Pallet Project: Kitchen Herb Planter Box | i should be mopping the floor
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Pallet Project: Kitchen Herb Planter Box


I have an herb garden outside of my kitchen eating area. However, I have irrational fears that venomous snakes lurk in between the whiskey barrels my herbs are planted in. I know they're just waiting for me to come snip some basil and then they'll pounce (I don't know if snakes pounce, but in my head they do, so we'll just go with that). So unless I feel like handing a five-year-old sharp scissors to have his way with my rosemary, I avoid the herb garden like the plague. {I have issues, people...the snake fear is quite similar to the vomit-fear, which apparently I'm not alone in, according to the 68 comments left on the vomit post from January. Does it strike anyone else as hilarious that my most read/pinned/commented post is about the pukes? Ummm, yeah.}

This is where she started out. A good ol' side-of-the-road pallet. Didn't cost a thing.

We aren't into pulling apart the pallet with our gloved hands...too much work. We just get down to business and hack it apart with the circular saw. Get 'er done.

We created the box based on the dimensions of our kitchen window and cut out pallet pieces accordingly. We built it with skinny finishing nails and Gorilla Glue (as in it's stuck together for life).

After a good sanding, I painted it with simple acrylic paint in an aqua color. I didn't want to prime it since I knew I'd be weathering it and didn't want primer to show once the aqua was sanded down.

Does anyone else know the beauty of Google Translate? It makes my husband think my four years of high school AP French were really worth it. I can type up an adoring phrase, it translates it for me and I text it to him. He thinks I'm so smart (our little secret, k?). I used this lovely Google app to create the phrase for my box (because doing it in French makes it super fancy, you know?).

I have to admit, after painstakingly transferring the message to the box, I kinda wish I had just done "herbs" and been done with it. I'm awesome at making things ten times harder than they have to be.
I used painter's tape and secured my Word-generated French saying to the box.

Using a {somewhat} sharp pencil, heavily trace the words. You're basically making an impression onto the wood that you can fill in later with paint.

You can see the impression here. I also used a ball point pen since apparently the one pencil in the house wasn't sharp enough. Where have all the pencils gone?

After it's traced, I went back and outlined the letters, too. This probably wasn't necessary, but I'm kind of OCD about these sorts of things. After that, I used my tiny paint brush and used black acrylic paint to fill in the letters. The indention left by the pen impression lets the paint flow within the letter, but not outside of it.

Ta-Da! The knot in the wood gave me a heck of a time with the "S", so it's not perfect.

After it was dry, I sanded it down quite a bit. I thought I'd try to do it by hand and then gave up and got out my palm sander. It was done in like 30 seconds after that.

I sprayed the inside with this leak seal stuff to prevent water from going all over my window sill. It's technically not for wood...but I improvised. I first used drywall putty to fill in all the holes/gaps. Then I went over them with this spray that forms a rubber-like barrier. It was very cool. I found it at Walmart by the caulk.

I used these little rocks in the bottom of the planter so the water can drain into them instead of giving my herbs root-rot. I bought waaaaay too much of these and the soil. I used the moisture-control soil, too...I'm just not used to planting in something without the "normal" type of drainage. Fingers & toes crossed that these plants live. I just can't face the snakes if these give up the ghost.

And there we go. I was excited to remember that I had these little chalk-board garden markers leftover from the school-paper organizing project. Score!! So basically, the only things I spent money on for this project were the contents (including the rubber spray stuff to seal it).

The "Herbal Kitchen"!

















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27 comments:

  1. I love this, Kristi! The colour, the french label, the distressing and the great tip for making something more waterproof! Everything about it is fantastic :)

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    1. Love your herb box! What a great way to grow and show-off the plants.

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  2. It turned out darling! I love the phrase, even if it took much longer to complete.

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  3. This is wonderful. Wow. You put some work into that but it came out great! Best wishes, Linda

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  4. wow.. This is so cute.. Love the pallet turned planter.. Thanks for linking up at friday fun party Kristy.. :) I have never used translator though, it's a great idea I should use it now..

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  5. Love the curtains...makes a happy kitchen!

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  6. This is fabulous! I had no idea that Rustoleum made that stuff, I'm going to have to get some!! I would love it if you would share this my readers at the Weekend Warrior link party, here's the link: http://www.askannamoseley.com/2012/05/weekend-warrior-link-party-51-clever.html

    Anna
    www.askannamoseley.com

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  7. SO VERY CUTE! SHARING ON COM-FB now! winks, jen

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  8. OH OH OH! I want one of those! BRAVO!

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  9. LOVE your little herb box Kristi! And I'm right with you on that fear of snakes!!!


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  10. Beautiful, beautiful. Love the finish of it. Loving the planter turned pallet what creative idea! Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration at Sunday's Best.

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  11. I love it!!! The french was worth your extra time and trouble. Your curtains are awesome too.

    Blessings!
    Shelly

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  12. This is just beautiful!!!!! I love what you did, love the painted words, too! What an awesome (and practical!) project!!! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  13. I LOVE this! Your planter turned out so cute! The color, French words, and plant markers are just perfect. Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous pallet project. Visiting from It's Overflowing. I'm now following and look forward to seeing more of your creative awesomeness. :-) Have a wonderful night!
    Sharla

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  14. I have been looking for a new planter idea. I love this! I would love for you to link it up at our party

    http://www.ourdiydiaries.com/2012/05/fab-not-drab-friday.html

    Jen

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  15. This is adorable..I love the color! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday :)

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  16. Great job! I'd love for you to add it on my link party at: http://printabelle.com/?p=3188 Thanks!

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  17. This is impressive! We hope to see you back next week to our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday.” Thanks for coming!! -The Sisters

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  18. Love the colors....on your planter, curtains and wall! Too cute!

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  19. Gosh! I want one! I just got herbs and nothing to put them in!
    I would love if you link this to the French Party on Monday!
    Xo
    Frenchy
    http://lechateaudesfleurs.blogspot.com/

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  20. I pinned this, and featured it at our Handmade Tuesday's party this week. STop by, check it out, and grab a featured button!

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  21. I love your box. I think I will just use a box I already have to copy your idea. I don't have the patience to make the whole box.

    And, what a lovely color.

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  22. This turned out awesome!! This is being featured today at {Junk in their Trunk}...thanks for linking up!

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  23. Uh oh? Is the kitchen window open? I think I see a snake lurking on the sill ...

    :)

    Love this and pinned it!

    Linda

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  24. Featuring YOU today! :)

    Thank you so much for sharing!

    Ginger @ gingeersnapcrafts.com

    http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/05/take-look-at-you-my-favorites_17.html

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  25. Congrats on being featured on Gingersnap Crafts today! You've gotta be feeling the love this week! Great project!

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