Shabby Industrial Upcycled Sign

A few months ago, I found some rectangular pieces of galvanized scrap metal which I figured would be perfect for some sort of upcycled or repurposed project. I'm not sure what their original use was, but they had a great folded overhang on the backside, perfect for attaching them to something.

My Upcycled, Scrap Metal Sign.  A unique addition to the front entry!

While scrounging for cool metal scrap, I also found some rusty patina, decorative, "old school", landscape edging/fencing. Remember that stuff?  However, it was falling apart and broken into many pieces.  I figured the neat, squiggly shape of the metal would be great for numerous types of projects. In fact, I originally used those squiggly pieces to create the metal accents for my glass candle holder project (below).

My first use of the squiggly metal pieces were for this candle holder.

With lots left over, I decided to try shaping the pieces into letters. Some pieces were so brittle, they broke when trying to manipulate. However, I was able to achieve a fun, home-loving, catch-phrase . . ."DWELL".

I placed my letters out upon the flat, galvanized piece and with a fine-tipped, black Sharpie marker, began marking dots for drill locations. I drilled on each side of each letter (piece of metal) at both the top and bottom of the letters (or anywhere else necessary to provide good attachment of the letters). I used a fine drill bit with a regular impact drill but a Dremel would surely work as well.

The galvanized metal provided a great, weathered patina for the background.

Be sure you drill on a surface that the drill bit can run into (or through) such as a wooden work bench.  I even use a large, rectangular, plastic, storage tub as a drilling surface for smaller, crafty projects such as this one.  The drill bit runs right through the plastic, eliminating a broken bit (fine or narrow drill bits break easily).  

Be sure to wear Safety Glasses when manipulating rusty metal and when drilling!

A drilled hole to the left and right of the "W" center-point
helps hold the pieces together plus attaches them to the base metal.

Fine jewelry wire in bronze (from Michaels) was used to attach each individual piece to the base metal.  I looped the wire from each left-to-right hole (per metal piece) twice, and then twisted the wire snuggly on the backside. I used wide electrical tape (seen below) to span over each twisted "braid" on the backside so the finished sign would not scratch any wall surface it may hang against.

Wide tape covers the twisted wire locations on the backside of the sign.
It helps protect the wall and you.

Since the piece had the folded-over edge (or overhang) on the backside (seen below), it was easy to wedge a "hanger" of sorts into place for hanging the sign. I actually used a long piece of the same wavy metal from the fencing and carefully shaped it with various flat and needle-nose pliers.  For all who do not have access to such metal pieces, use wire coat hangers.  You can shape one similarly as I've done to create the arched hanging point. Using cutting pliers, you can also cut wire hangers into smaller, workable pieces for creating letters.  Grab them with a pair of cutting pliers where you want to create a break and begin moving the wire up and down until it breaks.  You will have to undo the top braided hook of course beforehand.  Again, wear Safety Glasses!  With the correct type of pliers you can even cut right through the hanger.

The bent metal extends about 1" inward (under the folded edge) from each side of the sign. 

VOILA! A Unique Rustic, Repurposed, Shabby, Industrial, Upcycled Sign 

(or whatever other Style Term seems appropriate . . . "Recycled" perhaps?) 

I had it hanging in my kitchen for quite awhile, but recently decided to move it outdoors to top off the newly added "arbor-esque" beams for my stone, entry columns.

The beams were previously landscaping beams for defining beds. I've had them for about 8 years, used in their intended capacity. When I restained my decks and other, outdoor, wood accents in espresso earlier this year, I felt something needed to be added to the columns to tie the overall look together. The addition of the stained beams was the answer.

The dark espresso really makes all the other surrounding colors more vibrant and really creates a nice finished look. Of course the "DWELL" sign was the fun, finishing touch and it looks 'right-at-home' in its new, outdoor location!

Sharing this at: The Brambleberry Cottage - Time Travel Thursday
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
Somewhat Simple Link Party
At The Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Nite Special
Rustic Crafts - Rustic, Recycled and Chic Link-Up

Upcycled Outdoor Lantern

I've been saving a bunch of jars for quite awhile and decided to finally put them to use. Since I recently reworked my deck, I felt it needed some updated accents to accompany the new stain and railing colors. I visited numerous stores looking for torches and lanterns but could not find what I wanted.

