One-of-a-Kind Letter Shelves for my Boys’ Room

 

I’m really bad at tutorials for DIY projects.  And I’m bad at following them.  I’m much more of a “figure-it-out-as-you-go” DIYer.

And this project definitely falls into that category.  File it under the labels No Tutorial and Trial and Error.

I think of it sort of like Legos.  You can buy the super expensive kit and follow the directions to build something really cool.  Or, you can design and build your own creation (as my boys call it) that is unique, one of a kind, and not exactly replicable, the way Master Builders do.

I like to think of myself as a Master Builder. Except my woodworking skills and (lack of) attention to detail would make Norm Abram cry.

(Sorry, Norm.)

Anyway, that was a long way of saying that I do NOT have a tutorial for this project, just some general guidelines and inspiration pictures.

Materials for DIY Letter Shelves

• Pallet wood (and Sawzall/Reciprocating Saw to take the pallet apart)
• 1/4 inch plywood
• Jig Saw
• Finish Nailer (Campbell Hausfeld CHN10499 2-in-1 Brad Nailer/Stapler )
• Wood Glue
• Measuring Tape
• Straight Edge

 

The I Letter Shelf was definitely easier to build than the A, so we started with that one.  I drew an I on 1/4 inch plywood and cut it out with the jigsaw.  Then, we used pallet wood to build the sides of the shelf.

Tip: The easiest way to tear apart pallets is to have your husband do it for you. He likes to use the sawzall and cut right through the nails.

 

My friend and I measured and cut the pallet wood to fit the shape of the I, then glued and nailed the frame together. 

Then, we attached the frame to the backing with the finish nailer.

And voila! The I was finished in no time.

The A, on the other hand, took a bit more thinking.

I started the same way – by drawing an A on the 1/4 inch plywood.  I used a tape measure and straight edge, and drew the parallel lines first, then connecting them with the diagonals, measuring to make sure everything was symmetrical.

 

Building the frame required that we figure out the angles.  We did it in a super scientific way – cutting scrap wood at various angles until we got it just right (22.5 degrees.)

I have good news for you here, though.  THE ANGLES ARE ALL THE SAME! Once you figure it out, it’s the same for each corner.

The shelf is now FULL of Lego creations from my little Master Builder. (I guess he takes after his mom…or maybe it’s the other way around.)

If you want a real tutorial for letter shelves, it just so happens that Home Stories A to Z has one!

Check out the other projects in this room:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shared at Home Stories A to Z

Closet Makeover Part 1

AKA: Why There are Paint Splatters in my Hair and Caulk in my Cuticles
I’ve been meaning to do something with this closet for a long time.
I mean, let’s face it.  The 100-year-old plaster had seen better days.
The other day, I sorted little boy clothes and came up with 6 garbage bags full of 18 mos – 3T clothes to pass down to a cousin. And with the closet partially cleaned out, I decided it was time to tackle the project.
Luckily, a friend decided to surprise me by bringing over dessert, and I roped her in to helping.  We set up a workshop in the kitchen where we cut scraps of paneling to size with my jigsaw .
The paneling was leftover from our entryway makeover. I have no doubt that this project would have been 40 times easier (because it would have require about 40 fewer cuts) if we’d started with full sheets of paneling, but then it wouldn’t have been FREE!

These pictures give you a good idea of what we started with. I know all of you with new construction (or even less than 100 year old construction) are totally jealous of us old house owners right now.

The closet measured roughly 34 deep by 57 wide, which is actually a pretty good size for a 1908 farmhouse. In a matter of a couple hours, we covered the walls with paneling, using a finish nailer to nail straight through the plaster and into the lathe behind it.

Then, we used 1x2’s to trim out the corners, again nailing them in with the finish nailer (and my handy dandy portable air compressor .)

One of the challenges was that none of the corners were square, or the walls even straight.  The northeast corner was 34 1/2 inches from the mid-board to the top, and the northwest corner was 35 1/2! We did a lot of measuring and a lot of re-cutting to get everything to fit.

It looked pretty rough at one point and my husband was skeptical (which is his general reaction to my projects.) But after trim, caulk , and paint, you barely notice the seams.

It’s always nice to have help with these types of projects, too.

Next up – DIY shelves!

 

I have more painting to do as I install the shelves, and then I will finish caulking the seams, but it’s already a LOT better, don’t you think?

(Now, if I could just get the paint splatters out of my hair and the caulk out of my fingernail cuticles…the price we pay for DIY!)

Feeding Brains instead of Chickens: Chicken Feeder Forward Facing Bookshelves

These galvanized troughs were once chicken feeders.  Now they’re feeding my childrens’ brains (with books!) instead of feeding chickens.



This project is part of a complete makeover for this room.  The makeover started when I spontaneously painted the room dark brown this summer, in a desperate attempt to get my 3 year old to nap better. (I thought a darker room would help.  It didn’t.)

A few weeks later, I found bunk beds at a garage sale for $40.  Have I ever told you how much I LOVE garage sales?  I mean, really, $40?  Amazing, right?

But I didn’t want to bunk the beds right away. Why? Because I’ve always loved rooms with matching twin beds, like this one.  Or this one.  Or even this one.  And this was my chance to decorate a room that way.

And so, dark brown walls, garage sale bunk beds, and gingham sheets on clearance for $3 (yes! $3!) started this room on the path towards rustic & reclaimed.

One of my favorite projects in this room so far is the Chicken Feeder Forward Facing Bookshelves behind the door.  I found these chicken feeders in an old barn and have always wanted to use them in my house somewhere.  I LOVE the rusty galvanized patina, and the contrast with the brown walls so so perfect in person.

