Smokin' Bench!

My husband LOVES his smoker. I LOVE his smoker too since that means that I get a bunch of Yummy Noms! But he needed somewhere (other than the ground) to put all of his tools, pans and the essentials needed. So I decided to build him one.

First I drug home some pallets (Not literally or I would have some serious splinters). I like the outdoor pallets that are rated for outdoor weather, but you do not always get your choice in what you scavenge. So to remedy this, you will need to paint or seal it.

HLT: Look for the blue or Red pallets that have been used by major stores (i.e. Walmart, Home Depot, etc). They will usually store stuff outdoors and will have them. Always ask before you take them though, or you will get screamed at, since they reuse these as much as possible.

I took two pallets that were roughly the same size and made them the sides. Then take your 2x4s or whichever you can pull off of another pallet to put across the top, screwing in with 2" outdoor screws, at the length that you desire.

 I chose to leave room at the back so that I could put a smaller pallet in the back. Then I lined the boards with smaller planks. Since I didn't want water to drip though, I placed them very close together. This serves as the top or "table". I then repeated the process in the middle but I put the back 2x4 at the very back - in order for the back pallet to rest on. Having that back pallet not only gives me a space to hang utensils later, but also gives the bench more stability. Screw the pallet in to both sides and middle shelf.

Go over the piece with a sander to get any nasty splinters out. I also run my dremmel over the deep gashes to smooth out the spots that the sander can't get to.

Then Paint! Use exterior paint so that it will last a long time.

HLT: Non-weather resistant pallet wood will soak up the paint, so be sure to get enough for your project, plus some. I used about a half gallon on this.

I wanted to store his smoking wood in there as well so I added another pallet underneath, since wood needs to be stored off the ground to allow air to vent and keep it dry.

Let me know how yours turns out! I would Love to see them!

Deborah

Paint samples on sale

Now thru the month of March, Ace Hardware is having paint samples on sale for 99¢ each! Limit 4.
Can I get a resounding "WHOO HOO!"
Go get some samples and get creative!

Lights! Outdoors! Action!

Outdoor Chandalier

Need some more light outside? Well there is an easy way to achieve this without wiring! While rummaging through your local thrift shop or Habitat for Humanity Store you have probably passed by one of these:

 Don't let these little beauties go unnoticed any longer. Especially if you can get them for $5 or less.
Get it cleaned up. Use a wet rag and soap, let it dry and then I like to go over it with  a cloth and alcohol (not the drinkable kind) just to make sure that all the dirt is gone. With upcycled things, especially lights, dust has been running rampant and can be difficult to remove.

Grab a can of your favorite color spray paint. Make sure it is outdoor use. I chose this awesome purple for a flash of color.

 Remove the wiring at the top by snipping it off with wire cutters. Super simple.
Spray your chandelier on each side using SEVERAL LIGHT COATS. Spraying heavily will result in drips, which are a pain to remove. Lightly spray, walk away and do something fun, then come back and lightly spray again. Repeat process. Waiting is worth it to void using the sandpaper and ultimately making your process longer. Let dry at least 20 minutes between coats. Once dry, Give it a good clear coat to help protect it.

 Next, I purchased these solar lights from Walmart.

Moonrays 91381 Payton-Style Solar Powered LED Path Lights, Set of 8, Black Finish

I only needed 5, but then I got 3 extra for my yard, so YAY!

The solar lights were a bit heavy, before you attach the tops you will need to adhere the clear bases to the inside of the light sockets. I used a generous amount of E6000 around the base and inside the socket. This took about an hour to fully dry. Then I attached the tops. 

 I wasn't sure if the glue would be enough even still, so I wrapped the bottom part of the base with Electrical tape to give it extra support. Then I used a hanging basket bracket to hang the chandelier on the fence.

 It really looks good hanging up at night. Have fun with your lighting project!

It's not as Tuft as you think it is!

Tufted buttons! This was my first attempt using these little guys, but they are surprisingly easy to make. Installation, on the other hand, is not as easy. But that will come into a different post. For now we will be focusing on just making the buttons.

