Fill 'er Up!

You know sometimes inspiration just comes to you. A guy at work was getting rid of this gas tank for a hog, (Big Motorcycle) it was really dented on the top. So I cut a bigger hole in the top and a drain in the bottom, and a 2" hole on the side opposite the fill side hole. I may add a few more holes along the side and turn it into a strawberry planter in the fall. But I like the look, and I think it makes a great conversation piece in the garden

REPOST: A Truck Wheel BBQ

This repost comes from my old DYI Blog, dated August 2, 2009 . It involves a truck wheel (which everyone has laying around in their yard, yes?) some furniture legs from IKEA, some hardware cloth and a grill. And yes years later it is still in use! Ever wonder what to do with those old truck wheels? You know the ones sitting in your yard? Well here is one thing I made- A bbq! Here are the steps:

Find an old pick up wheel (I got mine on Free-Cycle), Pick up a package of Ikea Capita legs- the 8" legs would have been better ( I had the 6" legs sitting around). Then take the leg mounts and put them on the deep side of the truck wheel, screw the legs through the other side, pick up agrill top (mine is for a weber grill- 18") or take one off an old bbq, Use some hardware cloth (fencing) Inside the deep end for an ash catcher. And you are done! Happy BBQ'ing!

Note: You might want to add some small C-Clamps to keep the grill centered orwhat I did is put some nuts and bolts through the top of the grill to act as a stopper!

DIY SOAP DISH

I needed a soap dish in the bathroom. All I had was an old shower head, some fittings, and an old wall mounted soap dish minus the wall mount. Just a matter of putting everything together. And yes the shower head is a heavy enough base for the soap dish.

This blog post is linked to:2nd Time around on "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words blog", Transformation Thursdays @ The Shabby Chic Cottage; Show us what your working with @ Me and my Bucket, Getting Crafty on Hump Day @ Nikki's Nifty Knacks

Inspiration from the Internets

Well I have wanted to write a blog post about some of the inspirational places I go for ideas about junking and re-use in general.So here is a few of the great blogs I have visit. Some of them I have added to my blogroll, and some are great for a visit!

OUT OF OFFICE This is apparently a blog from Fed Ex, and yes it promotes their products and services. But it also gives a person great ideas and such for creative items. Written by Fed Ex employees.
About.com:Family Crafts technically isn't a blog, but this Sherri Osborn is not technically Ozzie's wife. She does write a blog about crafting. I find a lot of great ideas there for gift making, using junk to make stuff, and releasing my inner-child.
Junk Market Style is another great place to find inspiration. People all over the country share Items they make from junk. Written by Sue Whitney, She has been featured on NBC's Today show and many others and is creator of JUNK MARKET STYLE magazine and many other "junk publications".
One more place I go to for inspiration is Beth and Lisa's Salvage Studio blog. You didn't think the idea of using brass lamps to make birdbaths just popped into my head, did you? It is these gals idea. They also wrote a book, the Salvage Studio and give workshops on junking and crafting. You can hear Beth talk about outdoor entertaining Salvage Style at this years Northwest Flower and Garden Show! (More about the show tomorrow).

So there you have it. A few of the places on the "interweb" that I go to for inspiration. Along with all your blogs! Were do you go for inspiration?

Buy Nothing Challenge makes Creativity!

See what happens when The Crunchy One puts up a challenge- I have to get artistic and creative! Nothing new was bought for this table- except for wood screws- and I had a gift card for Ace for that!(My rewards points matured and they sent me a gift card! I was trying to think of an idea for some plumbing pipe... and I was going to do a table with a tray and do mosaic tile... but then I was looking around the garage and it came to me! A stop sign! So I simply mounted it to a piece of plywood and mounted that to a flange fitting
and mounted that to the pole- I have a bar height table for the porch! Now if you do this remember to get your stop sign legally- they do sell them. Don't take one of the corner of the street! Bad Junkers! Of course I need to do the bar stools next ....Hmmm.... there are some "One Way" signs down the street! (Okay I won't do that- just a thought)

