A Tisket A Tasket…

…a rustic crate-like basket. Oh yeah, I busted that rhyme.

I was in search of a couple of baskets for a new cabinet we built for our recent sunroom makeover.  Problem is, the cabinet is custom built, so I was having a difficult time finding basket that fit the dimensions.  I knew I’d have to DIY something.  Not a problem, I thought–we’ve got tons of scrap wood and materials taking up floor space in the garage.  In fact, we had a bundle of furring strips that I knew would be perfect.  But problem.  I’m not skilled enough to actually build the frame (or at least a structurally-sound frame). As I was perusing Wal-Mart later that week, I saw these:

These little baskets, while neither rustic (or that appealing) or quite the right size, where in fact perfect…nothing a little hot glue couldn’t fix! So at $1.89 each, I was sold.

The baskets had connectors on all sides, so that the baskets could lock together.  I squirted some glue in the holes, essentially gluing two baskets together.  The connectors stuck out just a tad further than the rest of the basket, which means my furring strips wouldn’t fit snugly in some parts.  So first, I created a base layer of furring strips on each side.

Then, I glued the outer layer of furring strips to that base.

The blue baskets were still visible at this point, so I used furring strips to cover the top ledge.  Then it was time for stain–I love Kona by Rust-Oleum.  It’s the perfect espresso color–a rich brown with no red undertones.

I knew I wanted to add some sort of “pop” on the front, and after scouring Pinterest for hours, decided a black stencil of some sort would be best.  However, I didn’t have a stencil or black paint.  I did have stamps and craft ink, though!

I wasn’t entirely sure if this would work, but decided why not?  It didn’t go on completely smooth, which was actually great because it looks worn without have to sand or mar it in any way.

There’s no significance to the numbers, though Hubby doesn’t believe me.  He thinks it’s the phone number for my hot Latin lover or the combination to some top-secret safe with dead bodies or loads of money.  He clearly thinks highly of me.

They turned out perfect, and will work great in our sun room for outdoor candles, bug repellent, and other outdoor odds and ends.