Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

I’m super excited to share you How to Install the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan I Ever Laid Eyes Upon! You remember last month when I gave my stepmom’s screen porch a drab to fab makeover, right? Well, I didn’t really complete the makeover. I strategically cropped this ugly ceiling fan out of the shots:

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

That ceiling fan isn’t just ugly. . .it’s truly F-U-G-L-Y! And we won’t even talk about the layer of black goopy dust on top of the motor and blades. Just thinking about it brings up the bile in my throat.

My stepmom and I knew we wanted to ditch the existing ceiling fan, but I wanted to replace it with an attractive ceiling fan. (I know, that seems like an oxymoron.) And then it happened, I saw a photo on Instagram that made my heart skip a beat. Our Fifth House posted a photo of her Haiku H Series Fan on her screen porch.

OurFifthHouse Instagram Photo of Screen Porch

That’s when I knew I had to install a Haiku Ceiling Fan on my stepmom’s screen porch. I approached Haiku Home (owned by Big Ass Solutions) about working with me on the screen porch makeover. They graciously agreed to supply the fan if I would supply the words and photos in this post. NOT ONLY THAT, they offered to give one of my readers a Haiku L Series Fan as well (read to the end of this post to enter.) Deal! Now that you know the back story, I present to you the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan I Ever Laid Eyes Upon:

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Isn’t that the most gorgeous ceiling fan you’ve ever seen? The motor is tiny and hidden by the beautiful brushed copper air foils. This fan is shiny, sleek, and modern. Best of all, it works great!

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

My stepmom had one switch that controlled her ceiling fan before. The switch was inside the house, not even remotely close to the door she uses for the porch (stupid!) We solved that issue by requesting a remote control for the Haiku Luxe Series Fan. Now she can sit on the screen porch and control the ceiling fan without walking through the house to turn it on.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Want to see how easy it is to install the Haiku Ceiling Fan? Let’s get busy.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Materials:

Instructions:

Shut off the circuit to your ceiling fan. (Turn on the fan, then shut the circuit off and check that the fan doesn’t have power.)

Begin by removing the fan blades from the old ceiling fan.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Remove the canopy covering the wiring. (All ceiling fans are different, look for screws or rotate the canopy to remove.)

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Use the voltage tester to check for power. The green light means it’s safe. Red light (and/or an audible alarm) means the power is still on.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Disconnect the wires starting with the black “hot” wires. Then disconnect the white “neutral” wires and finally the bare “ground” wires.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Have a friend support the fan as you remove it from the mounting bracket.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Time to prepare the Haiku Luxe Series Fan for installation. Be sure to follow the installation instructions included with your fan.

Remove the shipping screws and shipping cap.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Locate the screws and grommets to attach the airfoils (fan blades).

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Match each airfoil with the color dot on the motor. Attach the airfoils using the screws and grommets provided.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the lower cover in the center of the airfoils.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Locate the rubber bumpers and slide them onto the extension brackets.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the mounting plate to the ceiling box with screws from your ceiling junction box.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Locate the mounting brackets (outlined in yellow below) and loosely attach them to the mounting plate.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the safety cable to a secured hook or stud in the ceiling (our junction box had a hook bolted to the ceiling joist which was a perfect anchor point.)

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Wire the ceiling fan by attaching the wires in this order: 1. Green/yellow to bare “ground” 2. Blue to white “neutral” 3. Red to black “hot”.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl
Tighten the bolts on the mounting brackets.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the wire cover with screws provided. Slide the rest of the wiring cover up to cover the extension tube. Snap the cap on the side bolt.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Now sit back and admire the view! Then use your remote control to turn the fan on and enjoy the breeze!

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

The Haiku Luxe Series fan is truly a thing of beauty. My stepmom and I love how it looks.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

It is definitely a show stopper. Especially if you remember the old fan that was there.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

Big coppery bling improvement!

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

I think this fan needs to be in an art museum. . . but that’s just my opinion.

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

I’m thinking I might need to replace a ceiling fan or two in our home now. You should see all the options Haiku Home has:

Haiku Home Fans

Sorry, the giveaway has ended.

I have one question for you before you go, isn’t this the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan You Ever Laid Eyes Upon?

Installing the Most Beautiful Ceiling Fan | Haiku Copper Luxe Ceiling Fan | Pretty Handy Girl

I’m definitely a fan! LOL. . . get it?

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Disclosure: Big Ass Solutions sent me the Haiku Home Luxe Fan for this project. I was not paid to use the product. I was not told what to write about their product. I approached Big Ass Solutions about working with me because I know they make quality products. As usual, I’m vary particular about the brands I mention on the blog. 

 

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DIY Framed Pinboard | Pretty Handy Girl

framed-pinboard-title

Pretty Handy readers it’s Jaime here today from That’s My Letter sharing how to make a DIY Framed Pinboard. I’m always looking for solutions to make my tween girls’ bedroom space more functional. I decided to take advantage of the wall space and make large framed pinboards for all their bits and pieces.

framed-pinboard-3

The frame pinboard is the perfect spot to display photos, hang jewelry and keep all the collectibles on display.  This pinboard is made from homasote which is much sturdier than traditional cork and you can paint the homasote any color you desire. Homasote is available in a large 4′ x 8′ sheet which allows you to cut it to any size you like, big or small! Plus, you can make more than one.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Supplies:

Step 1: Cut the homasote to desired size.  Use a circular saw or table saw (a jig saw will work as it’s a fairly soft material.)  Prime and paint the front side of the pinboard.

