Pimp my pantry

So, i found a post on pinterest that totally inspired me to pimp my pantry. It is one of the most OCD things i have ever done.
Check out the pin
http://pinterest.com/pin/223702306462952092/
The girls are from the Dallas area and have a blog called Shanty2chic.... Sooooo many great ideas.

Something has to change, so i started by spending a weekend making these can holders.
I painted them and pimped them out, and found the perfect cabinet placement for them.
The next step was taking EVERYTHING out of the paper packaging and placing in airtight containers.

The results are awesome. The cabinet is beautiful, everything is labled, and i can see how much i have of what, making it easier to do my weekly shopping list.

Something has to change, so i started by spending a weekend making these can holders.
I painted them and pimped them out, and found the perfect cabinet placement for them.

The results are awesome. The cabinet is beautiful, everything is labled, and I can see how much I have of what, making it easier to do my weekly shopping list.
Thanks for stopping by!

Aviation Inspiration

I am planning on finally doing something with the vast open wall in my living room.  I am the kind of girl that really searches for inspiration, and I toil over it.  Last week I was looking at Potterybarn.com again and came across some new framed prints.  I found some great prints of early aviation americana that I just couldn't live without.

So now I have the bug, and I start searching for early aviation prints that really tug at my heart.  I found several that I just love, and that Kevin loves, and ordered them..... on to phase 2.

Frames.... I found a great website that makes very Potterybarn-ish frames CHEAP.  FramesUSA.com
I also ordered custom cut mats from their sister site.

Now I have to decide how to hang the pictures.

Graph paper and post-it notes are my favorite planning tools.

Next I cut out all of the frame sizes with freezer paper, and taped them on the wall, so i could "see" how well my plan will work.

Right now it looks like a scene out of a horror movie, where the detectives find the stalkers house with pictures and newspaper clippings taped on the wall.

The pictures I ordered started arriving, but I am still waiting for the frames and mats to arrive.  The propellor will be here Wednesday (a great friend sent it).

I cannot wait to get this all done so I can do the big reveal.

I hope to have it all done before my out of town guests arrive MLK Weekend 2013.

More to follow.

The propellor arrived, and it is beautiful. Thank you to our friend Gary. He carved it by hand, flew it a few hours on his Pietenpol, then decided he didnt like the flying characteristics, so he made a new one. He was so kind to let this come live on our wall. It means so much more than anything i could have bought for myself.

Finally finished.... Kinda. I have more photos and frames to add. Maybe next week.

How to make the mason jar chandelier

First I built a box that is the base of the light fixture.  I used 1/2" MDF (because I had it laying around).

The base is 6"x35"

I took this opportunity to use my new Kreg tool

I also learned how to cut crown moulding

 I worked with the box upside down so the table would act as the ceiling, and I could position the crown moulding correctly.

very important to start your nails first

mark where your wires will come through

pre drill, then drill all of the holes

I painted with a sample from Home Depot... best value $2.99

Then I drilled all of the mason jar lids for the electrical fixture

I use a nail to tap the metal to keep the drill bit from walking

clean it up a bit so you don't get cut later

The top of the light fixture

this is a ceramic disk which acts as an insulator so you won't get shocked from hot wires touching the metal lid.

progress

I purchased fabric covered wire from an antique specialty store.  I put masking tape around the points where I cut to keep it from fraying.  I cut lengths varying from 23" to 27"... 16 total

this was 3 ply wire.  My fixtures had no connector for the ground, so I just cut it back.

After 2 coats of brown paint, I dry brushed some black paint on to match my kitchen cabinets

I am pleased with the results

Very carefully wiring to ensure that white wires and black wires cannot possibly touch.  If any wires are visible from under the wire caps, adding a little electrical tape is a good idea.  I wired to an electrical plug, because I don't want to hard wire this fixture, I am adding a plug to the socket.

preview on wiring

My electrician suggested adding sheet metal to the top of the fixture, just in case.  If anything shorts out, it won't  burn through the ceiling.

I enlisted the aide of the hubbs to actually hang the fixture

I used ceiling hangers with 5" screws

he measured and wallered out some holes

installed this into the existing light fixture, so I could just plug in!

Brighter than the surface of the sun!!!

So we added a dimmer switch!... be sure to get one rated for the correct wattage.  This fixture is currently putting out 640W, plus the other lights on the circuit, we got a 1000W dimmer.

I am not an electrician, but I know one.  This is my wiring diagram

Thanks for looking.