Guest Blog - Featuring Britt from A Penny Saved

If you have been following my blog, you have witnessed some trash-to-treasure transformations using some finds from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

My guest blogger is a brilliantly creative DIYer that created a schoolhouse lamp with some ReStore parts and a pot lid (Yes, I said a pot lid!)

Britt is the author of A Penny Saved. Definitely check out her blog. She has some great tutorials and very creative solutions!
I asked Britt a few questions to give you an idea how she became an accomplished DIYer:

Q. When did you begin creating your own DIY projects?  

A. Shortly after I married my husband and moved into our first house.  I wanted to make it pretty, but we didn't have a lot of extra cash so I started coming up with ways to decorate and furnish cheaply.  

Q. Did you have any formal training? If no, how did you learn how to create your own projects?   
A. Haha, no formal training.  I think I just had a vision for what I wanted something to look like and figured out a way to make it happen.  It's all about thinking outside the box and repurposing things.  

Q. Was anyone inspirational in giving you the confidence to try a DIY project?  

A. My husband.  I wondered for a while if he was just excited that I wasn't spending tons of money on decor, but he genuinely does seem to appreciate my projects. 

Q. Where do you get your inspirations?  

A. Design blogs, magazines, catalogs, flea markets......I feel like I'm surrounded by so many great ideas.  

Q. Would you be willing to share your biggest blunder or goof?

A. Hmmm, I have a few projects that are in an "unfinished" state because I got frustrated with them, but I haven't completely given up on them yet.  It's almost never impossible to recover a project.  I have had a few run-ins with paint colors, though.   

Q. Any advice you have to other new DIYers?  

A. Don't be afraid.  It can be very scary to start a new project -- especially if you are repurposing something old and have to do a little demo to begin.  Just jump in and do it.  Even if you mess up, you will learn from your mistakes, and like I said, it's almost always possible to recover from mess-ups.  

Without further ado, here is her $9 Schoolhouse light fixture tutorial:

Isn't it cool?  For $9?  After just a few hours of work it is hanging in our laundry room!  

I knew I wanted a schoolhouse fixture in this room, but there was absolutely no way I could drop that kind of money on something that I might be able to make for much less.  So I went to Home Depot and browsed their lighting section, looking for inspiration.  I found all the pieces I needed to put together a DIY schoolhouse fixture, but then later I found this gorgeous globe at ReStore and it was just too big to use with any of the parts I had picked up earlier.

So I scrounged around the house and found a pot lid that fit perfectly over the top of the globe.  And then I found a candlestick that had a nice shape to it & disassembled it so I could use just the base.

 

I had my husband remove the handle from the pot lid and drill a hole through both pieces so that it could be wired for a light.  He threaded a hollow bolt through the middle to hold the two pieces together and to attach the socket.   

I spray painted everything oil-rubbed bronze to match the other fixtures in our laundry room.

We drilled three holes in the bottom of the fixture (in what was formerly the pot lid) and threaded screws through them to hold the globe on. 

 

And then it was just a matter of hanging it.  For a really far-fetched concept, this turned out to be a very smooth and easy project.

Here's the run-down on the costs:

globe - $5 at ReStore

socket - $2 at Home Depot

swag hook - $2 at Home Depot

We had the candlestick, pot lid, chain, wire, screws, paint, and canopy cover lying around, so we did save by using what we already had.  (You end up with a lot of spare parts when you mess around with light fixtures as much as I do!) 

If you loved her tutorial for the schoolhouse light, you will swoon for her Horchow inspired glass orb chandelier here. 

Did I mention that I think she is brilliant?!

And I'm not just saying that because I like her name. (Really! It is only a coincidence that she's Britt and I'm Brittany.)

Pottery Barn Inspired Lantern from $5 ReStore Light Fixture

If you have been following my blog, you may remember this light fixture that I rescued bought at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Originally I thought about using it as a light in our foyer, but that plan changed after I found myself drooling over these lanterns at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. I love going into PB & RH, but rarely have the nerve to plunk down the money they want to steal
claim from my wallet.

Instead, I decided to transform my dated light fixture from the ReStore into a stylish lantern.

This is a relatively easy project that anyone can do! Yes, that means you.

Begin by removing the glass from the light fixture. (A note of caution: You should wear gloves. In other words, do as I say, not as I do!)

My light fixture had little metal prongs that easily bent to release the glass.

Next take apart your light fixture. Just start trying to unscrew parts. If they resist, grab your pliers.

I decided to save the wires, ceiling canopy and other wiring parts. Who knows, perhaps I will want to use it as our foyer light some day.

Okay, okay, also because I am a bit of a pack rat. I'm admitting one of my faults here: not being able to throw anything away. Don't get me wrong, the producers of Hoarders are not knocking down my door, but I would prefer to Craig's List, FreeCycle, reuse, or recycle anything I can't use.

When all the parts were separated from the lamp, I needed to break the chain to the top of the light fixture. Here is an easy way to open up links in a chain that is not soldered together.

Place two screwdrivers inside the link you want to break. Lean one to the left and one to the right and apply pressure in opposite directions. The link should separate enough for you to remove the chain. 

While the lantern is in pieces, you can rough up all the metal surfaces with sand paper. I actually did this to all the parts so I could paint them and potentially use them in the future. Wipe off the metal with a damp rag to remove any particles.

Now, you can re-assemble your light fixture (using only the parts you need to make your decorative lantern.)