If you can't find it . . . MAKE IT!

An upcycled pickle jar was used for this particular lantern.

Decorative shell-like accents are spaced around the glass and adhered with E-6000 adhesive.

The upper ring clamp, which keeps the coir roping in place, is a salvaged piece of metal mattress spring.

The "S" hook and hanging hoops are crafted from pieces of rusted, reclaimed mattress spring as well.  The coir rope ends are wired together by weaving paddle wire around them.  Hot glue is added and covered with wrapped jute twine to hide the wire  Wiring the rope creates a sturdy anchor point for the hanging hoops to "pull" against.

More accents hang from a knotted strand of jute twine.  They are attached via hot glue.

Citronella tea-lights will illuminate the night and keep bugs at bay.

NOTE:  I suggest spraying the coir rope with flame-retardant where it extends above the top of the jar.

The earlier mentioned "S-hook" from which the lantern hangs can be seen here (if you look closely).

USE IT INDOORS TOO

Of course, if you don't want to deal with flames, choose to use flame-less candle votives (indoors or out).  

This allows it to be safely hung for indoor use and minimizes any potential hazards or concern.

A nice accent hanging from a doorway OR . . . 

. . . Hanging from a rustic shelf.

Here are the supplies used for this project in no particular order

1) glue gun

2) E-6000 adhesive (or similar adhesive)

3) empty glass jars

4) coir rope

5) jute twine

6) shell or similar adornments

7) paddle wire

8) heavy gauge wire or something similar to the metal spring I used - pieces of metal coat hanger perhaps?)

9) various pliers to pry, bend and shape the metal elements

I like using cheap aluminum baking sheets for projects.  They are good for placing glued items upon for drying or for dumping out shell accents (as seen here) to find just the right-sized piece!

The shell pieces I purchased in ivory tones as well as turquoise (seen in the closed bag).  These were seasonal at Michaels but they may have something similar year-round.  The E-6000 and thin silver paddle (or floral) wire was also purchased at Michaels.  Jute twine and coir rope can be purchased at most hardware stores or in hardware departments.  

Here is how I started my jars.  Hopefully you can figure out what I did from the images above.  I did not take step-by-step images as I wasn't planning on sharing this project. 

I first cut 3 lengths of coir rope and placed them out on the floor, overlapping each piece at a center point and spacing them to create equal wedge shapes.  Weigh-down the ends of each piece or rope to keep them anchored and in place as you work with them (as discussed below). 

Once you have equal wedges you will want to connect the pieces together at the center point.  I cut a length of thinner jute twine about 2 feet long and slide it under all 3 pieces of coir, making sure I had an equal amount of twine to each side of the jar.  

I then began weaving it in and under the pieces of coir rope and criss-crossing it over the center of the rope, weaving in and under, and criss-crossing over again and again until all 3 pieces of coir rope were secure to my liking.  About 5 inches of jute twine ends were left hanging.  I knotted the two pieces together over and over to create the hanging "braided" look.  I left about 1/2 an inch un-knotted at the end for the central, hanging-shell adornment to adhere to.

In the above image, the 3 pieces of connected coir rope now create (6) "straps" that will wrap up the sides of the jar for hanging.  The center has been attached via hot glue however I would choose to use the E-6000 for my next lantern as hot glue has a tendency to peel off of smooth glass once it cools.  Seeing as these may hang outside in the hot sunlight, I don't know what effect that may have on the hot glue either. 

For the rest of the project, I clamped the (6) pieces of coir rope at the top of the jar with the metal spring clamp and adjusted them to make them as vertical as possible.  I glued shell accents between each section of rope with E-6000 adhesive.  TIP:  Keep a roll of scotch tape handy and tape a long piece over the shell (or accent of your choice) and onto the glass of the jar to hold it in place until the adhesive dries.  Fold a corner of the tape itself for easier removal from the glass.

That's pretty much it.  Oh, and you may want to make sure the jars you choose have wide enough mouths to get your hands in for placing candles.  I find you can drop a tea-light into narrower jars and center them with a long stemmed lighter before lighting them.  If the bottom of the jar isn't flat, you can add a small amount of sand to level it out or even add other small accents with the sand such as mini seashells.  

