FROM SALVAGE TO SPECIAL - MONOGRAM DECK DECOR

This is a décor item, for the deck, I made from salvaged items. What people had thrown away, I saw potential in. These are glass window blocks, which I “Frugalpaged” and added our monogram to.

So, here’s what I started with:

Some old glass window blocks we had hanging around from taking down a building many years ago, a heart shaped plant hanger someone was throwing away, some leftover chain from a new light we put up, and some strapping from around a cardboard box used to keep it together during shipping.

Here’s what the glass blocks looked like before.

I know pretty gross, huh?

They were piled in a room, which we never go into, under one of our silos.

And here they are all cleaned up. I used some calcium, lime, rust cleaner to get all the dried on grout off after I scrubbed them with soap and water. Then I washed them down with vinegar to clean them good and prepare the glass for better adhesion.

This is the heart shaped plant hanger somebody helped me dumpster dive for. It had a square plate on the bottom, but I asked hubby to change the disk on the chop saw so I could cut it, and do you know what that sweetie did?  He went ahead and just cut it for me. Unfortunately, he did this before I had taken a pic. It was green and had rust spots on it, but it had good bones. The bottom pole is a 5/8” rod. That’s huge as most I’ve seen are only 3/8” or 1/2”.

So, anyway I cleaned it up, sanded  it, and washed it with vinegar. Then I spray it with Rustoleum Hammered Brown paint. No need for primer and covers rust good, according to the can. 

Anyway, it looks good. I also painted 

the chains, which were bright brass colored.

I got the inspiration for this project Here.  The blogger Mod Podged a lantern and I thought it looked pretty cool. I didn't have Mod Podge, so I did a search for the recipe and made my own "Frugalpage"  I wanted something that would be somewhat water resistant, so I use Elmer's Pro Bond. After a test I found out it is not water resistant, even after baking the finish on, so I sealed it with clear enamel. The Pro Bond has some wood fibers in it and this made for a nice texture on the blocks. For this project, I used 2 coats of "Frugalpage" made from regular Elmar's glue and one coat made from the Pro Bond.

        

Photo courtesy of: thehandmedownhouse.blogspot.com

 

I copied some letters from my photo program, cut them out and traced them on the blocks with a permanent marker. This is much neater than trying to paint them on. 

To hang the blocks, I cut lengths of strapping and bent it around the blocks. Hubby helped me to rivet them together at the top. You need two people for this step to get it relatively tight. Next I sanded and painted the straps with some leftover enamel from another project and finally finished the whole block with clear exterior enamel. I put S-hooks from some broken bungie straps on to hang them from the chains. 

I drilled a hole through the top of the deck rail and slipped the pole down through it into a block at the bottom, also with a hole in it. I smeared the hole on the inside with petroleum jelly and that kept the paint from scratching off. I hung  the blocks from the chains, and there you have it. Done! 

Filled in all around . No more flowers other than that one.

5/15 5/27

6/8 6/18

6/29

7/11

GAZEBO ADORNMENT - HOO ARE YOU? LINK

Its time for edition #5 of Hoo Are You Tuesday!


If you want to play along be sure to link up with Leslie at Night Owl Crafting!

1. What is your favorite restaurant?

My favorite restaurant is a local one called McQuire's. We like to eat there because the food is good, it's close , and we see people we know to chat with.

2. What kind of music do you like?

I like pretty much all kinds of music, except heavy metal and rap. I prefer lyrics that are not derogatory to humans in general. I do listen to Country most; however, in the car.

3. What do you watch on TV?

I watch a variety of shows on TV, but I guess my favorites are the CSI's and shows of that nature. We don't have cable or satelite, but there are enough channels that we get over the air, that I still have to record shows to the DVR! I particularly record shows on the CREATE channel. I love their how to shows.

4. Do you enjoy reading and if so what kind of 

books do you read?

I do like to read, but seldom make time for it. The kinds of books I tend to gravitate toward are either romantic fiction or who done it. I prefer female authors, because, frankly the sex is better and the plots more everyday life. Some of my favorite authors are Sue Grafton, Sandra Brown, and Susan Wittag Albert.

5. What is your favorite color?

My favorite color appears to be purple. I say this because when I was looking at the flowers I planted out by the deck, most of them were shades of purple.

Before

and...

After

This is how our gazebo has looked for years. The table was never easy to clean with the deck stain we originally put on it, so I put a tarp over it, which was ok.... for awhile.  

I always felt it needed dressing up, so this is what I did: 

I painted the table with brown exterior latex paint and then painted on the flower and stenciled edges with acrylic paint. I sealed the whole top with concrete sealer. It has come through one winter just fine, so I think it will be alright.

I made some curtain rods to fit out of 3/8” steel rod and I painted telephone insulators [the kind that attaches to the house] to use as brackets. 

The “curtains” are shower curtains, which I got on clearance for $5.00 a set. I used some black hair bands [‘cause Walmart didn’t have black elastic] which I sewed into the tiebacks. I painted fence insulators and attached them to the outside of the posts to hook the tiebacks to.

The final touch when I get around to it is to make some matching cushions for the benches.