And the Winner is …….

Posted by James on October 9, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: . 2 Comments

Last week, we had our very first Cavender Diary Give-A-Way.

For the folk art witch plaque that has been just taking up room in the garage.

There were way more responses than we expected……… and I honestly wanted to make a couple more for people.

But there was only 1.

We put everyone’s name in a bowl, and mixed them up for about 5 minutes before Jamie pulled Andrea’s name….

Andrea lives about 30 minutes from our house, but she was so excited that she drove over here this afternoon to pick her up…..

…..and sent me this picture as soon as she got home.

Doesn’t she look great? Finally, a place of honor for her.

Thanks to everyone who responded. We seriously do wish that we could have given one to each of you.

This was so much fun that we will definitely have to find some more things to give away.

Creating Autumn Outside Our House

Posted by James on October 7, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , . 3 Comments

Yesterday it was 50 degrees when we woke up…..

Pretty unusual for early October in Dallas.

So it set our minds to FALL……and pumpkins. Where’s the best place to find pumpkins in Dallas?

Why the Dallas Farmer’s Market of course.

AHHHH, ……Yeah, …….they had a few pumpkins.

And Mini pumpkins…….of all sizes and colors. Aren’t these green/white striped the coolest ever?

and oodles of gourds…..

Chrysanthemums the size of Galapagos tortoise.

How beautiful are these 4 foot strings of chili peppers?

Back to the pumpkins….

…because that’s what we came for.

We loaded the car with perfect pumpkins, some “pimply” looking squash, and a few rusty-orange mums.

Now back home to make the front of our house look like “Autumn has Arrived”.

Wanna know the secret to beautiful shiny pumpkins? Wipe them off real well to remove the surface dirt…then spritz them with leafshine.

I borrowed ours from our dear friend the event planner.

You can buy it on Amazon. Pretty cheap.

Last year I thought I’d be clever and use Pam cooking spray. Don’t, it attracts ants……lots of ants.

Everyone has seen white B-lights for Christmas. But how about orange? We got these at Target last years for 70% off the retail price after Halloween. They are NOT LED, LED B-lights are the work of Satan himself and will never be allowed near this house.

That little glow of orange is just what our bushes needed. The trick with lights is to weave them into the bushes in a zig-zag shape…..hiding the cords as you go.

When the electricians installed the under eaves lights 2 years ago, we had them put an outlet on each side of the house……just for holiday lighting. BEST DECISION we made. There are no cords running along the patio, and both outlets are controlled with one switch. So simple.

We reused the square leaf wreath we made last fall. It was laying flat in the attic all year. I just added a few new leaves to fill in where the old ones had dried and separated. It doesn’t hurt to have an orange front door. Jamie thinks that he may paint it red for Christmas.

Remember the Ikea galvanized lanterns that we added orange gels to a few months ago? Told ya they’d be perfect for Fall.

 

We want the excitement of Halloween, without the commitment of removing everything on November first. This way, we can enjoy everything just as it is until Thanksgiving.

That’s when we change to Christmas….I can hardly wait.

October Give-A-Way (That’s Right, Free)

Posted by James on October 2, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , . 9 Comments

I’m one of those people who sees something and thinks to himself, “I could make that.”

Case in point…this plywood “folk-art” witch.

I made that, yes,  yes I did. I saw one in a boutique for $200. It was nothing more than a plywood shape with a witch painted on it. I had a jig saw, I had craft paint….and I had time. She turned out a little more “cartoony” than I had hoped…but I was still pretty darn proud.

That was about 10 years ago.

That was also the last time I did anything with her. My tastes have changed over the past few years and it’s a little sad that she has been out of sight for way too long now…

Just kinda hanging around in the old garage…actually, aging very nicely. The Texas heat has crackled the paint in a way that I could never duplicate intentionally.

Everyone should know by now that we have been feverishly cleaning out our garage in recent weeks. Scaling back on the stuff we don’t really need/use anymore. I couldn’t bear to just throw her away…..or even donate her to Goodwill. After a friend suggested that I try to sell her on Etsy; I wondered if anyone who reads our blog would be interested in her.

We’ve never done anything like this before…but we thought, “What the Heck”….

So, here’s the Deal-E-O.

If you want her….and will promise to give her the home she deserves. I will send her to you…I’ll even cover the shipping. (You just have to live in the Continental United States. Sorry to all our global readers.)

Leave  a comment on this post, ……….or, if you prefer, send us an email,  Chznone2@aol.com

We’ll draw a winner randomly on Saturday, October 6…….

Oh, and we do expect a picture of her hanging in the winners home.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Vintage Metal Bar Cart

Posted by James on September 29, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

OK, get this…

I’m wandering through one of my favorite junk stores the other day….and what do I stumble upon?

THIS….

Remind y’all of anything?

