Those of you who read this blog regularly are familiar with Pink Tool Belt. She has a clean potato bin. That is the kind of person she is. She's the kind of person who cleans her potato bin regularly.
The tools that fill the workshop in her basement? They're hers. Her husband borrows them they odd time but they belong to her, wearer of the pink tool belt. She has all your basics like drills, hammers, screwdrivers, a jigsaw, a skill saw, a compressor and nail gun, a table saw, drill press and everybody's favourite, the sliding compound miter saw.
She's the one who showed me how to frame my chicken coop and came over every couple of days to work on it with me until I told her to go away because I wanted to built it myself and she was taking away all my fun. Then she came over every 3 days instead of 2.
Pink Tool Belt is not poor. She has plenty of money. I know this because she never buys no name potato chips. But part of the reason she has plenty of money is because she does everything herself. She built her own bed. This is a person who BUILT HER OWN BED. And I'm not talking about taking apart some cruddy old skids and nailing them together again in a different way. I'll show you her bed one day. It's fancy and flourishy.
It shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that she would build her own chandelier out of junk. But it did surprise me. Cartoon surprised, where your eyes google out of their sockets and your tongue unrolls out of your head. You see, Pink Tool Belt is like me in that she is alarmed at how much money outdoor lighting costs. You may remember that refusing to pay for outdoor lighting is how I came up with my Glowing Outdoor Orbs.
Her creation is a bit more ambitious. When she realized she wanted/needed a light for under her pergola in the backyard she figured she might as well just make one with some crap she found in the workshop, plus a few things she had to buy.
Because who doesn't figure they'll just whip up their own light source from beads and wires and stuff?
Behold Pink Tool Belt's DIY Junk chandelier. This is what it looked like before she painted it, so you can see all the bits and parts.
So what is everything and how did she do it? More importantly, how did she find time in between cleaning her potato bin to get it done?
She made her own jig out of a piece of wood to bend the copper tubing into shape so they'd all be exactly the same. Ditto for the wire up top. The finials are pieces of wood my father did on his lathe years and years ago, which she saved all this time.
The pictures I've shown you so far don't give you a good idea of the size of this thing. It measures 3 feet across but weighs surprisingly little what with it being made out of plastic pots and all.
She painted it and gave it a bit of an antique finish.
It wasn't until she hung it that she realized it's a bit big for the table and a bit low, so after I took my shots she raised the chandelier up a bit and starting honing a big hunk of marble she has squirrelled away in order to make a new, bigger table. Just kidding. I think. Who knows with her. I could very well go over to her house next weekend and discover she's built a table, new chairs and a self cleaning potato bin.
Yup. Built her own chandelier. Bed. Tables, chairs, benches, rugs and more.
But all that manual labour has taken it's toll. Look at her. She's hideous.
Now if you'll excuse me I have a dirty potato bin to grab a potato out of and a bed to make. And just to clarify for Pink Tool Belt in case she's reading this, by "make" I mean pull the sheets and duvet up. No need to come over and help me with that.
Dagmar
This is why I read this blog religiously. I get excited when. I come up with funny ways to use house-hold leftover junk. Like when we had an old shelf from a mini fridge that served no purpose after it took too much room; so I re-purposed it by hangining it up in the washroom (our knobs have the same white laquer-but it is hidden out of view anyway) and now it is a magazine rack, holds hot curling irons, flat irons etc. So I cannot build !!! But watching you and your family at work makes me want to at least "TRY".
Thanks Karen and Karen's sister...and other people
Stephanie
Geez the females in your family have great hair! Super jealous. Every one of you has the healthy smooth hair of a sixteen year old.
Maura
Aaaamazing chandelier!
I agree with Stephanie....time for a hair tutorial please!
Dana
I bow down before her greatness.
gabrielle duval
From your description of her abilities, I was thinking that just maybe P.T.Belt should be writing this blog.
Now that I've seen what she accomplished, I'm thinking I am not be worthy to read it!
What did your mom sprinkle on your cornflakes before school, anyway??
MissChris from South Africa
Wow - what a talented family you are - and beautiful to boot!!!
I love love love that Chandeleir - I really want to try and make one too!!
Cynthia Jones
http://langridgecolours.com/langridge-decorative/
Oxidising Rust paint.
Cynthia Jones
Yep, hideous like Bridget Bardot , both of you.
