THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND!

I have had this idea noodling around in my head for a while now. I think everyone has seen glass cloches in all the decorating magazines. Older ones are not only hard to find, but they are expensive when you do find them. I wanted to create a cloche with a different material—chicken wire. When this idea first started noodling, I looked at buying new chicken wire, but that was the problem—it was new. I wanted it to look like it had been out on the farm for a while. I would find some chicken wire here and there, but there was never enough to make one cloche, let alone multiple. Then a couple of years ago, I found this huge roll of chicken wire at a farm auction. It had never been used, but it had been in the barn for a while and it had just the right look. I probably could have bought the new roll and just left it outdoors for a few months. In addition to the chicken wire, you will need some wire to attach the knob. You can find this in the floral department of a big box store or craft store. A couple of tools you will need are a pair of needle-nose pliers and wire cutters. You will also need band-aids and an up-to-date Tetanus shot. I think anyone that works with rusty things on a regular basis keeps up with the shots. The first one I was was purely by trial and error. I figured I had plenty of wire so I just started playing with it. I unrolled the chicken wire and cut a strip. I used the wire cutters to a strip. I cut in the middle of the hexagon. This one I used a height of 7 loops. I made about a dozen of these and would change up the height of the cloches, so use your own judgement when determining how much cut. I formed a cylinder to determine the diameter of the cloche. I cut the wire to the accommodate the diameter of the cloche. I left these "tails" to give me some wire to twist around the other side to form the cylinder. I formed the cylinder by overlapping one hexagon. I used the needle-nose pliers to wrap the "tails" and secure the the cylinder. Once the "tails" are secured along the entire length of the edge, you can begin to form the dome of the cloche. I put one hand on the underside of the cylinder and began bending (about two hexagons height) toward the center of the cylinder. I worked my way around until the tips met in the middle. This is the part where the more cloches I made, I got better at this part. My first couple were not perfect. For the knob on my cloches, I selected these porcelain knobs. Select a knob that has a definitive edge on the bottom. You will need this to wrap the wire around to secure it to the cloche. Of course, I removed the screw portion. You won't need it. Side note, I had picked up a bag of these at a yard sale for a quarter. You can order them off of Amazon (link in my Amazon list below). It only had six in the bag. Fortunately, in the midst of creating these, I found another bag at an estate sale that had about a dozen in the bag. Use the floral wire to weave around the points to close the dome. After the dome is secure, continue with the wire and wrap around the knob, loop through one side of the chicken wire, wrap around the knob again, and loop through another side of the chicken wire. I did this several times and anchored it it about six places on the chicken wire. The knob was secure at this point. I cut the wire and twisted the end to secure it. Again, this was by trial and error, but it seems to work. Notice the bandage on my finger in this pic. I love how this turned out. It can be used with any seasonal decor. I didn't have bases for my cloches. I actually didn't think they needed it. As I was putting them in my booth, my friend (and fellow vendor) said she would use them with terra cotta planter bases. I thought that was a great idea! Then I remembered I had crock lids in my booth. They were a perfect fit for these! This also shows that some of the cloches were short and squatty and some were taller. Thank you for reading my blog! If you would like to see more, follow me on Facebook, Instagram,and Pinterest! Just click on any of the social media links above! Thanks for following me on the junking adventures! Below are some links to products I used in this project. Disclaimer: Junk is My Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Update: A really great blog, Life of a LEO Wife recently featured this project on her blog. Her blog is awesome! Check it out: Life of a LEO Wife This project was also featured on the The Answer is Chocolate blog! Check out Carol's blog—The Answer is Chocolate! Below is an image to pin to Pinterest if you would like to save this idea!

