Make A Decorative Storage Rack With Repurposed Items

On my recent visit to the thrift store I looked around to see if there were any interesting items that I could make something with.  I found a pine wooden crate for 99 cents, a 6" brass pillar candle ring for 99 cents, and a package of swag/scarf rings for 99 cents.  I then headed to Kmart in hopes of finding round adhesive mirror stick-ons.  I didn't find what I was looking for but came away with a 5" diameter round mirrored candle plate and two blind spot mirrors I found in the auto parts department.

Since the mirrored plate was 5" diameter and the candle ring opening was 6" diameter I cut a piece of cardboard box in a 6" round and glued the mirror onto it using my hot glue gun.   I then glued the cardboard to the ring and the two spot mirrors onto the scarf rings. 

After staining the wooden crate with some leftover walnut stain I glued the three mirrors onto the crate.  The crate can now be hung on the wall or you can sit it on a shelf.  I found it worked perfectly to hold my CDs.  Thinking outside the box (no pun intended) I was able to make a one-of-a-kind decorative CD rack for about $10.

I would love to see what other creative types have made by repurposing found items.   Please feel free to share your projects.

A Mirror for Mom

This past weekend I made a trip to Connecticut to visit family.  Mom and Dad will be heading to Florida for the winter months the beginning of next month and Mom's birthday is the end of November. 

I have always enjoyed making things.  When I was a teen I used a shallow wooden crate that previously held mail order fruit to make a wall hanging for my Mom.  I painted it blue, framed it in silk flowers and glued vintage porcelain doll house bath fixtures inside like a shadowbox.  It still hangs in her bathroom to this day.

Since my Mom obviously appreciates my handiwork I decided to make her something special for her birthday this year.  In order to see her reaction and avoid shipping charges and possible breakage, I decided I would present it to her this trip.

I purchased a large chunky plain mirror for $4.99 at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store (my favorite haunt by the way).  My intent was to dress it up.  Using leftover sheets of glass mosaic tile from my bathroom back splash project I did just that.  I cut the mesh between four rows of tiles and adhered them to the mirror with white tile adhesive.  To avoid having to cut the tile to fit the miters I left the four corners uncovered.  Once dry I grouted each section with unsanded grout so as not to scratch the glass.

I think the finished product looks like something you could easily spend $100 or more on.  More importantly Mom loved it.  She hung it up in her foyer before I even left for home. 

Before

After