Pallet Trays

So, like everybody else, I've become fascinated with the numerous use of pallets. I mean have you seen what some people are turning them into?? Let me start with the two things that I love: their versatility and the rustic effect of the wood. My sister and brother in law were having a house warming party and I wanted to get them something. The more I thought about it, the more clueless I was about what to get them. Then I found some inspiration courtesy of Pinterest of course. Here is a link to the original image that got my wheels spinning: Inspiration Trays.

 

Luckily we already had pallets. No, not one or two pallets...maybe 6-8. My husband had been bringing them home from work for me for another project that I was going to do, but that had to get scrapped. Sigh. (We will get to that!) All that was needed were handles, sanding paper or a sanding block, and some stain. Once we got back from picking up those (everything was purchased at Lowe's) I asked the hubby ever so sweetly if he could separate the boards and remove the nails for me. Next, I picked the pieces that I liked best; I didn't want them to be perfect, I wanted some impurities in the wood, and it was alright with me if they were slightly warped as it created character. Once I had the pieces laid out, I knew I wanted to make two trays, with one being slightly larger than the other.

 

Picked The Pieces

 

Then I asked the hubby to cut the wood into the lengths that I had measured. It doesn't matter if your cuts on these horizontal pieces are slightly crooked, jagged, or rough; they'll be covered by the vertical pieces that hold the unit together. Again, these aren't supposed to look perfect; at least I didn't want these to look that way!

 

 

Measured & Ready to Be Cut

 

Next was probably the worst part of the entire project, the sanding. I had purchased one of the sanding blocks, it look like a gigantic nail buffer. I knew I wouldn't enjoy this part, so that is why I wanted until the wood was cut down to size. No need to do extra work on the ends that were going to be scrap! I sanded. And sanded. And sanded. Then sanded more. Just when I thought I had sanded them enough I decided to go at them once again. Figured I'd rather be safe than slivered! Make sure you sand the tops, bottoms, ends, and all sides of the pieces. The sides are really most important on the pieces where the edges will be exposed. Sand everything as consistently as you can. It is a huge pain in the butt and will make your arms and wrists hurt, but it's necessary. (Please note, I am now asking for a sander for Christmas.)

 

 

 Post Sanding

 

I am sure that you can see the difference in the color of the pallet wood. The sanding also helps to get off any stains from items that were on the pallets (in this case car parts,) but also helps to bring out patterns in the grain of the wood, and any knots that you might not have been able to see before. When everything was sanded and smooth, it was time to assemble the pieces. My way of determining if they were smooth? Gently rubbing my hand back and forth. Not the best (or safest,) way to test, but it worked for me, and I didn't end up with ANY slivers. Before I started drilling things together, I brushed the pieces off with a dry cloth and then wiped them with a damp cloth. No need to stain the dust that was left from the sanding process. Believe me, it goes EVERYWHERE.

 

Now I had everything wiped down, pieced together (again,) and ready to go. I flipped all of the pieces over, and began to drill in the screws. You want to make sure that the screws are a length that will NOT go through both pieces of the wood. I made sure to measure their length prior to using them, although I didn't remember to take a picture of this. Face down on your work surface you will have the two smaller pieces running vertically. I then placed the longer pieces running horizontally, and made sure to line up the edges. I screwed them in with a drill in a random order, one on one side, then to the other side, and so forth and so on. I never screwed the same board back to back. This allowed me to check that boards were staying where I needed them to, but also allowed me to make slight tweaks if I needed to ever so slightly realign the pieces. You should end up with a crew on each side of each piece of wood that is running horizontally.

 

Once they were all secured it was time to flip them over and stain. I must admit that this was my biggest challenge. Not the actual staining process, choosing the color of the stain! There were SO many. Knowing my sister's design aesthetic, I opted for a lighter color that was somewhat reminiscent of beach colors, this color ended up being SPOT on with what I wanted. The other perk? The color on the label, and the color of the stain are the same. You know what I am talking about, you get paint or stain and the color inside doesn't really look like the color on the label, or that little dot that they so nicely put on the top lid for  you.

 

Highly Recommended!

 

I applied two coats of the stain to achieve the desired color. Although I loved using this and the color made we want to redo everything in my house, I was amazed at how badly the stuff smelled. No, I wasn't in an enclosed area. I was outside which surprised me even more that the aroma bothered me. Oh well, live and learn. After the stain had dried completely (the longest step in the process,) overnight, it was time to add the hardware. I'm sure staining things during the end of August in the humidity isn't recommended but since when have I ever followed directions?

