PB Knockoff fail | Eco Chandy Pt 2

So almost a year ago

I attempted to knock off the PB Edison chandy.

By attempted, I mean I am no electrician, 

so I didn't actually wire bulbs or intend to make it a "light" (per se)

I intended to make it a "statement piece" 

that I would hang from the ceiling

in a spot where a light should be

in my reading nook

Figured the sun (yeah, I know, I live in the PNW)

would beam down on it and make it some cool Dale Chihuly looking piece or something.

Then I woke up (11 months later, or so) from that pipe dream.

And I said to myself

"self, surely you're going to NOT let those billion dollar light bulbs go to waste."

Well yes, I just might.

So I also thought to myself.

Especially after my better half saw me do this

with these

and you remember the reaction to that right

(something about "cluster#*$8@* hanging from my ceiling"

artists.  we are so misunderstood)

In any event,

no, I was not going to let those billion dollar light bulbs go to waste

Though I had originally strung them up like this

I decided to chop off the string

(used that in another project that I'll debut, oh...2012)

Now, if you look close enough in that second picture.

You can see my eco chandy dilema.

How was I going to get these lightbulbs to open up

and be the vessels they were meant to be

especially if I was too chicken to hammer and bang and drill

too hard

for fear I'd break the billion dollar light bulbs.

Well duh, folks. 

I pried the hot glued washers off the ends of my plumber's pipe fittings

(the part painted black) 

and I was able to come out with this

Awesomesauce.

Only 98 more bulbs to go. Or 8

Since I had removed their strings,

I now needed some ingenious way to hang them from my ceiling

if my eco chandy vision was to become reality.

In comes handy dandy eco chandy fishing wire.

and hot glue. And some crafty knots.

Yes mom, I still bite my nails.

Then came the fun part.

Making a chandy out of all this.

We already established I am no electrician

(or carpenter for that matter)

So I decided to make an ECO (as in no energy, healthy for enviro) chandy.

So I used these

 which you will notice are NOT the hammer in anchor types,

they are the screw in drywall anchor types.

I used these because I would wrap my fishing line around the threads

(you can kind of see on the left in the photo above)

and then I would screw these into the ceiling.

Yes I am tall.

No I am not 12 feet tall.

Not even on my tip toes in high heels.

We all know my propensity to not measure or think through

the actual installment of any of my art

(remember that whole subway art hanging debacle?)

Well, I'd like to tell you that this experience went smoothly.

But I gave up on that charade long ago.

In the end

maybe it took me 4 hours,

maybe I was also watching Toddlers &Tiaras

I DID end up with this

And yes, he (who shall not be named)

walked in the door, looked up

which prompted my sidekick awesome puppy mutt to look up

and then together, they were in cahoots with that sly little

"uhm, okay" look going all night long.

Her puppy spot is right under this installment.

Then I lit some tealight candles in the handled jars at night

and I might have won them over.

And if not, maybe my consolation will be a place in the  

Crafting with the Stars Season 3.

 

A girl can dream.

Linking up to Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday

Good Life Wednesday over at Beach Cottage 
Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, join the site and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

Or fan our B3HD Facebook page

Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***

Reading Nook Part 2 - In progress

In my August finds post,
I may have hinted at a new obsession | collection

 

Okay, really, it is two new obsessions:

globes

vintage children's books.

I do work in education after all.
No, I am not an educator.


Let it settle in.


Across from my reading nook 

which I detailed on b3hd part 1

There was an empty space just big enough for one of my fave Craigslist deals ever
I redid the chairs for the dining room and you can see them in this post.
But the table...


I painted the top with chalkboard paint and started on the sides.  You'll have to wait for that.
What I did finally get around to though
is that since we built the built in shelves for the office downstairs,
I have these bookcases.
I stacked them on top of the table.
After I cut off about 18 inches from the top so that they would fit.


