Back in August, Handy Hubby and I attended his grandmother’s funeral in Pennsylvania. It was bittersweet. Bitter because we were grieving the loss of a loved one but also sweet because we were able to bring home a part of his grandmother’s past. You see, Handy Hubby’s grandmother had lived on a large farm for many years which was recently sold due to her husband’s death and her own deteriorating health. Many items were salvaged from the farm including old fence boards used to corral cattle. After being asked several times if there was anything we’d like to have, Handy Hubby and I decided to give the worn fence boards a facelift. So we loaded ’em into our SUV and brought ’em back to Ohio. Let me tell you, that ride was interesting, dusty and uncomfortable. The boards were long and extended all the way up through the front seats, in between Handy Hubby and me, and up onto the dashboard. We couldn’t see each other. The back gate barely shut. {And, no, the kiddos weren’t with us.}
We tried to cover up as much of the interior and luggage as we could with a tarp but nearly every surface was coated in a thick layer of dust by the time we got home. As soon as we unloaded the boards, I cleaned and swept the whole car out. It was disgusting!
We devised a plan to use the boards for custom artwork/a makeshift headboard in our master bedroom and for a sliding door {coming soon!} to our master bathroom. You got a peek at the art/headboard last week. How did I come up with that idea? Well, I couldn’t decide on artwork, a headboard or both above our bed. I thought both would be a little much for our simple taste…not to mention more expensive than just one. So, I decided to make artwork that could double as a headboard. **I’ve got a serious {maybe even scary} thing for multitasking home decor.** Handy Hubby cut the boards to size.
He managed to avoid using damaged portions of the fence boards. We still wanted them imperfect though.
Next, he sanded them {wearing a mask, of course} and wiped them down with tack cloth. He attached them together using two 1″x4″ lumber strips vertically along the backside. {I didn’t want the edges lined up perfectly.} That left me with this blank canvas…
I wrote out “love” onto the wooden headboard with a piece of chalk…
…and then painted over top of it…
May I point out the little hole above the “v”? It was unintentional but it’s the best lil’ place to slip your hand into and haul the headboard around. Funny how that worked out.
The only money doled out for this project was for paint. {Hint: We still have a gallon left over for the rest of the fence boards.} But who cares how much it did/didn’t cost? This art/headboard/whatever-you-want-to-call-it means so much to us. First of all, it’s originally from a place that was a huge part of Handy Hubby’s childhood…the family farm. It’s a daily reminder of his beloved grandparents who are no longer with us. It’s also the perfect example of how Handy Hubby and I work together on DIY projects. I come up with some random, off-the-wall idea…Handy Hubby breaks out the power tools and brings it to life…I add a dose of personality and creativity to the final product. Really, that’s usually how things work over here. And in the end, we are left with this meaningful, heartfelt piece to view day in and day out. It’s a good life, I tell ya.
Have you been tag-teaming a recent project? I’d love to hear all about it.
images: all by Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
budget decor, DIY