From Trash to Treasure - Part 1

After the positive feedback I had received from followers on Facebook about wishing to follow along with my behind-the-scene adventures with my various projects, I asked if they would want me to do another. Without hesitation, they said yes. 


In the Beginning
Earlier in the year, my area had a junk day. Basically it's a designated day for certain areas to be able to put large items that would not normally be able to be put into the trash or recycle bins that could be picked up by the city without homeowners being charged. Ever so often the items that are put to the curb are still in relatively good condition or be re-purposed. A friend who was local ends up sending me a message that she had salvaged a wooden cabinet door that was still in good condition and was wondering if I would be interested. Though at the time I wasn't sure what I would do with it, I said sure. Eventually, when our schedules allowed it, she came by and dropped it off. For the following months, the doors would get moved around the house and each time I would look at them and be at a complete loss as to what to do with them. 


Random Inspiration

DIY Box Rehab 

With my dad still working on recovering from his knee replacement surgery and a major project that I was collaborating with author Stacy J. Garrett with done, I've been finding myself being unusually creative and productive. This is especially true in the late hours of the night. Often I find myself watching lengthy digital speed painting videos by such artists as Apterus Graphics and Celtic Botan, doll customization by Dollightful and Nicolle's Dreams, and even Adam Savage's One Day Builds from his Tested channel. I'll have their videos playing while working on random projects (such as the reclaimed box from my DIY Box Rehab post and even a small custom paint job I had done on a doll for myself). 

It was during one of these late night art inspirations where I realized what I wanted to do with the cabinet doors that had been roaming the house late at night. While looking for references for something completely different, I realized that I could possibly make the doors into a wall hanging of sorts and possibly make them either decorative a person could use them in a personal sacred space. What caused this sudden moment of inspiration? Oddly enough, after completing the box, I spent the night watching Van Helsing, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and looking at star charts. A strange way of having an EUREKA! moment, but I'm not about to complain. 


Brainstorming
I knew that with this kind of undertaking that I would need to do a bit of brainstorming. The doors were hinged in the center so they would originally slide open in a folded manner when they were attached to the cabinet and I wanted to keep it that way. However, I would need to remove the hinges that were on the left side along with removing the knobs that were original to the doors. I have plans on replacing them with

My visual brainstorming notes that help keep things
slightly sorted out but with the flexibility for changes. 

different knobs later on in the project's completion. 

The next step was to measure the size of the raised panels. With each door having a rather deep section between the railing (surrounding trim) and the panels (middle section), I was going to treat that much like the mat and framing of a picture. So keeping that in mind, I gave myself a note to mask off what I don't want to work on and that I would need to sand the panels to get existing finish, stain and oils off of the wood in order to have a clean surface to work on. Now, for that panel measurement. I was stunned to discover that the panels measured 4 in x 30 in which meant that I have less room then I originally thought for what I want to do. Just means I need to remind myself that I need to be flexible with what I'm wanting to accomplish. The other bit of troubleshooting that I need to keep in mind as well is possibilities of how to attach wall hanging options to the back without damaging the front face of the doors. I do believe a trip to the local hardware store is in order. 

To be continued...