Rake Hooks

Let me start off by saying that I am not some brilliant gal filled with ingenuity. At least not with this. People have been using broken rakes and other garden tools as rustic decor long before even pinterest existed. That being said, I flippin love them. They make me swoon. Maybe even blush a little bit.

Our rake broke this summer because I regularly, aggressively, abuse it. Nobody will tell you I'm a gentle or graceful person, nevermind gardener. However, I didn't cry too much. This broken rake had another life in its future. After a quick wire brushing and scrubbing, it still looked perfectly weathered and worn but without the jagged rusted parts. Now... where to put it?

Years ago, the hubs and I made a chalkboard out of a poster from homegoods. It has been sitting in our basement for a few years waiting for a home. Finally I caved and put it in our kitchen. But it's so plain! I wailed. Hubs rolled his eyes. Practicality rules in our house. Aha!  The rake! Badabing! 

I can't wait to hang all kinds of cute seasonal decor on this beauty. But please note. Unless what you are hanging is very light, please use more than one nail, preferably one on each end of the rake. For your sanity's sake. Otherwise the rake will swing to one side and it will drive you batty. Learn from me.

But really... can you imagine all of the possibilities???  Ugh... wreaths, holly, garland, ornaments, fresh flowers.... you should put one in your house and share all of the ideas you come up with in the comments section. and we can have a little rake-turned-hook fan club.

Cheers,

Bridget

XOXO

Firewood Tote

Last Spring we chopped down a half-rotted crab apple tree in our backyard. It was dangerous - it overhung our house and our neighbors and it scared the poo outta me every time the wind blew. So down it came. We hired people to cut the parts that might do damage. And we did the rest of the work ourselves which, I admit, wasn't super smart but did save us a lot of money. So the tree came down (everyone's limbs stayed intact... get it? ha) and we chopped it all up and saved the logs for firewood. TONS OF WOOD.

Fast forward a year and the wood is finally cured. And thanks to my hunk of a hubs, it is now nicely chopped and stacked in the back of our yard. TIME FOR FIRES!

Nicely stacked at the back of the yard, this wood is in the perfect spot - it's not near the house (no critters, no ants, no termites...). BUT, it's a nuisance having to carry two or three logs at a time to the firepit. They're awkward. Ok, maybe it's me and my small arms, but I had to make like ten trips for our last fire. I needed a solution. So I made one. Boom.

Firewood Tote

What you will need:

-Wooden dowel 18'' x 2

-Canvas 21'' x 36''

-The Usual Suspects: thread, sewing machine, scissors, ruler

1. Cut your canvas to the above dimensions: 21" x 36". I used a leftover piece from another project.

2. Cut your wooden dowel into 2 pieces, 18" long. I used a 3/8" diameter dowel

3. Sew a 1/4" seam down the longest two sides of your canvas.

4. Fold your canvas in half the "hamburger" way - short ends meet together. Using a medium sized bowl (mine was about 6" in diameter) trace a half circle in the center of your short edges. Cut this out with your rotary cutter. This will be space for the handle.

  

5. On either side of the cut-out half circle, fold the edge down 1/4" and crease. Then, placing the dowel along the edge, fold the crease down over the dowel and pin. This will make a pocket for the dowel. Sew along this edge.

6. Sew one end of the dowel pocket closed along the 1/4" seam previously sewn.

7. Slide the dowel into the pocket and sew the other end closed along the 1/4" seam. 

8. Repeat steps 5-7 for the other side.

Now load 'er up and make a fire! There's never been a diet that couldn't (or shouldn't) be broken for a few s'mores. Just sayin'. Beach bod dreams aside, a roasted marshmallow is happiness in a bite. MAKE SOME HAPPINESS. 

Go forth and enjoy SUMMER!

Cheers,

Bridget

XOXO