Herringbone Arrow Mini Wall Shelf {Thrift Store Makeover #SwapItLikeItsHot}

September 29, 2014 /
Recently, I was invited to participate in the second round of Ciburbanity’s #SwapItLikeItsHot. A little blogging swap, where each blogger sent flea market and thrift store finds, under $15, to another participant to work her magic on.

I was assigned to ship something to Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home. You will have to head her way to check out what I sent her and see what she did with the items I included. I had an idea in mind for them, so I am anxious to see what she came up with! Maybe it will be a similar idea or something totally different. Can’t wait to see!

Melissa from The Happier Homemaker was assigned to send me something. When I got the box it was a little heavy, and I couldn’t wait to see what it was.

This is what I found inside…

I literally laughed out loud after I opened it. Are you serious? It was like some sort of “tease a golfer” decorative birdhouse. Now, I am pretty confident in my creative skills, but when I saw it, I thought, “What the heck am I going to do with this?” I spent a few days just staring at it in my living room. Then I started to wonder if Melissa just didn’t like me. Yup, that must be it. 
She hates me! 

Just kidding! I really do love a challenge, and I know that must have been what she had on her mind when she picked this beauty out special for me.

I brainstormed several ideas, some that kept it as a birdhouse (even though it is not a “real” birdhouse – it has no bottom).

Then I decided I wanted to completely transform it, even though I knew my kids would be disappointed. My daughter Hazel was really digging it as a birdhouse. She thought we would hang it up, birds would live in it, and we would all live happily ever after. Sorry, Kid.

I felt bad bursting her bubble, but I had to change it up! I thought about hanging it upside down, maybe as a planter of some kind, which is when I realized it could possibly look like an arrow.


Yes! Maybe this had potential to be something cool after all.

I asked my husband to help me out, and he did so by cutting it in half with his saw.

I knew that I wanted to use the side without the hole, so I just put the other piece aside (maybe an idea will strike someday for it?)

Next, I lightly sanded it and then spray painted it in Rust-Oleum Metallic Gold.

It was looking pretty good to me already. But I knew it needed something more. I love herringbone patterns and distressed pieces, so I decided to do, well…a distressed herringbone pattern on it. Ha.

I just painted it free hand with acrylic paint. It took some work to get it where I really liked it, including several layers of white paint to make the pattern, using a plastic knife and an X-Acto knife to make the pattern more defined, dry brushing some white paint on the whole thing and lightly sanding the edges. It is by no means perfect, but that’s okay. I like it like that.

I thought it would be cool to hang this baby up on a wall somewhere as a mini shelf (okay, so it can hold like one thing…but still cool, right?).

I haven’t made a final decision yet as to where it should go: perhaps in a gallery wall in the living room? A decoration in the kids’ room? Not sure. For now, I just set it up in my little styling spot in my “office” (that would be a tiny corner of the playroom that I carved out for myself).

I decided a bird (or rather a cute little owl) could live on it…instead of in it.

And, I suppose, we can turn it upright and make it a house every once in awhile to make the kiddos happy 🙂 

Debating about painting the point of the arrow (or roof of the house if you will) dark gray. Thoughts? Yay or nay? And what would you do with the other half, anything? Would love to get your input!

If you enjoyed this, I hope you will pin and share!

Now, head over to see what Jennifer did with the goodies that I sent her! And check out all of the participants in this round of #SwapItLikeItsHot:


2 Little Superheroes
AKA Design + Life
A Chic Little House
The Chronicles of Home
Ciburbanity
Decor Adventures
Desert Domicile
Finding Silver Pennies
Gourley Girl & Guy
The Happier Homemaker
Hearts and Sharts
A Home Full of Color
Makely Home
Making Lemonade
My Passion For Decor
Primitive and Proper
Queen of Everything
Rooms For Rent
Shades of Blue
Stone Gable
Thoughts From Alice
Town and Country Living
Two Purple Couches
While They Snooze
White Buffalo Styling Co.
Windgate Lane

Big thanks to Charlotte from Ciburbanity for hosting this awesome event! And now it’s your turn to show us an awesome thrift store or flea market find makeover that you have done! Just link up below. Can’t wait to see what you have to share! And come follow our Pinterest board for more inspiration!

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