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.
Nancy S in Winnipeg
To paraphrase Red Green "If they don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."
Karol
Ahhh, thanks for that great flashback, I had forgotten about the Red Green show. I loved that tagline!
Susan U
I have a sister who just may be Pink Tool Belt's separated at birth sister. That would make us related.
Deb Miller
In, how ashamed I now am of my previously-believed-to-be-fabulous DIY projects! This is one of your funniest posts, yet, Queen Karen! And that chandelier - Oh my Gawd! And seriously, I want to be hideous just like PTB!
Teddee Grace
Talented family! It's beautiful! I notice it is exposed to the elements. What was done to make it weatherproof? I can see from the edge of her flower bed that she's a neatnik!
Ev Wilcox
The light is wonderful, but I don't understand how it is impervious to rain! Please please explain, as I need one that is impervious too! You two are awesome! Your parents sure did well! Thanks Karen.
jainegayer
Yes, she's every bit as hideous as you and so is her hair!
Beautiful, both of you and so creative.
I too was wondering about the rain on the chandelier. I like the size of the chandelier over the smaller table.
It's unexpected and different.
kelli
Y'all are definitely the DIY-in-your-DNA divas, wow! That chandie is stunning. As is her yard/pergola. As is she herself. The pink toolbelt kills!
Tigersmom
Wow! I thought the picture pre paint job showed some very clever scrounging for materials coming together in what would be a far too rustic/industrial look for me. And then BAM! I'm not usually one for antiqued finishes either (I find they just seem to make things look as though they are just really dirty) but the finished product is really beautiful.
I, too, am wondering about the rain worthiness of this puppy, tho.
mickey
awesome!!!
laura n
Wow
Jennie
I love the fact that PTB used wood your father turned by hand. I have tools from my grandfather's wood shop displayed in my studio. That sense of continuity makes this lamp special for me. Repurposed and loved, guess that's the message from our generation.
Mary W
I agree Jennie that using the wood from her father is the best part. I'm sure he would be happy to see that they were used and what a wonderful reminder each time she sits under it. Your grandfather's tools are another way to remember our heritage and stay connected and it just feels warm and happy to look up and see one of a kind family things. I've saved my fathers uniform buttons and other "things" that hang on uniforms to make into some display but haven't come up with the best idea yet. Maybe a shadow box to hang next to my grandmothers tatting tools and pieces that I have.
Heather
just WOW
danni
...at first I was thinking you had finally gone off the deep end, it just looked like a bunch of crap like kindergarten macaroni art, but.... taDAAAAAAH!!! holy shit!
I'm now going to punch myself in the head for even thinking that.
Paula
Wow!! I thought I had done well by just spray painting an old chandelier. What a resourceful and ambitious family. I'm with some of your other readers too, Karen, can we have your and your family's hair secrets?
Angela
Love the chandelier! But I want to see more of her yard. Beautiful!
Barb
Pink Tool Belt is beyond awesome, just as you are, Karen!! Beautiful shots, by the way, of that beautiful chandelier.
Louise
"But all that manual labour has taken it’s toll. Look at her. She’s hideous." LOL! Such a sisterly thing to say!
mimiindublin
Amazing! But it has taken its toll alright ha ha!
Only yesterday I came across an article on making your outdoors look well, and a porch chandelier was one of the ideas!!!
Someone is robbing your stuff!
Kim
Pure Awesomeness!!! What a talented bunch!
Grammy
I'm just imagining how devastated Betty must be, lovely as she is, to have such hideous daughters. She must have spent all your school years just working mightily to make you three girls presentable. It would have taken a toll on a lesser woman.