Old Lamp Slides Into New Life With Gold Metallic Wax

The Found Lamp

This bronze-tone desk lamp was in my stash from years- YEARS- ago. I was never sure if it worked because I didn't have the proper size lightbulb. I love the shape and size, so it just sat in a bag in the storage unit, waiting for destiny to unfold.

Desk lamp, before

Yes, that's right, normal lightbulbs don't fit into the elongated dome and it never occurred to be to shop around for a custom size lightbulb. Turns out I didn't need to shop around, I just needed to wait (years) until someone was throwing out old, dusty, but unused lightbulbs. I found this.

Tubular light bulb

The result is that I tested the lamp and it worked, as one always hopes a lamp does! 

Working lamp!

Next was the makeover, since the bronze color was juuuuust a bit too dull for my preference.  Also there were some pitted bits, a dent on the top, and some other signs of wear which gave it a bit of a tired appearance.  

Detail of rusting

Detail of dent on dome

Detail of spotting/pitting on base

The Lamp Makeover

It was around this time that I *finally* decided to try out Rub n' Buff (RnB), which according to the blogosphere can do miraculous makeovers on tired furniture pieces.  I also had to decide between two colors of RnB that came in my sample pack.  In a small area near the cord I tried one coat of 'Antique Gold' RnB vs. 'European Gold'. I could see that the Antique Gold is much more yellow, and the European Gold was a more copper-bronze color which was too close to the original and not bright enough.

The difference between Antique Gold (bottom) and 
European Gold (top)

The difference between the original color and the Antique Gold RnB was even more striking on the top of the elongated dome of the lamp.

Original vs. 1st coat

Here's the entire lamp after one coat of RnB, already lookin waaaaaay better and brighter.

Lamp after first coat all over

You can see that the rusting on the top square part was able to be covered by the RnB.

After, no more visible rust

Top of the lamp dome after one coat of RnB. There was also a learning curve in how to apply the product, it help to do one thin coat and then walk away in order to let it dry fully - if you try to apply more product too soon you will just end up wiping off the first coat!

After 1st coat, dome looking brighter

Detail of the lamp base

Final product!

The final made-over lamp after 3-ish coats of RnB looks so much bright and just more cheerful. I'm pleased with the way this turned out, easier than spray painting and a bit more shine than I've seen from gold paint.  Expect more Rub 'n Buff freestyle makeovers in future.

Desk lamp after makeover with
Antique Gold Rub 'n Buff

Happy freestyling, don't be afraid to hold on to those useful little things. Minimalism doesn't always win over the practicality of knowing something will come in handy.

Tags: how to makeover a bronze lamp; bronze lamp makeover; rub n buff; using rubnbuff; using metallic wax to makeover a lamp; metallic wax on metal lamp; desk lamp makeover

Painted Metal Tray With Fruits and Flowers

The Find 

Not all freestyle finds require sanding, painting, or a significant overhaul. Some freestyle finds just require a proper cleaning before being put back into services, such was the case with the painted metal tray found earlier this year.  I took it because - in the dim light of an evening walk - the greenish color looked like it might blend well with the newly refinished kitchen table.  After a proper cleaning I was able to lay the painted metal tray on the table the compare, both items have aged grayish tones although the tray is greener.  

Metal tray painted with fruits and greenery

I decided to keep the tray for now since it covers up the seam in the middle of the kitchen table nicely, and provides a place to put produce.

Conclusion

Here is the current incarnation of the tray, serving it's painted purpose of holding fruit on the kitchen table; a perfect fresh-and-fruity centerpiece for every meal.

Metal tray and fruit centerpiece.

Happy Freestyling and Restyling!

Garden of freestyle delights - metal reflector

The Find

I like walking on nights other than trash night, but it is hard not to get excited about the prospect of finding new and interesting free things on trash night every week. For example, behold this random roll of thin metal. Whaaa? 

Roll of metal amongst other trash

What is this for? I have no idea what this roll of metal was originally used for, but I decided to combine it with some scrap wood and turn it into a light reflector for the garden.

