The Handbuilt Home: The Average Gal's Woodworking Cheat Sheet

Take one second and think about all the times you've seen a piece of furniture and thought, "I could so do that." 

Well, if you're anything like me, it's certainly happened more than once. 

Take, for instance, a simple, plain bench. Straight lines, simple cuts...I can envision it already. And, I had, in my mind...for years, but never did I have an actual plan...something to tell me, "Yep, that's right." or "Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's way too short!" 

That's where Ana comes in.

Clearly, Ana's goal with this book was to create a resource for people just like you or me that wouldn't intimidate us. A source that made sense and spoke to us...like it was the first time we've picked up a hammer. Now, of course you know how to use a hammer, but what about a drill? Or a speed square? Or a pocket hole jig?
Yeah, well, not me.

I appreciate her easy, straightforward explainations of what these tools are and how to use them. Granted, I'm probably not going to go out and buy a table saw anytime soon, but she's made it clear there's a ton of simple projects out there that can be done with what you have...and she's given us a painless plan for each one of them.

I've made plans to first start with Ana's "Gallery Ledge" project...what one might call a "beginner's project." And, now...now that I've seen how simple this really can be, I've finally got the confidence and the resource to make it happen.

And, maybe...just maybe, eventually I'll have the guts to create that giant, farmhouse table I've been daydreaming about all these years...

No, not maybe.
Definitely.