During the pandemic we have all learned to make lemonade out of the truckload of lemons that have sent our way lately. I am grateful to be able to purchase items online since live auctions have been tabled in our area, but I really do miss being able to see items before I buy them. I bought them in two separate lots in an online auction. I was fairly certain they matched, but the photos weren't that good and I was questioning why they wouldn't have been sold as a set if they did indeed match. When I picked them up, I was happy to see they did match! Of course none of the hardware matched each other, but it was a good opportunity to add those vintage glass knobs to my stash. I am sure they were originally part of a larger piece of furniture, probably a vanity with third piece connecting these two and a mirror along the back. One thing I couldn't see from the online photos was the amount of wood missing on the back edge of the top of both cabinets (probably from where the mirror had been attached at one time). I knew I would be painting these so I was able to use some scrap wood and trim to fill in the gap. I patched it all together with wood putty and then sanded it until smooth. I sanded the cabinet to smooth out the old finish which was flaking off. I removed the drawers and set them aside. I used Waverly chalk paint in the Elephant color to paint the cabinets. It covered it really well in just one coat. After it dried, I used a 60 grit sandpaper to distress it pretty heavily. I used Varathane Crystal Clear Polyurethane in a Satin finish to protect the piece. It gave a depth to the color of the paint. Exactly what I was looking for! I wanted to do something different with the drawers. I had several sheets of this scrapbooking paper in my stash. It complemented the Elephant color paint really well. I was able to cut the dimension of two drawers from each sheet. I varied the section of the paper I used for each drawer so no two drawers were exactly alike. I coated each drawer with ModPodge (matte) and applied the paper. I applied a coat of Modpodge on top of the paper as well. It didn't wrinkle at all and the paper adhered to the drawer really well. As you can see the design of the scrapbooking paper meshed really well with the paint. I sanded the edges of the drawers a bit to distress them. I would have preferred to use vintage glass knobs, but I didn't have six that matched in my stash. I ordered these knobs from Hobby Lobby (always wait until they are half off!). They look like mercury glass and I thought they would look great on these drawers. I installed these on each of the drawers. I was really happy with the way these turned out. They were battered and bruised. I am glad I purchased them. I am not sure I would have done so if given the chance to inspect them prior to bidding. I guess there is a lesson in there somewhere. Even if something isn't what you thought it would be, it can still turn out to be spectacular! They can be used as night stands, side tables or just tucked here and there for additional storage. I put these in The Standard in Bourbon last night. I used them in the Spring-themed window. I received a call this evening from The Standard letting me know they had sold already! Nothing to complain about here... Thank you for story by today! If you like my blog, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! Just click on any of the social media links above! Thanks for following me on the junking adventures! Below is an image to pin to Pinterest if you would like to save this idea!

Who is tired of the cold weather? I sure am! If we start thinking about Spring, will it come any sooner? I guess we will leave that to Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day. For now, I am injecting a bit of color into some projects! I bought this table at a garage sale last summer. Remember Summer? Warmth, beautiful days and garage sales? I digress again... This table was solid but the top was scraped up a bit. Originally, I was going to try to stain it to match, but that wasn't working. Somehow, I missed the "before" photo. Sometimes I get multiple projects going at once and just forget to take the photos. I used the Rust-oleum Milk Paint in the Highland Blue color. I knew I was going to heavily distress the piece, but I applied two coats. This paint distresses very easily so if you are going for the heavily distressed look, this paint is perfect. I sanded the piece with 60 grit sandpaper until I was satisfied with the results. I brushed away all the dust and applied a coat of Varathane Crystal Clear Polyurethane in the Satin finish. I replaced the knob with this sweet watering can knob. I used a dry brush to lightly apply a bit of the Highland Blue to the knob. This piece of scrapbooking paper was cut to fit the size of the drawer for a drawer liner. The tiny bits of blue between the daisies matched the paint perfectly! I was very pleased with the final product. It looks like the paint has been worn off over the years after having been well used. A few accessories complete the look! Surely Spring is right around the corner. With these bright colors, how could it not be? This chair was completed on the same day as the table. It was just a happy accident that the Highland Blue of the table picks up on the blue on the fabric on the chair. Look for a post on that project coming soon! Thank you for reading my blog! If you would like to see more, follow me on Facebook, Instagram,and Pinterest! Just click on any of the social media links above! Thanks for following me on the junking adventures! Below are some links to products I used in this project. Disclaimer: Junk is My Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Below is an image to pin to Pinterest if you would like to save this idea!

Welcome I love hunting for vintage treasures at garage sales, estate sales, farm auctions, flea markets or the side of the road, then I fix it, clean it, and sell it! Shhh...sometimes I keep it!. ​ Thanks for visiting Junk is My Life! Come along the backroads of Indiana and let's find some vintage junk! —Robin MORE ABOUT ME REPURPOSED REUPHOLSTERY MAKEOVERS FURNITURE MAKEOVERS HOLIDAYS FAB FINDS SILHOUETTE PROJECTS Popular Post VINTAGE SLEDDING DISC I purchased this vintage metal flying saucer sledding disc recently at an estate sale. Remember flying down a hill when you were a kid on one of these—ultimately tipping over and flipping you out most of the time? And when Clark Griswald (Chevy Chase) uses a “non-chloric, silicon-based kitchen lubricant” to grease his flying saucer sled in the iconic Christmas movie Christmas Vacation? Classic. VIEW THE POST INSTAGRAM PINTEREST LATEST POSTS Mustard Colored Multi-Tiered Table Skinny Bench Makeover Friday Finds—2022 127 Sale Join the fun! I accept terms & conditions JOIN Thanks for submitting!

