Reclaimed Wood Wall Art–Pottery Barn Knock Off

I have a really fun DIY project to share with you today!



The Iowa Turkey Federation is at the end of a long kitchen and board room remodeling project, and we needed something for the space above our buffet counter in the kitchen.  So we decided to do a knock off of the Pottery Barn Painted Pieced Woodwork.



We measured the space and decided to go with three large panels under the DIY pendant lights.  I purchased a cheap piece of 1/4 inch plywood (sometimes used as underlayment for floors) at Lowes and had them cut it to size.

Then, I collected pallets from around our farm and brushed on different colored paints from my collection.  I cut them apart using a jigsaw, then circular saw, then sawzall.  The sawzall was definitely easiest, although it left the roughest cuts.  So then I used my compound miter saw to even up the ends.  Sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn’t. And it could have been done with just the jigsaw, although it would have taken a LOT longer.

(Some people disassemble the pallets by prying them apart.  I didn’t do that because a)it’s a heckuva lot of work b) I had plenty of wood so I didn’t mind some going to waste and c) I needed short pieces, anyway.)



Next was the design.  I laid out the wood pieces in a pretty random pattern.



When the big spots were filled in, my friend helped me measure and cut pieces to fit in all the small holes. 



We tried really hard to make sure the colors and size of boards were balanced.  In a few places, we cut down a larger board into skinnier or shorter pieces to vary it a bit, and I got out my paints and repainted some of the boards, too.



After fitting all the pieces, and gluing them down with Gorilla Wood Glue, I rubbed stain over the entire piece.  (I wish I had stained the plywood base first.  Instead, I used a spray stain to get in the cracks between boards.)



In the picture above, you can see the difference the stain made.  The panel in the foreground was not stained, but the back two were.
After the stain dried overnight, I brushed on two coats of polycrylic to seal things up and give the panels a little richer sheen.



And then, just in time for our first board meeting meeting in the remodeled office (today!) my coworkers and I hung the panels.


Our cost:
(compared to Pottery Barn’s $399)
Plywood: ~$13/sheet x 2 = $26
Wood glue: ~$4
Paint, stain and poly: Leftover from other projects
Hardware for hanging: ~4
Total: $34 for three panels (two 32 x 45, one 46 x 45)

Time: 8+ hours over three days to allow paint, glue, stain and poly to dry

Supplies:
paint & brushes
reciprocal saw (jigsaw or circular saw would work)
miter saw (jigsaw or circular saw would work)
measuring tape
wood glue
stain
polycrylic
hardware for hanging (we used a picture frame kit with eye hooks and wire)


One last shot to show the other wall in the kitchen.  We’ve still got plans for that rainbow canvas, and I have another remodeled room (and the cutest seating area!) to show off, too!



I’ve had such a fun time working on these spaces with my coworkers and we’re just hoping our board of turkey farmers and industry gurus will approve!

Shared at: Inspire Me Wednesday
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Funky Junk Interiors
Sand & Sisal
Funky Junk Interiors Best of 2014

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Important HomeShed News

As I prepare for a HomeShed sale this weekend (September 5-7) I have some important news to share.

Oct. 3-5 will be the last HomeShed sale at Red Granite Farm.

And it’s all because of the turkeys.

“Help Prevent Disease: Please do not enter without permission.”

One of the most important ways we keep our turkeys healthy is by limiting their exposure to germs.  Avian & poultry disease can be spread in many different ways…from birds flying from farm to farm, to rodents, to bugs, to visitors carrying germs in on their clothing or shoes.

Limiting germ exposure is called biosecurity.  It’s the reason why we don’t let many visitors in our barns.  It’s the reason why we have a separate pair of boots for each barn.  It’s the reason why Bart showers in between barns.

 

And it’s the reason The HomeShed, as we know it, is coming to an end.

You see, Red Granite Farm has chickens.  And IF those chickens were carrying a disease that could make my turkeys sick, and IF I happened to step in chicken poo or get a feather stuck in my hair, and IF I then contaminated our barns, it could be devastating.  I know, I know…that’s a lot of IFs.  But it’s simply a risk we can no longer take.

This is so hard to explain to people, so I’m sure you have some questions.

Wouldn’t you know if the chickens were sick?

Maybe, maybe not.  Remember chicken pox? There’s an incubation period, where the affected person carries the germ but isn’t showing any signs of illness.  By the time the symptoms show up, they’ve already spread the illness.  It’s one of the reasons ebola is such a problem in Africa right now.

Second, although chickens and turkeys are both poultry, they have very different immune systems.  One disease that is going around (Mycoplasma gallisepticum) doesn’t seem to bother chickens.  They can carry the germ, but they don’t get sick.  Turkeys, on the other hand, suffer greatly from MG.  In some cases, farmers have lost more than 1/2 their flock to MG (thousands of birds) and then have had to euthanize the rest of the birds (depopulate) in order to disinfect their barns.