**Tomato sauce jars are great for this project!

Perhaps I'll share a few more as I complete them.  I'd like to do a few "variations of the theme" and group them together at various heights around the deck.  It should create some nice outdoor ambiance.  

Read more about my Upcycled Jar Lanterns.

Sharing this at: Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday's Treasures
Debbie Does Creations - Toot Your Horn Tueday
Someday Crafts - Whatever Goes Wednesday
Ginger Snap Crafts - Wow Me Wednesday
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
Be Different, Act Normal - Show and Tell Saturday

Easy Industrial Rustic Candleholder

Well I've had this super-cool piece of rusted-up stove pipe which I've been saving for a project.  A few weeks ago I had the idea to use it as a pendant light fixture.  I thought it would create a cool up/down lighting effect.  It probably would have had I figured out how to properly attach it the existing pendant base.  It kept flopping sideways and I couldn't get it to stay parallel with the wire.  HOWEVER, I have not "shut the door" on that project.  I will figure out how to support the interior of that pipe properly.  It may require some welding but hey, I'm up for the challenge!  :-)

In the meantime, I decided to put my rusty stovepipe to use in a much EASIER way by allowing it to appear as a tall, industrial support for a candle.  The height makes it perfect for a floor-type candle holder.  I took an old wooden, flat-based fruit bowl and flipped it upside down to create a substantial base for the stovepipe.  I have a lot of black accents in this room so it tied in perfectly.  I then stacked empty soup cans to create the inner platform on which the candle will sit.  (Note:  A base is not required.  It looked equally cool with the pipe "emerging" directly from the floor!)  

You could use full soup cans too as they would probably provide a sturdier structure.  The stovepipe acts as a decorative sleeve which slides over and masks the cans.  I wanted the candle to appear as though it was floating within the black void of the stovepipe so I made sure the stacked cans were recessed enough to be unnoticed.  This meant messing around with with different soup can heights to come up with the correct height.  I used a flatter tuna can at the bottom to achieve the height required.  (that smaller, black, circular thing is a 'rubber grippy' so the cans would not slide off center of each other)

Oh and if you don't have a candle that is substantial enough in height, stack two.  

The candle used here is actually two pillars connected via a bit of melted wax between them.  

So, if you like the industrial or rustic look and enjoy easy projects, snag a piece of scrap stovepipe.  

You never know what types of cool decor may be born from old, rusty cylinders of metal.

Sharing this at: Restore Interiors - Restored It Wednesday
Ginger Snap Crafts - Wow Me Wednesday
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
Chic On A Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt It Friday
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
At The Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
Common Ground - Vintage Inspiration

Restoration Hardware Inspired Table Display

Well, I finally honed in on a cool compilation of items for my repurposed saucer sled. If you recall, the organic spheres in my last post were a quick fix and really didn't make the statement I wanted to achieve.

Those who are familiar with Restoration Hardware know they are big on minimalism. Does that make sense? They are also "big on" . . . well BIG things. Over-sized focal elements sprawled across cool, reclaimed, industrial pieces now posing as coffee-tables are the norm. Giant light fixtures that had prior lives hanging in factory setting are now trendy floor lamps for chic living rooms.

My saucer sled reminds me of a large bowl I'd expect to see on a RH coffee-table; in my case, on a dining table. Within it, an old piece of thick rope (another repeated accent RH loves throwing into the mix), a vintage, gallon jug and a metal orb made from scrap metal.

How much did this display cost? Well, a free sled, a $2.00 piece of rope from a second-hand store, a $1.00 gallon jug from another second-hand store and a metal orb I made from free scrap. Hmmm, RH may be unhappy to hear this cost me $3.00. I think a similar, recreated ensemble such as this by RH would retail in the hundreds. Nevertheless, they do amazing things and I sure love pulling inspiration from them!

Keep inspiring me with your cool industrial ideas Restoration Hardware!

A Repurposed What?

"SLEDDING ANYONE?"

Organic Accents

OVER-SIZED GOODNESS!

Do I need a giant cup to go with my giant saucer?  Yes, another reclaimed item and yes, again from the woods.  What the heck is with people disposing of their old contents so inappropriately?  Why am I complaining?  I have gotten too many cool things lately to complain.  Their junk = My treasure I suppose.

