Hello 11 Magnolia Lane readers! I’m so grateful to again be invited by Christy and Amy to share a fun, easy organization idea with all of you during their Operation Organization series! I’m Samantha, the writer behind the blog Simply Organized and am also a professional organizer by day in the SF Bay Area. I see and hear a lot while working with clients (most of them being mothers) and the one thing that rings true with everyone is the want / need to simplify. Life is already so hectic, why add more stress on top? I love to come up with simple, easy, fun organization ideas…many of which fall under the DIY category. And speaking of, I have an awesome DIY idea for you today!
I’m particularly fired up about this easy little DIY project. This has been a project years in the making. Literally – years and years. (I cry as I type this)
You see, this little wall hanging used to be the crib springs my 3 babies slept on. Well, they didn’t sleep “on” just those springs. There was a comfy mattress on top. But as babies, each of my 3 kiddos slept in the same crib. It held my 2 sweet and wild baby boys…
Then it turned pink when a special little girl arrived…
I will never forget that one morning, for each of them, when I walked in to see them pulling up on the side rail…
That moment when you knew it was time to lower the mattress one more time. I’m sure you’re nodding in agreement right about now ;-).
The crib was the backdrop to countless sweet photos. Like when we played hide and seek…
Or when someone discovered how fun it was to play with our cat, Charlie…
The crib even briefly transformed into a toddler bed before our big cross-country move…
But like all great things and phases, they come to an end. When it was time to get rid of the crib before the big move last summer, there were big boo-hoo tears over here. Having a crib in your house for almost 9 years. A crib that held each of your little people from newborn to big kid bed. A crib that was the backdrop in countless photos and memories. It was hard to say good-bye to something so special. The end of an era.
I desperately wished to keep the crib, but we know that wasn’t going to happen. By the time my kids have kids of their own, the crib would not only be outdated but also unsafe. Instead of keeping the crib, I kept the springs with an idea in mind.
Finally, last week my dream of turning the crib springs…
into a wall hanging / inspiration board came true…
Oh, did I mention it’s magnetic too?
Not only is this sentimental piece something I can keep and treasure forever, but it was easy to do! Here’s what I did.
I first primed the springs with some leftover house flat paint…
In case you’re wondering about those cute cans / labels, my simple paint organization project can be found right here! Along with the free printable labels!
Little known tip: flat paint works great as a primer…
When the primer was dry, I drilled out the brackets that keep the springs attached to the crib posts. The brackets were hanging off the springs and not looking very good. To remove the rivets…
All I did was use my power drill with a drill bit that fit inside the rivet…
Make sure to wear protective goggles during this process because small bits of metal dust will be flying around. Only took a few seconds for each rivet and bracket to fall out…
Once the brackets were out, I primed the springs again with magnetic primer…
I followed the instructions on the can, applying several thin coats and letting each coat dry in between. Now the piece isn’t just for pinning…it also holds magnets!…
Once the primer was dry, it was time for some fun. Enter gold spray paint!…
A few thin coats on each side of the springs…
Then just let it dry for a few hours…
So in love right here…
I love love love the gold paint.
Finally, it was time to hang. I mulled over a variety of ways to hang this but the easiest was with drywall anchors and screws. If you do this project, you can try picture hanging wire or hooks or what I will share below. Personally, I didn’t want string or hooks showing.
I hung mine by first marking my walls where I wanted the 3 screws placed…
Having the magnetic primer made it easy for my magnetic level to stay attached on its own – ha!…
My beautiful niece (and sister – behind the camera) was a big help too!…
Once I had my holes marked, I hammered in the drywall anchors…
Then screwed them in…
Then added my screws, making sure they stuck out far enough to hold my wall hanging in place…
Once the screws were securely in place, I hung the crib springs…
That’s all folks…
Now that it’s hanging, time to add some inspiration. It’s my own version of “pinterest”, but in real life. Some future home project inspiration is clipped…
And some hanging by a magnet…
Either way, I’m in love all over again with what once was a special crib and can’t wait to add more inspiration…
I’m a happy girl sitting in my home office with this special piece closeby…
If you have large sentimental pieces in your home and are having a hard time parting ways with it, consider keeping a small piece and repurposing it in a new way.
Go DIY something and be happy!
***********
Thanks Samantha! Isn’t that a great idea? I think it would be amazing in a playroom for art display too.
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
Here is the line-up for Operation: Organization 2015:
January 16~ Mallory from Charming in Charlotte
January 19~ Becky from This is Happiness
January 21~ Abby from Just a Girl and her Blog
January 24~ Samantha from Simply Organized
January 26~ Amanda from Dixie Delights
January 27~Aniko from Place of My Taste
January 28~ Paige from The Pink Clutch
January 29~ Melissa from A Prudent Life
You can follow all the goings on via Pinterest HERE and Instagram HERE.
This is the last day to enter to win a set of gold monograms from our ETSY store!
{We’d love for follow along so you don’t miss anything in our series via our social media icons below, or sign up for an email subscription via our sidebar, we’ll never share or sell your email, cross our hearts!}
XO,
Love that idea! Simply brilliant. Great job!!
Amazing idea. Just shows what can be done with totally unrelated items.
I purchased a gold monogram for my ring bowl (thanks for the great idea!). I had a limoge bowl inherited from my husband’s mother and had it stashed in a drawer until I got the monogram and now use it as my ring bowl daily on my dresser! Would love to have more monograms!
What a wonderful and sweet idea!! Can you also tell me where you purchased the three piece black corner desk in the picture – love it!!!