Using scrap wood

I love the idea of using scrap wool to create something unique and different. Recently I found a website that has some amazing projects using salvage items. I originally found the post making an Open sign out of scrap pallets.  I have not made this items yet but it's on my to-do list. Pallets are easy to find in my area as I live in North Portland near several industrial buildings. I wanted to try making a sign for my garage that is the shape of a cupcake, using the lights around the actual image.

Here in Portland we have a couple of different places to get salvage items. One great place is Rebuilding Center, a non-profit business that accepts almost any type of scrap building material. They were founded in 1998 by a group of volunteers that was tired of seeing good material going to waste. So many companies and builders were dumping decent material after a job was complete because they had no other option. Houses were being torn down and dumpsters filled with wood that was still useable. Rebuilding Center keeps tons of useable material out of the landfills.

Another location to find fun salvage material is a business in Kenton called Salvage Works. Salvage Works does deconstruction of old houses and barns. A team of folks then prepares the material for resale. The top two photos above are from Salvage works before they moved into their new home. I really liked the way they used old legs from chairs, yardsticks, wooden wine boxes & photos to make the wall interesting. The bottom photo is from a wonderful hotel down in Astoria called Commodore Hotel. The wall is made up of books, shells, tools and other fun items. The Commodore Hotel has the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in, it's a very nice place to stay if you are in Astoria, Oregon.

I'm hoping to create a cross between the different walls in my sewing studio. I recently bought some old drawers from the Rebuilding Center and attached them to the basement walls...it's not exactly what I want but it will work till I get more material to cover the entire area. The problem is the electrical panel is on the wall as well as a couple water pipes, making it difficult to work around.  I'm thinking that some scrap pallet wood would be just the thing to fill in the open areas, currently I have sheets and table cloths stapled over the insulation in the walls. I like the idea if uing old drawers as shelves but since the wall is so uneven and strange I need to come up with an over all cover then reattach the drawers as a nice display. My husband is going out of town this weekend so I may go scraping while he is gone. He really hates it when I bring home strange scrap items, so I have to work quickly.