I’ll give you a hint, it’s in our living room and it’s covered in liquor ……

and it looks like …….

THIS…..

I found the original version of our Harbor Freight and Tools bar cart.  The price you ask?

75 Bones,  Exactly the same.

Yeeppp …..Same-Freaking-price….

I almost like the vintage one a slight, teeny-weeny, bit more. Except……it doesn’t have the drawer for glasses and bar naps, or the stoppers on the wheels.

We’ll stick with the one we have, Thank you very much.

I Googled “Matco Tool Cart” and found that they make a pretty impressive amount of cool tool boxes and carts. Not that we need any more right now. We went back to Harbour Freight a few months ago and got a huge rolling tool cart for the garage. (Of course now when someone steals our tools from the garage, they can just roll the whole shebang down the alley with ease) I plan on showing off that organizational obsessiveness in a later post.

Back to our bar cart.  

Here’s a great chance to highlight that big glass ball filled with “Shamefully” collected beer bottle caps. Yeah…I drank pretty much every one of those bottles of beer. Except the Bud Light…that’s really more water than beer anyhoo.

There might, possibly, be a couple of Jamie’s Coke caps in there.

Maybe,

But who are we kidding? That’s a heck of a lot of beer.

It’s kinda cool the way the demons in the Carter the Great poster seem to be flying out of it.

Symbolic even, one might say….

We also found a place for the giant clam shell we picked up on our day trip to Key West last month.

I’ve wanted one for years and finally found one for a decent price. (under 30$).  It’s not nearly as big as I would have wanted,…….. and still want, and will have one day…….. but at least it’s not resin. I just have to keep it stocked with lemons for the rest of my life.

If it will alway looks this good, that won’t be a problem.

For the Love of Plumbing Pipe

Posted by James on September 26, 2012
Posted in: New Home, Projects. Tagged: , , , , . 11 Comments

My love of plumbing pipe has very few limits. Last year, we used it to make a rolling log holder for our den that just swept the internets.

Maybe it’s because I am drawn to loft-like urban spaces with exposed brick, huge factory windows, and cement floors. Plumbing pipe just fits in these kinds of places.

With a 10 foot ceiling, concrete floors, and an exposed brick wall (actually the back of the fireplace), our garage is the most loft-like part of the house….and the perfect place to utilize our love of this inexpensive utilitarian material.

We already showed the plumbing pipe we hung on the wall to hang tools. Here are a few more pipe projects that we did to “Amp Up” our garage functionality.

Coat Rack Pucks

Plumbing pipe is oiled, so it’s easier to thread together. I’m pretty sure that we don’t want that oil staining all our nice coat and hats. To remove the oil we washed all our pipe parts with Fast Orange hand cleaner.

This stuff is just amazing at removing grease and oil. My brother Josh introduced me to it after working on my greasy, oily car. It has just the right amount of grit and a pleasant citrus smell. I picked some up at an auto parts store. Pretty sure it was about 2 dollars.

For coat/hat pucks we used a flange, a 1″ threaded connector, and a cap.

We just screwed them together,

Because they aren’t going to hold anything really heavy, we just attached them with screws.  We’d use butterfly screws if they needed the extra support.

Now we have a convenient place next to the backdoor for coats, hats…and a dog leash.

Under Cabinet Hanger Bar

Space is a premium in our garage. Because the washer and dryer are in there, it only seems fitting that our unused clothes hangers would end up there as well.

The underside of the cabinets is the absolute perfect place to keep them. Close by, and out of the way at the same time.

For this project we used elbows, as well as flanges, and 1 inch completely threaded connectors (because we wanted the pipe to be as close to the underside of the cabinet as possible).

Plumbing pipe comes in a pretty big assortment of precut sized, but unfortunately, 12 inch increments aren’t always the sizes that we need.

Not a problem, the Big Box stores will cut it for you, and rethread the new cut end, while you wait. Any size at all.

Here’s Raul cutting my pipe at Home Depot. He always helps me with my issues. I can’t be sure, but sometimes I think he tries to avoid me. I can’ t imagine why…….I’m his best customer.

Again, we just screwed this on with screws to the underside of our upcycled cabinet.

Loft Space Ceiling Pipes

I’ve always loved the way plumbing pipes hang from the ceiling in industrial lofts.

I used these galvanized pipes for curtain rods in my last house, and had a few left over that didn’t fit anywhere in this house.  So hanging from the garage ceiling it is.

Because they are hanging straight down, and likely to hold heavy things, we used butterfly screws for this project.

First we connected all our pipes and pipe fittings, knowing that we wanted a 4 inch drop from the ceiling.

With Jamie on the scaffolding, and me on top of the refrigerator, we held our 16 feet of connected pipes to the ceiling and marked where the holes in the flanges were.

Here’s a tip we’re glad to pass on.

