This is part 21 of our series 31 DAYS of Giving Handmade! You can find links to the entire series, in order, on our Giving Handmade Index Page. I'll add each new link as that day is published.
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{rustic centerpiece caddy}
We are changing gears a little with today's project...from sewing and fabric to scrap wood and power tools.
The caddy shown is made from scrap wood. I like to keep an eye out for wood in people's trash piles on collection day. The wood I used here was collected on the way home from carpool (with the kids in the car worrying that their friends were watching) and then it sat on the front porch in a bucket for 4 months. I'm really a delight to live with.
If you are not into scavenging for wood scraps, you could probably make this caddy using a 1x4, a 1x3, and a small piece of thin plywood for the bottom. It's a lot cheaper to use trash though.
In addition to the wood you need:
::saw
::wood glue
::hammer and nails or brad nailer (preferred, since some salvaged wood can be really dense and difficult to get through.)
::measuring tape (essential!)
This isn't a pattern or plan as much as a guide to working with found materials.
1. The first step is to determine the size of your caddy. Mine was determined by the size of the plywood piece I had. Cut your bottom piece to size. (Mine's about 5x20)
2. Measure the ends of your base, and cut two 1x4 pieces to that length. Then measure the length, subtract the width of the end caps, and cut the sides to that length. Connect these 4 1x4 pieces into a box shape using glue and nails.
3. Connect the bottom with more nails and glue. Make sure to aim straight so the brads don't go through the box wall!
4. The original purpose of this caddy was for the kids to collect odds and ends from the yard. I was sick of knocking over solo cups full of "crystal rocks" or crushed snail shells. So I needed some dividers. I cut these out of a 1x3 so the tops of the dividers would not reach the top of the caddy. That way if they have something long to collect, they can lay it across the top. If you would rather everything be flush at the top, use a 1x4.
5. The compartments are all different sizes, with the largest being in the middle, and the smallest on the ends. This also, it turns out, makes it great for holding flower arrangements and cloth napkins at the table.
6. I added a little stump of 1x3 as a handle on each end, nailing from the inside of the box. I found it already mitered like that--I love it!
I might have to make one of these for myself, as this one won't get to stay inside for much longer. It belongs to Emma, and will soon be outside, ready to be filled with acorns, seeds, shells, or whatever odd thing she feels like filling it with.
Next time I make one, it will be wide enough to fit a mason jar.
I guess I should get out there and check out the neighbors' scrap piles!
