I Heart Pallet Projects - DIY Pallet Projects Featuring Hearts

We really do 💗 pallets! This is a pallet wall art piece that I created and is hanging in my cubicle here at Goodwill:

This was a simple project - the pallet that I chose was a beautifully sun-bleached pallet that
was perfect for a beach themed project. I folded a piece of copy paper in half and cut out a heart - those elementary school skills come in handy!

This paper heart was my guide for hot gluing my shell collection on the pallet.
Here is the back of the pallet:

And a close up:

Another quick pallet heart project:

Take a small pallet board, sand smooth.

I wanted this to be a quick project at my desk here at work, so I used what I had on hand. 😊 That is the beauty of working with pallets - they can be rustic, charming, and simple and you should not have to run to the store each time you have a pallet project inspiration. I had dark red craft paint and a bunch of old keys.

My art skills are limited, so I had to cut out another heart for a template. 😀

I had a small collection of generic looking car keys, so I picked one that looked the most unusual. My old nail is one that I pulled out of a pallet, pounded it straight through the keyhole about half way and bent the nail with my hammer. Done!

This was my inspiration piece from beyondthepicket-fence.com.

SOURCE: Beyondthepicket-fence.com

Much cuter, but again, use what you have! Make it unique to you! So easy to make and give away! #KeyToMyHeart

Looking for more heart-themed pallet projects? Here is our round up:
renew-create-restore.blogspot.com has instruction for creating these four lovely pallet pieces.

SOURCE: Renew-create-restore.blogspot.com

Scavengerchic.com  combines a little "junk" and pallets to create this sweetheart piece.

SOURCE: Scavengerchic.com

shanty-2-chic.com has great tutorials to make all of the pieces and parts to create this pallet sign:

SOURCE: Shanty-2-chic.com

#PalletPalooza is a recycled pallet creation cash competition and event.

 Visit our event website and mark your calendars - entry period starts May 22!

 PalletSWMI.com

VanderSalm's Pallet Flower Stand

Did you miss VanderSalm's Flowershop & Garden Center's Pallet Flower Stand Demo?

We want to give a big THANK YOU to VanderSalm's in Kalamazoo for giving a demonstration this past Saturday and encouraging everyone to give a pallet project a try.
This was the project they demonstrated.

It is so gorgeous filled with flowers - no wonder the pallet look is so hot!

If you go to Goodwill's Facebook Page - you can see a short live feed from the event. Facebook.com/GoodwillSWMI/

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Here are other inspiring pallet garden projects at VanderSalm's:

Please stop by VanderSalm's and enjoy a nice walk around the place. They would be happy to answer any questions you have about creating your own pallet project today! 

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We can't believe it! 

This coming weekend is the last weekend to finish your pallet project and submit it to PalletPalooza! 

The deadline to enter is June 30, 2016

Have some fun, support a good cause, and you could win a cash prize! 

PalletSWMI.com/

Pallet Feather Flag Stand

We just got this awesome feather flag for PalletPalooza Day and other events.

Checking the fit and sturdiness inside our sorting department. 

 But being that I do a lot of the purchasing at Goodwill and that I am frugal both personally and at work, I didn't purchase the flag stands. I re-purposed an old pallet of course! I made a lucky find of a large pallet with 2" thick wood. It had a lot of giant staples that must have held a sheet of corrugated, but with a little work, a couple screws and corner brackets, voila!

A virtually free and sturdy base. Happy am I.
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Have you already made a Pallet Creation in the past? Show it off and enter it into PalletPalooza™! Enter today at palletswmi.com
Need more encouragement to enter? Here are some reasons people are entering.

PalletPalooza

Introducing PalletPalooza 2016 Judge Matt Giraud

Isn't this exciting! We are so happy to have Matt Giraud on the PalletPalooza Team as a judge for our inaugural PalletPalooza™ competition!

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Matt Giraud

Matt Giraud is a singer/songwriter from Kalamazoo, Michigan who achieved national recognition and acclaim for his performances on the hit Fox TV show, American Idol. As a favorite of the judges, he was the first ever recipient of the judges’ save, Matt went on to finish 5th on Season 8 of American Idol (2008-2009).

Since then, Matt has appeared on various media outlets and talk shows (i.e. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live with Regis & Kelly). He continues to tour all over the world and most recently has been playing with some of the biggest symphonies in the US. He has performed on stages such as The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, The Phoenix Symphony Hall in Phoenix and for a crowd of over 9000 for the Taste of Kalamazoo in Michigan.