The Making

The plan with this random roll of metal was to attach it to some scrap wood using a staple-gun, the same kind used in crafting or light-duty upholstering.  I unrolled the metal and held it down with a mix of clamps (only 0.99 at the hardware superstore), measured the width, and then cut with a pair of household scissors.  This probably dulled the scissors, but they are tools meant to be used.  I attached the bottom piece with staples, then repeated the process for the top piece - allowing for a slight overlap by the top metal piece, like shingles.

In progress: attaching the metal to the wood

Conclusion

I had enough of the thin metal to cover the entire piece of wood along with some leftover (perhaps for some future garden art?).  Here is the final piece "installed" in the garden (by leaning it against the railing and adding a cord around it so the wind won't blow it over) and hopefully reflecting light around a little bit more.

Metal light reflector in garden behind ghost pepper plants

Happy freestyling and freestyle-inspired making, crafting, and constructing!

Green and black makeover for a rusted metal shelf (no chocolate involved)

The Find

While out for a walk on trash night (every freestyler's favorite night of the week) I came across this old-school metal shelf.

Discarded metal shelf

Upon some examination by light-of-cellphone I determined that this was a perfectly serviceable shelf.  Also the old gray metal shelf is very lightweight which made it easy to carry back to the freestyle workshop.

The Makeover

As per usual, the course of action with this piece was as follows: clean, sand, paint, use!

The rust was pretty heavy on the top side of the shelves and one of the legs, perhaps it was in some standing water or mud.

Metal shelf: side view

Metal shelf: view of bottom shelf rust

Metal shelf: rusted bottom of leg

After doing some hand-sanding - until I felt it was good enough and I got bored with it - I wiped off the piece and was ready to start spray painting.  I used the spray paints I had on hand, glossy green and glossy black.  Since I did not fully remove all of the rust and make the surface smooth you can see the patchiness of the glossy black finish even after 2-ish coats.  Since this is not a 'forever' piece - I wanted something serviceable and not flaking rust - I'm not too concerned about the patchiness of the finish. Also, it is a shelf, so the plan is to store stuff on the shelf, not gaze at it critically.

Metal shelf after repainting in green and black

Conclusion

After the paint was nice and dry the shelf came inside to serve as storage somewhere. It found a temporary-ish place against a wall and a few minutes later was identified as the perfect spot to hold the power tool battery charger. Hmm, I see where this might be going.....

Metal shelf: starting a new storage journey holding power tools

Happy Freestyling!

Garden of freestyle delights - rusted metal plant stand makes a comeback in glossy black

The Find

Perhaps you can guess, but I don't even remember where I got this oddly shaped metal thing, some trash pile somewhere. It was a bit rusty, still solid (no breaks in the metal), and lightweight enough to carry easily. Naturally I took it home with me to see if it was what I thought it was.  Also, really, I just thought the shape was cool.

Found: metal thing

Take a closer look and you can see that the metal had some significant rusty bits.  Luckily it seemed like all surface rust, nothing significant.

Closeup of some rust

The Makeover

My initial thought was that the rounded ends of the metal would be a good fit under the lip of one of the standard pottery sizes.  I tested it on an adobe pot that I already had on hand, perfect fit!

Proof! Metal thing fits a planter, perfectly

After determining that the metal would indeed serve as a plant stand, I decided upon a course of action. These courses of action are usually pretty simple: clean (sand), spray paint, use.

Spray painting on some new glossy black

Conclusion

Now this once-forlorn and abandoned piece of metal has a new modish life as a plant stand.  In this case as a plant stand for a freestyled planter (once gray, now painted white) holding a lovely lush fern -- perfect as an air cleaner in a shady home.

Final product: Glossy black metal plant stand

Happy freestyle gardening and creating in whatever direction the freestyle path takes you!

Garden of freestyle delights - a SECOND metal hayrack planter appears in the night

 The Find

While out for a walk one night I came across a surprising find, a metal hayrack planter (complete with coir liner, dirt, and some plants that looked relatively healthy).  Why was this surprising, at this point I shouldn't be surprised by anything left out on the sidewalk.  At the time it seemed like the garden-related giveaways and clean outs had slowed down, so perhaps that was the reason for surprise. 

