Not-So "Insanely Easy", But Totally Worth It

So we've all see DIY websites with 'super-easy, really cool stuff'.. but does anyone actually make it?

I was using the website stumbleupon.com and wandering my way around the interwebs one day when I came across this website: 31 Insanely Easy and Clever DIY Projects. Some of them are really interesting, and some of them I wonder how/why people ever came up with them.

#17 was the one I was most interested in. Screw Cheap Furniture Knobs into Wood for a Necklace Holder.

... Okay! Sounds easy enough, right?

First things first: wood. My dad is a carpenter. Check!

Knobs: went to a knob store (literally) on Victoria St. in Kitchener. The sell drawer knobs and hangers and hooks and all sorts of the exact thing I was looking for, and they sell them per piece which means that you don't have to buy a set! The knobs were anywhere from $1.50- $5.25 for the ones I got, but I knew I wanted interesting ones.

So now that I have all the things I need, I just put them together, right?

Simple, simple, simple!

Or so they would have you believe. Don't forget, you need to measure to space the knobs correctly because despite the fact that you're putting knobs in wood, there is no need for it to be sloppy. If your piece of wood isn't perfect in length to divide easily by the number of knobs you have, spacing them can become tricky.

Then you have to drill the holes. If your knobs have different screw sizes and lengths then this can become even trickier. Some knobs have bolts on the ends, some have screws that you put through the back of the wood to the front and the knob screws on. Either way, you may need to adjust the ends of your screws and drill different hole sizes into the wood in order that all your knobs fit perfectly, don't wobble and the backs don't stick out. You also need to think about the way in which you want to hang this holder.

For myself, these tasks were somewhat tedious, but easy with the right equipment. Not everyone has a drill press and a hack saw in their basement.

I also wanted to paint mine white, but I didn't want streaks in it, so after drilling the holes, I took it outside and over the span of 3 days I spray painted it with white paint. You have to do this part in steps so that it won't drip. Spray one coat, then let it dry. The next coat, then let it dry.

When it was all finished and the knobs were all put in I hung it on the wall. I love my new necklace holder and I think it is a testament to my dedication to creativity and willingness to work for something I like instead of just buying something that is easy. But truthfully, it was a lot more time consuming and laborious than the "Insanely Easy" DIY project that I was lead to believe it was. Putting nail polish on keys to tell them apart is insanely easy. Using a hack saw to shorten a screw so that you can hang your necklaces in style is not.

The finished project: