Rusty Industrial Side Table

I created this fun little side table with a metal piece from a factory
that had been sitting in my garage, collecting just the right amount of rust!

Rusty Metal Shelf

Sometimes you pick up a great piece of junk and you just know you're going to use it for something awesome. Somehow. But you're just not sure how at first. So it sits for awhile. Unused. Maybe feeling a little unloved. That's exactly how this little bin's story goes. Until now.

Industrial Cabinet Goodness!

Some of my favorite decor pieces are industrial. I just love the look of metal and wood together in perfect harmony. And, if you ask me, we don't do nearly enough of them! But I'm sharing one with you today that I hope you like!

Antique Handle Caddy

I will be the first to admit that I shamelessly stole this idea from Donna at Funky Junk Interiors. I saw it shortly after I signed up for Pinterest and fell in love. 

So last summer I began the search for an antique drill, at a very reasonable price. They are pretty easy to find, but I knew I didn't want to pay much. So... I waited. And then, I happened upon this antique hand brace during the last few hours of a barn/estate sale right outside of town. For only $2.00. Now that's my kind of price tag! :) It still has what looks like a screwdriver bit in it. 

 I immediately told Eric what I wanted him to do with it. It was not on the top of his priority list, apparently, because it just got done about a month ago. But that's ok, because it did indeed get done! He is a man of his word, even if he is slow!

Just teasing, Eric! {love ya}

I have no idea how he put it together. I didn't even bother to ask, because I was way too excited! But Donna gives an excellent tutorial on her blog at the link above.  

The timing actually couldn't have been more perfect. Right after he finished the caddy, I received my new shipment of Ce Ce Caldwell's sample size paints. And I was just itching to try them out. I picked the Traverse City Cherry because I've seen some nice things done with it and I don't usually lean towards red. But, boy, am I glad I did!

I painted the entire thing in red (it's a very beautiful red, by the way!) and then did a splotchy (that's the technical term, right?) topcoat of Virginia Chestnut. Then I distressed it and used dark aging wax over the whole thing. 

I think it looks a lot like barnwood. 

And I LOVE it! 

Hope you enjoy it too :)

Everyone loves a good party!
Check my project out along with other great inspiration, at these great blogs...

Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage, Mop It Up Monday at I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill, Pink Hippo Party at Pinkapotamus, Monday No Rules Blog Hop at A Sorta Fairytale,Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative, Metamorphisis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch, Making the World Cuter Monday, Before and After at Thrifty Decor Chick (first Monday of the month), What's in the Gunny Sack at the Gunny Sack, Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House, Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life, Budget Decorating Party at Creative Cain Cabin, That DIY Party at DIY Showoff

One Project at a Time at A Bowl Full of Lemons, Transformation Tuesday at The Ironstone Nest, Monday Funday at Creatively Living, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm, The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch, Project Inspired{d}at Cupcakes and Crinoline, You're Gonna Love It at Kathe with an E, Transformed Tuesdays at PJH Designs, Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House, Take a Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts, Primp Your Stuff Wednesday at Primp Junktion, Be Inspired at Elizabeth and Co, Pretty Things Link Party at twelveOeight, Time to Shine at A Diamond in the Stuff, Too Cute Tuesday at Funky Polkadot Giraffe, The Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking, Creatively Tuesday at The Rustic Pig, Show Me What You Got at Not Just a Housewife, Share It Link Party at The Winthrop Chronicles, Tasteful Tuesday at Naptime Creations, Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios, Trash 2 Treasure at Kammy's Korner

Wildly Original Link Party at I Gotta Create, Wow Us Wednesday at Family Home and Life, Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts, Whimsy Wednesday at Smart School House, What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants, Wednesday Whatsits at White Lights on Wednesday, What We Accomplished Wednesday at Green Willow Pond, Under $100 Linky Party at Beyond the Picket Fence, Show and Share at Southern Lovely, Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style, Wow Me Wednesday at Gingersnap Crafts, From Dream to Reality at The DIY Dreamer, Its' a Party! at A Creative Princess, Show Off Your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans, Look What I Made Wednesday at Creations by Kara

Party Time at The 36th Avenue, Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home, Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage, Share Your Cup Party at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Hookin' Up with HOH at House of Hepworths, Talkin' about Thursday at Designed Decor, Live Laugh Linky at Live Laugh Rowe, Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life, The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush, Made U Look Linky at Made in a Day, Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse, Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life, Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage, Catch a Glimpse Party at A Glimpse Inside, 52 Mantels, Creative Inspirations Linky Party at Embracing Change, Tickled Pink at 504 Main

Simply Creations Link Party at My Simple Homelife, Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Inspire Me Please Link Party at Liz Marie Blog, Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, What Have You Redone at Redoux Interiors, Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home, Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove, Simple and Sweet Fridays at Rooted inThyme, Be Inspired at Common Ground, Faunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous, Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo, Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home, Junkin' Joe Vintage and Thrifty Finds at The Cottage Market, Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots and Jello, Shabbilicious Friday Link Party at Shabby Art Boutique

Saturday Show and Tell at Cheerios and Lattes, Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors, A Bouquet of Talent Party at Life on Lakeshore Drive, Strut Your Stuff Party at Six Sisters' Stuff, Show and Tell Saturday at Sassy little Lady, Get Schooled Satuday at Too Much Time on My Hands, Power of Pinterest Party at Fox Hollow Cottage, Your Great Idea Party at Or So She Says, Overflowing with Creativity Party at It's Overflowing

The Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming, Sunny Simple Sundays Party at Sunny Simple Life, Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime, Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, It's Party Time at Three Mango Seeds, Restyled Sundays at Stylish Once Again

Message Center {from a repurposed crate lid}

Meet our new message center.

This little beauty was made from a crate lid that Eric's boss was going to throw away (crazy people!). Thank goodness both his boss and mine are getting used to us collecting their trash. They've actually started asking us if we want stuff before trying to throw it away now! :)

Here is the message center before we did anything to it.

Just a plain, old crate lid. But loaded with potential!

I knew right away that is was completely perfect to make into a multi-purpose center for organizing notes and memos. 

The first thing I did was paint the chalkboard area. Then I painted the frame in Coco ASCP™ and gave it a dry-brush coat of old white, just to add a little more texture. I put on a coat of both clear and dark aging wax, then added cork to the bottom inset. 

I also knew I wanted some pegs or hooks on the bottom.

(In my house, there's always a need to hang up more stuff!)

Awhile back my boss had given me a coffee can full of miscellaneous hardware. Actually, he gave me 3 coffee cans full. I pulled these black knobs, if that's what you call them, out of the coffee can o'junk, made some measurements, drilled some holes and attached these to the bottom of the crate lid. 

The message center was certainly coming together nicely. But it felt like it was missing something. So, I got out another coffee can. This one was full of plastic-covered magnetic cabinet door latches. It's also the very same can my boss said "you don't want this junk" about. Well, thank goodness I DID want that junk! Because those cabinet magnets certainly came in handy! 

I took the metal pieces out of the plastic casings then used gorilla glue and clamps to attach them onto the top of the board. After they were dry, I pounded some great dark carpet tacks into the existing holes in the magnets.

I love the way this magnetic strip turned out!

The colors of the metals are great with the coco chalk paint.

Next, I cut some burlap and attached it to the inside of a few bottle caps, that had already been spray painted ivory, and glued magnet buttons to the backs.

I think these are the perfect little accessory for this piece! :) 

I had purchased some pulls for this project because I really wanted to add these to the piece. Normally, we don't purchase anything. I suppose that every now and again it's ok. :)

The pulls came with screws that were too short. No problem. I went to the hardware store and bought longer screws. I even measured the depth of the wood before going so I would get the correct length. So much for my measuring skills! lol. The screws I purchased were still too short!

Man, was I bummed. I really wanted to finish this project and get some photos of it over the weekend, not have to make another trip to the store for more screws. 

I got so fed up and irritated with myself about the lame-brain screw fiasco that I got the drill out, used my largest bit and, goll-darn it, if I didn't counter-sink those screws in the back of the board and get those pulls on after all! And all by my sweet little self, I might add! 

Hooray for me!

I just might be getting the hang of this handy {wo}man stuff after all! 

(But I'm still gonna leave the cutting and sawing to Eric.

I want to keep all of my fingers attached to my hand, after all!)

Hope you like the new message center!

Sharing...

Home Sweet Home Party at The Charm of Home

Frugal Fridays at The Shabby Nest Be Inspired Friday at Common Ground Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage What Have You Redone at Redoux Interiors Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous At The Picket Fence Chic on a Shoestring

Power of Pinterest Party at Fox Hollow Cottage

Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things
Sunny Simple Sundays at Sunny Simple Life

Think Pink Sunday at Flamingo Toes

Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove Your Great Idea Link Party at Or So She Says March Before and After Party at Thrifty Decor Chick Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House What's in the Gunny Sack at The Gunny Sack Pink Hippo Party at Pinkapotamus Project inspire{d}at Setting for Four Mod Mix Monday at Mod Vintage Life Monday No Rules Blog Hop at A Sorta Fairytale The Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage Monday Funday at Creatively LIving Make the Scene Monday at Aderberry Hill Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative Metamorphisis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch Making the World Cuter Monday Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House Pretty Things at twelveOeight Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday at Kammys Korner Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios Be Inspired Party at Elizabeth and Co Transformation Tuesday at the Ironstone Nest Share It Link Party at The Winthrop Chronicles Too Cute Tuesday at Funky Polka Dot Giraffe Time To Shine Party at A Diamond In The Stuff One Project at a Time Party at A Bowl Full of Lemons Tasteful Tuesday at Naptime Creations You're Gonna Love It at Kathe with an E Transformed Tuesday at PJH Designs Budget Decorating Party at Creative Cain Cabin The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

What We Accomplished Wednesday at Green Willow Pond
From Dream to Reality at The DIY Dreamer
Creatively Tuesday at The Rustic Pig
Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife
Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Show and Share at Southern Lovely
Wednesday Whatsits at White Lights on Wednesday
Whats It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants
Wow Me Wednesday at Gingersnap Crafts
Whimsy Wednesday at Smart School House
Wow Us Wednesday at Family Home and Life
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Look What I Made Linky at Creations by Kara

Show Off Your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans

Wildly Original Linky Party at I Gotta Create

It's a Party! at A Creative Princess

Made U Look Linky at Made in a Day

Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage

Creative Inspirations Linky Party at Embracing Change

Hookin Up with HOH at House of Hepworths

Live Laugh Linky at Live Laugh Rowe

Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Party Time at The 36th Avenue

Talkin' About Thursday Linky Party at Designed Decor

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush
Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Catch a Glimpse Party at A Glimpse Inside
Crafty Thrusday at Kreative Kreationz
Tickled Pink at 504 Main
An Oldie but a Goodie at Cutesy Crafts

HeartPrints Keychain {for my love}

Buying gifts for a man can sometimes be way-difficult! Making them is sometimes even more of a challenge because, let's face it, I'm a girl and I like pretty things. It's sometimes difficult to not get too carried away with the cutesy and lean more toward the manly. But, I thought I'd give it another try after my

Christmas present

to Eric turned out so well!

I saw this really great pendant made from clay on Pinterest. It was so cool (here's the link to her post), but I knew I wouldn't have a chance to make it to the store for any clay. So, what's a girl to do...?

Get creative, of course! 

I pulled out what I had at home, namely a few washers at different sizes and a tin can lid. I figured I would put my fingerprints on the can lid and then cut a heart around them. What I wasn't sure of, was what to use for the medium to transpose my fingerprints on. 

I tried using fingernail polish painted on the metal, which worked (although it was a little messy for my fingers! lol) until I tried to cut the heart out, at which time it chipped off the tin. Hmmm.... what to try next?

Then I had a lightbulb moment. Chalk paint would work on the tin! So I painted one coat of Aubusson Blue on and then, over that, I used Old White and quickly made the fingerprints. It worked so well, showing off the blue where my prints were. Yay! So I put a coat of wax on the lid, then got the tin snips out and cut a heart around the 2 fingerprints. 

The next thing to do was get out my drill and add a hole in the large washer so I could make this thing into a keychain. To be honest, I wasn't really sure if the bits I had were supposed to be used on metal, but I figured I'd give it a try. And it did indeed work. Another success! :)

I next got out my trusty JB Weld, attaching the 2 washers and the heart together and clamped it for a few hours. Things seemed to be going smashingly! But something was missing. It just didn't seem finished. So I grabbed a bottled cap to see if that would work somehow. Perfect fit for the back of the washer! I painted it with Chalk Paint as well, this time in Coco, and waxed it with dark aging wax. But it still needed something more...

I had though once about using metal stamps on this piece. But, they are really kind of a pain! lol. Instead, I printed out some words on plain paper, cut them out and used Mod Podge to attach them to the bottlecap and again over them to seal it. 

I put a nut between the washer and the bottle cap and used the epoxy to weld those together too. Finally, I added some dark wire through the hole I had drilled and an old spring I had found when scrounging through my box of junk. I bent the wire back into the spring and used a little more JB Weld to hold it. Then I added a ring and it was done. 

I was really happy with the way it turned out. Junky and totally repurposed. A bit manly (but still pretty!). All with a personal, unique-to-me touch. The perfect Valentine for my guy. And he thought so too :)

We're sharing at these great parties...