Hookey day at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Who wouldn't love a fiddle playing frog? I would!
I took the day off to go to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, like I do almost every year. I drove to my mom's to park the truck and took the bus (well two busses actually) to the Convention Center. As usual, when I got there it was like spring had sprung!
This year was bittersweet as the promoters have announced this is the last year for the show, the 2nd largest indoor Flower and garden show in the country. It always helps to jump start spring for me. Anyway I had a good time perusing the display gardens. I always like the "Funky Junk" display, a display were local teens make some unique "junk art" out of found and discarded items like an old janitor sink as a pond- Unfortunately my pics of the funky junk were a tad, well, funky and didn't turn out well for posting..
Speaking of Junk art, I got to meet and listen to Beth Evans-Ramos, a local blogger and co-owner of The Salvage Studio, give a talk on her junking career, what gives her inspiration and a slide show on many of the things she has created (Beth inspired me to make my birdbath) lots of inspiration that I am afraid y'all gonna be reading about. I also met her co-hort and partner in the studio, Lisa, who makes the greatest clocks out of dominoes and silver trays, and also makes cool things out of old forks. I am gonna have to get their book, "The Salvage Studio: Sustainable Home Comforts to Organize, Entertain, and Inspire " Lots of good stuff.
This years show, more so than other years, really seemed to emphasize greener living. I saw lots of folks with totes, re-usable water bottles, looking into more sustainable gardening practices. That is really cool. And of course I bought more Seed Ballz, so maybe a giveaway in the near future. Actually I will maybe have a giveaway tomorrow, but not Seed Ballz so stay tuned!

A new choice for lawns? This actually would be cool- drought tolerant, nice to look at, you only mow it once per season!

As usual, I find building inspiration- Like this Pergola. This show makes my life so difficult!

Somehow I always seem to find Classic Cars- this 60's era Mustang was featuring the Shed, and the pavers. It made a nice statement.

Speaking of classics that catch my eye- The Turf Bug would be so cool to drive around in- this display was by Dream Turf- the VW- a 1974 Super Beetle covered with dream turf- A neat new "astro turf" that even Ed Begley Jr let Rachelle put in his yard (first place I ever saw it on their TV show "Living with Ed") The Turf is really cool and while putting plastic Turf may not initially seem to be a Green option- No mowing, no watering and no fertilizing certainly makes it so!

Azalea trees and Bean Sprout waste- Weekly Challenge update

This is what I got in leiu of flowers for Valentine's Day a beautiful azalea tree from Martin. He said "I got it for you 'cause your always plantin' stuff." Luvs it.

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge-Week 34
Plant Something: Started more sprouts- some Mung bean, some broccoli sprouts and a salad mixture: Fenugreek, Lentil, Kamut and Adzuki Bean
Harvest Something: Lentil sprouts, some radish sprouts
Preserve something:
Store something: Vacuum Sealed Some rice into Mason Jars
Manage Reserves: Started building my potato condo ala’ shiba-guyz
Cook Something New: Crab stuffed Avacadoes; A Crab Melt Sandwich- have made a ton of Tuna Melts in my life but never a crab melt
Prep Something: Cleared out a space in the kitchen for sprouting
Reduce Waste: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Repair: See below in Crunchy’s Food Waste Challenge; Repaired the side yard gates to keep Romeo in; Made a junk art table for outside- use a plant stand found at the thrift store and the Glass from the turn table in the old microwave
Learn a New Skill: Nothing really
Work on Community Food Security: Shared this week in my blog how to make starter jars for sprouting, discovered new source for sprout seeds and materials in my neighborhood!

MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGE: Found the Grainery had supplies for my sprouting- no more mail order for sprouting supplies! Made a glass topped table out of a used 15" plant stand and the microwave turntable I saved from the old microwave when I bought a new microwave

Sammy inspecting the new table

Crunchy’s Freeze Yer Balls off Challenge: Still at 55/65 here.

Crunchy’s Food Waste Challenge:
Sunday- No Food waste Monday- No Food Waste
Tuesday- No Food Waste
Wednesday- A handful of un-popped popcorn, Used the last of the Crab Salad I made on Monday in a “Crab Melt Sandwich” for supper
Thursday- No food waste
Friday- No food waste
Saturday- Well this week shot to hell- found out that bean sprouts don’t keep. A whole jar of lentil sprouts went bad- but I was able to compost the jar of lentil sprouts- or rather put them in the composter

Total Food Waste- 6.5 oz

Great Day for old Treasure!

My Uncle Art surprised me last weekend- he sent me an email offering me my Grandma's Tool Box. I immediately responded Yes! I would love to have it!

So I tripped out with Romeo in the truck and went and got the toolbox. See- it even has grandma's tool ID stickers from Boeing on it. I am thinking it would make a great sofa table, with storage for art/junking/hacking supplies. The upper toolbox is perfect to store allmy scissors in, paint tubes, what have you. Sammy Cat got into the toolbox right away - My cat is a tool!