Making Stuff With Molly – Necklace Shelf

I’m back from vacation! Yaaay (and also boooo).  I have a full week of recap posts, but first I wanted to introduce a new type of post – Making Stuff With Molly.  My crafty juices have been flowing (that sounds gross, sorry) and I have so many projects in my head that I’m starting to make.  I can’t wait to share them with the internet!

While blog browsing (blowsing?) I saw a fabulous necklace shelf on Broader Boarders and immediately thought “I need me one of them”.  I have a decent amount of necklaces that I never wear because of this situation:

She had added the magical term “DIY” so I planned to blatantly rip off be inspired by her design and make my own.

Days later I found out that she had simply taken a shelf from Ikea and screwed hooks into the bottom. But at that point I was in too deep.  Meaning: I had mentioned my woodworking plan to Adam and promised him a Home Depot trip.  The deal was done.   A week later, I had made a shelf.

Here’s how!

 To some, Home Depot is a magical wonderland of possibilities.  To me, it is extremely overwhelming and daunting.  The one time Adam let me out of his sight, I was searching for wood putty in the caulking aisle and near tears.

What you’ll need:

1. Spray paint (optional: spray paint primer) – I chose Rust-Oleum Painters Touch in Dark Grey
2. Gorilla Wood Glue
3. Clamps
4. Lumber – We got one 2×1 and a 3×1
5. Plastic Wood (or any other wood putty)
6. Cup hooks
7. Wood screws – both for holding the shelf together (#8×1.25”) and for mounting (#8×1.5”)

I used a miter box and hand saw to cut the lumber.  I decided to make my shelf two feet long (I actually did the smart thing and measured the area I wanted to hang it.  Thinking ahead!).  I used two pieces of the 3×1 for the back and bottom of the shelf, and one piece of the 2×1 for the front lip of the shelf.

Here is where I admit my complete lack of knowledge about making…stuff.  Who knew you should glue wood together before screwing it? Not this kid.  Round of applause for Adam.

I used Gorilla Wood Glue.  This is one of those “enough, but not too much” situations.  You don’t want a whole lot of glue squishing out the sides.  You can sand it down after if you’re planning on painting the shelf, but if you’re staining it, the drips will look bad.

I then clamped the shelf together and let it set for 24 hours.

Full disclosure: Adam did this part because timing-wise it just made more sense for him to get this done before work one day so I could spray paint that night. Anyhoo….

He measured out two inches from the edge, then every five inches and marked the place for the screws.  At each point, he drilled tap holes with an 1/8^th inch drill bit.  This part is necessary, or you could split the wood.  Then he used a 5/16^th inch drill bit to drill a recessed hole for the screw head.  After screwing in the screws (there must be a better way of putting that), he filled them in with wood putty.

Once the wood putty was dry, I sanded it down to a smooth finish.

On the bottom of the shelf, I marked where the hooks would go.  I decided to put 23 hooks in, each an inch apart, because I needed an excuse to buy more necklaces.  After marking, I used an 1/8 inch drill bit to make itty bitty holes and twisted in the cup hooks.  I did about six, and then whined and Adam did the rest.  Massage Therapist – can’t risk my hands, etc.

I could only find cup hooks in that color which was sooo not going with my scheme.  If you want the gold look, wait until after you paint for this step.

After some light sanding around the rough edges, I moved on to colorizing.

Bet you didn’t know you were dealing with an artiste over here.  I first used a spray paint primer.  Not sure if you necessarily need to when dealing with clean wood, but it couldn’t hurt.  This is actually my first major spray painting endeavor.  I got some tips from this blog.  And you guys, when they say “use in a well ventilated area” they don’t mean “the tiny foyer of your boyfriend’s tiny apartment with the window of an adjoining room open.”  Don’t be silly.

After a couple of coats with lots of drying time, my baby was ready.

Adam mounted it using wood screws while I detangled my mess of necklaces.

WABAM! DIY NECKLACE SHELF

That frame with the adorable boys (my nephews) was also a mini DIY.  I found the frame at TJ Maxx for $6 but it was in a white “shabby chic” style.  I got Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Ultra Cover in Lagoon, covered the glass and back with newspaper, and went to town.  Helpful tip: if you do this and accidentally get some paint on the glass, some swipes with acetone nail polish remover will get rid of it. The glasses on the shelf are votive holders that I got from MassageWarehouse.com