Log Light Project

Nate has recently gotten a Pinterest account, and it is dangerous. He found this idea of a log light scrolling through woodworking projects. Realistically, this log light could be as high as you wanted it. The one that Nate constructed is 1 foot and 6 inches tall! This log light would be a perfect fit in a cabin living room for added decor. It definitely would have to go in a woodsy type of style home.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO

Constructing the log light is super simple! Nate bought only a 6 foot strand of clear rope light and an 8 foot piece of 2x2 spindle board. He first cut 7 logs to 2 inches with a chainsaw (more or less could obviously be used to your liking). He then marked out the middle on each of the 7 log pieces and traced an outline. of the spindle on the center of the log pieces. Next he drilled holes on the perimeter of the outlined square, cut the outline out with a jig saw, and finally used a ball pin hammer to hit out the cut section. He drilled a wide enough hole to run the light strand through it's entirety. As you add the light, place each log piece on as you work up keeping a 2 inch space between each. As he added each log piece, he then screwed them to the spindle. Finally, he placed a log without a cut in the center.

UPDATE ON US: What We Are Up To 

Just yesterday, we went to our friend Angie Klemp's home out in Elk Mound and picked up some old, barn wood that she has saved. She just recently resided her barn and has a lot of left over, unique wood that has a weathered and used look to it. The wood is weathered with some red and white paint still on. The character of these pieces of barn wood are close to her heart, so we are making a barn wood head board for her spare bedroom in her farmhouse. I think this project excites me more than it does our friend Angie, because this project is right up Nate and I's alley (especially mine)!

The idea of a barn wood headboard from your own farm is an awesome idea and in the next couple weeks we are going to have a finished product. I am sure once Nate makes this for our friend, I am going to want one terribly(sorry Nate).

 

Nate and I also are planning on signing a lease in the next couple of weeks at a place that we can tweak with and put our touches on. This was obviously really important for us when looking for a place to live, because of how much we enjoy making and creating things. I cannot imagine us living in a place that we couldn't tinker and tweak with. The small home that we found is an L shaped, one story home right here in Eau Claire, WI. We can paint, add shelving, hang decor, landscape outside and make it feel like home. I already have so many ideas for this place, including adding new shelving in the kitchen with barn wood from Angie's savings. My idea is to have open shelving of about 3 shelves in the kitchen. I do not want to go into too much detail until we are able to sign the lease, but if we do get this place be prepared for a large array of blog posts!

Thanks for checking us out!

Nate and Madalen 

Our American Dream Starting Point

Nate and I (Madalen) are creating this blog named, "Up North Projects," to share all of our creative DIY projects and other inspiring thoughts we come up with together to influence and help others get creative insight. Additionally, we both want to further our skills in the fields of construction, landscaping and designing to become successful entrepreneurs together. A true American dream story. We want to share the building process of our journey with anyone and everyone that it intrigues and interests.

My passion is decorating. From refurbishing and painting to placing furniture in the right places with the coordinated colors is what I love to do. I am always up for a challenge and love organizing a project's final touches to make it look appealing and attractive. I have gone to the Atlanta Mart twice now and have been exposed to new and exciting ideas. Personality pairing is key for my projects while still having it appeal as a whole to outsiders at the same time. I am the dreamer and idealist. I love creating big ideas in my head, plotting them out and then letting Nate take a hammer and nails to make my dreams come to life.

Nate's passion is woodworking. He always stops me while were driving running errands or eating out and tells me that woodworking is what he truly loves to do. He likes when his hands are dirty and his mind is moving. He is smart with measurements and running numbers through his head. Sometimes he talks me through the process and I usually just nod because my brain does not work that way. I'm getting better though being around Nate so much though. 

Together we are motivated and want to become hard working entrepreneurs who work side by side. As challenging as that sounds we work well together. We have the type of personalities that bounce of one another. I'll say, "What if you do this instead?" And he'll say, "Or, I can do this," and then we meet at a content medium. It's all about trust. Trusting that his idea will help the project go further than it would have with only my idea.

As of now, we have only done baby projects. Nate built me a pallet light box for my birthday and he built himself a pallet desk. This Christmas we did some pallet Christmas trees towering at 8 feet tall. We did some Birch log deer projects in various sizes and also some rope birch Christmas trees. Around Christmas time this year I will send out a project post.

We will be posting many projects we are working on, especially this coming summer of 2017! Check back in every so often to see what we are up to and how our journey is coming.

Thanks so much,
Nate and Madalen