Skip to Content

Distressed Mail Holder

IMG 0818
We have a problem in our home when it comes to the mail. We bring it in every day, but we don’t always have time to look at it right away. It ends up piling up on the kitchen table or on the counters.

And it drives.me.crazy!

Solution? A wall mounted mail holder!

Here’s a little background on how this mail holder came to be. I was perusing Pam’s blog, Sallygoodin, and was completely facinated with this post about various things made from old pallets.

I looked outside and what to my wondering eyes should appear??
IMG 0786
4 pallets in my very own backyard!

I promptly demanded begged the hubs to pry apart some of these boards with me so I could start creating. But those darn nails in these old pallets were not going to let go of these boards so easily! The wood just splintered off into pieces.
IMG 0787
Sooooo, the hubs used an electric saw to cut pieces of the boards off. So much for making super fun things with these long pieces of boards! But that’s okay, my little mail holder only needs to be 12 inches wide which turned out to be PERFECT with this wood.
IMG 0784
I designed it. Hubs built it. We make a great team. 😉
I love the old wood, but I really wanted it to blend in with the furniture in my kitchen a little better. We have Broyhill’s Attic Heirlooms furniture in the eating area in our kitchen. Its fabulous farmhouse style furniture that is distressed. Its GREAT! My son will never be able to hurt it, because what is another mark in already distressed wood?
IMG 0820
This is the bench we have from this set to give an idea of the distress on the wood.
So, I needed to distress the mail holder because right now its silky smooth…
IMG 0788
I attacked with this nail first…
IMG 0789
I gouged and scraped. Mostly superficial, but some a little deeper.
Then I went at it with this…
IMG 0790
The hubs wasn’t around for me to ask what it was. But it made some fabulous deep gouges in the wood!
IMG 0791
(Example of fabulous deep gouge.)
Finally, I attacked the wood with this little hammer. Isn’t it cute?
IMG 0793
Great! Now I’m ready to paint. I was pretty sure that I wanted to paint it black, but then I had an epiphany. Seriously, a craft epiphany!
Chalkboard paint strikes again!
But where is it?
IMG 0794
I’m pretty sure hubs hid it back in this corner somewhere. I think my obsession with it scares him. (As it should!)
IMG 0795
Oh, look! There it is! Yep, he totally hid it from me. Good thing I don’t give up easily!
2 coats of paint later and hubs had it hanging on the kitchen wall.
IMG 0817
IMG 0819
And an action shot…
IMG 0823
I couldn’t be happier with it!
Now, my question to you is, isn’t there a dustless type of chalk? If so, where can I find some??
I hope you’re having a great 4th of July weekend!!
siggie
I have started truncating my posts to avoid having my content stolen. I hope you’ll click over to finish reading the post. Thank you for understanding!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Lizzy~Beth

Wednesday 11th of August 2010

I love love love this!! Our mail is always getting thrown on the kitchen table and then moved to an extra chair to the table. I plan on making this one when I get the supplies.

ljeanne

Friday 30th of July 2010

You can buy dustless chalk wherever you find school supplies. I used it in the "old" days in my classroom.

The Tulip Patch

Friday 30th of July 2010

Chalk Markers...there is such a thing, and I think that's how restaurants have the lovely menu boards up front...starbucks, too. Great idea...wish I could get the hubby to actually sort his mail. Paper hoarder all the way.

V and Co.

Friday 30th of July 2010

love it love it love it!!!! thanks for linking up!

trish

Friday 30th of July 2010

Oh how clever! :o)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.