Salvaged Coat Hanger

I have my second contributor post to share with you today.  This project only takes a few hours and shouldn't cost much money.  By utilizing salvaged materials, you can make a Coat Hanger.

The supplies you will need are:

Water spigot knobs are easy to find at flea markets and usually cost a few dollars.  They can also be found on Etsy.  My pile has been collected over time, as I would find them out thrifting.  The wood board was a leftover scrap.  If you don't have any scrap wood around, you can buy this already precut at the hardware store.  They come in a variety of lengths.  Pick the right size for your space.

Rusty knobs were painted with several thin coats of spray paint.  I also added some stain to enhance the tone of the wooden board. Remember to always paint and stain in a well ventilated area.

Decide how many knobs you would like your coat hanger to have.  Four worked well on my board.  I used a yard stick to make sure they were evenly spaced.   The knobs are then screwed into the board, from the front.  The thickness of the board and the knob will determine the size of screw to use.  I also added a plastic spacer and/or washer to allow for space behind the knob where items can hang.  Each of my knobs had a different depth, so you may have to use a different configutaion on each.  I also didn't pre-drill my holes, but if you are using a wood that splits easily, you may opt to do that.

Find a place that could use some extra organization or storage, and hang it up.  Your salvaged coat hanger is done!

Vintage Puzzle Chalkboard- DIY

In honor of Earth Day, I am sharing a great reuse project.  Vintage wooden puzzles are always something I come across at estate and garage sales.  Sadly, over the years of children playing with them, they often end up missing pieces and incomplete.  Such was the case for this USA map puzzle.

Industrial Style Light Tutorial

 Industrial chic is everywhere right now, and I must admit I have a little design crush on this look.  It is such a perfect mix of new and old, rustic and modern.  Today I am turning a salvaged metal cage into an industrial style pendant light.  Let me show you how.

This project began when I found an old and very dirty metal cage at a flea market.  I brought it home for $1 and knew it was the perfect starting point for a new light, after some cleaning of course! Also necessary to this project is a light cord (I usually buy mine from IKEA) and a vintage style light bulb.  The bulb was the most expensive supply. You can typically find them at any hardware store for around $10.

This particular cage opened to accommodate changing the light bulb, but I did need to find a way to keep it closed the rest of the time.  I used a simple fine gauge wire and threaded it through the two openings.  You will want to use a wire that is easy to bend.

Next, screw the light bulb into the cord, and insert the light cord and light bulb into the cage.  Use the wire to tighten the cage around the threaded end of the cord.  Once it is secure, cut off the excess wire.  Be sure to turn the pointy end of the wire under, so there are no sharp edges exposed.

And there you have it....a great vintage looking industrial pendant light.

The only thing left to do, is to find the perfect spot to hang it in your home.  I think I could cuddle up with a good book right here!

Trophy Talk

At an estate sale last weekend I picked up two small trophies.  This sale was a bit odd, and I was sure that I was going to leave empty handed.

Banjo Light Tutorial

Today I want to share how a broken banjo became a light.  Even if you don't have a broken banjo or a broken stringed instrument of any kind, you can basically turn anything into a light.  Hopefully this will inspire you to look at everything as a possible lamp!

Making a Banjo Light

After this banjo broke (so sad, right?), I removed the strings.  Be careful when discarding strings.  I always put mine into an empty cereal box to make sure my pets don't find them.  

Four screws hold the back of the banjo on, also called the resonator.  Once this is removed you have easy access to the inside of the banjo.

I removed the neck, as this was the broken part of my instrument, by loosening the nut and washer.  You could always leave this part intact though. 

Two holes are needed.  One that is big enough to accommodate the hanging bulb, and one for the ribbon hanger.

Slide the cord through the larger hole and screw on the bulb.   Use a low wattage bulb.  I also like a cord that has an on/off switch.  These can be purchased at a hardware store for about $5.

To make a hanger, form a loop from ribbon or twine.  Insert the loop into the smaller hole and tie a nut  to the ribbon (see photo above).  I recycled the nut that was holding the banjo neck in place.  This will prevent the ribbon from pulling through the hole once the banjo is hanging.  Make sure to use the proper hardware when hanging this light...it is heavy.  And of course, do not leave this light on if you are not home.  Depending on the bulb used, it could get hot. So it is best not to leave it unattended. 

Thanks for reading!!

A Whole New World: Globe Upcycle

Summer is the right time of year for hanging out by the pool and sipping a cocktail.  But I like to spend my days treasure hunting at garage and estate sales.  I attended a great little estate sale a few weeks ago.  A photo of a vintage globe in the online listing caught my eye.  Once I arrived, I made a beeline for the globe/stand I had seen in the photo.  However, it was in bad shape.  I bought it anyway because it was only $5, and I thought I might be able to fix it with a good cleaning and some touch-up paint.

Flea Market Find- Horse Painting

I am excited to be participating in Today's Thrifty Treasure at Southern Hospitality.  I found this nice little horse painting at a flea market for $1.  It is probably an old paint by number, but something about it is so sweet.  Look at that little face...I'm such a sucker for anything with a face!  I also thought it had some really nice color.  It had a silver frame that I wasn't a fan of.  It was peeling and chipped.  A little spackle filled the chips, and newspaper and low tack tape prepped the painting for a little oil rubbed bronze spray paint.

Wine Bottle Remix

I received this bottle of wine from a friend recently.  It is a Sofia 2010 Riesling from Francis Coppola Winery.  Francis Ford Coppola makes wine?  Um...what can this man not do?  First, "The Outsiders" and now this.  I haven't drank it yet (oh don't worry I will), but that is okay because what I really wanted to talk about was the shape of the bottle.  Isn't it pretty.  It has a very gentle curve, not your typical wine bottle.  It's too pretty to recycle, so instead I might try one of these ideas.