A couple of months ago I asked our good friend, B, if she would be willing to build a coffee table for me in her shop to go in our newly remodeled living room. When she said she would, I drew up some rough plans with dimensions of one I had seen and liked and gave the plans to her.
Fast forward several weeks. I asked B if she'd had time to work on the coffee table. She replied that she'd had a little time but had been really, really busy with outside/away from home jobs. Being the much sought after carpenter and craftsperson she is this didn't surprise me.
A week or so ago, I'll admit I got a little whiny to my husband saying I was surprised it was taking B so long to get the coffee table finished.
Unbeknownst to me, he and B had talked and she told him she was saving it as a birthday present for me! Since my birthday, at that time, was a full month away, he told B I might get so cranky by then that he wouldn't be able to continue living with me. So she decided to bring the coffee table over this morning as an early gift.
Besides the fact that it was an incredibly generous gift from a wonderful person, and I was so touched I really had to hold back from bursting into tears, the coffee table turned out better than I could have imagined.
It was designed to hold my quilts and has glass on three sides so they are protected and yet can be seen.
We decided not to put glass on the back side which faces the couch for fear of it getting kicked into (you know, during one of our wild parties) and possibly breaking. (I don't know why, but this picture makes the wood on the back look much darker than it actually is.)
My dear husband insisted on paying for the glass and some trim molding, but the rest of the materials came from B's shop. She won't tell me how many hours of labor went into it, but I know it must have taken a LOT of her valuable time.
I'll never be able to thank her enough for this lovely gift. Needless to say, I didn't expect it and it was a complete surprise as a birthday present. (I also appreciate my dear hubby for his contribution to the project!) I will treasure this piece of furniture FOREVER.
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34 comments:
That is the most beautiful quilt box I have ever seen in my life!! It's fantastic!! You are so blessed and I am so envious!! That B is VERY talented!! It is gorgeous!!!
You have a wonderful friend. I love the table. My husband does wood work also. He doesn't know it yet,but he will be making me one. It is so beautiful.
That is a wonderful gift and lovely with all your colorful quilts.
Very nice. And your quilts look fabulous displayed inside.
Love it! And beautiful to boot. What a way to celebrate friendship & husbandry all at the same time. Congratulations!
Very unique! I love it! Happy (early)Birthday MP!!!
Great idea and great wood! Really pretty display...
Freedom Acres Farm - I agree, I agree!
Michelle - Lucky you to have a talented man like that in the house. And thank you!
tpals - Thank you very much!
Sparkless - They do add color to the room!
DFW - Thank you! I am so pleased.
Tami - Thank you for the early wishes!
Nancy - Yes, the wood is lovely, along with B's work!
Super cool design! Great idea to display your handiwork and a beautiful piece. You're so very deserving of her generosity, too. :-)
LindaCO - Deserving? Nah, I don't think so. (But thank you for saying so.) B is basically a very giving person and I'm lucky to have her as a friend.
I just had a great vision! Wouldn't the coffee table look fabulous full of balls of yarn??!
WOW, beautiful job on the design and execution for the table, hmmm, now is she going to make more and ship them?????? I see a whole new business in her future. She could sell them thru Country Sampler Magazine.
Congratulations on the beautiful table, full of beautiful quilts and Happy Birthday when the day arrives.
Wow-it's gorgeous. And what a clever way to display your quilts. You're so very very lucky to have such a thoughtful and talented friend.
Happy EARLY Birthday! You deserve it!
:)
That is the coolest coffee table I have EVER seen. What a great design, so creative and lovely, lovely, lovely. Just like the lady who received it! :)
That is a beautifully designed table - I love how the quilts show through! What a wonderful gift - and a wonderful friend :)
Absolutely gorgeous!
What a gorgeous gift! It is obvious how much love and hard work went into it because it is just PERFECT for you! B has created a new family heirloom that will be treasured for sure. Your quilts look beautiful and can be on display, even when they are "not"!
Tombstone Livestock - B has said that she would love to do nothing but "make things" in her shop rather than going out to jobs. Her problem is she's so much in demand (and has trouble saying "no") that she keeps taking jobs in people's homes. But at least she's to the point where she's picking and choosing the jobs she says yes to.
Thanks for the early BD wishes!
Sue - I told B (apologies to my dear husband) that the coffee table was the best present I've EVER gotten and I feel very humbled by her generousity.
Early thanks for the BD wishes! :o)
Amy - Isn't it though?! I'm happy-happy!
Jen - Now I have a good place to store my quilts! It freed up quite a bit of space in my quilt room. You couldn't ask for a better friend than our B!
Stephanie - Thank you, thank you! (And B thanks you, too! What a talent she has.)
Erin - I can't tell you how much I LOVE this piece. If I had a big enough house, I'd display my quilts on walls, over bannisters, on couches. But then that would mean I'd have to have a big house to clean (!) so I'd rather have them "displayed" this way!
What a great idea and a beautiful gift! Happy birthday and congratulations!
That coffee table is outstanding!!! What a nice gift. Your friend is very talented! I love that you can display your quilts without getting them dusty. Too neat!!!
The Weekend Homesteader - Thank you!
Kelly - I will just have to remember to refold them regularly so the parts showing don't get any fading from the light and so the folds don't get "set in." Thanks for your kind words!
It's wonderful! A treasure for your treasures. Beautiful gift.
Leigh - A very beautiful gift, indeed!
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