Discarded hay rack planter

I didn't take it with me right away, but waited until I was on the way back and near the end of my walk. It is always a risk to walk away from something left out for free, but luckily no one had scooped it up while I was finishing taking my exercise.  I decided to get rid of the existing dirt and plants because I knew right away that I would be putting something new and colorful in this planter.  I had found my first metal hay rack planter in early spring and loved the classic style.  I had thought about buying more hay racks but ended up buying two metal baskets because they were the only things in stock when we went to the superstore garden center.  Don't get me wrong, I like the look of the baskets, but in a small space the hay racks are a better fit up against a fence to give maximum plant frontage.

Here is the outer metal-only part of the hay rack planter without the liner. You can see that there are attachments in the back if you want to hang the planter on screws or hooks. I didn't do that, I went an even easier route.

Metal hay rack outer part

The Hay Rack Makeover

I hung up the planter with some repurposed cording that had previously been used to hang up a set of individual plastic planters arranged in a pleasing geometry.  This bit of fence has seen quite a few different planting arrangements over the summer.  I planted some bright yellow mums to tie into the patio table color and some small Angelonia plants with purple flowers to carry over the purple from the neighboring hay rack planter full of purple petunias.

Hayrack planter with mums, angelonias, and petunias

Conclusion

I love the second hay rack planter, even though the metal frame has a different design from the first one I found.  Not-matching is pretty much par for the course when you get your gardening supplies for free!  I think the $1 yellow mums appeared in my world at just the right time too. I bought 5 pots of yellow mums for $5, and good thing that I did because that offer was gone within a week. 

Here are the two hay racks along the fence.  The original hay rack was planted with purple petunias, some of which are now long enough that I was able to drape them around the edge of the second planter.

The fence in all its planterly glory

Happy freestyling, and always think about donating before discarding!

The Perfect Patio Set in Boldest Yellow

The Find

With so much time spent at home, and the arrival of spring, I decided it was time to have a proper dining table and pair of chairs on the patio. Naturally I turned to second-hand sites on the internet because I'd rather buy local than have something large and heavy shipped for afar.  The tricky limitation was the size of the available transport vehicle, a small 4-door car.  I was searching for bistro sets when I came across a listing for two metal chairs and a table -- I was over the moon. They were painted bright yellow and so cute! So garden-appropriate (there wasn't much of a patio garden at that point, but that's a story for another post).  I set a pickup time, and the seller sweetened the offer, without any asking on my part, by simply giving it away for free. So lovely!

The Transport

Luckily the pickup was not too far away, but I was still worried about it fitting into a small car. But one of the chairs (So. Heavy.) folds up and fit in the trunk, and somehow the table and other non-folding chair fit into the back seat.  Here is a photo I took from the front seat.
Tip: always bring towels or some sort of padding when you are picking up furniture, you never know where you'll need cushioning!

The Joyous Use
Once the patio set arrived in its new home it got a bath on the lawn to wash away the dust.
















After that all we had to do was let it dry and carry it up to the deck and sit down for a snack to enjoy the new dining space.

Conclusion

Thank you person who gave away this patio set!  Your generosity is appreciated every single day whenever I look out the kitchen window, sit down for a meal, or just step out onto the patio.  I'm still pinching myself at my luck.

Happy freestyling!

Tower of Power: Bronzed metal wire shelf

Part 1. Metal wire shelving is the best

My appreciation, perhaps adoration, of metal wire shelving is deeply rooted in my psyche after about a decade of having to move at least once a year.  I appreciate the existence of furniture that is sturdy enough to hold 300 pounds per shelf (at least some brands offer that), simple enough to disassemble or reassemble in about 10 minutes, and lightweight enough that the pieces can be carried by a single person - maybe even all the pieces at the same time.  So if you're a renter, and you need shelving, don't buy some junky fiberboard 'bookshelf' (but by all means get that for free, obvi), but if you must pay for furniture make the wise choice and get some metal wire shelving in a useful size and pleasing finish. I've seen metal wire shelving in chrome/silver, black, white, and dark coppery bronze.

