Picture Frame from recycled Fence Panels

Last year we change the position of the fence and ended up with a lot of fence panels that were not in the best shape. A lot of them were just rotting in the dirt and some were so weathered, I wondered how much life we could really get out of them. We stacked them into the backyard for the "just in case..." (aka, junk collection that probably will never have anything happen...)

After seeing the old panels sitting there doing nothing for so long, I have finally challenged myself with the task of finding useful purposes for these panels. So instead of tossing them out, I am now actively trying to find things for them to become.

Special note: I have found that the old fence panels are very similar to old pallet wood.

This post is all about my first creation from this wood: a beachy picture frame for a beautiful watercolor painting of Nubble Light House in Cape Neddick, ME.

I simply created mitered corners and pieced the fence panels in the arrangement of a square. Then I stapled the corners together from the backside and reinforced with small pieces of scrap wood.

The wood was dry brushed with a little bit of white paint and then sanded it to give the wood the look of old bleached out driftwood.

I sealed the wood with a rub on sealant.

Lastly, the frame was decorated with old rope that I tied into knots, sea glass (from a broken votive holder, I tumbled the glass in a rock tumber), sea shells and beach pebbles (that we actually picked up in York, ME), and a few small pieces of drift wood. All of these were attached with hot glue.

This was the perfect addition to the foyer. We had started a beach vignette, but it was always missing something. Now it looks complete!

This area was based around an Sam's Grandmother's antique cabinet. I like the way the vase on the floor has a beach scene with the lighthouse and then the glass vase on the cabinet draws your eye upwards with the driftwood pointing up to the newly framed painting!

Passionflower TRRRellis!

OK... So let me start with the "I'm sorry." Keeping this blog up to date has been a task for me. Once I got behind, it seemed daunting to get back on to make updates. Now that I am started again, I'll keep it going :-)

Recently we found ourselves in need of space in the garage and have been going on a spree of get rid of it or at least find a use. By far, my favorite project so far that has come of this: the pair of trellises by the pool. Take a look!

 

So this is a Triple-R project: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We reduced landfill waste, reused some pieces, and recycled by repurposing.

"How?!" You may be asking. (If not, just stick with me...)

There were two old Queen Size mattresses in the garage! We stripped the material off the mattresses down to the springs. Although we did not keep the fabric, we did reuse some of the underlayment as a weedbarrier in the garden (works great!) and we found that the springs made a wonderful trellis.

First we set the galvanized poles from an old chain-link fence with a sledge hammer. We literally pounded them into the soft sand several feet in. Once they were in, Sam marked the poles of where the springs would be attached.

Then we drilled into the pipes where it was marked.

 

 The mattress springs were then wired to the post through the drilled holes.

 

After the springs were attached, Any remaining bits of fabric were cleaned off the frame with a razor blade. 

 





And VOILA! a trellis was built!



We built two in between our palms by the pool to create a natural screen of vines. On the left, we have planted two varieties of passionflower: a purple and a red. And it looks like they are enjoying the weather already!

We hope to have something else planted on the right one soon. More updates to follow soon!