Please don't tell me she did the work while wearing that pure white crochet slip of a dress, with not a mark on it.
Did I ever ask you if you knew of Rust Paint? I love rust paint. I have a photo of my door I did with it. I will email it to you, though I think I already did. Never mind.
Tell Pink Tool Belt she will love it. I am steampunking my electric hot water system as we speak and will be painting it with rust paint. It makes anything look like it is made of old rusty iron.
Check your Memails for the photo of my door.
PS On clucky hens, I read to throw fragrant herbs (and probably some DE) under clucky chooks to deter mites. I say this cos you weren't wearing gloves and you know I am paranoid about mites.
I guess I should go take some photos of the stages of steampunking the hot water system now.
IRS
I trust that you mean Ms Bardot at the height of her fame, when she was truly beautiful. For decades now, BB has reaped the rewards of baking in the sun; she now looks like well-worn luggage. But PTB, by contrast, looks like she has slathered on SPF 1000 every time she went out. Or maybe it's just Betty's good genes.
Laura
Show us that jig-bending-copper-tubing part!! Pretty please?
Denise Leavens
So glad you asked, Laura! I had the same question and then thought I should go an Google it myself. Only problem is, I am abnormally (for me) easily distracted of late. I know from recent experience that I'll look it up and it will lead on a interwebs journey that may lead into next week!
IRS
Nicely done! When I saw the first picture of it, before the paint job, I thought it looked well put together, but, I'll be honest, pretty crappy. But with paint, the transformation was amazing. I am assuming she spray painted it. Since the materials used range from metal to wood to plastic, and maybe some used chewing gum and cat hair for all we know, what primer and paint did she use? I know that Rustoleum makes a spray paint that is supposed to be good for every surface including plastic (and it's the plastic that most spray paints won't stick to), so I am thinking that perhaps she used that. Like Becky above, I am also curious as to how the chandelier is weather proof. There is no solid roof above it, so I would be really worried about that. I know that all sorts of paintable sealants are available, but still.........Nobody needs a zap of electricity up the ass when they're just trying to enjoy some nice barbecued roadkill. And another thing, does PTB intend to let this chandelier hang outside permanently, or disconnect and take it in every winter? Our Canadian winters are pretty harsh even on powder coated enamel objects that were made for the outdoors, let alone on spray paint. Maybe it's just me, but if I'm going to haul my ass off the couch to spend hours and hours making something like this, I want it to last longer than I will. I would certainly consider making my own light fixture, but probably only for indoor use.
Marta
Funny thing, I prefer the original look--without the camouflage paint. :)
Seriously beautiful and pinnable.
Elaine
Wow!!! Just like you, Karen, my mouth also dropped wide open .... very wide!!
I just keep scrolling back and staring at it! What an amazing project; you two sure were born with a lot of talent. I look forward to your humorous (educational too!) posts and check my Inbox before going to bed every night. Thanks for the laughter!
Teresa J
Pink Tool Belt is awesome!! I love her yard too. You both are fantabulous!!!! And how is Fish Pedicure doing? We know Betty just had a wonderful birthday and your yoga niece just had a great garden put in by her very special aunt. Wanna keep up with all the news!!!! LOL
Becky
What keeps rain from getting in between the bulb and the electrical parts? Will there be a tutorial on how to do this?
Kathleen
That is really lovely.
And you are right, she is hideous! ;) Just like you. Must run in the family!
Have a wonderful week, Karen.
Ishrath
Luckily I waited before going on bended knee to ask you to marry me... I think I'm in love with Pink Toll Belt instead.
Paula
Looks great, both her and the chandelier! I bought mine from a junk place and it is solid brass and I paid $40 :)
Gillian
My goodness, that's incredible!!! ...also the type of stuff I'm always wanting to try but, never do.
Except, I did make my own loft bed. It was great! I say great because I moved and didn't need it right away so my Dad started using it as scrap. My beautiful, hours spent sanding, custom made purple wood stain, designed by me, Adult Bunk Bed.
Anyhow, I SHOULD start a blog! LoL.
I ? your posts.
Julia (mumo3kids)
Now go on over and take a picture of it in the actual dark!!
Marion
this is so amazing and beautiful - pleeeeeease explain how she did the paint! did she also do the pergola herself ( with help) ?
Edith
Wow....you guys definitely are related and have the DIY extraordinary gene!
ronda
stunning!