Obviously i’m enjoying some quieter indoor crafts to stay inside while it’s dark and colder.  Here’s a sandal that I made Monday night and the other on Tuesday morning before work.  I even wore them all day Tuesday to try them out.

They’re best for quick jaunts outside.  But I walked part of the trail we’re working on and found that the big lugs collected a lot of forest debris – even twigs, pinecones, and stones.  But they were great on the frosted deck first thing in the morning.

I can’t take any credit for this idea at all but when I saw one I knew I had to make some.  

I snagged a used tire and cut the tread from the sidewalls.  Then I shaped the ends once cut to the length of my belts.  I used a punch to put some holes in and a solid brass belt buckle from a thrift-store belt.  A small washer and an aluminum pop rivet finish it off.

These are galoshes – of sorts. I use them for wearing inside on the outside of my rain boots. But you could just as easily use them for outside wear if water is less of a daily concern for you. You see, I live in a rain forest. We get around 10 feet of rain a year. So wearing rubber boots is an almost daily occurrence. And taking off your shoes at the door is necessary. Everyone does it here.

But if you’re working outside and need to dash inside for a tool, a drink, to go to the bathroom… well, these are great to slip on when you walk in the door! Or, if you just need to dash out on a rainy day to take out the trash or get something from the car these are the ticket too!

Full instructions on how i made them here.

I’m signaling to the helicopter above that we’re ready for him to lift the 375 pounds of rough-cut spruce planks we just rigged up. We made about 18 sling loads to help with some of the trail work going on between Sandy Beach Park and City Creek.

Cutting off a tire from a three wheeler…

Three wheelers wer outlawed from manufacture a long time ago due to their propensity for rollovers.  Fortunately they show up at the dump still.  Most three wheelers also are before the days of steel belted tires…

The mile-long trail from Sandy Beach park to City Creek is finally having a major upgrade. For about 5 years the majority of the trail has just been a section along the beach that we kept clear of blow-downs and brush.

The completion of the cantilever bridge a year ago opened up access to the rest of the trail and use has increased dramatically.

Using a grant from SEAtrails we’ve started to address the sections of the trail that need the most work. We’re using locally milled spruce for the major crossings. Some sections are getting a lower treatment using lumber treated for ground contact.

By the end of the year the whole trail will have such improvements that on all but the wettest days you should be able to walk the whole trail without rubber boots on!

A few months ago I picked up this metal Fuller Paints sign while salvaging at the landfill. I cut a piece of 3/4 inch plywood to fit inside of it because it has an inch deep lip around the perimeter.

Last week I picked up a few metal table legs also while salvaging. Last night I sanded off the rust on the legs and used a black enamel paint to give them a nice new gloss.

Tonight i used a fistful of screws to attach the legs and the top.

This is a table to be sold… We don’t have the space, need, or decor for this one. Of course, we said that about the pinball table too…