Gave me lots of display space for thinks like this

and this

and across the top, I just laid out my newest collection

 

Along the side, in the mini windows letting in all of the light

that is a rare sight in these parts,

I lined up the first collection that stole my heart

(the cameras)

What are you collecting lately?
Any other camera, vintage children's books or globe collectors out there?
Do you have a globe that lights up?
I might or might not have one of those...(smile)


Linking up to Funky Junk's Themed Vintage Link Party


*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, join the site and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

Or fan our B3HD Facebook page

Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***

If I cleaned | Sponge Snobbery

If I cleaned

these would be the supplies I could not live without

Because I don't clean that often

I can go to the extremes - 

I can buy really cheap supplies (the yellow rubber scrubby rag and the white cello sponge)

and I can break the bank (Myers Clean Day, Eurosponge, specialty scrub brushes).

As you can see, those supplies are all on my black granite counter tops.

Which I hate.

Love when they are clean

hate that it takes my blood, sweat and tears

to get them to shine up properly.

Equal amounts of each at that.

In any event,

Most of my decor is black white and yellow.

So the blue sponges are just so not cool.

Sure, they are useful and functional.

But not cool.

So I picked up a couple of packs of really cheap white cello sponges from the dollar store.

Stylish. Chic!

The only thing I hate worse than the black granite counters when they are dirty,

is the glass cooktop.  Uhg.

The yellow rag with rubber scrubby dots is a God send.

Non-abrasive, but some scrubbing power to get it done.

The white eurosponge is the super thin "sponge" on the left in the photo.

It. is. awesome!

I can just dampen it, swipe it across my counters

and I get a non-streak shine that is unbelievable.

On the glass cooktop, I use the Myers window cleaner with the eurosponge

and not only does it sparkle, it also smells great.

Sometimes, I have to use my secret weapon on that stove

because spillovers are really common around these parts.

Just saying.

The finishing pieces are the scrubby brushes.

he (who shall never be named) actually bought us the palm scrubby

which I love because it fills with dishwashing liquid, that you just squirt out.

No big bulky jug of dishwashing liquid up on the sink.

The smaller slim brush with handle is just convenient for getting around edges and into small spaces.

That's all I need.

Well, and the secret weapon.

What cleaning supplies do you avoid using until the situation is just beyond bearable?

*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, join the site and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

Or fan our B3HD Facebook page

Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***

Evolution - Back Flower Bed

When we first moved in to Pinehurst

Let's just say that the landscaping was hurting.

 There were undergrown shrubs and overgrown grass/weeds

and there was hardly any definition at all to any beds.

 

Shortly after moving in, I dug out the back flower bed.

Got all curvy with it.

I may or may not (yeah I did) have dug up

each and every rock you see

lining the edge of that bed.

 

It did all that digging last summer/fall.

This spring/early summer, I planted those tiny boxwoods.

Look closer.  Under the gigantic windows.

You know, the windows that make them look even tinier.

 

Last fall, we got around to mulching out the beds. 

With red bark mulch that totally stained his jeans.

Not mine, because I was not rolling around in the stuff.

Fast forward to end of this spring and you can kind of see

the remnants of the most amazing flowers ever.

Here, let's get closer...

 I would plant nothing but black tulips and giant king yellow daffodils

if space were not an issue.  As it is, the Peony to the left of those tulips

would come to steal my heart early summer.  

The heather, at the foot of the tulips, to the right

just FINALLY came alive.

I was so ready to sacrifice her for the space.

What's popping up in your garden this time of year?

*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, join the site and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

Or fan our B3HD Facebook page

Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***

Week 37 Random Pinehurst

 

Puppy food factory shut down.

Every. Week.

Love her to pieces.

She's so worth it.

*** 

Loving b3HD? 

Have a life and can't view the whole blog in one sitting? 

Then stalk us already! 

Scroll down, join the site and become a follower!

Or follow B3HD the Blog on Twitter

Or fan our B3HD Facebook page

Promise not to stalk you back. Unless you want us to. 

***