How to Install Chicken Feeder Forward Facing Bookshelves:

Supplies:

• metal chicken feeders
• stud finder (Optional)
• pencil/chalk/sharpies
• level
• hammer
• 2 inch screws

Step 1: Locate studs on the wall.  This is so important whenever you’re going to hang something heavy on the wall.  Ask me how I know this.  Use a stud finder or tap gently on the wall in a horizontal line, listening for a different sound (hollow vs. solid.) Mark the studs with a pencil or chalk.

Step 2: Hold up your chicken feeder where you want it and mark two spots for screws inside the feeder, one on each stud line.

Step 3: Start a pilot hole in the metal chicken feeder.  I tried to drill a pilot hole, but the drill bit kept slipping.  So, I used a screw and hammer to start the hole.  Hold the screw (or big nail – that might have worked better, but I didn’t have any handy) where you want the hole, and hit it hard with the hammer.

Step 4: Using long screws (I think mine were 2 inches), screw the chicken feeder to the wall.

Step 5: Repeat with the other two chicken feeders.  I used a level to follow the line of the studs AND make sure that the chicken feeders were straight on the wall.


I used a book to space out the chicken feeders – they are about 12 inches apart, just like the forward facing bookshelves on Adam’s dresser.



There’s still a long to-do list for this room, including (but not limited to):

• Custom shelving/wall art above each bed
• Wall art by Adam’s bed
• Toy storage under the beds
• New rug
• Repaint floor or put down new flooring.
• Window coverings
• Something awesome on the north wall
• Paint trim
• Nightstands
• Lamps

Be sure to follow along by email to see full tutorials on all the projects in this room, and facebook and instagram for regular room updates!



Shared at: Funky Junk Interiors, Motivational Monday, Blue i Style

I like to move it, move it…

(Alternate title: One Dresser, Four Rooms, Five Looks)

I like to move furniture.

But really, it’s deeper than that.  I am not a creature of habit.  I am a creature of “there must be a better way to accomplish that” and I have been known to try a new method every time I approach a similar task.

My affinity for trying new solutions to old problems is especially apparent when it comes to home décor and organization.

Which means that furniture moves at my house.  A lot.


For example, the dresser in our farmhouse mudroom has been around the block. Right now, it holds shoes, gloves and hats.



But before it was in the mudroom, it was in the kitchen, with barnwood shelves (from my Great Grandpa’s barn) above it.  It still held shoes, gloves and hats then, since our mudroom was more for Bart and his farmer clothes at that time.



Here’s the dresser, with a different set of shelves (DIY Ballard Designs shelves) and styled a bit differently:



Before the dresser moved to the kitchen, it was perfect in Adam’s nursery. (His quilt was a red and white one that my Grandma and I made together.  So cute and gender neutral.)



And before that, the dresser lived in the guest room of our first house.  (By the way – recognize that storage box? I’ve had it for years and still love the colors and pattern.)



That dresser has been in our family for 4 generations now – it was my grandfather’s, my mom’s, mine and now my childrens’.  (Sort of like turkey farming, also a 4 generation tradition for our family!) And because of the dresser’s versatility and timelessness, I have no doubt that we’ll be able to use it for generations to come.

And who knows what room we’ll use it in next?

Shared at: Between Naps on the Porch

31 Days of Decorating with Junk: Crib Spring Repurpose

This was such a quick little project. (And the rest of the room is *this close* to being finished!)



When I took apart Isaac’s crib, I hung the springs on Adam’s wall so he could display some of his school papers.



I just used 4 screws (with drywall anchors) in the corners of the crib spring.  The screw heads were actually big enough to fasten to spring to the wall (it’s not just hanging on the screws) so it’s plenty sturdy to be hanging above his bed.



Adam (5) created the hanging decorations himself.  I love them.



And I love seeing his artwork displayed in a place where he will see it!



This post is part of 31 Days of Decorating with Junk: Vintage, Antique and Unique for your Home and Garden.



To follow along with 31 Days of Decorating with Junk, enter your email address (top right) or become a fan on Facebook.
See you tomorrow!

 
31 Days of Decorating with Junk Posts:

31 Days of Decorating with Junk Introduction
Farmhouse Style Front Porch 
Modern Farmhouse Design 
Repurposed Upright Piano 
Our Exterior Makeover Reveal
Adjustable Game Table Makeover (In a Ballard Designs Whitewashed Style) 
The HomeShed's September Sale & Fall Decor Inspiration 
Proof that I'm a HardCore Junker
My Gallery Wall
HomeShed Sale Preview and Christmas Inspiration
Cute Green Dresser with Chalkboard Labels
My Favorite Paint for Antique Furniture
Kris's Cabin Tour
Essential Tools for Repurposing
Making a Custom Glaze
Fixing a Stripped Out Screw Hole
How to Make Your Home Your Own
Spray or Brush?
Five from the Archives
Owning a Junky Business Part 1
Owning a Junky Business Part 2
1840 House
Simple Vintage Halloween
Five (More) from the Archives
Crib Spring Repurpose
Owning a Junky Business Part 3
Quick Chair-Do
Pallet Wall Art
Not So Junky Basement
Owning a Junky Business Part 4
31 Days Wrap Up

More children's storage projects from On the Banks of Squaw Creek:

Crib Spring Bulletin Board	Stuffed Animal Zoo	Bookshelf Dresser
Wooden Puzzle Storage		Pretty Diaper Boxes

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