October at Calderwood Cottage was 30 days of demo. During that time, we tore out the front porch enclosure. (Which stunk to high heaven!) We did not try to demo the brick steps at that time because we knew we'd be doing more brick work in round 2. Which is where we are now. Concrete Step Continue Reading
April 2, 2018
Calderwood Cottage – Round 2 (part 3)
Today I'm showing the progress we've made on the back section of Calderwood Cottage. In part 2 I showed you all the digging we had to do in order to get the HVAC ductwork installed. Today I'm showing you what we've done in the back of the house.Back in October, when we fought Round 1 with this Continue Reading
March 28, 2018
Calderwood Cottage – Round 2 (part 2)
Ok, so in part 1 of this saga, we were getting ready to have a new HVAC system installed. In order to make the air optimization engineer man happy with the placement of the return, we had to move the master bedroom doorway over and build a closet for the ductwork. Also, we had to dig a trench for Continue Reading
March 26, 2018
Calderwood Cottage – Round 2 (part 1)
Hey Guys! I finally had time to edit photos and write a few posts. Julie and I just spent another 3 1/2 weeks working on Calderwood Cottage! We were super enthusiastic to get started and had everything planned out and a strict schedule to maintain. (Because we want to finish this house in Julie's Continue Reading
February 21, 2018
Cabinet Hardware Jig – for Long Door Pulls
There are a lot of cabinet hardware jigs out there. I've used quite a few. Most of them work fine for standard 3" (maybe up to 4 or 5") pulls for door handles. And they leave a lot to be desired when drilling holes on wide surfaces, like drawer fronts. What if you have longer door pulls, like I did Continue Reading
February 19, 2018
Easy Lemon Drop Cookies
I had a hankering for cookies this weekend so I made Lemon Drop Cookies. Which is something because I hardly ever cook anymore. Wes has become our house chef ever since I (80% complete) remodeled the kitchen. Which I couldn't be happier about because I really don't enjoy cooking. I do like baking Continue Reading
February 16, 2018
Curved Pull-out Hamper Drawer
I showed you the pull out hamper in my linen cabinet but I saved the construction details for that drawer for a separate post. It's a little different from any of my other drawer tutorials because of the curved side detail. I built it with curved sides to transition from a taller front to shorter Continue Reading
February 14, 2018
How to Cut a Half Lap Joint on a Table Saw
Hey there Sawdust Girl Friends! It's been a really long time it seems since I was here sharing a project with you all!! I am excited to be back and sharing some great knowledge that I gained recently when Sandra pushed us all out of our comfort zones and challenged us to try a new joinery Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Built-in Linen Cabinet
In addition to the mirrored pocket door, my latest completed project is the linen cabinet. WOOHOO!!! The carcass had been done for a while but I just got around to building the drawers and installing the doors that Cabinet Now sent me. Linen Cabinet Recap Looking back at all my video footage to Continue Reading
February 9, 2018
Mirrored Pocket Door – Jack and Jill Bathroom Update
I'm so excited to tell you that I've finished 2 (yes--TWO) projects this week! One is the mirrored pocket door that leads from Madison's bedroom to the Jack and Jill bathroom. I love pocket doors. They don't take up floor space and they don't ever smack an unsuspecting occupant standing on the Continue Reading
January 28, 2018
Getting out of a slump and a Calderwood Cottage update
Hey guys! I wanted to be unveiling the finished linen closet in the Jack and Jill bathroom but it's still not done. Argh. It feels like I've been trudging through knee deep molasses to make any forward progression. Part of my problem has been my chaotic workshop. It's been a mess since October Continue Reading
January 24, 2018
How to Make a Dado Jig for Palm Router
Want to learn how to make a simple dado jig? Hey Sawdust Girl Readers! Happy New Year! It’s SG Squad member, Timisha here from ToolBox Divas. It has been a while since we last chatted. The holidays are a great time to spend with family and unwind. I can honestly say I did absolutely NOTHING. And I Continue Reading
January 17, 2018
Shopmade Router Circle Jig
Hey friends!! It's Shara here from Woodshop Diaries. Happy New Year!! With it being the start of a new year, I know that organization is top priority and money is probably a little tight (Or is that just me??). So the last thing you want to do is go out and buy ANOTHER fancy, expensive jig to Continue Reading
January 15, 2018
Recessed Wall Cabinet for Toilet Paper Storage
Hey hey hey! Guess who finished a project?! Whoop-whoop. I finally finished the recessed wall cabinet over the toilet in the Jack and Jill water closet! This between the studs wall cabinet is the perfect place for toilet paper storage. As well as other bathroom necessities. Of course I installed Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
