Finding DIY Inspiration

How do I do it; you ask? How do I know what will go with the rest of my decor? Truth be told, sometimes I don't. If I fall in love with a piece and have to have it but it doesn't go with anything else I have, then I may use it for a gift or start a new space. Here are some images I've snapped over time and the vintage finds they have later inspired. Mind you, these were phases and not violet womanly mood swings that I endured over a weekend [not that you were thinking that...].

Over the summer there was a little festival on the Monument downtown Indianapolis. I snapped this inspiring shot one afternoon and later stumbled across a quaint tin a week or two later. I was obsessed with the Ferris wheel and the symmetry that the monument created behind it. Pretty strange how my subconscious was also drawn to this [now] hair-tie holder, right?

This tin was a $5 find at the Southport Antique Mall.

On my way to a photo shoot one morning I stopped in a small town outside of Terre Haute, IN and caught a frame of this stunning door. A few weeks later I picked up another trending item, the old wooden framed window. I printed some photos on 8.5x11 photo paper and taped them on for the time being. Once I tire of that look I'll add some wall decals that also work on a trillion other things [I'll have another post about that at some point]. I found this window for $15 but talked the antique store down to $10 as I bundled items together at the check out. Bundling is a 'picker trick' that requires negotiating. If I buy a big item and some smaller items for instance, I can haggle the price down a bit since I'm buying more. If the store is comprised of lots of vendors they may not do this, but in my instance the owner of the window happened to be the cashier and cut me a deal. Similar windows sell for an arm and a leg as Pinterest users well know.

Wooden barn window from Peru, IN for $10.

While walking to the post office one afternoon I snapped this cozy shot of one of the coolest buildings in Indianapolis; The Blacherne. I love the sleek black lines mixed with the floral landscaping and the brick. That led me to pop the glass and backing out of an old frame and use just the frame to string some jute [baler twine works great too]. I then added some of my favorite Instagram shots by hole punching the printed photo and hanging with a safety pin. A pretty easy craft [no really].

Recycled frame + photos that cost nothing.

Now this may be the most far-fetched yet! This photo was captured in French Lick, IN on my drive home. I loved the color of the bricks against the sky, and beyond that the shapes of the window frames. I harnessed that shape into this potpourri holder [turned tooth brush holder] and put it into my bathroom. I love the crackled glass look and the imperial look of the holder's top. Such an easy find and it can always go back to holding potpourri. I bought this gem at an antique store that's no longer in business. It wasn't an antique [it was a reproduction] but it still satiated my itch.

Potpourri holder turned toothbrush holder for $5.

This isn't how I find every piece, but it's a great way to find what inspires. Once an item looses it's pizzaz I pass it on. Hoarding is one of my biggest fears so I don't keep things forever. Once I've gotten my joy out of them I help them find another home.

Thanks for stopping by the Humble Hammock and looking around; do come back!

Cara

Vintage Finds

Welcome to the HumbleHammock! To begin, this blog will be categorized as: craft focused and home-project directed with a family and inspirational influence. In an effort to challenge myself I've opted to expose some of my crafty talents and grow in the process. With that, let's get started!

'Thrifting' recently picked up some steam in 2013 with the hit by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop. But for those who grew up in a home with a single parent or who understood the idea of stretching a dollar, thrifting is a way of life. I began scouring the local goodwill for name brand items that would help me blend in with my so called 'friends' in middle school. I quickly learned that it was easier to find one-of-a-kind items there instead and repurposed my efforts to finding those by high school. By college I frequented antique stores and began making my apartment and wardrobe something my mother referred to as 'early attic.'

Ingredient tins from Village Market in French Lick, IN. I paid $20 for this mixed set.

Above is one of my favorite finds. After I bought these these ingredient tins they had to be cleaned. Aluminum circa 1950 looks nothing short of grungy but it wasn't anything Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser couldn't handle. Beyond that, they're durable. So much of what you buy today looks like it was made in Jakk's Creepy Crawler Oven and breaks after a few uses. If this stuff's been around since 1950 I'm putting my money on it.

Birdcage found in a small shop in Peru, IN. Paid $10.

Birdcages got pretty hot a year or two ago. Personally, I'm not into birds, but I was drawn to this cage and knew if I hated it I'd have no trouble flipping it in a garage sale. Keeping it handy to collect cards or decorating for parties didn't sound half bad and it went pretty well with my vintage decor. Similar cages are pricey to come by and they are reproductions [which means they don't have nearly the history]. I liked having to put a little elbow grease into reviving this old piece. Initially I thought I'd repaint it but the imperfections grew on me.

1 of 2 vintage bedside lamps. Paid $15 for the pair . Added new shades and wiring.

One of my first projects before college was rewiring these handsome lamps. I found these while thrifting at a local [now nonexistent] shop near my hometown. The set was pretty filthy, but I pulled out the wiring, submerged them in some Dawn and hot water and started scrubbing. At a flea market in Evansville I picked up these fitting shades [by guessing the size] and paid the vendor $5 each for them. The wiring and shade caps came from a local hardware and the final product came together in about half an hour [wiring wasn't hard, but I was a first-timer]. My step-dad is an electric-guru and shed some knowledge for this one, but here's a tutorial on DIY rewiring. All in all I put close to $30 in the pair, but they look like they were made for my 1940's bedroom suite.

Thanks for stopping by the Humble Hammock and looking around. Comment below with any questions on the above projects and do come back!

Cara