One of my best friends is getting married this weekend. This has put me in a bit of a spot. The problem is he's one of the most off the wall, creative, out of the ordinary people you'd ever want to meet. On one hand, he's a really nice guy who would be very appreciative and grateful for any present we got him. On the other hand, if, let's say you were a fly fisherman and your birthday was coming up, he'd spend months growing the perfect species of bamboo to make you a fly rod. Not that he's a fly rod maker, but in order to make it special for you, he'd learn how.
This is what I'm up against. In addition, he's getting married, so obviously we have his bride to consider as well.
So after tearing out what's left of my hair for several months, I came up with an idea.
The idea, which I hope won't offend, is to create something from things that started out with a very different purpose in life. The various parts of this spice rack had very different lives once. The shelves were once part of pallets and crates used to ship wine from Italy. The beadboard was left over from a kitchen renovation project. The molding was purchased to finish bathroom cabinets, but then minds were changed and it was left in the shed unused. Even the screws and nails were once intended for something else. But, out of this pile of scrap and refuse, something solid and useful has been created. Something that with a little care, will stand the test of time. My friend and his wife to be both had very different lives once, but a chance meeting and a twist of fate brought them together to form something great. They're both a little weathered and scarred from life, but together they're rock solid.
So, does this sound like a good gift or are they going to think I'm just a cheap bastard?
Anyway, here's the spice rack. It will hold 12 jars and will be filled when I give it to them. The jars in there now are mine, just to see how it'll look. I'm gonna use the same jars, but with nice labels. I'm also no woodworker, so another friend helped me make this. It really is solid as a rock. It ain't pretty but should last. The slots in the bottom are to hang wine glasses by the way. I'm toying with the idea of drilling 45˚ angle holes along the right side so it'll hold 3 wine bottles by inserting the necks in the holes. The camera angles and shadows make it look like some of the angles are off, but it's actually straight and true. I purposely left the wood pretty much as found. I could have sanded and stained it without much extra work, in fact the friend who helped me make it lobbied all day for that, but I just liked it better this way.
This is a French cleat so it'll mount rock solid to the wall.
I purposely chose the piece of wood with the knot hole for the top shelf.
Measuring cups and spoons are also mine, but I'll put a nice set of metal ones in there for them. I also purposely left the
pencil marks from where I measured it.
You can see the slots for the glasses at the bottom of this pic.
This is what I'm up against. In addition, he's getting married, so obviously we have his bride to consider as well.
So after tearing out what's left of my hair for several months, I came up with an idea.
The idea, which I hope won't offend, is to create something from things that started out with a very different purpose in life. The various parts of this spice rack had very different lives once. The shelves were once part of pallets and crates used to ship wine from Italy. The beadboard was left over from a kitchen renovation project. The molding was purchased to finish bathroom cabinets, but then minds were changed and it was left in the shed unused. Even the screws and nails were once intended for something else. But, out of this pile of scrap and refuse, something solid and useful has been created. Something that with a little care, will stand the test of time. My friend and his wife to be both had very different lives once, but a chance meeting and a twist of fate brought them together to form something great. They're both a little weathered and scarred from life, but together they're rock solid.
So, does this sound like a good gift or are they going to think I'm just a cheap bastard?
Anyway, here's the spice rack. It will hold 12 jars and will be filled when I give it to them. The jars in there now are mine, just to see how it'll look. I'm gonna use the same jars, but with nice labels. I'm also no woodworker, so another friend helped me make this. It really is solid as a rock. It ain't pretty but should last. The slots in the bottom are to hang wine glasses by the way. I'm toying with the idea of drilling 45˚ angle holes along the right side so it'll hold 3 wine bottles by inserting the necks in the holes. The camera angles and shadows make it look like some of the angles are off, but it's actually straight and true. I purposely left the wood pretty much as found. I could have sanded and stained it without much extra work, in fact the friend who helped me make it lobbied all day for that, but I just liked it better this way.
This is a French cleat so it'll mount rock solid to the wall.
I purposely chose the piece of wood with the knot hole for the top shelf.
Measuring cups and spoons are also mine, but I'll put a nice set of metal ones in there for them. I also purposely left the
pencil marks from where I measured it.
You can see the slots for the glasses at the bottom of this pic.
