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!