Want some cheese with that whine???

Want some cheese with that whine??? comes to mind.... Everything works until it doesn't and when it doesn't you want it fixed or changed... and NOW....

Long story - moved into this house and having a craft room without a guest bed in it (can't they stay in a HOTEL???) was a treat.... did not have cabinets but I checked on Craigs List and found a set of cabinets from a lawyer's office that was being demolished at a good price... but... when we went to see the cabinets there was a catch -- we had to take all the cabinets that were removed in order to get the ones I wanted... No problem -- I had craft room cabinets and DH had cabinets for his work shop area in the garage.... cabinets we did not use we then sold on Craigs List and that problem was solved.

In my craft room DH had put two of these floor cabinets back to back and he built a top for them using the used counter tops that came with the cabinets.. It is a good sized island and although it has served it's purpose it no longer works.... I now own quite the die collection and I have them lined up in refrigerator bins on a counter in the craft room.... they take up a lot of room and I want the counter top space back.... the island cabinets have two doors on them but I do not store things in them that I use all the time... like the dies..... so all I said....

I had mentioned to DH last week that although I liked the size and height of my island in the craft room the cabinets just were not working anymore... I told him I would prefer an island that is like a wooden workbench but something that has open shelves and can take the weight of my die collection... but I wanted the top to be the same size as the counter top he had built for the island in the craft room.... of course our house is constantly under construction with him working on this or that so although I asked about a new island I did not expect anything would happen until far in the future. He has a habit when I ask for him to build or change something that he has me draw a picture for him on a napkin or paper towel or whatever is nearby.... no request for a photo but I figured after the holidays he would come down to the craft room and do his measuring and ask questions and such....

So ... imagine my surprise when I got home from work today he called me out to the garage to see my surprise custom island he built today!!! :0)

First the top can be moved -- he did not know if I wanted the overhang to be on one side or both sides or what so that can be moved -

The above photo shows when I move the top to the front for an overhang and the next photo shows the top when I have the overhang on the back side:

He used left over oak stair posts for the corner posts of the island and this next photo shows left over oak flooring he had that he cut down to size for the front and sides of the shelves:

This next photo shows the front of the oak flooring pieces:

He has sliders under the legs but he can add casters if I wanted those on it. He put a backing on it and he remembered everything I had asked for!!! The top comes off so it will be easy to get it into the craft room once he finishes sanding it and putting the poly on it to seal the wood. Once the new island is in place he can attach the top or leave it so it can easily slide if I want it moved. With the weight of the oak it will stay in place.  He even put extra braces under the shelves and top to take the weight of the dies and anything else I would be using the island for. Here is a photo of the shelf attached to the oak stair post:

This island is the same width and height of the island I have now so it will be a perfect fit to replace my present island. Of course here I go again re-organizing the craft room but WELL WORTH IT this time!!! Happy me!!! Of course now I have to re-think my craft room and storage and such but this is going to be such a major improvement in here!! Nice Christmas present for me for sure.... Fuzzy Slipper Happy Dance in my craft room tonight!! :0)