The One Tool We All Have & Some Inspiration

I've recently found a new tool to add to my arsenal. Can you guess what it is? It's something that we all use everyday- any thoughts?

It's my hairdryer! Yes- my hairdryer has become a tool I've used in two projects recently. First with my updated bar cart and then to remove the marble tops off these side tables:

Latest Thrifty Finds

I realized that I haven't shared any thrifty finds lately. That's partly because it's been slim pickins around here but recently I've scored some fun finds.

So what better way to start the New Year than to share them with you!

First up is this awesome Mid Century Nelson inspired bench I found on the Altus Classifieds page:

Super Side Tables

Don't you love these Mid-Century side tables? I've been seeing a lot of them around lately.

I've heard them called "Step Tables" They are so versatile, they can work in almost any room of the home, living room, bedroom etc. You can leave them the original wood or paint them up!

My friend Stephanie found this awesome table at the Goodwill and gave it a new life with some paint and tape. !!LOVE!!

 

My Mom (Hi Mom!) found a pair for $10 each and gave them a fresh coat of paint. She uses them in two different rooms in her home.

And I rescued  a pair from the side of the road and stenciled a pattern on them:





So if you happen to come across one of these little guys don't pass them up! Give them a new home, they will really appreciate it. 

Mission Impossible, or not?

Do you hear what I hear? That jingle, jangle, clank, clank in my car? It's not Santa's Sleigh or a broken axle. It's the first part of my Christmas present to me!

I finally made it down to the steel supply here in town and bought my materials for my coffee tables! It's 3/4" Steel Tubing, I bought it from the friendly folks at Triple S Steel

They were super nice and helped me decide which was the best product for my project. They were so helpful and didn't mind that my order was small compared to most of the orders they receive.

I can't wait to get started! I am a little nervous though. This will be the biggest welding project I've taken on by myself. When I made my end tables I had my grandfather in-law helping me. So this will either go well or really bad. I'm optimistic though!

In the next few weeks this -

Will hopefully turn into this -

Wish me luck!!

Have you ever had a project you weren't sure you could complete? Any success stories would give me some encouragement!

New Skill: Welding!

I've always wanted to try welding. I see metal furniture and think- "Hey I could make that!" If only I knew how to weld...

Well, I found out that my husband's grandfather has a welding machine that he rarely uses anymore. He offered to show me how its done. After a few practice rounds and some reading up on the subject I was ready to try it for real.

I needed some side tables for my living room and thought this would be a good way to get some. I had some old burgalar bars off a window of an old house that I needed to do something with. So I thought those could be used as the top with a piece of glass on the top.

I measured existing tables to get a good size and drew up a plan for all the pieces to be cut. I got the steel at a metal shop in town (I got some weird looks but they were very helpful. I don't think they are used to seeing young women coming in looking for steel!). Once I purchased all the materials I got to work. And work it was! Welding isn't physically demanding as in - lifting heavy objects hard, but tiring because it's hot, dirty work. You have to be precise while you are doing it and that can be hard sometimes with a giant welders mask over your face.

I really respect the people who do this for a living. Its both a utilitarian skill and an art form. Though it was hard it was fun. I would love to try it again now that I know how to fit things together and have a better understanding of what materials are available. For example; I purchased all flat bars, had them cut, welded them into angles and then fit them together to make the table. In the future I would purchase angled bars and save a lot of extra work.

I'm so glad that I got to try welding. I've always wanted to do it and hope that I will be able to do it again. I'd live to make a bar for my dining room, end tables for other parts of the house, ect. I'm not sure when I'll have the time though!

Detail shot

Me with finished product

In our living room!

Is there anything you have always wanted to try or learn more about? If so go for it!