I love Shanty2Chic’s easy photo displays! 

I wanted to make some for Christmas presents, but I didn’t have a piece of 2x8 lumber…  so what’s a girl to do?

I did have some of these left-over pieces of beadboard though…. hmmm….

So, I made some easy photo display gifts (a la Shanty2Chic) with my own twist… beadboard!

The beadboard gets an aged look with some Ralph Lauren Glaze in Smoke applied thinly with a brush.

I sawed a small piece of scrap 1x4 at a shallow angle (just eyeballed it) for holding the beadboard… and nailed in on the bottom.

I hammered some upholstery nails on the bottom to hide the ugly nails ;)

Hot glued a scrap piece of cap molding (spray painted Heirloom White) along the top,

hot glued a mini clothespin on the top,

covered the base with scrap paper.

It was pretty quick and definitely painless… until I have to give it away.

Maybe I’ll make one to keep!

That’s my precious baby up there… I really love this photo display!!!   

 

Finally, here’s a sneak peak of an Ikea furniture transformation I’m working on.

Can’t wait to show you!

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There’s not much that doesn’t look better after routing a fancy Roman Ogee edge to it.

Like this boring 2x6 piece of lumber.

A little red paint and an antique doorknob - cheap from a thrift store, and I have an easy to make bookend that has got lots of old world style…

I’m thinking of making another… using beadboard next time??

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So today I finally succeeded in checking an item off my to-do list!

I finished refinishing my $10 thrift store light fixture and installed it.

Painting it with brushed nickel spray paint was a cinch…


but then the lamp shades I had didn't fit (plus Bamm-Bamm broke one today) and installing it was't going so well either...

So I went to the store and picked up what I needed...

3 glass light fixture shades and this


an offset swivel crossbar... to allow me to install the light even though the screw holes don't line up. 




I love it!!! Goodbye Miss Piggy Lights!!








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I'm linking this post up with

Funky Junk's SNS Cottage Instincts Between Naps on the Porch Beyond the Picket Fence Tatertots and Jello Under the Table Dreaming Making the World Cuter Crafts Keep Me Sane Sew Can Do The Girl Creative Mad in Crafts It's So Very CreativeSumo's Sweet StuffTools are for Women Too Support Blog for Moms of Boys Finding FabulousHoo's Got Talent Trendy Treehouse Creative Share Someday CraftsCreations by KaraThe Shabby Chic CottageHouse of Hepworths Somewhat SimpleLife as LoriThe DIY Showoff Thrifty Decor Chick Before and After Party Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans Strut Your Stuff@Somewhat Simple

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  metal rod, threaded #8-32 (thread type used for most knobs), 3 feet long
  
  
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  hollow metal tube, steel or aluminum (aluminum cuts easier but is harder to find), that fits over the threaded rod, 3 feet long (or 3, 12” long pieces)
  
  
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  2 knobs
  
  
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  bolts, size #8-32, 3/8” long (longer if you are using more than 3 hoops)
  
  
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  #8-32 ball nuts (lighting section)
  
  
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  #18 or 11/64” drill bit
  
  

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  Heavy planter in the color you want or unglazed so you can paint it
  
  
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  Lamp canopy, spacer (I used something called a “vase cap”), a long lamp nipple and a lamp finial (lighting section)
  
  
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  large washer (3/8" opening) and lamp hex nut
  
  
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  3/8” drill bit
  
  

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    Drill a hole (11/64" bit) through both hoops.  A standard drill bit will work just fine on metal (it only takes longer).
  
  
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    Bolt together with #8-32 bolt (3/4” long) and #8-32 ball nut
  
  
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    Repeat on the opposite side
  
  

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    Choose which rings will have the arrow and do not bolt them after drilling.
  
  
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    Cut the metal tube to the diameter (width across) of the hoops.
  
  
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    Place your threaded metal rod through one of the holes.
  
  
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    Slip the hollow tube over the rod and the rod through the other hole.
  
  
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    Cut the remaining tube for the lengths you want on either side of the sphere.
  
  
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    Slip them over the rod and screw the knobs onto each end.
  
  

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    Determine the angle you want the armillary to be at roughly – sorry this armillary won’t work well as a sundial – it flexes too much on its base to keep an accurate angle.
  
  
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    Drill a hole (with the 3/8" size drill bit) where you want to attach to base.
  
  
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    Attach to base in the location where the armillary will sit in the garden.  It’s heavy and will flop around in an irritating way if you need to move it, so avoid too much moving.
  
  
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    Place the washer and nut on the lamp nipple and push them through the hole in the pot.
  
  
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    Then holding the nipple steady from inside the pot place the lamp canopy, vase cap, and armillary sphere on the nipple (a second set of hands is important here).
  
  
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    Firmly screw the ball cap onto the nipple to hold everything together and tighten as much as possible.
  