You know those plastic liners that nurseries sell to put under house plants? They are perfect for collecting dust when drilling holes in the ceiling.

Simply drill a hole in the middle and slip the drill bit through it.

Just like so ……

Now when I drill my ceiling holes for the butterfly screws, all the dust and drywall bits collect in the plastic liner.

Brilliant. I know, I know…and only about 75 cents.

We slipped the butterfly screws through the holes in the flanges….

…and tapped them into the corresponding holes in the ceiling. Then we tightened all the butterfly screws with the drill.

We had enough left over pipe (a 6 foot pipe and 2 – 5 foot pipes) to hang on the entire left side of the garage, over the new tool cabinets.

Now all that stuff we had covering the floor…….has somewhere to hang.

That’s Way, More, Much Better in our books……

even if it does remind us of Bennigan’s……

(sigh)

Back Patio Spruce Up

Posted by James on September 23, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , , , . 7 Comments

And speaking of Ikea, we are Always speaking of Ikea, how about these awesome metal chairs in the “Dinged and Damaged” section? (slightly blurry iPhone pic) We love a clearance price….AND couldn’t find any dings or damages on them.

“Too bad we don’t need 1 white chair and 1 black chair,……… if only they were the same color”.

I’ll bet that was what everybody that passed them up was thinking.

While we clever boys were thinking, “Remember that brown satin spray paint we used on the under-eaves lights?” You can see it Here.

Yeah, I guess it was over a year ago that we put some effort into our patio and got that $150 patio set from the Walls-Mart.

It held up pretty well, I suppose. It was cheap, so no loss in replacing the chairs with some we really like.

The cushions are a little sun-bleached, but it’s ok. Those lattice cubes from Ikea, little spotty too. ‘Prolly cause they aren’t meant to be exposed to the elements.

Well, Jamie fixed those lattice boxes with the same russet stain we used on the fence.

One small project led to another small project, and soon our patio looked like this.

The loveseat and barn star got fresh coats of satin spray as well. Now all the faded metal ties together nicely with the new chairs. But not Matchy-Matchy.

All those lattice boxes needed was a little stain…..Way, More, Much, Better….

I’m sure that y’all remember when we used the orange theatrical gels on those galvanized lanterns. Also from, you guessed it, Ikea.

Usually we have an outdoor rug on the patio to soften the space, but when we have friends over, (or we are styling for pictures)…..out comes an old kilim rug.

Those chairs turned out great….

If you can even see them under the giant pillows. Comfy…

Our Ikea mantra……Personalize it.

The chairs, lattice boxes, and lanterns all got customized.

Pretty groovy patio all around……

Now my brother has a great space to smoke in when he’s at our house…….

A Little Bathroom Inspiration for Today

Posted by James on September 21, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , , , . 4 Comments

Been thinking about the bathrooms lately……..

Our kitchen is spectacular…….but the bathrooms? Eeehh, not so much.

………thought we’d share some of our favorite inspiration pictures with you fine folks.

So a little bit modern feeling, mixed with a little vintage …

Slate floor, maybe subway tile walls to the ceiling, big sink, some concrete, open shower area, definitely some wood elements, and brushed stainless fixtures…..

Sounds like a plan…

This is just inspiration right now,  Nuttin’ more. ( I was Strong-Armed into adding that part)

The Curiosity Shoppe

Posted by James on September 19, 2012
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

As usual, Target continues to inspire.

Our favorite of this Fall’s Target offerings come from the San Francisco based Curiosity Shoppe.

The Curiosity Shoppe is owned and operated by Lauren Smith and Derek Fagerstrom. The pair left their super fun, kinda crazy lives in New York City and came home to the San Francisco Bay Area to start up the Shoppe for the simple reason that they were obsessed with beautiful things. They’re thrilled to be sharing the objects and ideas that delight and inspire themselves with as many people as possible. Whether it’s a favorite art book, a vintage find, a carefully hand-crafted piece of jewelry or a one-of-a-kind painting, they guarantee that everything you’ll find in the Shoppe is special. The person who dreamed it up gave it their creative all, and they love them for it.

The collection that the Curiosity Shoppe has curated for Target is based on a vintage road trip.

Think : Route 66 in the 1950’s. Love

A few of our favorite, available online and instore,  items are….

This cutting board shaped like our United States of America. We think it could be improved with a coat of “clear blue sky” chalk board paint and hung on the wall as a message board.

These Awesome salad tongs…..I’m speachless…I just can’t begin to explain how cool I think these are….

We’re a little crazy about these Cafe Au Lait Mugs as well. They’re just the right size for soup. 6 bucks each, great colors, and who doesn’t like vintage graphics? We certainly do.

If you do make it to San Francisco, I highly recommend a stop in this store. But if that trip is a little out of your regular shopping route, the Curiosity Shoppe has a website.

Here are a few of the offerings from the website that tickled our fancy….