 

I remember my husband asking me if I was going to measure where the hardware needed to go so that it was even. My response, of course, was "no, I will eyeball it." ...luckily for me, they are pretty spot on. Again though, some of the imperfections add to the charm of the piece. All four handles were attached- TA DA! I was in love. That always seems to happen, you make something for someone else and you desperately want it. Needless to say, I am currently working on my own set of pallet trays.

 





 

If you are anything like me you want to see the full before and after effect. Don't worry I made sure to do a side by side shot...don't you just love the features in the "InstaCollage" app? That's where I got the frame and where I added the text to the image you see below. 

 

Before & After

 

..and here is one of the trays in the New Hampshire surroundings it now gets to enjoy. Whether you are using these outside, as tray tables to eat off of, or trays to help you carry lots of things from one place to another (think at a dinner party!) the uses are endless. Perfect example of this, the tray was put on the dining room table, with silverware, plates, and napkins for the desserts!

 

Finished Product

 

 

 

~Keep It ClaSea

 



Monogram Wall Art

Looking for an easy home decor item that is "custom" made? Look no further....and if you love monograms as much as I do, this is ideal!

Here's what I used:
-Frame my sister had given me that had no backing or glass; there is a use for everything!
-A wooden "S"
-Black spray paint
-Feather Pick
-Ribbon
-Cloth
-Scissors & Hot Glue Gun

Materials

But let's take a closer look at the feathers...they're soooooo pretty and were actually the most expensive item out of everything I used! By expensive I am talking the whopping $6 at Michaels. Clearly not a bank breaker! Gorgeous...it also reminded me of my wedding as my attendants wore peacock feathers in their hair.

Fun With Feathers

Very easy directions...and it took hardly an hour. I spray painted the "S" while I was prepping dinner. Waited about an hour, and coated it once more. I cut the cloth to the size that would serve as "backing" for the frame and glued it on. After it was attached I trim the edges so they weren't so jagged...although it doesn't matter because it's the back!

Fabric Backing

Unfortunately, this is where I forgot to take more pictures. After I flipped the frame over I positioned the "S" where I liked it. I hot glued the middle and bottom of the "S" to the fabric. I cut a small piece of ribbon and wrapped it around the top of the "S" and glued it as I went. I glued the extra top of the ribbon to the fabric. This makes it look like the ribbon is holding the "S" in place. I cut the long spike off of the feathers, leaving about an inch of the spike to work with. I didn't want this attached permanently as I know I'll switch the feathers for varying seasons. Easy swap out!



Ready To Hang

I tried it in a spot in the living room, but didn't like how it looked. So I switched it to the wall opposite the front door. It's now the first piece of "artwork" you see when you enter the house. Great and easy project to do, and a great way to use an awesome frame that no longer has the main components. I excel in taking crooked pictures...ironic in that having anything crooked is enough to make me whip out a level.



Welcome!

...and I have obviously mastered getting a bad glare in the majority of pictures that I take to post on this blog. It's something completely diffferent from everything else that I have in my house, but it's fun and whimiscal, which makes me smile!

If you decide to make your own and have any questions about the process feel free to comment or shoot me an email. I'll make sure to get back to each of you.

~Keep It ClaSea

Refurbished Window Pane

About two years ago I was given a Christmas gift that I loved, but had no idea what I was going to do with the decorated window pane! I originally thought it would look great it a nursery/bedroom for a little girl, and held onto it hoping that it would be soon be hung as part of nursery decor. Fast forward to 2013, and our only child is a 4 legged black furry dog. Back to square one. The window took up quite a bit of space and is surprisingly heavy. Throughout a few moves (4 to be exact,) one of the painted panes (upper R corner,) ended up with a pretty deep vertical scratch. I was running out of places to keep it; there's not lots of storage in our house, and it kept getting scratched. How was I going to save this?!

Original Window Pane

After looking around extensively for something that would suit our needs and looking on Pinterest for inspiration, I had a plan. I wasn't going to be able to save the original piece, but I was definitely going to be able to rework it. The hubby and I love the idea of having a chalkboard in the kitchen and have talked quite a bit about finding a way to incorporate one. There's something fun and whimsical about it; even if it does remind me of solving math problems in front of a classroom full of peers, but it also is a great way to leave a quick little note for one another. I didn't want something huge, as the last thing I need is chalk dust covering my counters.

Krylon- Possibly my favorite spray paint!

