My Workshop - Deerwood Creek Gifts

A customer asked me what my "workshop" looked like. My workshop? I had to think for a minute as my workshop is in an overcrowded one-car garage.  The customer thought I had a fabulous workshop where I made my orders. I think she was imagining Santa's workshop where it was clean and sparkly. (I wish!) Well, I wouldn't exactly call this fabulous, clean, or sparkly, but it is a great place to work and I love it. Here are two pictures.

These pictures were taken on a rainy day. The rain makes it pretty "cozy" as I have to squish all the tools and logs inside the tiny one-car garage instead of spread out on the driveway.  But, as small, dusty, and dirty as it is, I love being out there. 

Other than that, here are a few random pictures to show a bit about me.

This is me about to make some orders.

Ah the rain. Gotta love when my goggles fog up. ;)

A new pile of logs. This makes me happy.

This picture has nothing to do with my business, but thought I would put up a picture where I wasn't covered in sawdust or wearing goggles. 

And this is Neil. I love this little guy.

This is me having a discussion with Neil telling him to quit running in the house. ;)

Take care all. I hope your workshop is fabulous and it is somewhere you feel creative. Please feel free to leave questions or comments. :)

Cindy Breninger

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How to Make a Log Toothbrush/Pen/Pencil Holder

Hi! Today I am going to show you how I make a log toothbrush/pen/pencil holder. These are pretty easy to make with the right tools - I know you will be able to do it.

Before beginning any project, I like to nag you, er, remind you to wear your safety goggles and a mask. Someone asked me why I wear a mask when I drill. Well, once I start drilling, bits of sawdust and splinters go flying up. Sometimes I wear a hat to keep them out of my hair, but even that doesn't work very well. I have been hit in the face with flying splinters enough times that I always wear a mask. (I am not wearing a mask in the picture as they just aren't that great to look at.)

 

Let's begin. 

STEP ONE:  Find a log that has a surface big enough for the number of holes you want. 

STEP TWO:  Cut the log. I always cut both ends so it sits evenly and it is also a lot easier to sand. 

 

STEP THREE: I mark where I want the holes with a pencil and get ready to drill. For this one, I am using a 3/4" drill bit. 

 

STEP FOUR: Drill, drill and keep drilling. To make sure the holes are even in depth, I marked my drill bit with nail polish. When that gets to a certain spot in the wood, I stop drilling. 

STEP FIVE:  I love my dremel. Not only is it my favorite tool but it has so many uses. For this project, I used it to clean out the holes. I used the little sandpaper attachment and that worked out nicely.

STEP SIX: Time to sand. I first used grade 60-grit and then finished it off with 220-grit. 

 

STEP SEVEN: Add a clear coat and whaaa-laaa, you have yourself a log toothbrush or log pencil holder.  Easy, huh?

This one is a custom order, so I ended up woodburning their names on it. I didn't take pictures as I wanted it to be special for them. 

 

Once you are done, it is time to relax. Put your feet up. Have a cold drink. You are done. Enjoy your hard work and finished project. It feels good to finish what you started. Enjoy it.

 

Take care. :)

 

Cindy Breninger

www.etsy.com/shop/DeerwoodCreekGifts

www.facebook.com/DeerwoodCreekGifts

P.S. I am a huge Elvis fan so naturally I have an Elvis picture hanging in my garage. (Who doesn't, right???)  

And as to the "No Worms Allowed" sign, the first day my son bought a woodburner, he saw a worm in the garage and we decided we didn't want them in the garage or in the wood. Here's to hoping they abide by the sign. ;)

It's log! :)

It's log! I saw this log and had to take it home. How could I not, right?  

This log is pear and is a really pretty color. I couldn't wait to get it home and get it cleaned up.

While I was working on another project, my son decided he wanted to take the bark off the log. I will never turn down a kid who is offering to work, so I let him have at it.

This was after 15 minutes or so.

About 45 minutes. Bark is a lot harder to get off a log than I thought. Well, than my son thought, I should say.

But, it was worth it! This log is beautiful!

I sanded it down and am letting it sit for a month to dry it out.

But, in the meantime, it makes for the best workbench I have ever had. I think I am going to sand it down again and then add a clear top coat. Might turn it into an end table. Maybe add a piece of glass and make a small table. I am thinking of selling it, but I really do like having it around, so might get more logs and make another.

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The kids and I have started an online business!

In January, I bought my son a saw and a drill. We went to a firewood place and got some wood. When we got home, he went to the garage and started cutting away. I asked him to make me a log tealight candle holder. After several tries, he made one! I loved it and he made a few more.

Later that night, my daughter and I made two fleece tie blankets. A co-worker saw them and suggested we put them on Etsy.com to sell. I had never heard of Etsy, but once I looked into it, I knew it was where I wanted to sell my things.

On Etsy, you open a "shop" and sell your items. It is .20 to list a new item, so it is pretty inexpensive. We listed the fleece blankets and then the log tealight candle.

A few days later I opened my e-mail and there was an e-mail from a lady in MA who wanted us to make 60 log tealight candle holders for her wedding. My son and I were speechless. At first I thought maybe it was a spam e-mail - 60 candle holders? We had only made five EVER! I couldn't believe that someone wanted to use something that we created and wanted to use them in their wedding. It was a great feeling.

To be honest, I never imagined anyone buying more than three of our candles, so 60 was huge! My son and I went to the firewood place and bought a lot of logs. After cutting about 20 of them (on the neighbor's borrowed table saw) we realized that there were worms in the wood. No way was I going to send a bride for her wedding wood with worms!

We ended up giving all the wood to the neighbor to burn for fires and back to the firewood place we went. We came home and started cutting, drilling, sanding, cutting, drilling, sanding...it is exhausting, but a lot of fun! Also, very messy. I often came into the house with wood shavings in my hair, in my shoes - that stuff gets everywhere.

The only mishap we have had was my son walked into the house holding his pants leg from the inside and the drill bit sticking out of this leg! Apparently the drill had a malfunction and it caused the drill bit to slip loose and it went into my son's leg. I took him to the ER where he ended up getting seven stitches.

The next day I found him in the garage where he was plugging in the drill. I asked him what he was doing and he said he wanted to get the candles done for the bride and he was going to work on them. I asked him about his leg and he said it hurt, but we promised to make the candles and that was exactly what he was going to do. Finish the job.

We have now had a few more orders and I love selling what we make. It is a great feeling to know that something I made makes others happy. I have a regular full-time job, but once I get home, I love to create things. I love the time spent in the garage with my son sawing, drilling and sanding. I love being the house with my daughter and making up new wedding centerpieces. She is very creative and has great taste, so it is a lot of fun. They are great kids and this is something we are doing together.

If you would like to see our shop, please stop by.
http://etsy.com/shop/DeerwoodCreekGifts

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92509520/peace-love-happiness-centerpiece-log
http://www.etsy.com/listing/94513364/blue-and-purple-wedding-centerpiece