throw-away wood and an old hand truck

  hubs grew up on a farm and this wooden hand cart was used to haul many a feed bag.

somehow, we inherited it and i always knew i wanted to create a platform cart out of it.

 - check out these cute iron wheels -

i thought of using a weathered wood pallet but this spring i rearranged the wood pile,

sorting it in piles and had a defining moment when i found these pieces,

including a weathered two by two for the legs...

exactly the look i wanted!

thanks to my MIL, i learned how to use a few basic tools.

i started off by giving it legs...

which was a shmatz (PA dutch word for difficult and time-consuming)

as i couldn't get the right cut to fit the slant...

but it got done good enough to pass my inspection!

 i mean, really, whose going to take the time to look at the slant?! :)

after getting its legs,

i arranged the wood pieces on it,

measured it and used a long level to mark the screw lines,

 

then used the skill saw to cut the edges.

i highlighted the knots and cracks...

...and was pleased with the end result.

by this time,

i realized this contraption was really wobbly,

and needed some leg support.

i found another piece of wood that in it's former life

 was part of the now non-existent grape arbor,

and purposely picked one with a hole in it.

...ta-da!

it was now ready to placed in the flower bed...
but...

  alas, the legs were too long -

which made the slant too high,

giving it a tipsy-sliding-off look...

a-n-d 

too many watering cans.

out came the skill saw and cut off several inches...

moocho-betta!

finished!

well  - at least for now!

a discarded bird nest,

a reading i've had for many years,

a few iris...

i'm pleased!

...blessedness!

ox

linking up to Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday

and I made it without my Hubby!