Last week we ran across an old collapsed barn. When Opportunity Knocks… tear into an old barn and re-purpose that wood!
The barn wood was free for the pickin’ so we dropped everything and started tearing into the remnants of it in search of pieces we could re-purpose into table tops, signs and hooks.
It was hot and the debris was full of broken glass and rusty nails ~ we were in our glory!
We scored lots of great wood for table tops. I’m hoping to use this for a vintage library table I’ve been hoarding.
My sister Cathy spocked a ton of shutters. I’m not sure what’s she’s planning to do with these.
We climbed, heaved, hawed, pulled, pounded, wiggled, and pried to get the pieces we wanted. This piece weighed A TON! I couldn’t move it an inch until my niece’s husband showed up. In two minutes he had it over the edge and on the ground. SHOW OFF!
After spending hours tearing pieces apart, we had three truck loads of wood.
I came home absolutely filthy, covered from head to toe with dirt and blood running down my legs from all the cuts I had incurred. I was so excited about the wood that I never even realized I had cut myself. (yes I’m up to date with my Tetanus, you have to be when you’re as clumsy as I am). Nothing a good ole’ Popsicle can’t remedy!
I’m seriously out of shape and was too pooped out to start pulling out all those nails so we temporarily just piled it up at the end of our driveway. Oh, where are all the HGTV guys when you need them?
As tired as I was, I was still determined to make at least one creation before the sun set.
I grabbed some old tools to use as hooks. I picked some of these up when I was at the World’s Longest Yard Sale in Tennessee a couple weeks ago
and scored the others during my pickin trip with Karen Berg of Redoux Interiors when I was in California this spring for a Fundraising Paint Workshop.
I smashed my thumb a million times trying to pound the old nails through the metal, but determination prevailed!
This is exactly what I envisioned when I came across these old trowels
I’m serious, I’ve wanted to put these together for the longest time, just needed the right piece of wood.
Can’t wait to show Karen what I did with the trowels I found and share this with Donna from Funky Junk Interiors, the best junkers on the planet ~ I think they would have enjoyed digging through the collapsed barn too!!
What unique things do you like to make hooks out of?
a hui hou kau kou! Shelly
Linking up to these GREAT Parties!
Domestically Speaking – The Power of Paint Party
The Shabby Creek Cottage – Transformation Thursday
Miss Mustardseed – Furniture Feature Friday
Redoux – Friday Link Up Party
Homespun Happenings – Rustic Restorations Weekend
Funky Junk Interiors – Saturday Night Special
Silver Pennies – Silver Pennies Sundays
Knick of Time Interiors – Knick of Time Tuesday
I’m truly humbled that this piece is featured at:
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Funky Junk Interiors
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a hui hou ~ Shelly
Talk about nirvana! lol!
no doubt yeah?
Great job on this piece – I love it!!!
Thanks Cyndi!
I am so jealous. Barn wood, shutters, windows. Are you sure that you weren’t in heaven??? LOVE, love your trowel hanger. Something else to hunt. YIPPEE. Thanks for sharing. Forwarded your post to my friend that came to Holland with me and she just finished a night stand with your paints. I told her to team teach with you and sis if that tells you anything. LOVELY
I know right! I was so geeked to find those windows Vicky ~ I was standing on layers of shards of glass and had to move a bunch of heavy pieces of wood to get to them. Can’t wait to redo those and I’d love to see what your friend painted!
Wow. All that beautiful reclaimed wood!!! I’m so jealous! We don’t have barns out here!
Sigh.
Collapsed barns are the norm around here but you sure never hear of anyone giving it away. Where are you Beth?
Gaah! I am totally freaking out I am so jealous 😉 How awesome for you! Can’t wait to see what you do with it all.
Wish there were more hours in a day Mimi! I’d love to make some of the awesome picture frames you make but I don’t have the time right now to knock them out.
What a find! I can tell you’re already spinning ideas for all that wood. Great job!
Kathy, My head is ALWAYS spinning whether I want it to or not 😀
Love what you did and am your newest follower! And I’m happy that I can proudly say that first picture of all that barn wood is freakin’ amazing – and know that there are others that just “get it”…..lol!
I know right Susie! There are the people who wrinkle up their nose and think you’ve lost it and others who are like “cool!”
You got me. But then you knew you would, didn’t you? 🙂 I adore this crazy little number! Who needs to tile anyway?
Featured you on I Love That Junk and various other cool places. 🙂
Cool, thanks Donna! I am truly humbled!!! Headed back tomorrow to see if I can get those ladders.
My family is in the masonry business, so I can appreciate the masonry trowels! See then laying around my whole life, and never knew they could look so cool! I have not problem finding the trowels so maybe my hubs next project. Great and clever idea!
then you totally need one of these in your home Cathy!!!
I love your blog – sooo inspiring!! Please, keep sharing your wonderful projects!!
Thanks Linda! I’ll try ~ I just ran across a bunch of things I’ve never posted about, I could use more hours in a day 😉
Oh my stars, I’m so jealous, what a find. I’d have been in there with you digging, getting dirty and sweaty. Those shutters and windows, Oh to die for. Silly being so excited about dirty wood, shutters and broken old windows but what treasures to make better treasures out of. What a wonderful score.
We got to get some old bard wood in KY but had to leave it along with lots of other treasure behind when we moved to CO.
There’s still more too! If I have time, I want to go back out there and get those ladders and some more treasures that only people like us truly appreciate 😉
Your trowel hooks are so clever. I have collected several trowels and now I know what to do with them. I would love to find an old barn being torn down … finding treasures in that pile of stuff would be so much fun.
Those boards are wonderful.
Thanks for sharing.
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures … new follower
Thanks Audrey!
It looks so freaking cool!!!! I love all the pictures, I wish I had been there with you! I love all those Shutters your sister got. I am so copying this project. Featuring at my party tomorrow too. I miss you friend!
I took a few more shots of it before taking to it to the store last night, I’ll add them to the post later on tonight, we’re having a sleepover birthday batch right now.
I think this is one of the most unique and innovative repurposed pieces I have seen! You are so creative. It’s one of those situations that make you think “hmmm why didn’t I think of that?!”
Excellent idea and a great inspiration to others in finding new uses out of old things.
Love it!
Awe, thanks Kelly!!!
I read this post when you first posted it a few weeks ago. I would have been in heaven digging through those treasures.
My three favorite things…old wood, anything rusty and rusty old tools. I loved your trowel hooks and have been keeping an eye out for them. I scored today! I found 3 in fabulous rusty patina and will be using them on the potting bench I am building. Thanks for all the inspiration.
Sweet! I usually don’t even post about things like this because I don’t want to deplete my own supply but there’s always new treasures to be found. Have fun with your project!
Hey! I have the exact same trowels 3 of them and I’ve also been waiting for just the right piece of wood.. I’m wondering how you drilled through the metal in the trowel. Thanks so much.
Susan
I used some really old nails and pounded them through. I’m sure there’s a better way as I beat the heck out of my thumbs in the process because they were very hard to pound through. Have fun!!
Susan, I did this same thing and I would recommend drilling! I just used a normal drill bit, drilled slowly and on top of another piece of wood – so as to not drill into the floor. I was so surprised, it worked like a charm!
Ingenious use of old trowels!… so beautifully rustic!… and WOWEEE that was an amazing pile to pick through! – lucky lady! 🙂
xo