Storage solution; branch edition

After seeing how Ivania incorporated a branch as a sort of closet extension, I was enthralled. I knew that I wanted to do something similar, but I didn't necessarily need more clothing storage; I wanted mine to hold accessories. So last week I went into the woods and found a branch that had a few smaller branches that seemed like good options for making this work. Luckily I have a giant dog who actually proved quite useful in helping me drag it out of the woods and into our yard.

I broke off a couple of good pieces, spray painted them (along with a good solid chunk of my yard) silver, and left them overnight. Repeated this for a few days (I had to do one side each day because of how cold it was; then I had to go back and touch-up.)

Finally, yesterday evening I brought the larger one inside...and then drilled a few too many holes in it trying to figure out how to get it to do what I wanted. First I tried hanging it, but it's weight is kind of oddly distributed and it kept flipping around. I needed it to not move, at all, so I finally found a few really long screws and just attached it directly to the wall. I drilled holes through the branch in the two places that made contact with the wall, and then, with Joshs help, finally got it up! I have never been more pleased. I just think it looks so cool. :)

How awesome does my Marc Jacobs collection look just hanging out here?! Ugh, I amaze myself some days. :P

This was so easy to do, absolutely free (well, besides the spray paint), and I seriously cannot get over how awesome it looks!

Oh, also, one of my favorite tumblrs featured some of my photos for American Guide week! I feel insanely honored. Today is a Really Good Day. I'm going to go make some hot chocolate and celebrate!

Joining:

and:

and also:

and entering:

Friday fun

No, my craft room is not organized yet, so I've been spending my time crafting outside. Yesterday we were at Lowe's to pick up some hooks for the Mystery Branch Project (that I'm about 80% done with now!) and I saw a can of frost paint. I got it and tried it out today on an empty liquor bottle. I also managed to find a use for some of the stickers I get constantly in the mail from different organizations asking for money.

Not that I'm against donating money to charity, but my rule is if you're spending money trying to get my money, then I'm not going to donate to you. So I have approximately 50 sheets of name stickers that I never use because I rarely mail things, and when I do I go to the post office and forget the stickers anyway. Sorry, tangent.

Anyway, I used my maple leaf cut-out thing-a-ma-gig and made 12 stickers, then put them on an empty Pyrat bottle, then turned it upside down and frosted it. After it was dry I peeled the stickers off. 1 or 2 of them left some sticker residue but it came off pretty easily with my nail, and no damage to the frost around it. It was incredibly hard to photograph the finished product though, so sorry if you can't really see it that great.

Here's the process:

I don't know whether I want to use it as a vase or shove a candle in there. At the moment it's a vase, but I think it can also be used to hold a candle. Either way, I think it came out pretty good. :)

I also made threw together this cute little arrangement.

Just filled a vase with pine cones, then stuck in a few pine branches. Really, really easy, considering all it took was a walk around the perimeter of my yard.

I'm really excited about the branch thing. Like, really excited. I keep going outside and touching them, but since it's cool outside they're not drying as fast as I want them too. It may be Monday before the entire project is complete, but it's going to be so worth it. (Well for me anyway. You might just think I'm crazy and weird.)