Nerding Out.

Lately I have been playing Magic: The Gathering card game over lunch. I picked up a play set of the common and uncommon cards from the latest series. I have made a couple of decks and picked up a fat pack to carry all my new cards. For some reason this just wasn't good enough for me. I decided to make my own boxes...

There are tons of scraps of foam board and mat board from cutting mats and backing boards for Kathy's paintings. I started by making a box out of foam board. I wasn't that happy with it. I could do better. I changed my material to mat board. First I created a box using the matboard. I then cut out a piece of brown paper to cover the box. I used artist's mounting adhesive which is basically a spray contact cement.

I sprayed both the box and paper and let it sit for a minute or two.

I started at the bottom of the box and moved up the sides.

Eventually I covered all sides of the box, wrapping the covering around the lip of the box.

I created a top to the box and added an insert to hold the cards.
Ok I have some brown boxes, they are looking pretty good but boring.
Let's add a little decoration. I took the mana symbols and grabbed some pens that were the correct colors and started with the tops.

I made six boxes this round. I have decorated 3 of them with the colors of the decks they hold. the other three are still blank, I will decorate them when I finalize more decks.

-Jason

Desk Complete.

The desk is officially complete and installed. I am very happy with how it turned out.

The total cost of the desk was around $850 in materials including the glass top. To build this desk from Pottery Barn it would have cost roughly $2800. Pretty good savings for a couple months worth of work.

-Jason

Painting, I am so over painting.

It has taken a couple of weeks but the bookshelves are almost complete. I started painting them a couple of days ago and I finished the bulk of the painting tonight. Tomorrow, I have to cut and paint the backs of the bookshelves but other than that they are complete. I took a pattern to the glass shop on Friday so I should have the final pieces of glass the middle of next week and we can install these beauties to finish off the room. These bookshelves are basically twice the width of the other cabinets, but they seemed a lot larger every time I went to paint them.

-Jason

Fabrication Complete

I had time to finish the construction of the bookshelves this weekend. I started by adding the trim to the top and bottom of the cabinets I completed the other day.

I then added the trim to the bottom of the desktop, this will keep the desktop centered on the bookshelves.

The remaining components completed. The two bookshelves, their desktops, the final desktop for the already completed cabinets and the connecting pieces to tie all of the components together. I will be sanding and wood filling for the next couple of days, hopefully I will be painting in the next couple of days.

-Jason

Bookshelves

I started on the on bookshelves that will finish the desk unit. Sunday I cut the plywood into the blank pieces for the bookshelves and desktop units and glued the desktop pieces together.

Over the last couple of nights I cut the pieces to final size, cut grooves for the back piece, and glued the basic bookshelves together.

Over the next couple of days I will build the foot and top of the bookshelves, hopefully I will start painting sometime this weekend.

-Jason

Desk Installed

Well the first section of the desk is installed. I am very happy with it, I think it turned out amazing. Going to start on the bookshelves soon. I will post pictures of the progress.

Preview

Finished up a couple more items on the desk including the drawers and getting glass cut. Looks like we will be installing the desk this weekend.

-Jason