In addition to the new shelf, our entry is getting a little much-needed organization.  For my next mini project, I took inspiration from the Eames Hang-It-All Coat Rack.  

No, I didn’t make a coat rack, though hooks are on my to do list.  Instead, I made a cute, colorful round ball sculpture.  

We had the live edge wood in the garage, and I found 1 1/2 inch wooden balls and a thin wooden dowel at Hobby Lobby, both 50% off.  

A few coats of acrylic craft paint on each ball, using the Eames color scheme as a reference.  A little wood glue in the ball hole to hold the random length sticks in place.  Then, I drilled holes in the wood base and glued the stick in.  The bit I used was slightly bigger, but toothpicks to the rescue.  After the glue dried, I sprayed it all with a few coats of clear gloss.  

Oh, I bought a new bulb for the lamp, too.  Now you don’t see the ugly, too long CFL sticking out.  

It’s a fun little piece with happy colors.  And the grain of the live edge is amazing.

But it has a purpose.  Oh no, this space is too small for a bunch of decorative only nick knacks.  

The real purpose is a hat and mitten drying rack.  

Now, when V comes home from school, I have a place to put mittens out to dry.  Because this is out in the open, we don’t have to look for missing gloves in the mornings.  In addition to coat hooks, I want a bin for mail, we need an outlet for the lamp, and I want to recover the ottoman seat in something more colorful.