-Worth the Hassle-: Vintage Bird Cage Turned Light

Welcome. I'm Audrey one of the R.0.C.C gals (and guys). I'm super excited to share some of my projects with you all! The first one I would like to share is dear to my heart. I think everyone has a certain piece(s) of family history hanging around grandma's house or garage. Last summer while visiting my sweet grandmother I spied something in her garage that caught my eye...It was a vintage bird cage stand. It had been in the garage for at least 40 years and was many years older than that as it was my great grandmothers stand. My grandma began to smile from ear to ear and tell me about her step mother would talk to the little birds she would keep in this cage. She went on about how she could make sounds just like the birds and the birds would talk back to her. I instantly loved the bird cage even more than I did before. The story my grandmother told me was of a fond memory of her mother. A year passed by and I asked my grandmother again about the bird cage stand. I wondered if I could take it home with me, I had the perfect idea and place for this to go in my home!

First thing that needed to be done was to clean it up, no more dust and spider webs for this cage!

After a good clean up I started to spray paint. I chose Krylon for metal and other surfaces spray paint. I also love these nifty nozzles you can buy to make spray painting smoother and easier on your trigger finger. :)

A few spray painting tips: 1-Don't spray paint in the wind (this really does NOT work)
2-Chose the right spray paint for the type of surface you are painting
3-Let each coat dry before spraying another one (patience is not my virtue)
4-Remember, its just paint so if you don't like it you can repaint it!
Alright, after a couple coats of white Krylon satin spray paint..it was ready for a little light distressing. I didn't want it to look "too new" so I took some steal wool to it in certain places to add character.

The idea I had in my mind was to hang a chandelier from the cage. I was searching online to try & find a chandelier that would fit & be the right style but was not having any luck. Until a few weeks ago I was shopping at one of my favorite stores, Hobby Lobby and ran ac crossed this- I knew it was PERFECT and I bought it right away!

This is my favorite thing in my home. Every time I look at the soft warm light this bird cage & the fabulous story of my great grandmother "the bird whisperer"

Do you have a family heirloom you display in your home-or maybe something in grandma's garage you could turn into something usable and lovable in your home? Please share with me if you do!