Matt has also had major successes on iTunes by working with seasoned songwriters and artists. He recorded a cover of the song "You Don't Know Me" with Anna Wilson, which can be found on her album titled Countrypolitan Duets. The song went on to be #1 on the iTunes Jazz chart in 2010. He also recorded the song “Thank You” with Jim Brickman in 2010, which reached #16 on the Hot AC charts.

Matt continues to perform and write new music. He  released a full-length album in 2014 and released an EP called "Live at River City" on December 17, 2013.

Matt's Official Website: mattgiraudmusic.com

And more good stuff:
Facebook.com/mattgiraud

twitter.com/ImMattGiraud

Instagram.com/immattgiraud

itunes.apple.com/us/artist/matt-giraud

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Ready to enter PalletPalooza? The deadline to enter and submit photos of your finished creation is Midnight June 30, 2016. 

Enter Here: PalletSWMI.com

Introducing PalletPalooza™ 2016 Judge - Jim Bridenstine

We are so excited to announce our Judges for PalletPalooza 2016. Our distiguished judges will be deciding the top five pallet projects in each of the four categories. They also will be awarding the overall PalletPalooza 2016 Winner! Today we would like to introduce you to PalletPalooza Judge Jim Bridenstine.

Jim Bridenstine

Jim Bridenstine served as the Executive Director of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts for over 24, almost 25, years. He is an art historian who earned a bachelor's degree in history from The College of Holy Cross and a master's degree in the History of Art (American Art) from George Washington University. He also completed Harvard University's Institute of Arts Administration program. Prior to the KIA, Bridenstine was the director of the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House. Raised in Detroit, he also worked at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Toledo Museum of Art.  Bridenstine helped build the KIA's permanent collection, which has developed into more than 4,200 pieces, 1,700 of them collected during his tenure.

Currently he is enjoying retirement but is still very active in the Kalamazoo scene.

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The deadline to enter PalletPalooza is June 30th! So don't delay! Your projects must be completed and a photo submitted by midnight 6/30/16.

Enter at PalletSWMI.com

Have questions? You can reach us at 269.382.0490 or email info@palletswmi.com.

Deadline to Enter PalletPalooza is June 30, 2016

Time flies and I hope you are having fun working with pallets.
June 30th is the last day to have your project finished, entered and photos uploaded.
Here is a link to the website: palletswmi.com
This is the link to ENTER (and the rules): palletswmi.com/enter
Here is information about PalletPalooza Day: palletswmi.com/palletpaloozaday
Questions or Comments? palletswmi.com/contact-us

Since we are talking about time - how about a round up of pallet clocks? Here are a few gems with great tutorials.
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thistlewoodfarms.com is a great blog for finding inspiration for that farmhouse style. She has a very simple and easy to follow tutorial.

Thistlewood Farms.com

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flamingotoes.com tutorial for make this pallet clock has a lot of helpful pictures and even walks you though making the stencil. 

Flamingo Toes.com

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downoxfordstreet.com used regular wood for this clock, but we know it could be done with pallets. 

downoxfordstreet.com

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palletfurniturediy.com has step by step instruction. Change up the color to fit your home. 

palletfurniturediy.com

Questions or Comments about PalletPalooza? Follow this link for our contact information: palletswmi.com/contact-us

 

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the PalletPalooza™ blog! My name is Susan Rall and I am the Marketing Assistant at Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan. I am going to be sharing cool projects, resources and updated information about PalletPalooza™ on this blog. We also have some great guest bloggers lined up who will be giving us tips and tricks they have learned while making their pallet projects.

Recycled pallet projects are hot hot hot right now. And for good reason! Pallets can be used to make just about anything. They can be found for free and you do not need fancy tools to create something. They are practical for making functional items, but can also be beautiful because each pallet has it's own character.

Everyone is invited to be part of PalletPalooza™. Whether you are a serious artist or weekend crafter - I encourage you to give a pallet project a try. This yellow flower planter was my first pallet project using a free pallet, a jigsaw, hammer, nails, and sandpaper. My daughter and I made it in an afternoon.

It was a little "rough" but when filled with flowers it added a bright spot on my back patio. And honestly, I really enjoyed this piece all last summer, not just because it was cute, but also because it was a handmade and homemade project.

We found this idea on Pinterest. And oh boy - is Pinterest overflowing with ideas for pallet projects! You can follow our PalletPalooza Pinterest page HERE where we are pinning some of the best ideas out there.

We know there are some amazing recycled pallet creations being made right here in Southwestern Michigan. We are so excited to see what people are making! Registration for the competition begins March 28th through June 30th.

So stay in touch with us - and let's have fun!