Why now? This wasn’t a problem the last two years? Why is it now?

It’s always been a concern, but things are changing at Red Granite Farm and it’s about to become riskier. RGF has expanded the number of chickens they have, and because of that, they’re going to build a new chicken coop closer to the end of the barn I use.  More chickens + new location = more risk.

Is this really the end of The HomeShed?

No!  I will keep my booth at Antiques Iowa, and may do some shows.  I love picking, collecting and decorating, so I’ll keep doing those things in some way, forever!  The last few days, working in the Shed, have convinced me this isn’t something I can just quit doing!

So, come on out this weekend. The HomeShed will be open Fri & Sat 9-5 and Sunday 11-4, and I’ll probably be marking down a lot of my merchandise so I won’t have as much to move after the October sale!

Blogger Book Club: Dark Places

You guys, I did it.  I read a whole book last month (actually, I read two!)

I saw that some of my favorite bloggers started a book club, and I decided to join in. These gals are all home décor/DIY bloggers most of the time, but started a book club as a fun way to read with friends.

In August, we read Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.  I haven’t read any other novels by this author, who also wrote Gone Girl, so I didn’t really know what to expect.

What’d I think of Dark Places?  Well, it was…um…dark.  I love mysteries, but usually from the detective's point of view. This story focused on the victims’ family and the events that led up to the family’s murder. It was a sad story, with amazingly believable characters, and for me, it was just too much.  The characters’ pain, both before and after the murders, were too intense for me, especially knowing that there was no happy ending.

That said, Gillian Flynn is an amazing author, and I really enjoyed the background about the farm crisis and how it led to the devastation of a family.  It feels wrong to say I enjoyed reading about the farm crisis, but it was just so interesting to hear how it affected this family.  Although I wasn’t born until 1984 and didn’t start farming until 2009, the farm crisis of the 80s had a big impact on my family and agriculture in our area.

I know from a few emails back and forth that at least a couple of my fellow book clubbers liked this book more than I did, so be sure to check out their reviews, too!

Carmel @ Our Fifth House
Kirby @ Kirb Appeal
Cassie @ Primitive and Proper
Next month’s pick: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Read along with us, or suggest a book for our club.  It’s my turn to pick in October and I’m so far out of the reading loop, I don’t even know where to start!

Dear College Freshmen,

In many ways, I envy you.  You are so young.  You have so much to look forward to.  You are entering one of the best phases in life.

And yet, I worry about you.  You are so young.  You have so much to learn.  You are entering a defining phase in life.

I was in your shoes 12 years ago, and the last thing I wanted was some 30 year old giving me advice.  But, that’s exactly what I’m about to do… (because I’ll sleep better at night knowing I tried to help you.)

So here it goes, my advice for college freshmen:

1.  It's okay to change your mind. Change your major. Dump your boyfriend. Set a new course. Now is the time to do it!

2.  Don't get caught up in the petty behavior that seems to follow groups of girls. Judging, gossiping, backstabbing - the sooner you quit doing those things, the better friends you’ll have and the happier you’ll be.

3.  Surround yourself by people you want to be like. If you see yourself taking on attitudes or habits or behaviors that remind you of someone else, ask yourself if that’s who you want to be.

4.  Others will make mistakes.  Forgive them.  Others have faults.  Love them anyway.  It’s no fun being mad all the time.

5.  You have faults. Love yourself anyway.  You will make mistakes.  Forgive yourself.  You will make more mistakes drunk than sober. Remember that.

6. Find an older woman you can identify with, and listen to her advice. Your boss, your coach, your advisor…she’s been there and can be your tour guide. In every phase of my life, I’ve had amazing women show me the way, and I am so thankful for that.

7. Don’t aim for perfection.  Perfection is psychotic.  Decide what’s important to you and do your best at those things.  Decide what’s not important to you, and lower your expectations in those areas.

8. Learn how to use tools.  Google how to fix your washing machine. Change your own oil.  You don’t need a man to do things for you.

9. Parenting is the hardest job you’ll ever have.  Think hard about whether or not you want to be a parent, and if you do, take that into consideration when you choose a career path.  Because when you have a full-time, stressful job, and your children are a full-time, stressful job…well, it’s a lot to handle.

10. Do things that are good for your soul, not your ego.  When you feel overwhelmed or overcommitted, make your soul a priority.

I could go on and on, and the lessons you learn on your own will be endless.  When you emerge from this place four years from now, you will be a better woman.  You will have had your share of struggles and joys and you will be ready for the rest of your life’s journey. 

Carpe diem, my friends!

Katie

*Photo courtesy From my Front Porch.*

10 Favorite Turkey Recipes

The Iowa Food and Family Project is talking all about turkey this month! 



