What I did on my winter hiatus....and am still in process...

[ah2bqat]

These days, even without a job or children young enough to need constant supervision, I seem to have little time to even sit down with my pedeter and catch up on the latest projects and good stuff.  Seems I mainly end up lurking rather than participating.  It's not that I don't love you guys,  but having a little room to pursue my own whims again has sparked some new projects.

I did get a new ionic cleaner, thank you DAF for the recommendation, and I love it.  I find new things to clean in it every day, along with my be-you-ti-ful  Li'l Bloo.  And best of all, even tho it sits on the counter in the bathroom, the cats don't mess with it at all. 
 

I can even see my baby halfmoons twinkle now.  Mum's ring is all aglitter, too. Yippee!


Don't remember if i mentioned it before, but we're renting from a retired cabinetmaker.  He has a killer wood shop that takes up a 2 car garage, with vacuum capability at each machine station . (Yes, cleanup is a breeze, even for the boys from lower Slobovia.)  Anyway, Bill gave me a 4 drawer miniature dresser that he had made as a test before he made his wife a bigger one.  It had been stained but not finished.  I'm working on turning it into a BIG jewelry box, since I've outgrown mine, plus other boxes...LOL  Here's the frame, with one coat of oil - I've still got at least 2 coats to go.  I think it's really cool - modern and yet classic.  The inlays he did are phenomenal, no?


With 2 of 4 drawers in, also only 1 coat of oil.


The interior needs doing, too, so I've used deep blue velvet with ice blue satin separators - still a lot of work to do, here, isn't there.   The ring holders gave me fits for at least a month - they didn't want to stay in place, but e-x-p-a-n-d to their full fluffiness, but they hold the rings firmly and safely, now.  This is the top drawer and has not yet been oiled at all.  and yes, the insides come out so they won't get messed up in the finishing work.
 

And my latest half-done project is building a lapis, gold, and (lab created) opal necklace to wear on blue days.  Earrings, too.  I've never tried any beading projects, so I found an Add-a-Bead necklace, 18" long in 14k gold, to use as the base. This is with all 8mm lapis beads.  I've got a 6mm strand coming, before I make a decision.  Getting the beads from China takes a while.  The LC opals are 8mm, as well, and do a phenomenal job of masquerading as really fiery white opals.  I will use 2 in a pair of earrings and 2 in the necklace as accents. 

David will be helping me get the 14k corrugated roundels and bi-cone beads to separate the beads into smaller clusters.


I'll probably be looking for opinions about placement of accents when I get them all.  I still need to finalize the gold beads I want David to get for me.  I know I could get some, at least the roundels, on Ebay; but those bi-cone ones aren't to be had from a retail site at any price. Bless DBL for being so sweet and helping me out with this!  I can't think of another jeweler who might do such a thing.  How's that for customer service?!

 

[lovecolor]

What a wonderful box to store your jewelry...I love the blue velvet lining in your drawers!  Very nice!   

[oldmancoyote]

Jean - would you mind posting a pic of the chest of drawers with a quarter or a ruler or something else to give an idea of scale? I like miniature furniture (DD has "started" a collection of silver pieces, helped by a friend who is an antique dealer), but I can't figure out how big this is. Lovely work, anyways.

[clgwli]

Oh wow that is very lovely   I really do love the way it looks.  I'd love to get an idea of the scale!

I think I am nearly convinced to get an ionic cleaner.  If not ask for one for Christmas/birthday.

[ah2bqat]

Happy to, OMC!


 
Basic dimensions in inches H-W-L exterior: 10 5/8th x 10 1/8th x 16 3/8th

Basic dimensions in inches W-L interior: 7 3/8th x 12 7/8th

When I get the lustre up properly, I'll post a finished pic.  Wish I had a before shot, when it was covered in dust and dirt under a workbench.

[Foxylady]

Ah2 Love the chest of drawers you are doing a fantastic job in turning it into a jewellery box, wish I could have something like that it a stunning piece of furniture.

Foxylady 

[ah2bqat]

Whoops!  Sorry I missed you there, Squigs.  I ran away to do the photos with a reply session open.

BTW... the squares on the green, underneath the legs are inches, if that helps any.

And thanks so much for all the compliments. I shall certainly pass them on to the artist who created it.  Can you believe it was little more than scrap to him -just a practice piece? 

