Another Workbench Item from Haleighanna's Hands

I am not what anyone would call a neat freak...especially in my shop. I have purchased a lot of baskets and label makers over the years and sometimes they get used but I am not sure that my version of organized matches anyone else's. I also work at a really long table and usually half is the space I am working on and the other half is the "put it away later" or project drying area.

I felt a bit overwhelmed by the "put it away later" side (i.e., it was starting to list a little under the weight) so I decided to clean it up. At the bottom of the pile was an unused paint stir stick. I have no idea why it was there since I haven't painted anything since November when I lived at my old house. And before you say, "Are you sure it can't be from your last paint project? You know it's been awhile since you've organized your space!," I have moved since that last paint endeavor.

So I starred at it a long time, pondering how it came to be there and where it should go to wait to be useful. Then it hit me. Use up some paper scraps and make a photo/note holder. Here it is!


Paint Stick Note/Photo Holder. A low cost way to use up scraps!

I used a few things I had lying around:

The paint stir stick
Ruler
Craft knife
Distressing ink
Acrylic paint
Sandpaper
A scrap of paper large enough to fit the stir stick
A scrap of fabric
A couple of left over paper flowers from another project
Three clothes pins (a pile of which I found in the "put it away pile")
Wall hangers
E6000 (my favorite glue)
Mod Podge Matte

Step 1: Cut the stir stick. I used my craft knife and ruler to score the wood just before the little curve starts in the handle. I kept scoring it until I had cut through about half. I broke it apart and cleaned up the edges with the sandpaper and craft knife. Don't worry about if it breaks a little because Step 2 will cover up any issues.

Step 2: Use the scrap paper to cover the stir stick. I used Mod Podge to glue the paper to the wood.

Step 3: Distress the edges of the stick (if desired)

Step 4: Paint the clothes pins (if desired)

Step 5: Glue the fabric, flowers, and clothes pins to the stick with the E6000

Step 6: Glue the hangers to the back with the E6000

In the end, I had a charming and super cheap piece that I could hang pictures from and an excuse not to finish the my initial task of cleaning. Such is life...

Clothes pins from the Dollar Store

 

What do you do with your scraps?