My hope chest has a curvy figure… I love it, but lamps fall off.

I needed to provide a stable surface for a lamp and reading materials

but the chest is a beautiful heirloom, and I really did not want to drill holes in it.

The super-easy solution is a pair of 1x2s painted black and screwed to a sheet of Plexiglas (drill holes slightly larger than the screws through the Plexiglas first). 

DIY Tip: use a small propane torch (I have one for cooking) gently on the edges of the Plexiglas for a smooth glass-like finish.

The kids mess with it and it slides around, so I think I have a idea to fix that… coming soon!

There’s no reason not to use something you love (even if it takes a little adaptation), right?

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I am so excited to share my new Recycling Center with you!

It wasn’t much to build because I used an Ikea shelving system I already owned (but am so over that knotty pine).

The biggest impact comes from the addition of some lattice wood, which is cheap and easy to use!  I love the difference it makes!


What I had:
IKEA Husar shelf and drawer unit
antique drawer pulls (10 for $3 at the thrift store)
pocket jig and screws (optional)


What I bought:
~30 feet lattice strips (~1.3” wide)
1x8 pine lumber
1x4 pine lumber
hinges
hinge supports
Minwax Bombay Mahogany PolyShades stain


The Husar is discontinued (and I really miss it – decent solid wood products do not seem to interest Ikea much these days), but you may be able to find something second-hand.


I removed the drawers and shelves and firmly screwed the two units together.

Then I just started putting on the lattice – which was pretty fun.   This stuff is easy to cut and just needs a little glue or small brad nails. 

Attach strips of lattice to the sides with wood glue (I used Gorilla Glue) and clamp or nail.

I also put strips across the front and sides where the drawer unit meets with the shelves, and around the drawer fronts.

I don’t have pictures, but I built a new top out of a 1x8 and 1x4 lumber screwed onto the old top.  I cut a bevel edge with the table saw for looks.
The footer was cut out of 1x4 with a jigsaw and screwed on from below.


The hardest part… adding a divider and building the doors out of the old shelves.  Here’s where my pocket screw jig came in handy…

used pocket screws to attach the divider inside the shelf unit.


The shelves that I removed from the unit weren’t wide enough, so I screwed a narrow strip of lumber to one side (with – what else - pocket screws!)

They received the same lattice treatment and stain.

The antique pulls from the thrift store were a serious score! I just needed to drill holes in the doors for them.

Attached the doors to the cabinet with some hinges at the bottom.

Added a single hinge support to each door.  These will keep the door in whatever position you place it in and helps to hold it shut too. 
 

I put a simple double-roller latch in each door also, but probably didn’t need to (well, I’ve got toddlers, so maybe I did need to).   


I love it!  The red tone of the stain goes well with my kitchen (I am thinking a third coat so it’s really dark – and maybe that’ll even it out too?).

Storage and (finally!) a place for recyclables and trash!  What’s not to love!

I’m taking the rest of the week off for Christmas!  Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

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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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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

This hope chest is a much loved family heirloom.


My grandfather (who was a "wood artisan") made it for my mom, and when she moved to America she took it with her.  My parents are from Norway.


Since I received it, I wanted to add some traditional Norwegian tole or rose painting (called Rosemaling) to the chest, but do not know how to tole paint.  So I printed out some tole paintings, carefully cut them out, and decoupaged them onto the chest with Mod Podge!


Isn't that a cheap, easy (and great!) way to add some cultural art to a much loved piece of furniture!  You almost can't tell it's decoupage.










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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.

So I finally finished refinishing the changing table for the nursery!


Like the rest of the furniture, it's painted in Rustoleum's Kona Brown, a nice warm dark brown that looks great with the soft green color (Behr Palm Breeze) that I used on the walls.

Before I started building the faux wainscoting in the nursery, I decided on the colors I waned the room to have: white wainscoting, soft green walls and bedding, and a rich brown on the furniture.  And I did not want to buy that furniture if I didn't have to.

So sometime in January, I refinished my crib from white to Kona Brown (Rustoleum).

Here's a before picture I borrowed from the internets (white Jenny Lind Crib - hope they don't minds).




You can see that the tines/spokes/ bars on this thing are pretty elaborate.  No way was I going to try and sand them.  Being frugal, I also started painting this thing with a can of paint and a brush.