DIY Mini Hutch: Saved from the Curb!

Ladies and gentlemen: the big reveal! I am soooo excited about this, and I've been itching to write this blog for weeks. But, I also wanted to do this project right. One of the reasons I am so stoked about this is because I did this entirely by myself. Ok, well, Brad grabbed it from off the curb because I'm a big wuss (you'd think a girl from the Bronx would be all over grabbing free stuff, but alas...), but other than that, I did the entire project solo. So here it goes.

This is what it looked like when we found it. A bit worn, scratches here and there, but overall in pretty good condition. A total find. From this...



To this!



Here's how:
So, I wanted it to match the dining room table that Brad and I had made a few months ago. Check it out, another project I'm super proud of: http://www.opsands.com/2012/11/dining-room-farmhouse-table-18th-price.html>Farmhouse Table



First, I had to sand this baby down. I put on my lovely hospital mask, and spent a few hours sanding it, first with 60-80 (that's what I had available) and then with 120 just to avoid splinters. Whew! Dusty fellow. I was actually uber impressed with how simple this really was. Time consuming, yes, but less complicated than I thought it would be. By far the most difficult part of the entire project. A little bit of wood glue here and there, some hammering, and I had a real beaut. Here's the bottom piece:





I used Rustoleum: Kona to stain. Love this stain. So much dimension. Need to remember to wear gloves, though. I always forget gloves and then go to work looking like I have some rare skin disease. Not cool. Here's the contrast:



And finally:

With a little polyurethane, this piece had some real sparkle:



Then, I added some lovely yellow and blue glass knobs, made in a little shop in Long Branch.



Also added a fabric from Joann's that I cut to fit and glued to the back to give it a pop of color and make it stand out a bit against my gray dining room walls.



And here is the whole thing, all put together:



Added some yellow glitter lampshades to my chandelier to tie in all of the colors:



And voila! I LOVE it! And so cheap! Total curbside appeal.

Half marathon PR

Today we ran a half in 1:55.29. That's 3 and a half min off our last time! Which may not seem like much, but it is.

That's an average pace of 8:49 per mile.

Very impressed with us! Plus, burned 1460 calories. Feeling good. 10 weeks to marathon! :)

Butternut Squash and Sage Angel Hair Pasta

Amazing dinner for a cold winter night! Especially after running 12 miles the day before :)

1 butternut squash cubed
1 small onion

Toss with olive oil and bake at 400 for about 40 min until soft. When you take it out, add 10 fresh sage leaves and let them soak up the oil a bit. Recipe wanted the sage fried in oil, but I thought this was a nice alternative.

Angel hair pasta, cooked for 4 minutes. Reserve 1/4 of the water. Place the pasta in a bowl.

Add butternut squash and onion and sage. Add bacon bits. Add freshly grated Parmesan. Add the reserved water.

Enjoy!!!