I went to Home Depot and purchased "chalkboard" spray paint, as seen above, and "primer" spray paint. That was all I needed to get this project underway. From there I did some sanding. Not some, lots; as there was a crazy finish on the wooden part of the window pane. Once I had sanded it thoroughly (or so I thought,) I wiped it down with a damp cloth to get any dust off. Upon inspection the next day, I realized my sanding job wasn't as up to snuff as I wanted it to be...so I grabbed my sanding block and tackled it again, followed by another wipe down. Day 3: I applied one coat of the primer and then about 5 hours later applied another coat. Things were looking great. That weekend I went back in the basement to "wrap up" the project. I should have known better.

The primer had covered everything evenly, but I was still able to see remnants of the text and flowers on the window pane. I of course coated it AGAIN with the primer, thinking third time is a charm. Turned out it wasn't. In between the third coat of primer and realizing it was NOT working, I spray painted all 4 of the window panes with the "chalkboard" paint. Prior to painting, I had also sanded those and cleaned them thoroughly. I waited until later that night to apply another coat of the "chalkboard" paint. Those were coming out just the way I wanted...after applying about 3 more coats of primer. (Live and learn.)

Glass pane drying, sorry about the glare!

In true DIYer fashion...some time went by. More like a few months. Anyway, with a new sense of determination I decided that I was going to finish the project. Last Saturday, I took out my trusty white spray paint and lightly coated the window, and then applied another "chalkboard" coat to the glass pieces. After getting some reading and cooking done, I applied another coat of the white spray paint. Sunday afternoon I went to put it together, as I had finally gathered the other pieces I was going to use for the finishing touches! Yippe!

Just kidding, you can now start the orchestral ominous music. I was not happy with what I saw. The white paint appeared to have seeped into the wooden casing. It almost looked as though it had never been applied at all. I am NOT posting a picture of that as it's too depressing for me to look at :) ...I was PEEVED! I would have been better off having never applied the white spray paint, and just using the primer. This time I decided I was NOT applying anymore spray paint to the frame. I lightly sanded it to see if that made it look more rustic. Fail. I then had my "ah-ha!" moment as I spotted some stainless steel spray paint that we had. (I lied...I was going to use spray paint again, I just hadn't anticipated it!) I worked in about 3-4" segments. I lightly sprayed the wood, and then "scuffed" the paint with a dryer sheet. The texture from a dryer sheet made it appear more subtle, rather than having full length streaks. I wanted it to look old. Close up of the wood...

Doesn't look like it was spray painted!

Another spot...

Can you believe that this "finish" was created by using spray paint and a dryer sheet? Obsessed. It doesn't look overly fake. You know what I'm talking about; when something is sooooo overdone that it looks like it was purposely made to look old, but doesn't? I hate that. I'd rather have something look slightly worn and weathered than something that looks unnaturally old.

This one is my favorite!

I wanted to "jazz" it up so that it didn't look like a window pane with black glass, so I added a few "doo-dads." I had some flowers left over from another project so I added them to a corner. The green color works perfectly, as the wall that this is going on is a much darker shade of green. I attached those with my ever trust worthy "Zots." I made sure to adhere one to the actual glass, as I wanted them to be multi dimensional.

On one of my trips to Michael's I found "fisherman's netting." I.loved.it. (Obviously it was destined to be, as it was a way for me to add a nautical touch without broadcasting "OCEAN!") It was instantly added to my carriage, as it was a no brainer. I attached it to one of the glass panes, as I had now created a square where we could pin up various "fun things." Aren't the mini clothespins adorable? They will definitely serve as more of a decorative purpose as they are a little difficult to use. They're just SO cute, and I now have about 191 left...

Mini Clothespins & Fisherman's Netting

So, here is a picture of the final product. I can't wait until I have the storage/bar pallet unit built, as this will be sitting on top of it. The white and silver might seem a little boring, but I can assure you that once it's put against the green wall it is going to look amazing. Once the other project is done, I will post a picture of the final look!

Final!

If you have any questions about this process, or are interested in creating your own chalkboard window pane and are looking for advice, please ask! I promise I will try to respond to all of them and I'd be more than happy to share what I learned from my experience with all of you!

~Keep It ClaSea

Wedding Card Album

My wedding was just over three years ago. I saved ALL of the cards we received (safely stored in a shoe box,) and have been lugging them around since January 16, 2010. I knew I wanted to make something out of them but I had no idea what, and was deadset against throwing them away. There is great sentimental value to some cards, as some of the people that meant the world to us who attended our wedding have since passed away. Furthermore, it's a great reminder of all of our friends, family, and relatives, that took time to celebrate with us!

Again, this inspiration is from Pinterest. I get TONS of great ideas from there! I would be completely remiss if I didn't share the original post so go here, Wedding Card Album. The directions are extremely thorough, and it's great because there are pictures for pretty much each step!