How great is this red metal first aid box? It’s just what we need to mount on the wall in the garage for band aids and Neosporin. Not that we need either that often in our garage.(wink)

We also like this little ceramic soap dish. Maybe next to the guest room bed for keys and change.

This 2-toned wood magnifying glass would be the perfect gift for a “hard-to-shop-for” guy…

I’m really in love with these cork coasters. Could it be the Navajo prints?……..Could be.

How perfect would this bottle opener be mounted on the wall next to the “beer fridge” in the garage? Pretty perfect, if I must say.

Yeah, we’ll be placing some orders in the near future.

We linked each picture to the appropriate site to purchase.

Now start clicking and shoppe around a bit…..you’ll thank us.

Silver Nailhead Trim

Posted by James on September 17, 2012
Posted in: New Home, Projects. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

Here are a few pieces of furniture with nailhead trim that inspire us.

Pretty Groovy, Right?

Well, we found a way to add that embellishment to any piece of furniture you already have.

All you need is a nailhead trim studding kit from Beacon Fabric & Notions.  

The tacks are available in Brass, Nickel, and French Natural (sort of a dirty brass)…..in 10 and 50 yard rolls. We choose the Nickel finish, it’s a shiny chrome. Although, 50 yards at $70 is a great deal if you are planning on using these all over your house, we bought 10 yards for $20. (10 yards will go pretty far) It seems like a bit of overkill to have silver studs on something in every room….

Although, we are tempted.

We also found the same kits at Perfect Fit Upholstery Fabric & Supplies, slightly cheaper, and with much easier checkout (to place an order with Beacon, you have to call or email them…there is NO checkout available on the website). But Perfect Fit only offers 10 yard rolls in Nickle and French Brass.

So, it’s your choice of the lesser of two slightly inconvenient evils.

Years ago, a friend gave me this little desk, which I promptly painted Glossy black.

It was rough, real rough. Our theory is that everything looks better painted black. Trust me, it’s wayyyyy nicer painted black. But it’s still a little “flat”.

This is the perfect candidate for a little glimmer.

Installation of the tack strips is so easy. All you need is a pair of needle-nose pliers and a rubber mallet.

Don’t have a rubber mallet? No worries, just use a rubber band to attach a piece of towel over the head of a regular hammer.

Each roll of trim has a hole every 5th nail for a real tack to go. Use the pliers to hold the tack in place;

Now bang a tack into every hole on the strip….pulling it tight against surface of your piece. 

Always start, and end, your nailhead strip with a hole for a tack. If the strip doesn’t end in a hole. Cut it off where it does, and just use single tacks to finish your line.

What do ya think?

So easy, with just the right amount of impact.

We could do this on a headboard, picture frames, upholstered chairs……or even framing a mirror. I could go on and on. Maybe the next piece will have a more intricate pattern.

I guarantee, if you look around your house right now, there is some piece of furniture that will look so much more amazing with this little detail.

Creating Shelves Between Cabinets

Posted by James on September 15, 2012
Posted in: New Home, Projects. Tagged: , , , , , , . 5 Comments

OK,

So we mounted our old cabinets on the garage wall, and they didn’t quite strech over all the wall space we were hoping for.

Not to worry. Nothing wrong with a little open shelving in this house….

This project is very similar to the shelf we built over the door to our master Bedroom last year…….and visually mimics the Ikea Lack shelves that we attached to the side of the cabinets over the washer/dryer.

We love consistency in this house……….

Here’s the space between the wall mounted cabinets. About 30 inches.

We started with a few scrap 1X2s cut to fit the shelf. Using a level, we then screwed them to the cabinet sides and wall. Right into the studs. This will support the weight evenly. If we just did the sides, eventually they might sag in the middle.

For shelves, we hacked down 2 of the old laminate shelves that used to hang over the washer/dryer. Laminate surfaces are great in a garage because painted shelves would just get scratched with all the action.

I’m really glad that we could reuse the older shelves.

The American Indians have an mantra that we in the Cavender house try to live by too,

“Every part of the Buffalo”

They got everything that they needed to survive from buffalos (technically Bison, but I digress) ……..food, clothing, tools, weapons and even housing. Not a single little part of the animal was wasted.

It’s very possible that the Native Americans were the first hoarders.

Added a couple of 1X2 strips to the front just to make them look thicker…and I filled in the cracks and nail holes with white kitchen/bathroom chalk.

Remember that Crate & Barrel outlet down the street? Found these lovelies there a few months ago…

See where this is headed now?

Great place to wrangle all those oddball things that we need in the garage; extension cords, electrical supplies, shop towels, and even rubber gloves. Out in the open, but still organized.

I’m thinking about adding another white trim piece just under the counter top…….. I think I’ll go do that right now.

We’ll see y’all later with more of our easy garage organizing ideas.