I used brown Rustoleum spray primer. I like using a darker primer when my top coat color will be dark.

Be sure to rotate the parts and the lantern so you get all the sides coated with primer.

Now the most gratifying step, spray your lantern with your finished color. I coated the lantern with 3 light coats of a satin black spray paint to allow the lantern to look less new and more like old rustic iron.

And here is my new (old) Pottery Barn inspired lantern! $5 for the lantern + $6 for spray paint  = $11 

What do you think of that, Mr. Pottery Barn merchandiser who wants to charge me $59 for the same size lantern?

Update: I received several emails and comments on this lantern and a few of you have been inspired to create your own! If you post it in your blog, I'd love to share your results.

Amanda at The Hand Me Down House, shows how she painted hers. She made the glass look like colored glass with Modge Podge and food coloring! Yes, you read that right. See her tutorial here.

When is a Closet not a Closet? - When it is a Reading Nook!

This past weekend my husband took the boys camping. A free weekend – by myself – peace and quiet!

(insert sound of hammers, jigsaw, table saw, and more hammering)

Well, forget the quiet part, I decided to tackle another DIY project I had been thinking about for almost two years. I first got the idea after seeing this photo in Creative Home Magazine:

Kym, the homeowner, had turned her son's closet into a private nook. I thought, no problem, I'd complete this project in an easy 2 days. Afterall, how long can renovating one 6' x 2' closet take? During stopping points I could squeeze in a pedicure, swim some laps and possibly have a friend over for wine and some chat one evening.  Truth be told, it ended up taking a full 3 days (and nights)!

So, here is the abbreviated (press fast forward on the remote) version:

My three year old has two full size closets in his room. And, yet, his toys were always strewn around the room. Here is my "keeping it real" BEFORE picture:

Last year I took the doors off one of the closets and put up some curtains so he could have a little hideaway.

First task (after cleaning up all those toys, of course!) was removing hardware, demolition and patching holes (where I found I didn't know my own strength.)

Phew, glad that is done. Now comes the fun part, time to build!

First I cut all my wood to size, then built two frames. One for the base and one for the bench.

The base frame only had one center support since it didn't have to hold much weight. The bench seat frame had two center supports at 2' intervals.

I bought paint quality (almost smooth) plywood for the tops of the base and seat frames.

Here is a little trick I learned for scribing the profile of trim or other obstacles onto your board. In this instance, I used a compass and set the width to the same distance from the wall to the outside of my door casing. Then drew a line around the casing being careful to keep the compass perpendicular to the casing. Then you can cut out the profile with a jigsaw or coping hand saw.

See, perfect fit!

Next I built the second platform the same way (with the exception of the extra center supports.) I highly recommend priming as much of the wood as you can before nailing it into place. It is easier to prime wood on sawhorses.

I pulled out my levels (both a carpenter's level and laser level) and carefully leveled my bench platform before nailing it in. Then I used framing nails to nail the platform into the studs in the closet. (I promise to post about finding studs at a later date.)

Seriously, I really did level it! I even have the pictures to prove it! Because, at some point the right hand side of the bench must have shifted while I was nailing, which resulted in a slight slope. Shhhh, don't tell anyone! My lesson learned is that next time I will either screw the frame in place to hold it or put a brace underneath to keep it from slipping.

Somewhere during the process, I cut the foam cushion for the bench seat. If you haven't heard, the best way to cut foam is with an electric carving knife! (Huge thank you to my friend and neighbor Karen for the use of her 1970's electric carving knife.)

Next I installed all the moulding, wainscoting and trim. Did I mention that I bought all my trim and decorative moulding at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore? Super cheap at $.50 (yes, 50 cents!) per linear foot! My total for all the trim was $18, and I still have two 6 ft. pieces left.

Before I could prime I had to caulk all the seams. Did you know that some of the moulding in your home, especially crown moulding, is usually made up of several different pieces and then caulked to hide the edges?

This is the Pretty Handy Girl's tried-and-true caulking method:

1. Squeeze out your bead of caulk. 
2. Run your finger along the bead to smooth it (then wipe your finger off on a rag.)
3. Follow up with a slightly moist paper towel for a super smooth finish!

Once the caulk dried, I primed all the wood and wainscoting.

After trying some Benjamin Moore paint swatches, I settled on a deep navy blue called "Symphony Blue". I knew I'd need to use some tinted primer before trying to paint such a dark color on the light walls. Unfortunately our Ace Hardware was out of stock. Luckily George, my friendly Ace Hardware paint consultant, told me how to mix my own.

Isn't the marble effect pretty! I used 1 part paint to 3 parts primer and stirred it up really well.

Once everything is dry, the painting can begin. I always use two coats of paint. The only time I got away with one was by using Benjamin Moore Aura paint in our living room. But, I was going from a medium green to a slightly lighter green. Not a major change in color.

So, are you ready?? The drumroll please...

 Can't you hear the Symphonic Chords playing?

The copper wall sconce was also from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I scored that gem for  only $5! It has a cord that I snaked around the moulding and then plugged into the outlet just outside the closet. A tutorial on re-wiring the copper sconce with a white cord and adding a switch is poster here.

 Plenty of storage bins for all the toys a three year old can hoard.

Star pillows were super easy to make with cloth napkins and fabric I had on hand. 

Finally, a nook built for reading, sleepovers...

...or just hanging with big brother.

Look at some other closet transformations at Beneath My Heart's Closet Par-tay!

That's all folks! Bye-bye!