It is sad for me to say this, but I had all of the materials I needed. Now that I'm typing this, I am of course realizing I should have taken pictures of everything I used. ...Good to remember for next time I do a "crafting" post... Our colors for our wedding were a dark espresso (the tuxedo's...) and an avocado green (attendants dresses,) so I had to make sure those colors were present. I thought about doing other colors, but then realized it would have been silly because it wouldn't evoke the same sentiment of the actual colors we used. Here's a good glimpse of the color scheme we worked with...and some of our favorite people.

Wedding Party

I'm not going to blog about the process of what I did to make the card album, as you can read about in the link that is above. However, here's my version and what the final product looked like. Please remember, that any decor/craft ideas I find on Pinterest I use as inspiration, I am not looking to replicate the exact model, I'm using that model as a launch pad for my own creation. With that being said, here's a quick overview of some of the differences:

 

1. I didn't use the brackets to attach the ribbon, I used "Zots."

2. No patterned paper on the front or back.

3. I chose to use green paper on the interior of the brown textured cardstock (which I used for the exterior of the front and back) as it created a nice "pop" and was another way to show the wedding colors.

4. No "wedding card album" decal on the front.

5. Wedding date on the back of the album rather than the little stamp of the bride and groom.

6. I also used a regular hole punch. BIG MISTAKE. My husband got a kick out of watching me punch holes through some of the cards. ...and 12 hours late, my hand still hurts.

 

Front of Album

Back Of Album

 

The butterfly on the back reads "The heart that loves is always young. -Greek Proverb ...I don't believe the wedding card album could have been wrapped up better than that. It also seemed quite fitting, as butterflies were a huge part of the decor at my bridal shower!

 

Remember, this (or any other occasion you choose to remember,) was a personal one, so change things. Make it your own and add as many personal touches as you can. It is after all a direct reflection of the event (would be cute for a baby shower or engagement party!) you've chosen to commemorate. If you decide to create your own card album, and have any questions feel free to post them!

 

~Keep It ClaSea



Passionate for Pallets

Over the past 6 months (maybe even longer,) I’ve been DYING to do a project with pallets. I have Pinterest to thank for this. You can follow me on Pinterest by clicking this link ClaSeaLdy on Pinterest . I’ve looked at hundreds of different pallet projects: shelves, coffee tables, garden planters, couches (yes, couches,) and thousands of other things. I’m not kidding- google “projects with pallets.” You’ll be blown away with the projects that people have done. Then I stumbled upon this gem, Wooden Pallet Dresser. Before we started redoing the living room, I wanted to make that for our media center. It has tons of storage, the look is rustic but not too “country,” and I could stain it any color I wanted!  My dear hubby even started bringing home pallets from work so I could start this project. The pallets were stockpiling, which was great, as I needed quite a few! Then...I didn’t make the “dresser,” because we bought one; fret not my readers, I had a backup plan!

There is a lovely dark green wall in our kitchen along side of a brick wall; where our brick oven is. Yes, it’s a functioning brick oven but we don’t use it. It has become candle burning central! I have been looking for a hutch/sideboard/display case to put on that wall basically since the day we moved in. We have a decent amount of storage in our kitchen, but there's not enough. We love to cook and bake, so we have LOTS of "small appliances;" electric skillet, KitchenAid, Keurig, toaster, blender, food processor, crock pot and about 5 others. You name it, we pretty much have it. The length of the wall is extremely odd, and we have low ceilings in the house. (One of the concessions you make with an older house.) I cannot find anything that I like. Well, that is not true…there have been numerous ones that I’ve really, really, really liked, however each one has always had something that I wasn’t “super excited” about. Whether it be the hardware, the finish/stain, or the actual design; I refused to invest hundreds (OK, thousands in some cases,) in a piece of furniture that I didn’t LOVE. I am that picky about certain pieces (actually most pieces,) of furniture. …and here’s my back up plan...the PALLETS!

The pallets Matthew had been bringing home were not the standard size pallets. These were much smaller, they measure 23 ½” in length, 4” in height, and 18” in depth. After some measuring and lots of math, I had my plan, on pink lined floral paper. Classic Caitlin. I’ve designed it so that I have a cubby for my KitchenAid, glass baking dishes, cupcake tins, bread pans, baking sheets, and pots. Ahhh, but the most important part will be the area for the VINO! This unit will be dual purpose, as the top is going to serve as a bar!'

 

Although this project hasn’t been started in terms of construction; the next post about my “pallet hutch” pallets will be “the reveal!” Now, I’m off to Lowe’s to get sanding blocks (or maybe I’ll rent an electric sander?!) stain, and hinges. Pictures and follow up blog coming soon…

~Keep It ClaSea