I got to be a part of the fun in June when Iowa Girl Eats went behind the scenes at a local Subway.  Kristin (Iowa Girl Eats) is an amazing food blogger here in central Iowa.  She works with the Iowa Food and Family Project through Join My Journey.  We farmers would love to have everyone out to our farms to visit, but it’s just not feasible.  So, Kristin has visited farms and shared her “journey” through her blog on the IFFP website.

Kristin toured a turkey farm in Iowa last summer, but I just met her for the first time when we on live tv together in June.  Our favorite local morning show, Great Day, invited us in to talk about Iowa Food and Family Project, turkey and Subway!

Why Subway? Well, Iowa turkey farms supply all of Subway’s turkey nationally!



I have to say, Kristin was just as cute and sweet in person as she appears on her blog!  We had a great time talking blogging, food and kids at the Great Day studio and at Subway the next day. 



At Subway, we all got to meet the franchise owner, Joe Fisher, Kristin made her own sandwich, and then Kristin signed (and gave away) cookbooks!

The Join my Journey blog on the Iowa Food and Family Project website has more videos and information about the Subway “Journey,” including Kristin’s perspective.

But I wanted in on the action, so I submitted a blog post to their website, too!  My post showcases my Top 10 Turkey Recipes, so click over to find out what they are!

Peek at Recent DIY Decorating

I’ve sort of been on a roll lately, working on my house.

But, I seem to go through periods of “doing” and periods of blogging.

This, apparently, is a period of “doing” because although I’ve done a lot of projects, I haven’t blogged about them.

So here’s a sneak peek at some of the projects, and when life slows down, I’ll (maybe) do some more in-depth blog posts about it all.

Nesting tables for The HomeShed

China cabinet (in progress) for The HomeShed

Nightstand for The HomeShed using my new favorite: General Finishes Milk Paint

New wall color in the play room

Canvas-Sticker-Paint art for Adam’s Room

Barn Wood Leaning Mirror for The HomeShed

Antique Door Coffee Table for The HomeShed

Shelves that fell off the wall in the play room. Oops.

New paint in Isaac’s room

So I guess I DID get something done this summer, huh?

What to do with uncertainty

Our last HomeShed sale was an amazing success, but I have to admit…the two weeks before – the mad rush to get ready – were hard for me.

I was in a junk funk.

Our May sale was not a big success, and the over-analyst in me wanted to know why.  But, as is often the case, there were many reasons for its mediocrity and I had a hard time pinpointing what they were.

That uncertainty didn’t sit well with me.  Uncertainty never does.

So, I was in a junk funk.  I hadn’t had time to complete any new furniture projects. No painting, building, or repurposing had happened.  And I hadn’t been picking for much new stuff either.  Not a good combination if I wanted to impress customers (and sell stuff!)

I started with the picking – I went to a couple of garage sales, but didn’t find a lot.  I just wasn’t in the mood to buy stuff.  It all seemed too risky.  Will my customers like that? Is it the right style? Is that price too high? Will I be able to make my money back? Does that piece need too much work? Is it worth driving back tomorrow to pick it up?

Too much uncertainty.

I stopped by one of my favorite junky shops (JB Knacker, Gilbert, Iowa) for inspiration. I  wandered around and I was inspired, but the uneasy feeling was still there.  My mind was racing…Brenda has a lot of silver in here. Maybe I need more silver in The HomeShed.  And those little floral teacups. I see those all the time. Maybe I should buy them when I see them? She has a lot here.  But when I have had those at the HomeShed, they don’t sell.  Maybe I need to paint all my furniture white like Gravy Home Goods.  Or black like Broad Street Market?

But then, a moment of clarity came. I remembered something I’d seen online.

I can’t try to be JB Knacker. Or Invintg. Or Broad Street Market. Or Gravy Home Goods. Or Junk Refunkery.  My shop is slightly different, and 9 times out of 10, people like it.  If I try to be a second rate version of those other shops, I’ll never succeed.


When I buy things that I genuinely love, they sell almost immediately.  When I try to guess what others will love, I lose money.  Owning a creative business means you must learn to trust your tastes, your style, and your vision.  You can not try to conform to another style because you think customers will like it.  It will never be genuine.  Trust your soul, not your ego.

This has a much broader application in my life than just what I buy for The HomeShed.  I am an over-committer.  I am a dabbler.  I have too many irons in the fire all the time.

When I start dividing those irons into soul-feeding and ego-feeding, the uncertainty disappears.

By the way, these printables are a free gift for my email subscribers.  In order to download the files (without the watermark) you must sign up for my email list below.  After you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation email that has the link to download the printables. (Check your spam folder if you don’t see it right away.)  Any questions, just let me know in the comments!