I like to stay busy. This is a gallery of some personal projects I've finished over the last few years.

The Pond That Started It All

When I was young, I desperately wanted my parents to build a fish pond in our yard. Whenever I would ask them, they would tell me it was too expensive or too time-consuming. Finally, when I was fifteen, my mother caved; she told me that if I dug the hole, moved the rocks, did all the hard manual labor, then she would pay for it. She figured I’d dig for an hour or two and lose interest. Not only did I dig the hole but what was supposed to be a weekend project turned into a four year commitment, all throughout high school. When I got my first job, that’s where my money went. When the plants and fish died, I learned about ecology to improve the pond’s ecosystem. When leaves clogged up the pump and rotted in the water, I learned about carpentry and build a pergola to keep them out. When heavy rains would fill the pond with sediment, I learned about masonry and build a retaining wall around it. When I started bringing girls over and needed some mood lighting, I learned about electrical systems and installed path and accent lighting. Come senior year, when it came time to start thinking about what I wanted to study in college, someone who was familiar with the work I’d been doing mentioned that her cousin was a landscape architect and it might be something I’d like to do. I did a little research and instantly knew that was it.

Furniture From Reclaimed Lumber

During my time in Memphis, I was fortunate enough to have the space to set up a woodworking shop. Considering this new hobby didn't exactly line up with my budget, I decided to experiment with using reclaimed wood, primarily forklift pallets. Each of these pieces was constructed using almost entirely reclaimed wood from pallets, old deck joists, barn shelving or anything else I could find. Working with weathered, warped wood presented a lot of challenges but with a little luck and a lot of sanding, I managed to build several respectable pieces of furniture. The best part was being able to stay within my budget - the most expensive piece, the wardrobe, cost a whopping $60 when it was finished. Not bad.

Problem Solving

Another nice thing about having a workshop is that, when a problem came along that required a crafty solution, I was prepared. Since I quite often didn't have anyone around who could help me move it, I built this rig of my own design in order to deal with the 200+ lb. camper shell on my truck. With only one person operating it, the hoist could be wheeled over the bed of my truck and, through the use of a block and tackle system, raise and lower the camper shell.

HAVING A YARD AGAIN

During my time in Nashville, I joyously embraced having a backyard to putter around in. Even though it was a rental property, I gradually pushed the limit of what I could get away with: I built a pond, raised planting beds and a couple of Adirondack chairs, all with no pushback from the landlord. I mean, technically it's all removable, right?