a completed project...finally

This project has been in the works for 2 months now, and last night it was finally complete! It all started with me finding this blog where a girl draws up plans to build "pottery barn-like furniture" that she has drawn up herself.

We had this blank wall in our kitchen by the kitchen table that I couldn't decide [for months] what we would put there. I have always loved mudrooms, but will never truly have one at good ol Fiesta. Well then this girl popped up and voila! A "mudroom" for us!

Pottery barn makes this bench and shelf combo that I love. And by golly girl had plans for it on her blog. My oh so handy super sweet and nice hubby agreed to take on such project (with the help of good pal Ryan and Gary). T and I procured the wood, got it cut by the "great wood-cutters at Home Depot," and they knocked out the building of it in about 2 days. Yes!

While they worked on the building, Laura and I searched for fabric and sewed up the bench cushion (complete with fabric covered buttons)!

Laura and I got the bench and shelf painted in a day, and it was ready to go! (so I thought...)

Now let's go ahead and say, you can for sure knock out this simple little project if your hubs isn't an accountant during busy season, and if your hubs can make quick decisions. I love him.

The cute little bench sat in place (with cushion and baskets) starting the middle of March, but sat all alone. The pretty shelf sat in the dining room, then was moved to the living room/library, then was moved upstairs... until this past Saturday. That's 2 months people. It took sweet ol T a good 2 months to "decide how he wanted to hang it on the wall." Well I was over that excuse. It was time for it to go up [passed time actually]. He called on another good pal, Russ, to help with the decision.  They got their plans together and it took them less than 45 minutes to get that sucker up on the wall. So I reveal our 2 month long project in all its glory. It's a beauty, if I do say so myself. [and there's a cutie on the top shelf]

And again for good measure...

If wood work and paint and patience with your spouse is up your alley, I encourage you to take a look at this girls website. She has plans for so many great pieces [we are even starting another project from her site]. We found it was much cheaper to build, paint, and sew up our own shelf and bench and it have personalized character, rather than buy from good ol over-priced PB at a whopping $500 bones.