  

I'm linking this post up with:

Funky Junk's SNS Between Naps on the Porch Beyond the Picket Fence The DIY Showoff Tatertots and Jello Under the Table Dreaming Making the World Cuter Crafts Keep Me Sane Sew Can Do The Girl Creative Mad in Crafts It's So Very CreativeSumo's Sweet StuffTools are for Women Too Support Blog for Moms of Boys Bobbypins Boardwalk Finding FabulousHoo's Got Talent Trendy Treehouse Creative Share Hope Studios Tutorial Tuesday Someday CraftsCreations by KaraThe Shabby Chic CottageHouse of Hepworths Somewhat SimpleLife as LoriI Made It Without My Hubby!

If you want to make a bold statement in the bedroom, a floor to ceiling headboard is the way to go.



I love these two (three?) doors stacked up for the statement they make  - very dramatic, but I needed or wanted something softer for my space,

so I put up a curtain headboard.
As an added Bonus, this was a super cheap way to go (<$10!).

I bought this gorgeous cream damask curtain from the thrift store (it's a really wide & long curtain > 8 feet), so it's perfect for a headboard.

I'm like the crazy cat lady, only with lamps! 
 
This is my 3rd, no wait, 4th lamp tutorial on Pregnant with power tools!  And I have 3 more in the pipeline!

Maybe I should rename the blog Genie of the Lamp?

You may remember the tin can pendant light I submitted for the last Iron Craft Competition...

I've been planning and working on Bamm-Bamm's (my 3 year old's) vintage car bedroom and finished the first transformation into making this space "big boy" (all grease and metal!)

And I have The Iron Crafter Competition @ Fireflies and Jellybeans to thank for the inspiration!


The Secret Ingredient: Recycled Cans or Tins

I love it, and I love the Can Pendant Lights I built for Bamm-Bamm's room!

Wanna add a little fun and function to the bathroom medicine cabinet?
I built this cute little planter box for mine!

So I am still sewing the crib quilt for my little man, but the rest of the nursery is pretty much done!!

I love this room!

I like sitting and nursing here while the late afternoon sun hits the soft green walls.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Getting up to nurse and change diapers during the wee hours is hard - harder when it's dark!


So I fixed up a dirty (really dirty), old (really old), porch light.  Etched some numbers on the glass (for fun), and Wired it for a nightlight!

Installing shaker pegs along the top rail of my nursery’s wainscoting was a great idea and a quick and easy job.

We've had a pretty wet spring (for Northern California), and it makes me want to add more blue to my workspace. (The color will liven it up sure, but why blue - specifically aqua and turquoise?).  Maybe it just says summer.  It's also calming and very pretty (in a not pink way).

Oh, I'm being overrun by boys!!

My craft/computer space is gonna need to be extra girly to balance it all out!

Could be I need an extra cute corkboard!

Here are some of the cutest!
1. So Lovely Creations fabric covered corkboard



(Gorg!)  Super tutorial!  So Lovely Creations is the go-to gal (goddess) for this!

** Happy Easter!!  I hope you are enjoying it with Family like I am! **

I like to buy knobs whenever I see them at the thrift store.

Right now I have a dozen wooden knobs ($1.99), some antique white porcelain ones, and some cool silver colored retro looking ones. I know... I need to buy more!!  All for $1-$2 per 6 knobs (beats spending a dollar or 2 per knob at the hardware store!)

I know I'll use them for refinishing furniture, furniture I've built (OK, will build - getting ahead of myself here), or other projects...

Like this one... you can use cabinet or dresser knobs as wall hangers!

I have a plain ugly mirror left over from building my own medicine cabinet.

So... I bought some polyurethane molding and corner blocks to zazz it up a bit, for hanging in the nursery! 

I painted all the molding with Kona Brown spray paint.  It's just easier to get it shiny and in all the crannies with spray paint.  Don't forget to paint the other side where the mirror will reflect the molding!!

**Added:  Check out my Electrical Wiring Tutorial for more help wiring your own  lamp! **

 I've had an old telescope since I saved up for it as a kid.  I haven't used it in 10 (maybe 15?) years!  I finally decided - why let that awesome tripod base go to waste!  I'll make it into a lamp.

** It's my 1 month blog anniversary!!! **

I can't believe I've never re-covered a lampshade before!
What fun! What thrills!  Laugh at me if you want, but seriously, I can buy any fabric I like love and some short time later have a "new" lampshade in that pattern/color/design.  Imagine the possibilities!!

My first recovered lampshade is such a Beauty and the Beast story (well, if they were the same person... ummm... weird, nevermid.)
Meet The Beast.
$1.99 from the thrift store (and broken).
This poor thing scares the villagers, but I saw hoped it could be made beautiful.