[oldmancoyote]

If you want to get a really really nice glow (though with a darker tone), try boiled linseed oil instead of Danish/Teak oil. It's the traditional "olde worlde" oiling finish (and I wish I could find some in Switzerland - I have a chair that badly needs it).

[ah2bqat]

Actually, I'm using something called 'Antique Oil Finish' by Minwax.  It appears to have 34% Linseed oil and 66% petroleum thinner.  Does a lovely job, if even an idiot like myself can't screw it up.   

[GIAGirl]

WOW!  What a cool jewelry box!  I wish I had someone who would make me one of those!  That is really cool.  A pretty one is hard to find! 

Lil' Blue has tons of 'tude in that line up.  She deserves a bath everyday!

[clgwli]

I'm dead tired but I had to say that I love these other photos.  Looks like a great size to have!  I was given a lovely jewelry box from my aunt at graduation so I think every woman needs a nice looking one.  this one has me a wee bit jealous

[saqsay1]

I wouldn't call that a jewelry box... I'd call it a treasure chest!!! You could put a whole lot of loot in there.     I like it. Very nice quality and just think of all the goodies you can buy to put in there. I think you need to come to NYC to meet up with us DBL folk. Maybe we could help you fill it. If not at least come to tip a pint or 2 

not everyday I have a post with pirate emoticons in it.     

[DiamondsAreForever]

These days, even without a job or children young enough to need constant supervision, I seem to have little time to even sit down with my pedeter and catch up on the latest projects and good stuff.  Seems I mainly end up lurking rather than participating.  It's not that I don't love you guys,  but having a little room to pursue my own whims again has sparked some new projects.

I did get a new ionic cleaner, thank you DAF for the recommendation, and I love it.  I find new things to clean in it every day, along with my be-you-ti-ful  Li'l Bloo.  And best of all, even tho it sits on the counter in the bathroom, the cats don't mess with it at all. 
 

I can even see my baby halfmoons twinkle now.  Mum's ring is all aglitter, too. Yippee!


 

    Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

It's soooooooo cute.  I have the big one, it's rectangular in shape.  I'm glad you like it.  I have no complaints about it's performance. 

I can't wait to see your jewelry chest finished.  The craftsmanship is excellent.

[oldmancoyote]

Shank of a smooth ring,
To the boiling cauldron bring;
Eye of ruby, and toe of gold,
Wool of silver, new and old...

I think I could go on for a while, but the ground in Stratford is already disturbed by good old Shakespeare spinning... and I don't want the responsibility for any accidents.

[ah2bqat]

   More like he'll haunt you for a year or more for murdering his iambic pentameter, OMC.

GG - Li'l Bloo hasn't looked so blue and so fine since the last time she came back from visiting David.  Even using special liquid cleaner, brushes, and rubber tipped dental picks couldn't make her color sing and sparkle like this.  I am dee-lighted!  BTW - Li'l Bloo and friends are sitting in my little travel box.  Best $5 purchase I ever made. 

It still isn't that small a unit, DAF.  I'm lucky to have lots of counter space in this bathroom.  Otherwise I might have gotten the travelling version.  I toyed with the idea of a big one like yours, too, (I have a fair amount of silver flatware), but since i have yet to do more than 1 formal dinner in 30 years, I'm thinking it can stay tarnished.  Call me lazy.

Saqsay1, it is a chest.  A real treasure chest.  My bad that I didn't check the finish on the drawers before I oiled them.  They weren't sanded to as smooth a finish as possible, so the luster isn't what I had hoped.  Or it might be the type of exotic wood that was used (please don't ask what - I've forgotten). 

OMC - do you think I could use the oil with quad 0 steel wool and refine it a bit more, or would that just increase the uneven acceptance of the oil?

Oh, did I mention the big brown truck stopped by late yesterday?  No gizmos yet, but my new (and reset old) studs came home.  Call me Gobsmacked.  Wow!

[oldmancoyote]

0000 steel wool is just what the doctor ordered. Uneven oiling is partly a question of wood structure, but also of glue and other stuff preventing the grain from being exposed, and no matter how carefully a piece has been finished, there's always some gumph. Plus, the slightly abrasive action will smooth any roughness in the dried-off oil coating.

Rub with the steel wool in the sense of the grain (as much as you can, with an inlaid miniature), remove any swarf with a slightly damp cloth and dry off immediately with a dry cloth/kitchen towel. Then oil. Leave to dry. Repeat until you get a satisfactory shine. A touch of beeswax, and voila a polished miniature chest.

