
This project began at Lowe's Home Improvement's book department. When I shop anywhere, I can never resist the book/magazine section. Last fall I leafed through a book that was full of beach inspired home décor ideas. I do love the look, but that is not where my house would be categorized. There are "beachy" elements that I love and can sometimes adapt to fit my style.
I was struck by a photo of a piece of wall architecture, quickly drew the idea in my trusty note book and it kept coming to mind for months. Project hauntings are common in my mind. I keep going back to the idea, it never really leaves me in my moments of dazed, design zombie-like state. You know? Just sitting there staring into nothing, thinking of all those things that flood the back of your mind and want to be produced. You ignoring it. It fighting it's way in when you are thinking of nothing...and everything at the same time!?!
This one won the mental battle. It resurfaced enough to get done. Persistent and Productive was what this image was.
My husband and I make a pretty good team when it comes to certain projects. His precision in cutting wooden pieces for me is quite well known in these parts! It is a project I could tackle alone, but my speed does not out way his accuracy.
I created the pattern and handed it over to him.
It is time consuming but can be tackled by someone who has patience and drive to get it done. Between September and December he pushed through and got it done. I on the other hand, I stacked the 16 cut-outs and bounced them from one annoying spot to another. I always think if they are in my way, I will eventually get to it. I felt I was in competition with this wacky project and it won. December to August....really!? I could have done better I suppose, but time has not been on my side this year. I made this PPP to light a fire under myself to get things done, but work
& life got in the way of my progress.
But alas, I got this darned thing done. I guess I knew it was going to be difficult and was avoiding the commitment it was going to take to get it done. From priming, painting and readjusting my pattern slightly with the jigsaw to make it lay right & mounting on the back plywood, it took a total of 7 hours.
That is not counting the numerous hours it took Paul to painstakingly trace and cut the spokes out of the 1" x 8" boards. He is a stickler for the sanding process, so I would hate to guess his time on this.
I must say, I am over the moon about the finished product. Every time I come to my front porch I am reminded of the hard work and the personal value I have for this piece. We both worked hard and it all paid off.
My next post I will have the tutorial on the pattern idea, process and hopefully you can dig deep and try it yourself!