the bench

John and I have been looking for the perfect little bench to go in our "entryway" (that's really our kitchen) to hold all of our shoes and other random things that end up piled by the door. In Alaska, it's a real issue figuring out where shoes can get piled as everyone takes them off when they come in the door.

John volunteered to make us one since we had searched everywhere for a bench that would fit and had some function. I was pretty skeptical of his furniture making skills. He has remodeled all kinds of things in our house, but I just wasn't sure how he'd come up with an idea for a bench. I needn't have worried. He built a beautiful little bench out of wood he'd scrounged from pallets and other discarded lumber.

I learned a lot about staining in the process as that was my job. I remembered seeing my dad using a rag to stain, but had never tried it myself. Now I know that a little really does go a LONG way and I'll remember that for next time. I still need to stain the buttons and glue them on, but we're almost finished!

So - without further adieu: the bench!