recycle Archives - Lumber in My Minivan

2018, DIY, farmhouse, farmhouse decor, farmhouse style, hardware stores, knock offs, recycle, repurpose, thrifty decor, upcycle

Make it Monday: Easy Farmhouse Candlesticks

January 18, 2022January 18, 2022by LumberInMyMiniVan5 Comments

I love chunky, wooden turned candlesticks, but they can be costly. Did you know you can easily DIY them from materials you can find in most hardware stores?

I was in Lowe’s earlier this week when I happened upon these lovely turned table legs.

I purchased the terra cotta saucers from Rural King.

I then used wood glue to glue saucers to one end of the legs, but for the end with the screw? I chose to drill a hole in the saucers.

I learned that you can soak your terra cotta pots overnight in water and drill a hole with a standard drill bit. No masonry bit needed!

I then bolted the saucers on and painted them white with two coats of chalk paint.

I’m happy with how they turned out, but I’m thinking of cutting one of the taller candlesticks down so I’ll have three varying sizes. I love the look of these and I know they’ll look great on our mantle.

This was a DIY project that didn’t cost much, and it was easy and fun to do. I love how cute these candlesticks are as well!

Have a wonderful week.

2021, farmhouse, junking, outdoors, plant stands, recycle, repurpose

A repurposed chair becomes a unique plant stand

September 20, 2021September 20, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVan3 Comments

A few years ago, my sweet grandpa gave me this chair. He heard I was looking for an old chair and someone had given it to him.

I liked the look of the chair. It was a nice size and I thought it was a cute chair. I just wasn’t too sure about that metal woven seat. The metal was a little sharp and I was worried about my kids cutting their fingers.

So I removed it. I then painted the chair yellow.

I also used a little sandpaper to distress it a bit.

I took some old wood planks and laid them across the bottom rungs of the chair.

I love how cute and unique this chair plant stand is. Plus, if I get tired of it, I can build a new seat for it.

But, the color brightens up our porch, and we get lots of compliments on our “fern chair.”

What have you repurposed lately?

2021, farm, floral, garden, plants, recycle, repurpose, seasonal, yard

New Uses for Old Things: DIY plant pots

August 13, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments

Lately, I find myself trying to save money on my gardening supplies. If you aren’t careful, you can spend a lot on seed cells and plant pots. Why not try to use some of what you already have on hand?

I must have about a hundred of these. And yogurt cups! I decided to peel the labels off and wash them out.

I then spray painted them a color I liked.

And I let them dry for about a day.

Don’t forget to drill a drainage hole in the bottom of the cup.

And then your super cute planters are ready to go!

2021, farm, garden, green, outdoor spaces, outdoors, plants, recycle, repurpose, yard

DIY Raised Beds

August 11, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments

About four years ago, my grandpa and I built some farmhouse shutters. You may remember them from this post.

I no longer have the window in my kitchen where these were used, and I don’t have anywhere else I’d like to use them. You know lumber is crazy expensive now and I’ve been itching for some raised beds.

I started by removing the hinges and hardware from the shutters. I left the basic shutter shape though.

I then simply joined the sides with wood screws.

And then I added cardboard and chicken wire to the bottom.

Tomorrow I am putting potting soil and plants in it. I can’t wait to show you what I plant.

I am also recycling some other former projects to create more raised beds.

2021, clothing, dance, DIY, life as a lumber, recycle, spending less

How to customize a dance costume (and make it look custom)

July 19, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

My two daughters are competitive dancers. While custom costumes are the way to go for competition, it’s also a much more expensive route. Thankfully, there are ways to customize an existing costume and make it seem like a custom.