Happy Fall!!

I love decorating the mantle for different seasons. I got this idea a few years ago from a magazine and I will say I look forward to picking out 3 white pumpkins every year.  I just hand draw the BOO on with sharpie. The kids like that I do the same thing every year.

Distressed Wood Bar top

So I had a vision for the basement that was very rustic.  I wanted to use parts of the existing barn.  I had seen a blog where they took a butcher block ikea counter top distressed it, stained it and I thought it would be an inexpensive DIY project.  I planned to do concrete countertops so I was excited to put the wood, concrete and metal all together.

http://lamaisonbuck.com/2012/08/20/diy-distressed-wood-counter/

Is where the inspiration for the bar top came from.  I found the directions extremely detailed with lots of hints.  Mine was done indoors so I was able to eliminate a lot of the issue the original post.  I tweaked things slightly but did many of the same things.

This is the IKEA butcher block counter top I started with:

Fortunately for me it was the exact length that I needed so I did not have to cut it to size.





















I started with some basic distressing tools.  Log chains, hammer, nails, etc.

Then I started the staining process.  I used both gel and oil based stain as the original poster had suggested.  I would say total it took a maximum of a week to completely finish making sure everything was sanded and dry between every coat and that included 3 coats of poly.

After the distressing and first coat of stain

  Staining finished.  Now onto the polyurethane.

I love the way the finished product turned out and I think it will fit well in the decor of the basement.  And I did it myself!!!

Have you heard of Ana White?

If you have not heard of Ana White, you need to!  She is this amazing woman who has a website to build all sorts of projects.  I have completed my first one, actually I made 2 and I plan on making many more.  I am so happy to have found Ana White and I can't wait for many more projects.  Here is a pic of my first one!!

I cannot wait to try some more of her projects!