Desk Organizers and Other uses for glass INSULATORS

In preparation for the TOH photo shoot I was prompted to create a couple more items to include in the photos.  Since it will be called an office I thought I should have some desk organizers that have been made from salvaged items. 

The first idea I had was to use a glass globe from a chandelier.  We found this one in the attic and think it is from the original 1916 chandelier.  I glued a plastic lid to the bottom and now it holds my scissors.  These glass globes can be found in thrift stores for just a couple dollars or check online for antiques.

The next item I made is just a couple glass insulators turned upside down and placed in a cute little holder that came from a soap/lotion gift set that I recieved on my birthday.  I have also discovered that SOME insulators will stand on their own and can be used in the same manner, but individually.   Don't pay too much for an insulator, they can be found for $2-$6 depending on the size.  They are a very common antique, although some more unique and RARE insulators can sell for hundreds of dollars or even a thousand on ebay.  I found this out when I was given a box of 12 from a friend.  She got them at auction for $2 total and I set out searching for ways to use them.  I have also inherited a box of 24 from the museum and checked them all out on ebay...ALL very common and NOT worth big bucks so they will become some piece of art or organizer. 

Here are a couple of more ideas for glass insulators.  

Crackled by boiling and placing in cool water.

Candle holder

Candle holder

Keep Pickin'

Kelly

UPDATED 12-4-11 with more ideas:)

Electric lamp turned night light.

Bookend nightlight...battery votive underneath!



Night Light

Glass chandelier shades glued to glass candle lids.

Our Old House... in ...This Old House magazine!

I would like start this blog with a thank you to all my friends and family that took the time to rate my projects on the This Old House website.   I entered 4 categories and was contacted on 3 of the 4.  While I have not been chosen for any monetary prizes...dang it...there was great interest.   So much so that even though I did not win anything, there will be a FULL PAGE feature in an upcoming issue of This Old House magazine!!!  The feature is called Budget Redo and it will outline the transformation of the upstairs craft room/office from beginning to end with a break down of the cost.  I am told there will be a larger layout and more info on the website after the magazine is released. 

The following are some of the projects I submitted and the editors were interested in, but will not be featured at this time. 

Wish I had staged this bed with a cute little dog before I sold it.

Thank you Ranae for dropping everything and posing Eli...ADORABLE!

Our 100 year old piano, what's left of it!

Look familiar?  They liked the use of the original tap.

The following are MY favorite shots but I am not sure yet what will be chosen for the magazine besides this BEFORE photo.

#1 choice

#2 choice

                                                                                                              

Since a photographer was not available to travel this far, I had to take the shots and send them to NYC.  In all the excitement I called my friend Bev Kump and she rushed right over!  She did some quick sewing of the pillows, saving me HOURS,and helped with some of the staging.  Thank you sooooo much Bev.  What a great friend.   Thank you Diana Somerset for taking the close-up of Wayne and me, again on short notice, and  very much appreciated!  You are a good friend. 

Keep Pickin'

Kelly

UPDATE...The article should be in the July issue of This Old House!  Will let you all know when the issue is in stores:)

Here is the link for the online version

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20500475_20972998,00.html

I recently discovered that more of my projects have also been featured on line.  Check out # 7, 10 and 12:)
                http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20508615_20986028,00.html

UPDATE 12-16-11

                                                                    more photos posted
http://youroldhouse.thisoldhouse.com/thisoldhouse/submission.jsp?id=118721

http://youroldhouse.thisoldhouse.com/thisoldhouse/pets/index.jsp

Pickin' In Salt Lake City!

I recently enjoyed a lovely couple of days with my fabulous husband in Salt Lake City, Utah! Since our week long vacation to WA and OR was cancelled due to my cold, he booked one night in a FANTASTIC bed and breakfast in SLC while we had our car in for a recall!  The B&B was called The Armstrong Mansion and it was a spectacular 1893 Queen Anne Victorian with 12 rooms.  My favorite type of architecture!!  While there, I took plenty of photos and got ideas for OUR dining and living room ceilings.

For our first pickin' adventure we went to Capitol City Antique Mall and the MINUTE we walked in I saw the very chandelier that I have a reproduction of in my bathroom.  I had also bought another one at Home Depot before this trip just in case I couldn't find something for the kitchen.  Well this antique was WAY out of our price range and Wayne said if I could get it down to $400 I could get it...uh huh.  After we made the rounds through the store, which is very nice by the way, I asked the owner if he could move the items around the chandelier so I could have a closer look.  SCORE...at the back of the chandelier was a SALE tag...WAY below $400:)  YAY!!!  So now I have an authentic antique chandelier in the ONLY style I have had any interest in for over a year!  Can't wait to see it hanging in our kitchen.

The next pickin' sight was called Euro Treasures and it was an antique store the size of ShopKo that had mostly European Antiques, which means...OLD!  There was an upper level of thousands of dining chairs and about 200 dining tables. It was UNREAL!  The lower level had aisle after aisle after aisle of shelves packed with mirrors, small furniture, pieces of furniture, stained glass windows, doors and various other furniture items. Then in the walkways of the aisles there was even more...so much that you couldn't even walk down several rows.  One huge area had aisles of buffets, wardrobes, dressers etc. It was an amazing place, but unfortunately I didn't find anything to purchase.

After a nice meal at the Olive Garden, we were able to walk together in the rain around the State Capitol building among the blossoming  trees.  The dark cloudy skies made a beautiful backdrop for some stunning photos.  A nice break from reality that we both really needed.

The next day we had a wonderful breakfast at the mansion before we headed out for the day.  It was a little chilly and windy but we went to Temple Square and walked around.  We got a wonderful tour of the Joseph Smith building.  It was originally Hotel Utah and our cute little tour guide, a 75 year old man, pointed out some very interesting facts amidst the architecture.  Again a wonderful opportunity for photos!  We spent an hour watching the film in the Legacy Theater and then had lunch in the Garden Restaurant at the top of the building.  By afternoon it had warmed up and they opened the roof to let in a little breeze. It was very relaxing and the Raspberry salad was great!

 

                                                                            

After lunch we headed to our last stop...George's Salvage.  This place is where you want to go if you need an old sink, toilet, or other architectural salvage items.  It is a tiny space cram packed but I always seem to find something fun!  This trip was no different.  I found some unique doorknob back plates, wooden doorstops, plinth blocks and a row of bread tins all linked together...my mind sees the bread tins on the wall as a storage piece. Be sure to watch for that in upcoming posts!

Keep Pickin'
Kelly