Part 2: Metal wire shelf in dark bronze

I saw this shelf still fully assembled in a trash room, and I was so excited by the size and shape I forgot to take a 'before' picture. oops!  Instead I just started taking it apart, because I knew it could serve nicely in my storage unit if none of my friends wanted it.  However, I texted these pictures to a friend, along with the dimensions and the caveat that one of the plastic shelf support pieces was missing (these can be purchase for $5-8 per set), to see if she wanted a shelf.....

Her response was an enthusiastic YES PLEASE!

Part 3: Conclusion

We arranged a swap that very evening -- and there was a surprise bonus was gift of baked goods at the end of it (something like 1 shelf set-for-four-scones...although things are bit hazy now).  A few days later I got a picture of the reassembled shelf, now taking pride of place in the living room as a home for houseplants.

Plant tower of power

I hope the aloes, pathos, dracaenas, and other plant residents appreciate their elevated view on the world.  And remember, metal wire shelving is so flexible, if you don't want that shelf there is definitely someone else who does

Happy freestling!

Black Metal Plant Stands - A Pair

Metal Plant Stands

I found two metal plant stands, one that fits inside the other, and both fit inside a single large carrying bag.

Another use for the iconic shopping tote

I gave these black metal plant stands away to a friend with a balcony who wanted to create height variety for his selection of indoor/outdoor plants.  Right now the plants are inside for the winter, but the black metal plant stands are still doing their job of keeping plants off the floor and giving the pathos vine some room to cascade over the side down towards the floor.

Standing tall

Conclusion

It's always good to save things from the dumpster, especially metal items which have such a high environmental production cost, why waste when you can reuse?  Even if I don't have an immediate use for things, I take those dumpster gems and offer them to friends.  You might not realize it, but it seems that everyone has their own wishlist of free items!

Happy freestyling!

Grilled to meet you - update

Finding a tiny charcoal grill

Remember in early April when I found a small charcoal grill and gave it to a friend who was longing for one? I wrote about it in this post.

Here is the grill as first discovered...

a grill, discarded.

Transporting a tiny charcoal grill, using a laundry basket and towels

Here is the tiny grill ready for transport...

a grill, rescued and slightly disguised for transport

New owner enjoying their new (free) tiny grill for some summer dining

And now, here is one of the overjoyed users, showing just how nice it is to have a patio set and a grill for summer food prep. (See that little folding table? Yes, it was also a freestyle find.)

Happy free styling, share your requests with the universe - you never know what will turn up.

It's more than just a random pile of metal

I own two folding metal platform bed frames, and they are so convenient.  Lightweight, easy to carry, easy to pack, and they remove any need for a box spring. I'm still unclear on why people still buy box springs to put under their mattresses when you could just use a platform, but maybe the rest of the sleep-using population just needs to know they are out there.
Having assembled two metal bed frames (in two different styles), and having found and gifted away at least one more, I know what they look like. Even when they are not at their best, like when someone has tossed one into a rubbish bin. Sigh, such a waste.

One that has been thrown away might look like this....

all askew

Instead of seeing a random useless pile of black powder-coasted metal, I see something that would be absolutely perfect for a friend who will be moving soon and needs to furnish a new studio apartment. It took me a few minutes to unscrew the wingnuts from the cross-brace pieces (no special tools were required) and then fold down the frame.  I knew from past experience that these metal bed frames, once folded down, will fit in the trunk of a car. You don't even need an SUV, a regular taxi will do just fine.  So that's what I used to transport this salvaged piece over to its new home.  A $10 taxi ride that netted a bedframe that would normally cost over $100.  Not bad for a few minutes of effort.

Happy freestyling.

