Project Challenge #1- Spindles, Moulding, and Trim

Posted byshelstringPosted inUncategorized

Well hello dear friends!! I’m super excited to be kicking off another year of Project Challenge with you today!! We have a new 2016 team and I’m so excited to present them to you!

YAY!!

So at the end of this post, please check out their projects and give them all a HUGE welcome, would you? They have some fun and inspiring creations to share with you as well. 
So, to preface my project, for those of you who are new to my blog, I just began sharing projects I am doing to redecorate my 2 little girl’s room. They are 5 and 7 and a lot of fun after 5 boys. We recently switched rooms after another brother left for college in the fall and are just barely personalizing each space. I started with this room because it was the one in most need. I will be sharing more on that in the not so distant future, but today I am sharing something made for them to display their fun decor as well as a functional remedy. I found that their room is regularly quite untidy (to put it nicely) because they are lacking for places to put things. With the theme being spindles, mouldings, and trims, I saw this as an opportunity to make a much needed shelf for our seven year old. 
I will be giving you the details, so if you aren’t really interested in how to build one yourself, go ahead and scroll down to the fun after photos 😉

For those of you who are in it for the long hall, here’s how it all evolved!
I started by pulling out a few pieces I had leftover from other projects in the garage. 
I didn’t use them all, so it will be fun to see what I can do with the rest later. 
I like to pull out everything, though, and see how it all ends up flowing.
First I trimmed the beadboard to the size I wanted the shelf to be, then I trimmed three 1x2s and one 1×2-1/2. The larger board is on the bottom of the frame to mount knobs or hooks to later.
(Can you tell by looking at our table what is on the top of my list for refinishing this year?)
Next I cut my spindle in half. My long time followers will recognize these from a long ago project I made. A changing table turned into a potting bench. 
This was the long piece that used to be the front table rail. 
(You can read more about that project HERE.)
Next I mounted the beadboard to the 1x frame with my brad nailer, a tool I use as much as my own hands…I love that thing!!
Next I attached the shelf top to the base and then cut angles on the ends of the spindles to create support brackets for the shelf. I believe the bottom was a 90 degree angle and the top was around a 30. I’m not really good with angles, to be honest, I just cut until they worked. It was pure grace that I didn’t end up with little nubs.
I just nailed these in place with 1/2″ nails.
Once the shelf was complete, I caulked all edges and corners where wood meets wood.
I love the seamless, finished look caulking creates.
 Once that was dry I gave the whole piece two or three coats of Country Chic Paint’s Lazy Linen. If you’ve never tried their paint, I strongly encourage you too! It is such a great chalk paint and there isn’t one color I haven’t fallen in love with.
After that was dry, I drilled holes for these knobs I found at Home Goods on clearance, to act as hooks. My seven year old mentioned wanting white roses as a part of the room decor, so when I saw these I snatched them up!
After attaching them, they were a little long, so I cut them down with bolt cutters.
Haha! 
I know that isn’t the correct way, but I couldn’t find the screw trimming tool, so I improvised. 
Use caution if you use bold cutters, those cut pieces might ricochet off a surface… 
maybe. 😉
After making sure the knobs were secured good and tight, it was time to measure and mount our pretty little shelf! 
After that was the best and most fun part…decorating!!
Some book ends to support Alyssa’s favorite books, 
a vase of carnations we purchased at the grocery store that she picked out a few days ago, 
and her sweet boutique doll, “Spice”. 
(Amy has Sugar who is now mounted on a shelf I refinished for her and will be sharing in a couple of days. You can read more about these darlings HERE)
 Last is her sweet poodle purse that hangs ready for her to grab on her way out the door.
Now how’s that for a sweet spot to keep scarves, purses and, in the summertime, swim suits on the ready? 
**NOTE: I did apply 2 coats of polyacrylic eurothane the next day to give it a more smooth and protected finish.
Well, now that we are enjoying our new little shelf, what do you say we head on over to these other amazing ladies projects?! 
Just click on the pictures below to visit their posts and leave them a sweet message that you dropped by.
I hope you’ll come back tomorrow to see what else we’ve been doing around here!
Join us for next month’s challenge…
 A Clock Face

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20 thoughts on “Project Challenge #1- Spindles, Moulding, and Trim”

  5. Hi Michele, I love that little shelf, the spindles and knobs are such a special touch. I envy you girls for being able to use tools and built something this cool!!!

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    Reply

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