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Woodburning Designs into Furniture

            

                  
  Our Creation               Theirs
Sep 28, 2009
Over a decade ago in Philadelphia, my husband and I would wander hand-in-hand down South Street into a store aptly named American Pie.  Each time I entered through the doors, my heart would begin to race from the sensory overload of inspiration, colors and beauty.  My favorite pieces in this store were by a company called Sticks.  I loved everything about these whimsical pieces:  the encouraging words engraved on the furniture, the bold colors, the fanciful drawings, and the life that resonated from each work of art.  And even though my style and taste have changed since then, I still love their work! 
Back in 2000, hubby bought a blank bookshelf for me as a birthday present with the hopes that we would create our own Sticks-like art.   

We used inspiration from a marriage contract we wrote during the first year of our marriage to complete the piece.  Below is a picture of books we read together…
I modeled for all the girly hands below for the celebrate together…
Knowing truth is something both of us strive to obtain and eminate….
and pre-babies we used to love to go backpacking together….
We pray together each night before we go to bed….
Cherishing family and home is top priority….
Seeking peace in ourselves, our relationship, and in our community is a passion….
And I love animals and wanted them to have a space on our bookshelf!
So, how did we do it?  We bought a cheap woodburner from Michaels with several different tips.  We drew, in pencil, our images on the bookshelf and then we burnt into the wood wherever there was pencil.

We used paint on most of the bookshelf but also used oil-colored pencils on some of the more tricky areas.  This piece sits in our bedroom and is a reminder of all things good about my life and marriage; I love it.  And if we could make it….so could you!
If you like what you see, oh won’t you please follow me?  Hooking up today with DIY Day at Kimba’s.  Love DIY day, don’t you? Also hooking up with a Room a Month at Sheri’s.  Check it out for more fantastic transformations!
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Comments

  2. So,

    I was looking for a recipe for making strawberry jam and I happened upon your blog.

    First things first, I am not a girlfriend… I have my own little construction company and handyman service which until recently, has been very good to me. Ten weeks ago, I took an unexpected leap – altitude 20' – off a roof and luckily ended up only breaking one ankle.

    Being the kind of person who cannot sit still, I decided to get into the kitchen and start whipping up meals for my hare-brained idea of creating my own recipe book. Its progressing well. Of course, Sandy is loving it because she has been, to all intents and purposes relieved of kitchen duties. We've been together 20 years.

    Well, your recipe for the strawberries is an absolute gem and your presentation is nothing short of breath taking. As, I am prone to do, I started poking around your blog and came upon this bookshelf.

    WOW! The words are touching and the images are beautiful. I make furniture and must shamefully admit, that despite all my craftsmanship, I have never made anything as inspirational as this piece of work you and your husband have come up with.

    Thank you so much for posting such a profound demonstration of love, commitment and faith. I am sorry to say that it took an injury to re-rattle my brain into realizing that all of our days are numbered and moreover, the things that really matter in life are the things we have grown accustomed to – the things that seem so mundane.

    May your blessings continue to multiply. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

    Be safe,
    Joe

  4. I, too, LOVE Sticks pieces! Used to go to a store near where I lived and just drool. Actually bought a woodburning kit years ago so I could attempt my own, but haven't ever even opened the kit 🙂 Thanks for inspiring me to try!

  5. That is such a cool bookshelf!! Wish I was that taleneted, mine would have little stick figures on it ;o)

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  11. Wow, that is the sweetest thing ever. You are both quite the artists. What an amazing thing to have as you grow old together and for your kids to have. I'm inspired. Thanks for sharing this great idea with us. I'm having a giveaway today. Stop by and enter if you get a chance.

  13. Your joking!!! That is incredible! It looks like a million dollar boutique item. I am featuring this on somedaycrafts.blogspot.com AWESOME!!!

  15. OMG…change the city and store, but I could have written the first paragraph of this post, word for word. I have been obsessed with trying to make a "Sticks" inspired piece for years. But, I am sad to admit…that my inner "chicken" has always stopped me from taking the plunge. I have always thought it would be a great (personalized) gift for a special family member or just for us to keep as a family heirloom. You have really got me excited here!! Was it hard?

    Yours turned out beautiful! You Rock!!

    Blessings, Tracy

  18. I have been looking around your site for awhile and love so many of your projects. This I have got to try. I love to paint, but seems like everything else has had a bigger priority the last few years. I still have paint, just need some wood to practice:-)
    Thanks for the great ideas.

    Jilly

  22. What a GORGEOUS piece and an incredible heirloom… not that you're thinking THAT far ahead.. oh wait.. it's you, you probably are 🙂 it is not only what you and Matt value.. but clearly shows the values and legacy you intend to leave behind! Thanks so much for sharing a little more of YOU with the rest of us 🙂

  23. That is awesome! You did an amazing job. Wow, just can't get over how special and sentimental that is.

  24. That is such a gorgeous keepsake piece that I am sure your kids will treasure and model their own marriages after. I am so inspired by the facets of the contract! What an original and beautiful piece.

  26. Very very cool! I love how it is like tangible testimony of your commitment!

    My hubby has a wood burner that I hope to feature in one of my up coming tutes! They are pretty cool!

  27. Beth! That is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. It melts my heart!

    I am an art teacher so I also thought what a cool idea this would be for a special bookshelf in the school library that the kids coudl create. The different images coudl relate to the school mission statement or soemthing similar..

    It's just beautiful. What a man you have to work on the with you!

  28. What a beautiful piece, Beth! How nice that you did this together and get to look at it every day. It must have taken some time to do.

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