The Door That Lead To The Idea

December 13, 2016

My trip to Waco a few weeks back was a success in the fact that I came home rested.  Not only rested but a truck load of items that I knew would turn out to be some pretty fantastic redo’s.  One of my new finds was a store called the Junky Monkey.  This store is full and I mean full of so many items.  My head was spinning with all kinds of idea’s on what I could do with all the items I saw.  I was in junk heaven and didn’t want to leave.

When you first get to this store you walk into a show room so to speak.  The items up front of the store are mostly redo’s all ready to purchase and take home.  Mixed in are some great oldie but goodie finds of many different ages.  I carefully walked into each room and discovered many things I wanted to purchase.  As I worked my way around the place I found myself at the bottom of a short stair case.  I walked up into a room full of treasure to be had.  These items with a bit less rehab then the ones in the front, but many I could sink some idea’s into.  I started to my left and walked the entire room. As I approached the right side of the room there was a door that led to a fenced in area around the back of the building.  Upon opening the door I knew I had found my second happy place in Waco the Junky Monkey junk yard.  This fenced in area was full of junk my kinda junk.  The kinda junk idea’s are made from and designed from.  Greg and I walked the entire yard, looking under stuff and through stuff.  We piled my truck high with items to be turned into things and made into redo’s for Blue Happy.  At the end of our shopping trip after we loaded everything I went into pay.  While paying my phone went off it was a text from Greg “Look at this old door”. I did and I loved it with no idea yet what it would be I bought it. It seemed sad and I knew if I didn’t save it right then it would soon be trash. 


Most would look at it and say why in the world would you buy a door that had been cut off at the top? A door that had been outside and weathered.  What could you make of a door that was ready for a dumpster?  Well let me tell you I made one of the most beautiful wine bars yet to be built by Blue Happy Living.  I had an old wine cart in my storage and I wanted to add a back onto it using some weathered scrap lumber.  I needed Greg’s help this past weekend to build out some of my idea’s because I still can’t lift anything.  While I was in the house Greg pulled out the wine cart and started to dig in the lumber pile.  He came across the door and sat it behind the wine cart and it was the perfect size.  He called me out and I knew I was using the door.  All kinds of painting and staining idea’s started coming to my head. I settled on 2 ton with dark gray paint and dark walnut stain.


I had to do a lot of taping because I was using paint and stain on the door.  When it was done I lightly sanded the painted area to give it a bit of worn look.  I stained the outside edges of the door and the top of the wine cart.  I used the same Valspar Project Spray Paint on the base of the wine cart.  It all got a couple of coats of the clear spray to finish out the wood.  I added the basket on the front for corks and left the door handle to hang a towel.  Not only did it turn out better than the idea in my head I almost had to keep this one.  I already had one or it would be mine in my house.


Everything deserves a second chance even those things that are missing parts or weathered.  This project made me Blue Happy I hope you enjoy it as well.  Have a fantastic Blue Happy Tuesday!

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