His Craft

While visiting the farm over the weekend I had the pleasure of visiting with some dear friends of mine, one of whom blew the minds of all of us when he pulled out this handcrafted knife and carrying case that he MADE!  He built this with his bare hands! Cut the metal, the wood, sewed the leather... I don't really know how it was put together but I do know that it was made from scratch and a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this beauty. I'm sure it will get a lot of use since Andy is quite the outdoors-man - but what a meaningful tool to pass down to future sons... "Hey, this is the knife my great grandfather built"  That's pretty awesome.

Check it out below...

Well done good sir, well done!

Ready to go skin an animal...

 

If you have any questions for this handyman or maybe even an order I'll be sure to pass them on if you leave them in the comments section. 

Thanks for reading...

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Guest Post with Harley: 'The Table'

When Harley first showed me the broken rusty table he had found on the side of the road I was happy that we both shared the passion for treasure hunting and I figured it could work in a shabby chic sort of way if he could do some repairs but it did seem like quite the undertaking. I had no idea he would TRANSFORM it into such beauty! I'm so impressed I asked him to share the story of  'The Table'.  Here it is...

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So I’m walking home one night from the farmer’s only daughter’s husband’s brother’s place. As I recall the walk was more than a walk. My limbs were heavy and my eyes were just plain bad.When I finally reached the top of Brock and Dundas I could feel my bed getting closer. I safely crossed the street to find a dark rectangular shadow staring me down. So, naturally I put on my most craziest look and sauntered towards it. Luckily it was just a table, a round table! I knew we were going to be friends. I said "hello", we exchanged titles, I picked up the pieces and went home. In the morning I woke up sick and sweating but I knew there was work to be done. I looked at the table for a long time to decide if this was, "the shit" or just "shit". Regardless, the first step was to clean all the shit off the surface. Already it was looking better than my current kitchen table.

After this was completed it revealed a dark grain similar to the smear of my needy throbbing brain. Then all it needed was a good sanding. I went to the Big Duff to get some supplies. Overall: about 30 dollars cost in sandpaper, epoxy, stain and polyurethane. After a full day of sanding I applied the stain - "Red Mahogany". It started to look similar to how I envisioned it that drunk and dreary night. 

After the stain dried, I applied the first coat of varnish. When that dried I sanded with 220 grit to get out any minor imperfections, then repeat with the varnish and sanding until I had 4+ coats on.

 Then the final step involves some of your closest friends and family, some dominoes, good music and dark beer.

 Eureka!

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Thanks for sharing Harley, very inspiring!  If anyone wants more details on how to salvage old wood I'll be sure to pass your questions along to the master..

Thanks for reading!

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Guest Post: Made With Love by Jillery

I'd like to introduce you all to my very talented friend Jill.  We go way back! My parents bought the farm she grew up on before they moved to the family farm they live on now so Jill and I have a special connection.  I love her style, and her spirit so I asked her to do a guest post for us.  She makes some very pretty things...and she's known for her beautiful hand made presents that I've been lucky enough to receive myself....


Here's what she had to say...


Gifts are visual symbols of love.
It has become quite clear to me that gifting giving is one of my primary love languages (The 5 love languages, by Gary Chapman) and my favorite gifts to give are those that I make. If you have ever given a hand made gift regardless of its monetary value you can probably share in the feeling of excitement in both making it and giving it.  My gift of choice is often hand made jewelry that is now known to my friends and family as Jillery.

I have always loved accessories and have shoe boxes of necklaces to prove it.  Creating my own started in high school. The material of choice was hemp. I now use them as yoga mat ties.  If anyone’s inner hippy wants a hemp necklace or bracelet…let me know : )

My style is a mix of antique and modern.  I like to use keys, feathers, pearls and chandelier prisms.

I am thrilled that Desiree asked me to be a guest on her fabulous blog.  We are truly kindred spirits. Maybe it’s because we spent years of our childhood on the same soil or that we are just both farm girls at heart.

We may live on opposite sides of the city but it is always worth the trip. I look forward to many collaborations in the future.

Lots of Love Jill

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Guest Post: Paper Crafts By Laura

My dear friend Laura has a knack for the paper crafts to put it mildly.  She was happy to share some of her designs with us, and the eve of Valentine's Day seemed like a perfect opportunity!  

Here is her collection and what she has to say about them:

"Although Valentine's Day was the obvious inspiration for this set, these cards aren't necessarily reserved for February 14th. The key theme here is love - I used way too many hearts to deny that - but affection can be expressed on a number of occasions/holidays! The variety of colours and patterns makes these cards versatile, and their blank interiors invite all sorts of greetings: 'Happy Anniversary', 'Thank You' or 'Get Well Soon', to name a few. That said, they're most definitely (and primarily) Valentine-appropriate. I didn't avoid red and pink altogether. "

Love,

Laura

Laura - Hallmark aint got shit on you!  Thanks for sharing!  They're beautiful!

If anyone is interested in getting in touch with Laura to purchase a card or two or three...you can drop her a line at laura.gladwell@gmail.com 

Love Desiree

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