Monday Funday at Creatively Living

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Creatively Tuesday at The Rustic Pig
Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Pretty Things Party at twelveOeight

Cowgirl Up! Party
Your Gonna Love It Linky Party at Kathe With an E
Transformed Tuesdays at PJH Designs
Take A Look Tuesday at Sugarbee Crafts
Be Inspired Linky Party at Elizabeth and Co
It's Party Time at Three Mango Seeds
From Dream to Reality at The DIY Dreamer
Wow Me Wednesday at Ginger Snap Crafts
Whimsy Wednesday at Smart School House
Tasteful Tuesday at Nap Time Creations
What We Accomplished Wednesday at Green Willow Pond
Show and Share with Southern Lovely
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Wednesday Whatsits at White Lights on Wednesday
Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife
Under $100 Linky Party at Beyond the Picket Fence
Live Laugh Linky at Live Laugh Rowe
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Made U Look Linky at Made In a Day
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
Hookin Up with HOH at House of Hepworths

Sometimes I Hear Voices... :)

I thought I'd share an older project with you today. I've never posted about it and it's one of my absolute favorite things that we've made. We sold this on our Etsy store awhile back so it's beautifying someone else's dwelling now. Truth be told, I was sad when it had to go. I would gladly have kept this little beauty that was made completely out of repurposed materials. 

You may know already, but I work for a sign company. When Eric and I started On A Whim , I scrounged around the shop and outside to find any junk that I could use for our projects. Believe me, there was plenty to pick from. I single-handedly cleaned up a big portion of the yard out back of our shop! :)

I came across these 3 metal pieces. All three were out by the trash dumpster and one was half buried under the ground. But I just knew, the minute I looked at them, that they were destined for greatness. In fact, they kind of spoke to me. Not in the literal sense. I'm not that crazy after all. (And non of my friends are allowed to comment here to dispute that fact! lol) But these 3 pieces of discarded metal junk really and truly wanted to be drawers. They told me so! :)

So I brought them home and explained to Eric what they wanted to be. He built the cabinet for them out of repurposed pallet wood. He then buffed them so they were a little shiny and had even more character. I had picked out some drawer pulls that he attached. I stained the cabinet with my very favorite, super-dark gel stain that's I'm-not-sure-how-old, and voila! That trash I had rescued was given new life.  

I do believe this was the very first project in which I told Eric that a piece of material had told me that it wanted to be something specific. Most likely, he thought I was off my gourd. But, he listened to me and created this little beauty. (And he didn't up and leave me because I was nuts either! lol.) Since then, I've told him similar things. He just smiles and says I'm cute. I think this is secretly his way of calling me special! ha ha! Either way, he always ends up liking the end product, so he doesn't question what I ask him to do. Who knows... one of these days he might hear an object talking to him too! Then we'll be even more perfect for each other! :)

Heavy Metal Love

I wanted to share with you one of my very favorite projects. For this past Christmas, I decided to try my hand at some metal stamping. I borrowed the stamps. I picked up a couple of washers and machine keys of some sort. (I think that's what they were called anyway! I'm not really very proficient in hardware lingo. I try  to leave the actual building portion of our business to Eric!) I had planned on stamping something and maybe making a keychain or a little trinket for Eric as a Christmas present. But, the truth is, I wasn't altogether sure yet just what I was going to do. 

So, I brought everything home and kept staring at it, contemplating what exactly I was going to make out of this miscellaneous stuff I had purchased. With the way I had sat them on the table, it occurred to me that the 2 machine keys I had bought looked like an L when put together and the washer, of course, was an O. And then the idea came to me... to spell out the word love with various metal pieces and make a sculpture of some sort.

I had to go back to the hardware store, of course, and spend about 30 minutes just pulling out drawers and perusing the various pieces they had available. But I managed to find 3 more pieces to use as the V and E. Sort of, anyway. The E was going to take just a little bit of work... But, at least I had what I needed. 

Next I got on the phone/email/facebook and asked a few people about soldering the pieces together. Turns out, you can't solder different metals together. Okay. What do I know anyway? :) I was told to try an epoxy. So I went out and bought me some JB Weld. And I got a friend to cut the D-Ring so it would look like an E.   Now I was in business...

I finally got the stamps out and began with that task. Easier said than done! I messed up one of the letters, (but managed to hide it under my V, so it was all good). This was a Christmas present and not a product I was going to sell, so I wasn't overly worried about that oopsy. Another of my letters got all crooked and goofy but, like I said, I knew Eric wasn't going to be overly critical so I let it stand. I painted the stainless steel hinge-thingy I had bought for the V with some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ so that it wouldn't be quite so shiny. Then I got out my rusty old base, mixed some epoxy together, and started adhering metal. It worked like a charm! And I love the way it turned out. I think Eric does too, which is what really counts after all! :)

Hope you enjoyed reading about my little metal masterpiece. By the way, I'm calling this project Heavy Metal Love in honor of it's recipient, Eric, and his love for heavy metal music. Just seemed appropriate! :)

I'm sharing this fun project at...
Beyond the Picket Fence Favorite Things Party
Love It Linky Party at Liza Marie Blog

The Shabby Creek Cottage

An Oldie But a Goodie Party at Cutesy Crafts