2017 Christmas House Tour
A few weeks ago I agreed to join a Christmas House Tour with a group of my blogger friends. Several weeks can sometimes be enough time to knock out a serious amount of work. So I wasn't completely out of my mind for allowing myself to think that making this commitment would give me a firm deadline Continue Reading
December 8, 2017
Choosing Cabinet Door Hinges
There are a lot of factors in choosing the right cabinet door hinges. The type of cabinet and door being at the top of the list. Followed closely by the type, style, and function of the cabinet hinge. With as many options as there are available, there's surely a hinge that will work for every Continue Reading
December 6, 2017
How to cut a Dado on a Table Saw
Hi SawdustGirl Readers! It's Mindi again from MyLove2Create, and I have to say that this month's theme of using a new joinery method has pushed me to conquer a fear that I have been avoiding for way too long... The Table Saw. Dun dun dun!!! I am going to show you how to cut a dado on a table Continue Reading
December 4, 2017
Two Toned DIY Console Table
*This diy console table plan was edited to add instructions with illustrations of how to attach a tabletop using screws with washers and an extra large hole! I built this console table using easy pocket hole screw construction in just a few hours. Then used a combination of paint and stain to Continue Reading
December 3, 2017
How to Build a Cabinet Drawer the Easiest Way Possible
There are tons of different ways to build a cabinet drawer. You can get fancy with dovetails, box joints or locking rabbets. There are biscuits, loose tenons and pocket screws. In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to build a cabinet drawer using the easiest possible method. You don't need Continue Reading
November 30, 2017
How to Skim Coat to Remove Wall Texture
Balancing time against money is always a factor when deciding whether to do something yourself or hire a professional. If you've been following my home remodels, you know I do a lot of skim coating. Smoothing wall texture can be a time consuming task. You can hire a professional to retexture Continue Reading
November 29, 2017
Mortise and Tenon Gate Construction
Mortise and tenon, one of the oldest and strongest carpentry joints, with an added haunch that makes this wood joint even stronger and perfect for gate construction. Hi I'm Sandra's sister, Julie. If you have been following the progress on Calderwood Cottage you have seen me doing some demolition Continue Reading
November 27, 2017
DIY Lighting Projects Anyone Can Make
Can you believe how expensive lights are? I'm always caught off guard by price tags that reach into the thousands! For a light! Especially when you can make a beautiful chandelier or pendant light for less than $25. Seriously. It's super easy to update old light fixtures with a DIY light. Check Continue Reading
November 27, 2017
DIY Serving Tray – Great ideas for Hostess Gifts
A DIY Serving tray is a perfect item to add your idea list for hostess gifts. You never want to arrive at a dinner party empty handed so make sure you plan ahead. Store bought gifts are nice but it makes your gift extra special when you make it yourself. How about a DIY serving tray paired with a Continue Reading
November 24, 2017
PORTER-CABLE Cordless Sander Review
Have you seen the new PORTER-CABLE cordless sander? This random orbit sander is another new member of the PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX* System. Available for $59.99 for tool only, battery and charger are not included. PORTER-CABLE Cordless Sander Review It is a cordless sander --but it has only one Continue Reading
November 20, 2017
Shoe Organization – Easy Shoe Storage Project
I feel like my back door entry has grown a shoe mountain with all of the boots and shoes we now need for the snow, rain, mud, and everything in between. I swear it takes an extra 5-10 minutes to get out the door in the mornings between playing the shoe pile scramble, and then navigating the Continue Reading
November 20, 2017
Calderwood Cottage – part 5
I've shown you all the work we've done on the inside of our Calderwood Cottage (parts 1, 2, 3, and 4). Today I'm showing you what's been happening on the back addition. This back addition is on a concrete slab. There are two rooms. We have no idea what the intended purpose was for the first Continue Reading
November 17, 2017
Calderwood Cottage Demo Days – part 4
In my last Calderwood Cottage update, I showed you all the termite damage we found. We ended up removing the wood floors and subfloors on half of the house. We never intended on having to deal with this level of repair. But we're into it now. So we figured out what we needed to do fix it. Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
DIY Napkin Rings – easy diy project
Whether you are looking for a unique hostess gift or just want to add a natural element to your table setting, these DIY napkin rings are fast, easy, cheap, and very WOW! This is a super easy diy project that will add a special touch to each place setting at your table. I used some 3” x Continue Reading