We could use your creative ideas

picnic tables or workbenches ???

How about small chairs/benches so kids can sit on the porch too?

I know a local retired plumber that took up an interest to make small wood craft items that he sells at craft shows:
Bread boxes
Deacon's bench
toilet paper holders
vertical paper towel holders
napkin holders
letter and key holders
footstools
potato and onion veggie bins

stuff like that

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The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.

Thanks for all the ideas! Jermgen, those bird houses are great! I'd trade all this rough-sawn lumber for a fourth as much old barnwood. Besides the bandsaw, I have a table saw, industrial jigsaw (on a stand) and a radial armsaw.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

Of course if you ever needed an excuse to go buy a planer.......... Or you could try your hand at barrel making if you wanted a challenge.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

You can make a message center, key holder for an entryway or kitchen. Caulkboard paint can be bought at the big box stores, something like this......
http://www.cabinandlodge.com/mduchandkeyh.html Also look around the site for other ideas.

Mirrors are always needed, two sites with some neat mirror ideas...............
http://stewartscreativewood.com/shop...Framed+Mirrors

http://www.yellowstonefurniture.com/logmirrors.html

Plus your wall coatrack idea can also be a coffee mug holder for the kitchen.

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Marriage is like a hot bath, after you've been in it awhile, It's not so Hot.

Those things that look like "condos" of "cat trees" for cats to climb up and down on...there are usually at least three levels with a little shelf sticking out on each level....I saw a man selling these at a craft show near here and i wanted one but had no money...he had put carpet scraps on some of the little shelves...

Ya'll could paint birds or other things that would interest "cat" people on some of them as well!!!

Oh---and I forgot, for the cat tree thingies, they can be made of fairly rough lumber because the cats like to scratch on them as well.

I like deacons benches, hall trees, blanket chests and free standing pantry hutches made with rough hewn lumber.

Take a look at this blanket chest or trunk: http://www.country-gallery.com/paint...unk0430-1a.jpg

Look around that website for ideas that you can recreate.

I have several early 20th century Finnish made homestead furniture pieces. They are very rustic, primitive, sturdy, beautiful and practical. One large kitchen hutch is assembled with hand whittled dowels and pins and it's solid as a rock.

Cabin if you were closer there is a whole barn across the road from our house that fell down. I know the gal would love for it to be cleaned up. I had my dad make some picture frames for some counted cross stitch projects I did & I know the frame was a big selling point. My brother made a bunch of stuff last year & I took it to a craft show I set up at. The things that went well were the coat racks, bird houses, & he made some step stools. Nothing fancy, but he put a hole in the part that you step on just for a place to grab it & they went really well. Wish I had some pictures of the stuff.
Anyway, if anyone is in SE Indiana & would like some old barn wood or even some big barn beams, let me know & I can see what, if anything, the owner would like for them.

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I can't believe I deleted it!

Something you seldom see anymore, but is really useful in the country, is boot jacks. I wish I had one (will have to make one, I guess!).

Kathleen

Lots of good ideas from others, but you might consider porch swings too...with wide arm rests. Usually you see them made with plained lumber, but rough lumber with a polyurethane sealer finish would look great (and protect the "sitter" from splinters). Good luck and best wishes with whatever you choose.

Instead of putting varathane on wood, rub the raw wood with deer antler. It closes the pores in the wood and gives it that hand rubbed sheen. It doesn't take much more time than brushing something on.