You can come whenever you want.
Such a lovely thing to say; to put up on your walls. I had been smitten with this line since the time my sister passed me this canvas tote which she bought in France. I don’t know why, among the million things I read and write everyday, this particular sentence caught my attention in such intensity that I actually cut the fabric and saved it when the tote gave up. For the longest time I stashed it away, looking at it once in a while, wondering how I can use it and where. Happy that it finally became The Little French key hanger.
Sometime back, I expressed my love for this fabric to a friend. She was amused. What’s in this sentence that’s so worth keeping is what she just couldn’t get. Honestly, I don’t know it myself. Is my vocab limited? No. Do I not read enough to develop a liking to better words? No. But I think its the simplicity with which it expresses warmth is what totally got me. It”s absolutely clutter breaking. Nothing else can mean “you are welcome” the way this little sentence expresses. Or maybe it’s just the same old, touchy me!
Well, here’s me saying hi from sunny India and we’ve got a bit of French Love in this home: It’s a repurposed, old plastic mirror dowsed in French canvas love and given a new life as a key hanger with some vintage porcelain knobs. Fancy?
When I moved into our new home, it came with great possibilities and one large, ugly mirror. I don’t know why someone would even bother to keep it here. After moving from wall to wall and worse, bathroom to bathroom it finally posed as a namakool piece of useless furniture: my husband hated it so much that he actually asked me to throw it away this weekend. Time was running and I had a deadline 😉
First, I thought I’ll make it a little ornate: The idea was to do some raised structures on the frame with fevicol and than painting it a rusty grey. I was almost there when a little birdie from within told me, chah! That’s cliche. That’s one day gone.
Second, I thought I’ll make a coffee table tray out of it. I saw those shiny things on Pinterest made from salvaged old mirrors. But again, where’s the new bro? What’s the point in doing the same thing. Let’s do something new. (Blame my digital ad agency background. We are little robots)
On third thoughts, and because while rearranging my cupboard I found this piece of fabric, I thought of making something that uses both. At that point I had no idea what. I also found these little vintage porcelain knobs that I bought sometime back online. Seriously, it was like the client’s brief. They give you 3 keys and you are expected to make a winning campaign out of it. For once, that rutty job came handy.
People lose keys all the time. Our friend George Kurien leaves his keys everywhere. People don’t find ashtrays. people don’t find bags: Yes, it was time for a hanger of sorts.
Here is a little collage to show the first step:
Opened the mirror and pulled the fabric in its place. Secured with duck tapes and fit its back.
Next, I drilled two holes and secured the knobs.
You must be wondering if its even worth a post but I think it is. After all, it’s not always the complicated, the difficult that decides its worth. Sometimes it’s the idea behind it, the thought that goes into making it and the simplicity through which it expresses its function is what makes it worthwhile.
Whatdyathink?
Sharing at:
Monday
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-12-2/
Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia – Tuesday’s Treasures Coastal Charm – Nifty Thrifty
http://www.tinysidekick.com/makers-link-party-19/
Wednesday
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/06/wow-us-wednesdays-174.html
Thursday
From My Front Porch To Yours – Treasure Hunt Thursday