Grilled to meet you

There have been times where I have seen used grills discarded on the loading dock. I'm not just talking about the counter-top plug-in electric grill style, but the outdoor charcoal-requiring type that involve open flame.  They seem like they would be SO EASY to give away. Lightweight, metal, sort of self-sanitizing (or at least easy to clean), and yet sometimes they just don't make the moving van cut.  In the past I've never grabbed one of these discarded homages to fire because - truth be told - I'm not much of a griller.  

Apparently this is shocking,  even to my friends who already know my eccentricities.  

(Which I, in turn, find surprising.)

Why this should be shocking I don't know, but apparently there are people who, like, worship the idea of grilling as some mandatory element of a good summer.  That's cool, I'm happy to eat their food. I do like eating outside.  And, even more important, I do love finding stuff that people have already told me they want, for free.  In early April a friend mentioned how her husband was so excited to grill this summer, but was bummed out because he didn't have a grill and didn't want to buy one.

So I filed that tidbit away.

One magical early spring evening, I saw this.

a grill, discarded.

A tiny lil' grill!

The garbage gods were really smiling that night, because just like it was meant to be, there was even a laundry basket and some fresh towels that I used to pack it all up and carry it away.  It was lightweight, I just didn't want the metal banging around while I was walking.

a grill, rescued and slightly disguised for transport

Yes, I'm sure I looked odd walking around with a laundry basket in the early evening, but whatevs.

I was freestyle killin it.

The recipients were overjoyed, and now have the, apparently necessary, ingredient of summer fun.

Happy freestyling.

Freestyle A Room - 2018 Challenge - Part 1

Years ago, in a different city, in different state, I learned that a friend would be moving to town with no furniture in tow. Thus the 'freestyle a room' self-imposed challenge was born.  It turned out well, the fish picture on canvas still ranks as one of the most awesome freestyle finds to date.

However, my consistency in blogging about the whole 'freestyle challenge' thing was somewhat haphazard, or so it seems across the mists of time.

So when I learned that a new (different) friend would be moving to my city and didn't want to bring much furniture (save for a mattress) with them I thought, "aha! My second chance for freestyling a room!". So here it goes. 

My goal is to find, find and remake, or otherwise acquire (legally!) for free the following items:
-bedframe
-lighting
-storage solutions
-desk and chair

Luckily at the time of writing this I've already found the first item on my list! See how I set myself up for success?

Before I knew about the challenge I found a foldable metal platform bed frame, with attachment pieces included.  These metal platform frames are really convenient because they fold up small enough to fit in the trunk of a regular car, no SUV or truck needed to move them. Also they are lightweight, I can carry each piece with one hand.

When buying new these frames sell for around $100, depending on the size. The only thing this cost me was a cab ride home, some things are a bit too large to fit on a bike.

The bedframe is now in place in it's new home, which in a super-convenient turn of events happens to be a place nearby.  The adventure continues.

Happy freestyling.

Suburban surprise...with scrollwork

During October I spent a weekend with friends, nothing surprising about that.  After dinner we went for a walk, nothing too out of the ordinary.  Then, when we were only 1 block from their house we came across a bunch of discarded items that had been set out for trash day. Jackpot!  Does the freestyle follow me? No, really its just that once you start looking its hard to stop seeing.
It was dark but from what we could see of this metal and wood table it was servicable and in ok shape.  It had nice scrollwork details, probably over a decade old based on the styling, aaaaaaand the amount of dust on it.
I kid, it actually wasn't too bad, just some dust inside the scrollwork- because who would dust that?

After the requisite cleaning we paused to look at it.

We could't tell if the wood was solid, burl veneer, or maybe some sort of patterned pressboard product.  Furniture mystery.
There were a few spots where the knots/burls had been scuffed, so maybe that means there is some real wood?  If anyone is more informed about this table or others like it feel free to leave a comment.
The next day we swapped some tables around and arrived at this arrangement.  It works for now since the heavy metal look doesn't really go with the rest of the furniture, but since you only see bits of it from the rest of the room it doesn't overwhelm the space.

Yes, that is a cutting originally from my fern, all grown up!

Its a useful entryway table and sofa end table.  For $0 I'd say it was a lucky night on the town.

Happy freestyling.