I’m indulging in some nostalgia these days – wanting again at 10+ years in the past initiatives with enjoyable feelings (“oh wow”, “I did what?” and even “oh that’s enjoyable”). Perhaps in 10 years I’ll look again on the Craft Barn or the squiggle bulletin board with the identical shock and nostalgia. This venture I TOTALLY forgot about and after I slacked my workforce after stumbling upon it on the web my workforce was like “what precisely are we ?” Precisely. Let me present you.
My consumer (enjoyable truth, it’s producer Rachna Fruchbom who produced Shrinking, Parks and Rec, Contemporary Off The Boat, and And Simply Like That) already had these classic items (she is rad, by the best way – Orlando and I LOVED working together with her and her fam). The piece in query was an enormous retailer show shelving unit which appears nice in concept, however what can somebody truly put in it of their actual residence that is sensible? And in a playroom, no much less?? Books/cute toys within the backside cubbies, positive. However the remainder of the cubbies have been too small and chopped as much as be useful. It’s not such as you separate your lego colours, or have so many good wanting youngsters collectables. It’s a cool piece, however truly created an enormous artistic drawback that Orlando and I wanted to unravel (largely to shoot the room, which was so cute). Rachna gave us free reign so long as we didn’t blow the funds, so we received artistic.
Canning Jars FTW???
You could know that my love/nostalgia for canning jars is bigger than most. Odd Even. Rising up mormon we canned every part we may, together with our annual tuna canning session from the Oregon coast (which was as smelly because it sounds, producing year-round scrumptious recent tuna that every one my school roommates would battle over). All my vases at our marriage ceremony have been classic/vintage canning jars I collected all through our engagement (many I nonetheless have). I might say this odd love has depleted, but it surely hasn’t. I drink each day out of giant canning jars as if it’s a standard glass.
Why Mason Jars?
If I bear in mind appropriately, discovering something that made sense to fill the cubbies was not possible. Jars of artwork provides would value a lot extra (and be pointless), wrapping containers in colourful paper was perhaps one other thought however may additionally look soooo janky. Colourful youngsters blocks additionally may have labored for a shoot, however would even be costlier than you’d assume and look messy when tousled (and onerous to take care of). For those who can give you an concept that is sensible please let me know. We didn’t need it to be bitsy, messy, random, or value an excessive amount of. So I suppose that landed us on portray mason jars…
We Measured And Math’ed…
Assuming that I had the concept (zero recollection however that’s my hand writing), Orlando and I mathed all of it out by measuring each row of cubbies and determining which sizes of jars would slot in every and what number of we would want. We then purchased all of them (possible from a retailer, that is pre-Amazon Prime), and selected the paint colours.
That is the one picture nonetheless on the web of us portray them (that is earlier than good telephones for pictures or video – how did we even create each day content material 12 years in the past???). I’m undecided if we selected one blue after which diluted it more and more with white to get the ombre impact OR if we selected a number of shades and simply performed round with mixing them collectively as we moved up the wall of cubbies. Both means, it created this ombre look which I’ve to confess remains to be actually enjoyable.
What I Assume About It Now
Is it gimmicky? Positive. And in the event that they ever have been to maneuver or eliminate that piece they’d have loads of painted jars to take care of. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a compelling wall of colour that’s easy to your eye to know (i.e. not busy) and created a dialog. It’s additionally very 2012 in a extremely enjoyable means. The pops of gold/silver of the lids as a pleasant shine and texture.
I don’t know if I might do it once more, however nonetheless with out another answer I stand by why I did this. It ended up being round 60-75 jars (be at liberty to depend) which value about $230 (per my OG publish about it) after which one other $200 or so in different provides. That’s not nothing and hilariously actually doesn’t account for our time (which neither did I again then – a rookie mistake of my first few years of getting design shoppers and why I in the end ended up pivoting away from it). For those who added up Orlando and I’s time to do that (possible 10 hours x 2 individuals) it will add about $3,500 in design labor. Which might take your entire venture to $5k which is solely FAR an excessive amount of for a enjoyable DIY mason jar ombre artwork wall in a 3-year-old’s playroom. However doing DIYs for content material is a unique enterprise, so I’m positive even on the time we felt it was price donating our time to execute this DIY (however typical designers would by no means do that as a result of it will merely value their shoppers an excessive amount of).
Wait, That’s. Not. All. What about these painted frames???
We didn’t shut off our creativity there, people. We discovered a bunch of empty classic frames on the flea market and thrift shops and painted them every 1/2 white, 1/2 gold. SO 2012!!! They housed child artwork which I nonetheless assume is a cute and intelligent thought, and will completely be up to date in 2025.
And that’s the story of the canning jar artwork set up wall from 2012. Shout out to Orlando for serving to me do it (he was my design assistant on the time). We had a lot enjoyable, pre-kids, and I’m solely unhappy that we don’t have a enjoyable reel or video to point out you.
So what would you do with these cubbies? I’m genuinely curious what different options would make sense! Remark away!!
*Images by Bethany Nauert