About Me Junk is My Life—for me, this has become a mantra. It’s the thrill of finding that unique item that keeps me on the hunt for vintage treasures. I started going farm auctions with my family as a child. I loved it then—and love it now. I can also be found scrounging through a good garage sale or thrift store. I have a passion for all things vintage, particularly those that are past their prime and need a whole lot of love. Repurposing and upcyling are second nature to me. As a child, I spent a lot of time using discarded items to create pieces of furniture for my dollhouse. I credit my father with encouraging an inquisitive child. My dad would always be tinkering with a project in the garage and encouraged me to find a piece from the scrap pile and make something useful. No idea was silly. Nothing was deemed impossible. As long as the vision could verbalized or drawn, dad would help make it come to life, all the while teaching life skills on the use of various tools. Using the materials on hand taught me to think creatively and it is a legacy I value. My grandmother’s sewing room was a magical place. Digging through the remnant bag to find pretty fabrics to make doll clothes was a favorite activity with guidance from grandma. Now I use my sewing skills to repurposes damaged vintage linens in various ways. My ability to sew, knit and crochet is a tribute to my grandma. I can trace her love of all things vintage to my grandparent’s farm in Huntington County, Indiana. Visiting “the country” from the suburbs of Chicago was always an adventure for me. I have vivid memories of watermelons being iced down in huge watering troughs for family reunions. This video encapsulates my memories from my grandparent's farm in the summertime. ​ I am most often drawn to traditional farmhouse items and will time and time again spy that exact item in old photographs from the farm. I now make my home less than an hour from that family farm. I started the Junk is My Life blog in 2017 to chronicle my adventures and share the process of repurposing or upcycling these forgotten items into timeless treasures. I don’t claim to be an expert—sometimes I have to “Google” my way through a project. I share the mishaps encountered in transforming a piece because mistakes often lead to a better outcome. I encourage everyone to dive in, be creative and tackle that project without fear. Living in Northern Indiana offers ample opportunity for treasure hunting and after spending 30 years in corporate America, I am so blessed to be able to do what I love every day. My home is decorated with carefully curated vintage and antique items and as much as I would love to keep my cache of vintage finds, I have turned vintage treasure hunting into a business and offers a variety of items in two antique stores: ​ The Standard in Bourbon, Indiana.—Unique antiques plus ice cream, cupcakes and other delicious baked goods make this great place to sit a spell, browse through some beautiful antiques and grab a snack! Pipe Creek Mercantile in Peru, Indiana—Leave the bustle of the highway and take a step back in time. It is in a convenient location just off of US 31 just south of Peru, Indiana. ​ The Mercantile in Columbia City, Indiana—This is a sweet little shop in the heart of the downtown area. It's nestled in a row of really cute shops that just need to be explored! ​ US 30 Countryside Antiques in Larwill, Indiana—The unique A-frame building houses over 100 vendors. Definitely a place to stop and stay a while! In addition to the antique stores, i also participate in Primitive Gatherings, a once a month gathering of a variety of vendors in Mentone, Indiana. Many of the projects featured on my blog can be found in these shops. Take a moment peruse my website and follow me on my junking journey and take your own road trip to find these shops, and maybe stop at a few garage sales along the way and find your vintage treasure! ​ Below are the links to the Facebook sites for the shops. ​ The Standard ​ Pipe Creek Mercantile ​ Primitive Gatherings ​ The Mercantile ​ US 30 Countryside Antiques I tend to gravitate towards pieces that are chipped or a little broken.... This or That CITY BEACH INDOORS WATER CHOCOLATE FLORAL FABRIC GOLD MAC TOAST COUNTRY MOUNTAINS OUTDOORS DIET COKE CARAMEL TICKING FABRIC SILVER PC WAFFLES Favorites Maps • Globes • Old Games & Toys • Crocks • Wooden Crates • Spelling Boards • Old Kitchenwares • Old Quilts • Wooden Rulers • Vintage Artwork •

Blogger, upcycler, artist and dealer of vintage treasures! CONTACT If you have any collaboration enquiries or just want to say hi, please reach out via the form below. ​ Current response time: 1 to 3 business days MEDIA KIT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Submit Thanks for submitting!