Trash to Canvas Storage Rack

 One of the things I really wanted for the studio was something to store canvases in. Right now, I have them stacked against the wall...not great. I found several inspiration photos on Pinterest.

art room at the city house

This one uses a metal shelving unit...very doable. I knew I could get the shelf unit fairly inexpensively but that meant figuring out how this one was built.

canvas storage

Then inspiration struck! Enter the crib rails a friend gave me before the wedding where I used them to hold directional signs.

I told Bruce, "Hey! How about using the crib pieces for the canvas storage rack? They already have partitions!" He agreed it was a good idea. Then he remembered the half table top our neighbors in the city were going to throw away. (We rescued it out of the trash).
He asked if I thought it was a good idea to use that for the top...all he had to do was build a bottom. Why yes! That's brilliant!

We bought a piece of plywood for the bottom and using leftover boards, Bruce got busy building my storage piece.

Before he nailed in the rails, I painted the bottom and ends. (Hey! It's my first painting in the studio, lol)

And voila! From pieces being tossed out, the perfect canvas storage table! (I actually staged it with canvases before painting it...oops).

It even has locking wheels so I can roll it around if I need to. It going to go next to my lockers as it's low enough to fit under the a/c unit.

I'm so thankful for my husband! He takes my visions and brings them to reality. Thank you, Bruce!

BTW, the other half of the table? I have that too. My neighbor gave that to me before the wedding. It's now my worktable in the studio. Thank you sweet friend!

Linking up at these parties:
Vintage Charm Party

Trashy Tales - A Croquet Holder

I've a trashy tale to tell.  Let's let it be our dirty little secret, 'k? 😉 Read on to hear how I brought home the trash and turned it into treasure! Welcome to Creative Friday!

Remember that the last time I was in Canton, I found this croquet set? It was complete but no holder for the pieces. I figured I'd just find some kind of box to put it in. (this isn't trash)

The next week, I'm out on my walk and spy this in the trash (however, this definitely is trash!).

Oh yeah, it came home with me. Hm, I see why they threw it away. The mallets were falling apart and there was plenty of rot happening. Could I salvage any of it? After a good scrubbing, I noticed two of the mallets were ok plus a couple other pieces would be usable. I knew then what I'd use it for!

Enter the croquet set holder! I know, right? What's better to hold a croquet set than actual croquet pieces?

First, I had to make a box. Digging through my stash of old pickets, I found two in reasonable shape. I figured out the size I needed, measured, then pulled out my trusty Ryobi circular saw. I carefully cut my pieces. Next up I drilled two holes in each side piece to hold the mallet handles.

Then I made the box - front and back nailed onto the bottom, then attached the sides.

Last, I slid the mallets in.

To hold the mallets on, I marked the handles where they came out of the side pieces,

Then pulled them back out and drilled a small hole to hold a piece of dowel rod old paint brush handle.
(I didn't have any dowels the right size but I have plenty of worn-out paint brushes! I cut them to size.)

 I then replaced the mallets and inserted my paint brush pins to keep the mallets from slipping out.

Now the game mallets can sit between the mallet handles and the balls fit in the box. The wickets also fit over the trashy mallet handles.

I'm rather proud of my croquet holder.  Not only did I repurpose some trash to something useful, I have a unique holder!

Happy to be sharing here: Vintage Charm Party