Antique Style Wooden Crate Wall Organizer

I hope I'm not the only person that has epic DIY failures occasionally, but Gail graciously let me come share with you how I salvaged my DIY failure into a pallet project I love.

My name is Angie, and my blog home is Knick of Time, where I share lots of repurposed vintage projects & free antique graphics each week. Okay, here's the story behind my DIY failure. I wanted an antique fruit shipping crate, complete with a beautiful label on it, but I didn't want to pay antique store prices for it. I had several weathered pallets, so I figured it would be easy to build my own crate, right? Well, maybe not. I'm also way behind the crowd, because I have NEVER created a project with pallets before, but thought this crate would be perfect as my first attempt. You can see from this photo of the massacred pallet that I'm a newbie, but I got that pallet cut apart and came up with my plan.

I cut the pallet boards into 7 pieces (3 long pieces, and 4 shorter ones)for each side of the crate, based on the size I wanted my crate to be.

I assembled each side of the crate, by screwing the three long pieces between two shorter pieces.

I was patting myself on the back, because so far it was looking great...but my plan took a U-turn. I couldn't get the thing assembled into a crate to save my life. It looked like a toddler had built it (I didn't photograph my failure). Sadly, I do not have Gail's skills at turning wood into something as simple as a crate, but I refused to admit total defeat. By themselves, I thought the side pieces looked great, so I put my thinking cap on to figure out how I could turn them into something else.

I remembered I had some antique labels from old tin cans {free printables available here}. And since tin cans were shipped in wooden crates, I could see some hope on the horizon that I could salvage my failed project.

I had just finished a project using tin cans (seen here) and had some cans left over, so I printed several of the peach labels and wrapped them around two of the cans, then screwed the cans into one of the wooden crate sides.

I attached two old coat hooks on the sides, and was overjoyed with the result. Not only is it useful for holding a kitchen towel, and some utensils, but I could almost convince myself that this was exactly the project I had in mind when I started, instead of the remains of a DIY failure.

I hope this encourages you that there's no such thing as a failed project - just a new project in the making!

antique-shipping-crate-labels-wall-hooks

I hope you'll drop in and visit me at Knick of Time, and see all my other repurposed projects and view the progress of our farm country home remodel.

You can find me elsewhere online for daily updates & free antique graphics.

Thank you Angie for a great guest post today showing us that it pays to not give up, there is no such thing as a project fail. Although I have felt that way many times myself. I love how your wall organizer came together with a great vintage style.

Click Here for more information about dismantling pallets.

gail

Comments

Joy

April 22, 2014 at 2:24 pm

Love your shelf & I would never have known you struggled with it. Anyone who saws and drills and hammers to create is a PRO to me! I totally LOVE your images of the can labels. I bought a set of 5 last year from the "blue bird" company for green beans! I framed it and sold it at a crafts show. Now, I've put another one on top of green bean recipes on a tray. I am NOT selling any of yours, but I am enjoying them! And your creative and inspiring posts! Smiles!

ananda

April 22, 2014 at 12:38 pm

so gorgeous ! failure seems to be part of every success when it comes to DIY! =)
thank you angie and gail for sharing!

Mindi

April 20, 2014 at 4:36 pm

I love it Angie!! Fail to great success! We all have project fails, but to turn it around and make it awesome, that is true talent! Plus you do AMAZING stuff on your blog, love it!

debbiedoos

April 19, 2014 at 10:31 am

It's awesome Angie! and yes, I have had many epic fails. Most I can't salvage though:)

SheilaG @ Plum Doodles

April 19, 2014 at 9:18 am

Looks great, Angie. I frequently have those great ideas that I can't make work. Glad you figured out how to salvage this one. 🙂

Trish

April 19, 2014 at 12:23 am

Happy Easter!

Susan

April 18, 2014 at 9:07 pm

Great job Angie!!! Gail I would love to do a post for you my friend 🙂
Susan

Betsy

April 18, 2014 at 9:02 pm

Great save Angie. I'm glad you didn't give up on it.

Nancy

April 18, 2014 at 7:32 pm

Did you clean the wood at all, as far as bugs, toxic chems? Wash it or?

Maureen

April 18, 2014 at 7:03 pm

Awesome! (well not that a failure is awesome, but the final results). What a great idea; just love the textures on this piece.

Donna Wilkes

April 18, 2014 at 5:32 pm

Very clever, Angie. Hidden in every failure is a success waiting to emerge. Love those labels.

Debra@CommonGround

April 18, 2014 at 2:51 pm

great idea, Angie. love the fruit labels, I'm going to grab them. and you're right, crates with good vintage advertising are a premium.

Julie @ follow your heart woodworking

April 18, 2014 at 12:17 pm

Angie, don't be so hard on yourself, you have some of the best creations in blogland (besides Gail, that is)!!

- Angie @ Knick of Time
  
  April 18, 2014 at 1:30 pm
  
  Thank you, Julie - you always make my day!!
  
Tuula @ The Thrifty Rebel

April 18, 2014 at 12:06 pm

I really love how that turned out. It's rustic and fabulous! Great job turning a fail into something awesome.

kim

April 18, 2014 at 9:26 am

That turned out great and actually gave me an idea for my kitchen re-do that we're working on. Thanks.

Bliss

April 18, 2014 at 9:02 am

Sometimes from the ashes rises the phoenix!

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