Suggestions / Ideas for my new project. Any Ideas?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

My husbands hands gripped the steering wheel tight.  The color of his face turned that shade that says he is  not comfortable at all in my request.  :" Yes:, i said.   I really think  this would be a great project for me.  I've redone other furniture and used to have fun making something beautiful for the home.  It has been awhile.  This piece of trash is worth going back. 

Normally, I don't dumpster dive and I NEVER dive with him,  but sometimes.... sometimes there is something out there that should not fill a landfill but should come home with me.  He HATES dumpster diving.  He Hates it.

Here is how I bargained

When I married DH 3 years ago last July he brought with him a touch a bachelorhood—his furniture.   Believe me it was a great trade-off putting up with Early American, 1962 style coffee and end tables to marry him, but honestly I can't take it anymore.    I finally told him I have always hated your furniture but never had the heart to tell you.  Now go back.  By then he was shaking but turned around.

 

Here is my new piece from  the curb.  It matches my office desk and furniture.  Even DH was surprised how nicely it was made.  The wood is oak or something other than pine.   It is 5 1/2 ft.  x 3 ft and nicely crafted.

It needs a new table top.  It appears to have had glass panes. The deal with DH is no glass.   Spud also uses the table every day.  

So with Spud sliding to home base ( yes he still runs across the room and slides along the table.  He was a reincarnate from Babe Ruth)   

 

Requirements:

• No Glass

• Must be able to see and enjoy the top since we can not use the table to put anything on because of Spud.

Ideas so far:

• Ceramic Tile ( large squares)
• Mosaic
• Pictures of good memories with a polyurethane coat

How would you redo this piece? 

and here is Spud. 

Notices the boxes.. he was still a puppy then.  We at least got rid of those boxes and put them in the garage, but this table is what I am putting up with now.    I say throw it to the garage and let him play with it out there... along with these boxes.

 

So how would you make a coffee table top?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

http://www.ehow.com/how_4500482_make-tile-coffee-table.html

 

Here is one idea.

[Linda and Murphy]

Love the picture of Spud!

My initial response is plexiglass, but I will think on it some more.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is a nice table you picked up, tell DH I said so : ) Anyway, my cousin is an artist and she makes beautiful mosaics sometimes. She made one for a low wall that her lab slept next to because when he slept he would "run", etc. and had ruined the wall. It is really lovely and durable. I think she used pieces of old plates and pottery. I think something like that, on a plywood base maybe would be neat. I'm, going to ask my cousin if she has a photo in case you're interested.

[Liz Syring]

Jo,

Great find!  I am the master at dumpster diving and redoing the furniture!  I'd definitely go with tile on a plywood base. However the ideas of photos covered w/ polyurethane is terrific. Once my son who was in College in Dayton needed an end table so I scooped up a 1960's style end table and painted it and decoupaged on the top a highway map of the US with the route from Dayton to Hartford highlighted!  It looked adorable!!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Liz,

Nice to hear from you out there! How are you?  

Love the map idea.   Actually, I love all kinds of maps.  That is a nice idea too. 

Question. 

Photo's with polyurethane .   Would you place the polyurethane directly on the photo?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I can visualize the lab sleep walking.  Great idea to solve the problem.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My cousin's leaving on a short trip but she said she'll send a picture at the end of the week.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I think ceramic tiles would be super pretty, or a mosaic!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

DH has measured the table!  And looked around the garage for wood.  Then remeasured the table.  Then said, I really would love the polyurethane.  Then remeasured some more. 

HAH!  I may have lost my project.   But that's okay

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

The tiles and mosiac would be the most creative.  All the designs.  I bet you could make a doodle! 

HEY---Doodles.  Doodle Mosaics. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I think this was Kendra?  She lives in Indiana?  Her inlaws got it for them for Christmas.   OH duh, you included the link.  I see that now.  Let me go to her page and read this blog.

I love the idea.

I think it is doable.

 

[Kyoko]

How about mosaic pictures of Spud and Starlit for each sections?