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Another AHmazingly sunny Sunday around here.  What does that mean for me??  Another awesome Sunday project to cross off the ol' To-Do list.  Wanna guess what I turned these in to?

Seriously....winner gets a virtual high five...and a cookie.  Not really.  But take a guess anyway.  No peeking!!

Last summer's garage sale-ing scored me this headboard and footboard combo for $20 (talked them down from $30 - oh yeah).  More than I usually spend on a garage sale item, but this was big ticket and antique.

Still guessing??

A bench!!  I know, weird...but what else is new?

Let's get started on the how-to, shall we??

I started by cutting the footboard in half down the middle.  These pieces became the sides of the bench.  I used furniture dowels and drilled holes and attached the sides and...it's getting technical, sorry.  Besides, it was dark outside at this point and I didn't get any pictures.  So we'll skip the boring parts.

Once the frame was completed, I used scrap 1" plywood for the seat.  I used L-brackets (seen below) to secure the bench seat.



Then, I added a brace down the middle and an "apron" in the front (also known as a 1x6 pine board).

Here's the underside with the bench laying on its back.

Now, before I get to the finished product, let me show you the spot on the back patio where I wanted this bench to sit.

Yepp, right there, on top of the ivy.  Damn that ivy.  I've been wanting it gone for 3 summers now.  This spot serves no purpose and is wasted space on the patio where extra seating could exist.  So I got to work.  Has anyone actually ever ripped a patch of ivy out before?  Me neither....and I never will again.

45 minutes in and this is where I'm at...

What. A. Mess.  The roots are completely intertwined and twisted and thick and DEEP.  So deep in fact, that because it is close to the house, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them have reached under the house!  Honestly, I was pulling roots out as big as this...

So I raked, and hoed, and shoveled, and scooped, and dug....for 2 hours!!  Two full lawn bags later, my back ached, my arms were sore, and I was covered in dirt and sweat.  Yuck.  But I ended up with this....

I used some leftover landscaping bricks to form a perimeter.  I'm aware, however, that the ivy may grow back.  Even though I hacked at as many roots as I could get to, I'm sure because it's a vine it will remain hearty despite my efforts. 

Ok, so the bench.  Here she is pre-paint:

I used leftover paint from my studio downstairs that matched the fabric I wanted to use for the cushion.

And here she is painted up:

I haven't bought a foam cushion yet because they are expensive and I'm waiting for the next 40% OFF coupon from JoAnn's to come in the mail.  So for now, the fabric provides a visual and I used 2 spare pillows that matched as well.

A comfy and colorful summer seat.  Weekend project...Check!