Hook, Rack, & Holder

I installed my sister's easy gift: the sanded branch with a painted popular aesthetic. Now she can hang her skivvies and earbuds from it. I went with the less dramatic hardware, due to the shells and turquoise hunks wired through the centers, with a few feathers on the end. 

Next was a solution for bracelets. I like a lot of the DIY "movement's" solutions for all things that get tangled and are tiny, and are almost always in a woman's room. This one is pretty obvious. Glued wood (Forrest abandoned our mailbox sign), with knobs on sale from Anthropologie. They can be knobs from the dumpster, it doesn't matter. Let them hang out far if you have a lot of thick bracelets. My cousin Deanna made me the dreamcatcher in 1994, a great artifact. 

Another part of this non-tutorial: The Necklace Frame. There are so many gorgeous frames circulating in the world, but even an ordinarily plain one you can paint or metal leaf. Attach chicken wire or a mesh metal, like window screen. If you don't have chicken wire because it's expensive to buy a bolt when you need only a foot, you can attempt making it (see below).

Side note: I found it much easier to lean than to hang, so I attached a small foam pad to the back upper side.

 And here's an extra Indian print bag in green! I've noticed for some reason this is a popular previous post...

Tables: Part 1

I refinished my great aunt's telephone table a few seasons ago, and though it is still serving the purpose of yellow in my life, it was long before the time I've spent in a woodshop. My currently convenient  knowledge of dry times paired with clear coat sanding might have prevented the chipping. Still thinking about coating the pulls with tiny broken abalone shells. Look at my shark!

From old scrap particle board (from an old crappy job) came my new favorite table. I've always been partial to the corner table with rounded front. It may not have been the best move to make an outdoor table with less than real wood (I do know better), but I just wanted to put it to decent use, and employed a generous amount of sealant; at least the legs are real. Needing to fill the space on my porch, I forfeited the learning process of continual legs (through tiers) for time. One summer later it looks naturally distressed, reminds me of the Greek flag, and holds my rubber tree plant perfectly.

This small fold-up is my most recent assignment. A very thrifty find from my new favorite antique shop in Annapolis. Several coats of a light and dark blue mixture, while sanding in between the stages for a galactic, layered result. Now I have to decide if a mosaic of foreign coins will still look good lacquered onto the top, (a few beautiful ones from a friend's African journey pictured).

Pete, following his greatest love The Flower.

And by the way.. notice these strange and lovely little cicada soaps, a gift from my aunt!