Get your self to the fabric store (Not Michael's, they do not carry them) and look in the button section. They come in packs of 3 or 4 depending on the size you want. Packages run about 3 to 4 dollars, so budget about $1 per button. You also have the option of flat or bubble shaped.
There are two pieces to each button - the top that has little teeth on the inside (to hold the fabric in) and the flat bottom that snaps into place.

Once you have your packages (in the sizes that you want) flip them over and check out the pattern on the back. Cut out the pattern and place on the fold of your fabric and cut out your circles.

Place your fabric circle pretty side down and the top of your button on top. Working in your cardinal directions (North, South, East, then West) tuck the fabric across the teeth. The work in a circle tucking all of the fabric under the teeth.

 
Then use your fingernail or pencil eraser to push the fabric under the teeth, until you get a tight fit.

Then take the back and snap on, making sure that all fabric is under the back of the button.

 

 And you have a beautiful and UNIQUE button to use with your upholstery, sewing, or anything projects!

Happy Tufting!!!!

"Wood"n't you like a sign?

When you have scraps from your left over pallets, what do you do with them? Well... you stick them together, paint them and hang it up in your house, of course!

Start first by sanding down all of your pieces. You can do it after you put them together, but it makes it more difficult to get the splinters out of the crevices. If you want to cut the boards to the same length, that is your option, or it can look just as good with different lengths. Stagger them a little bit, and they still look great!

Use two smaller pieces to cross the boards on the back and screw the planks into them. 

HLT(Handy Little Tip): You will need to measure the depth of your boards to make sure you have the correct screws. I have found that 1 1/4" screws work for most pallet boards, unless your have REALLY thick planks.

Paint your boards with a base primer. If you want your sign to go outside: then make sure to use exterior paint. Indoor signs can use either. Or if you want the knots and coloring to show through, then skip the primer step.

I painted this one with a dark red acrylic craft paint for the back ground color. Once it was dry, I started dry-brushing on a Mediterranean Blue.
To Dry Brush: Use a wide bristled paint brush (or chip brush). Dip just the tips barely into your paint and then blot the majority of that paint onto a paper towel (or washable towel for a recyclable alternative). Then brush on in the same direction as the grain of wood. Slowly at first then you can layer on until you are happy with the result.

Next, you can add your lettering.
Print off your words in the size that you want to fit your sign. You may need to play around with font size and type to get it just right. Lay them out and check to see if they fit.

Then flip them over and trace your lettering with a charcoal pencil. Once you have them all traced, flipped each one over and use a pencil to color over the outline of the letters. This transfers the charcoal onto the board for a nice outline.

Then paint in.
I hand drew in a heart instead of the "O" and filled it in with a layer of Modge Podge, Glitter, and another layer of Modge Podge on top to seal it in.

Top coat the sign using clear top coat spray paint.

Install your picture hangers on the back. Use a level to place your hangers. That way even if your boards are wonky or half there - your sign can still be level on the wall.

HLT: Use needle nose pliers to hold those tiny little nails while hammering to avoid smashed fingers.

String a Little String for Me.....

Christmas ornament garland.

So.... It may be late for Christmas, but it is a really great time for this project now that ornaments are on sale. You will need a bunch of them for this project so grab a few of those 30 packs (at least 4 of them depending on the size you want). I used plastic shatterproof because I am unsure how glass ornaments would hold up during storage.

Remove all of the plastic holders

 Break out your hot glue gun and glue all of the caps back on. This is not a fast process. But it is important so that they do not start popping off once they are side by side on line.

 Line out your colors so that you won't group the same colors when you string them.
Make sure you pay attention to your pup or he will come lie in the middle of your project.

 I used nylon cord since it was strong and wouldn't break easily. Make sure your cord is small enough to go through the ornaments eye.

HLT(Handy Little Tip): Wrap a piece of tape around your cord then cut the end off next to the tape edge to keep the strands together and make it easier to thread through the eyes.

 And done! Total Time to make was around 4 hours ( but that was also with Netflix on, so yours could take less time).

 
Head to your local store to get those half-priced ornaments while they are on sale.

Saw you last year!

Happy New Years!!!

While I could totally use another year's worth of sleep, there are projects to be done, decorations to be taken down, and my new saw to be played with!
Check it out- Thanks to my awesome Sis-in-law, Kristin who pulled my name for Christmas. :)

I have had fun using this! Many more projects to come. :)