BTW - the pentameter is still there. Transmogrified, but not murdered - think Midsummer's Night Dream more than Macbeth. And I have even respected the alliteration (as much as I could; there are more short-named ingredients available to a witch's brew than to a jeweller's bench - try fitting a pentameter around buckminsterfullerite)

[ah2bqat]

OMC, I love you.   

[oldmancoyote]

I love you too, Gobsmacked.

[ah2bqat]

Bill stopped by today to give the boys a once over on the sprinkler and drip systems.  i think he was pleased to hear I'd been doing show and tell with the chest.  The woods he used are blood wood, with maple being the light inlay, and bubinga wood inside the maple outline on the top, and the drawer fronts.

The bad news is he thinks I still have 3-4 coats to go to get the lustre like I want.  I guess sometimes I'm not very patient.     At least the undersides now all have two coats and I can just concentrate on the visible parts.  Which would be everything but the drawer and frame bottoms.  *sigh*  and only 1 coat per 24 hrs is recommended.  Shame I can't work it every day.

[ah2bqat]

So, with all the bruhaha here, I tried to finish up the chest in quick time.  I think one or two more coats wouldn't hurt, but it already looks quite nice.



and yes, I know I need to clean the bathroom because the mirror tells the whole story.  I don't know who throws more water around - Stitch, who loves to drink from the faucet, or my DH when he brushes his teeth.

More often, it's a seat for a cat.  Thank you Bitty Bob Marley, the Wailer.



I did find a shot with 2 drawer fronts unoiled. 


and then this one, because it took almost 2 months to make it work properly for rings.  I still need to build the earring dividers....


And again, because of the local uproar, I finished my lapis project in equally quick time.  I think I still need to work on the gold beads - they catch on the chain and don't slide smoothly like my former MIL's did.  Sorry, no modelling. I have to wait for my DSD to come back and visit.  DH refuses to help play.  The preexisting bracelet is hung in the middle.


I finally reused the .5ct solitaire pendant from hubby #1&2.


And sheperd's crook earrings.  I had to change the curvature.  They were only supposed to hold 41mm of beads, and of course, I wanted 50+.

[Mrs Mitchell]

It's stunning. You got an awesome finish on it - nice job!I love working with wood and I know just how hard it can be to get it to look how it looks in your head.  I'd say you did it! Very, very nice job indeed.


Many years ago, I spent ever spare moment of a summer helping in a French Polisher's shop, in exchange for some training. He was brutal. I would spend hours on a piece (and the training pieces were middle leafs from old dining tables, so fairly big) and he'd inspect the work, rate it, give me advice for improvement and then....

take the electric sander over it, so I could try, try again. 

He learned his trade in the Singer factory in Clydebank, and had worked in the shipyards too, polishing cabin fittings on liners.

[saqsay1]

eye of newt,
wing of bat
opal beads...
for Ah 2 be qat.........

[clgwli]

eye of newt,
wing of bat
opal beads...
for Ah 2 be qat.........

You did a lovely job on the jewelry box... err... chest... errr you know what I mean   Seriously it looks great!

I love the lapis as well.  I hope you can get a photo of them being worn sometime soon.

[ah2bqat]

Thanks, guys!  I'm pretty pleased with the overall project results.

Wish I knew you were a wood finishing pro, Miz M.  I would have brought you into the loop long and long ago.  Somehow reading the directions on the can just doesn't quite cut it.  

BTW, would you care to take a month off and help with an antique dining table?  It has a really nice big central leaf.     seriously, one day i need to find a professional, like Bill.  The base needs a little help to make it more stable and the top was used as a slippery slide by the qats, claws extended. 

[GIAGirl]

It's stunning. You got an awesome finish on it - nice job!I love working with wood and I know just how hard it can be to get it to look how it looks in your head.  I'd say you did it! Very, very nice job indeed.


Many years ago, I spent ever spare moment of a summer helping in a French Polisher's shop, in exchange for some training. He was brutal. I would spend hours on a piece (and the training pieces were middle leafs from old dining tables, so fairly big) and he'd inspect the work, rate it, give me advice for improvement and then....

take the electric sander over it, so I could try, try again. 

He learned his trade in the Singer factory in Clydebank, and had worked in the shipyards too, polishing cabin fittings on liners.

I would rather be stabbed in the eye!!!!!!