Clean.

We started cleaning and organizing the cabinet shop last eve. It was fairly blitzed by the construction of the Ships Ladder project. It is more then due. The shop tends to become a "catch all" when not being used to build a cabinet or some custom piece needed for a current project. …


We used to build custom furniture, kitchen/bath cabinets (we built all the vanities and kitchen cabinets for our third spec home http://applewoodremodelers.com/portfolio-2/), custom fireplace surround bookcase units and entertainment centers (when they were the trend). We even had a large cabinet shop and full showroom back in the 1990's. But we couldn't compete with the perceived value of Ethan Allen for high end or the economical low-end Ikea type furniture or the affordable curb appeal of factory cabinets. So now we only build custom when it is part of a project as needed.

So here sits this lovely building on the headquarters property not being used to its fullest potential in my opinion. And I have to admit a large area in the shop is full of old wood furniture, taking up valuable real estate .. a pile of "dream" that is sitting there not reaching its full potential, and definitely causing a stumbling block to the potential of the shop space.

I've written about my plan http://carpenterandtheartist.blogspot.com/2013/09/move.html for a small painted furniture side business called "A Painted Apple". It hasn't happened. But now it is. I've gathered enough to paint and have a nice little sale in June. So that's the plan! And if I find I am enjoying giving old wood a new life.. then I will continue. And probably sell a few pieces on www.applewoodremodelers.com.

My vision for the shop is to see it as organized and clean as the Applewood work trailer. http://carpenterandtheartist.blogspot.com/2014/05/chasing-sawdust.html That is one amazingly organized little space on wheels! And so if the crew can keep that little space nice they can keep the shop nice. And that will make for some prosperous painting! Because such a great little space should be used to put more apples in our basket!

And that large sawdust sucking machine that I mentioned in a previous post http://carpenterandtheartist.blogspot.com/2014/05/chasing-sawdust.html would come in handy right about now! 

So wish me luck. I'm going in!
~ the Artist