I found this many months ago.  It has a lot of authentic scuffs and dents from its prior life as a sled.  I actually brought it home with the intent of making it a giant, industrial clock.  I'm still planning on doing that but for the time being (haha)  I decided to put it to use rather than simply storing it.  (I'm still looking for giant clock hands.)

I'm getting a little bored with the same spherical accents (as shown above) but that was all I could scrounge-up for staging.  I think a ton of green apples would look visually stunning displayed within . . . or perhaps a bunch of artichokes.  Hmmm, how many apples can I consume?

For now it is a much needed change from my bark bowl and its oversized-ness (I create words when I need to) demands attention. So, what would you display within this centerpiece? Pinecones? Lots of multiple height candles? Glass orbs? (I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the later!)

Until Next Time . . . Happy Repurposing!

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Rustic Shelf Kitchen Island

My chippy paint rustic shelf which I originally made for outdoors has found its way inside.

Remember Me?

A few months back I found a small kitchen island out for trash which I rescued and fixed up. It has been sitting in my kitchen for the past several months in the above location however I decided to sell it. I never had anything in this spot before (just a large open kitchen) but its amazing how quickly we get accustomed to our surroundings. I decided I wanted something else to fill the void.

Hello Rustic Barn Wood!

So, what do you think? I love merging design styles. Rustic and Modern actually work quite well when combined. The shelf looks super in its new spot and I'm rather glad to have it indoors without fear of the wood deteriorating from weather conditions. I unfortunately will have to cut a good 4 inches from both sides to allow for better flow around it - however, I know it will still be a great addition to the space.

Sharing this at:
Primitive and Proper - POWW Party
Very Merry Vintage Style - Share The Love Wednesday
Restore Interiors - Restored It Wednesday
The Brambleberry Cottage - Time Travel Thursday
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
No Minimalist Here - Open House Party
House of Hepworths - Hookin Up with HoH Party
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
Common Ground - Vintage Inspiration
REDOUX - Friday Link-Up Party
Rustic Crafts - Rustic, Recycled & Shabby Chic Link-Up

Industrialize It!

It's no secret that I love old industrial "things" - farm implements, vintage tools, cogs and gears, etc.  These items can lend themselves to numerous design styles depending on the other accents you choose to incorporate in a space..  Old farm implements can read country-chic for some folks while may read steampunk-cool for another due to different staging and color stories.  Old signs look great in modern and industrial settings but can also be quite fitting for a vintage farmhouse.  All the other accents and accessories are what unify your intended design direction and help tell your story.

My personal office has always been a bit on the "industrial side".  I hate being "themey" with rooms but I had a motorcycle vibe going on in this space and just went with it.  Metals, blacks, leather accents and the like seem to nicely mesh.  The room has gone under some subtle changes over the years.  The addition of a silver, horizontal, color block helped make some bike art POP.  Two opposing walls, once white, gained some tough attitude with a coat of flat black paint.

A look BEFORE the simple "industrial additions".

Other unique items were introduced to the space such as a rough-hewn and crafted crate, reworked to become a coffeetable.  This piece could easily fit a rustic-styled space but due to the other room accessories, incorporates perfectly.

Some recent additions, to add a bit more, relevant character to the space, were a burlap sack with a simple font that screams "industrial" and an authentic sign from a gas station (another fitting element for a "motorcycle room".)

Excellent Alpha-Numeric Font!

Cool, authentic signage.  The flip-side says "GASOHOL".

By the way.  The burlap sack was $1.50 from a second-hand shop and I found the old sign in the woods (talk about a score for frugal decor!) with a few other signage items from a gas station (like random, giant, pricing numbers for a gallon of gas).  

So, easily add some "INDUSTRY" to your space - if you so desire.  You don't have to spend a lot to do so.  Look around for cool items.  Farm auctions can be great sources!  Add and subtract items as necessary until you fall upon the "sweet-spot".  I think I've found my sweet-spot . . . at least for a while.

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Kammy's Korner - Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday
Coastal Charm - Nifty, Thrifty Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures
Home Stories A to Z - Tutorials & Tips Link Party
Debbie Does Creations - Toot Your Horn Tuesday
Chic on a Shoestring - Flaunt It Friday
Happy Hour Projects - Happy Hour Friday
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At The Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
Funky Junk Interiors - Party Junk