Step 2: Stain the framing pieces prior to attaching to pinboard.  Cut flat moulding to fit around the homasote. Miter both ends at 45 degree angles.  Use wood glue and 5/8″ brad nails to attach flat moulding to homasote.

framed-pinboard-flat-moulding

Step 3: Cut 1×2 boards to fit and secure to side of pinboard. Attach with wood glue and 1 ¼” brad nails.

framed-pinboard-2

Step 4: Attach a french cleat to upper center back of homasote.

framed-pinboard-back-french-cleat

Step 5: Attach wall portion of cleat using wall anchors and screws.  The wall cleat comes with its own level so you can be sure to install properly.

framed-pinboard-wall-french-cleat

Hang and enjoy!  Now my girls have plenty of space to display all their favorite things and enjoy photos and memorabilia without it cluttering up their desks.

framed-pinboard

Do you have a spot for a framed pinboard?  It would look great in your kitchen or mudroom, too.  The framed edge creates a beautiful finished look and you can paint or stain to coordinate with your decor.  Keep making and building all the things!

Jaime signature~Read more of Jaime’s tutorials~

 

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Industrial Charging Station and Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

We’ve definitely entered the digital age. My boys love nothing more than to plop down with an “i” device in their hands and waste time playing some electronic game or watching TV. We’ve always had strict rules about screen time. My boys have 20 minutes a day and can earn an additional 2o minutes by doing an assortment of helpful things. In the past year, my boys have begun “sneaking” extra screen time. One morning my husband came downstairs to find Handy Boy #1 asleep on the couch with the TV on and the remote still in his hand pointed at the TV — BUSTED! Another time, we found the boys huddled in the closet playing on the iPad. Although we put passcodes on all the devices, these boys seem to figure out the codes (and we’ve changed the codes so many times I can’t remember the new code.)

I decided to put an end to their shenanigans (and save my failing memory) by building an Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box. Want to make a charging station and lock box for your family? It’s an easy DIY project (sponsored by National Hardware) that will prevent your children from sneaking screen time.

Before we jump into this tutorial, can we take a minute to admire that beautiful wood I used? I visited my local Woodcraft store and found myself drooling over all the wood varieties they stock. I was especially drawn to this ambrosia maple. The beautiful blue streaks tugged at my heart and wouldn’t let me walk away without buying the board. Luckily, I was able to make the entire industrial charging station from one 8′ board.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Ready to build this puppy? Let’s gather the materials and tools!

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Materials:

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Cut list:
(These measurements are actual size. Feel free to use your own measurements based on available lumber.)

  • 2 – 1″ x 11″ x 12″ (front & back)
  • 2 – 1″ x 5″ x 12″ (sides)
  • 1 – 1″ x 5″ x 9″ (base)
  • 1 – 1″ x 11″ x 7″ (top)
  • 1 – 1″ x 2″ x 5″ (interior shelf)

Preparation:

Spray paint all hardware to match using hammered metal spray paint. Let the hardware dry while you build the charging station.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Instructions:

Add glue to one long side on each of the side pieces.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Line up the two sides with the back. Glue onto the back piece.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Clamp and secure with finish nails.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Add glue to the perimeter of the base.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Set the base inside the box form.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Add the front. Clamp and nail the front to the two sides.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure all four sides to the base with finish nails.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Cut a notch into the 1″ x 2″ piece of wood to accommodate the USB power plug.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Glue the 1″x2″ piece 5″ down from the top of one side. (You can also drive two nails into the 1″x2″ for extra hold.)

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

This will allow enough space for the USB charger and the device cords. Check measurements if you aren’t using the same port as I did. Use adhesive velcro to hold the USB charger against the side of the box.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Decide where the power cord will enter the charging station/lock box. (Be sure to leave enough room for the corner brackets.) Trace the plug.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Use the 1/4″ drill bit to drill two holes side-by-side to accommodate the plug.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

File the edges of the hole smooth.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Line up the lid on top of the box. Clamp it in place. Pre-drill holes for the hinges.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Use a screwdriver to secure the hinges to the back of the lock box and the lid.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Add corner brackets to the four corners of the lid and the four corners of the base.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Turn the lock box over and add felt pads to the corner brace.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Find the center of the front and the lid. Attach the locking clasp to the front of the lock box (and lid).

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Add a handle to the lid if desired. (This makes it convenient for moving the box as it is heavy with all the devices inside.)

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Fill the charging station with USB devices. Our lock box holds an iPad, a kindle, multiple iPods and iPhones. I left enough room to store the TV remotes as well. No more late night Netflix bingeing for my boys.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Now I need to train the boys to put their devices into the charging station and lock box when they are done. Currently I gather them up at night and set them in the box.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Then I put on the padlock . . .

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

. . . and hide the key until morning. 😉

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

I really love the industrial style of this charging station and lock box. It adds that look of rugged tough security.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

The charging station and lock box sits on my desk and plugs in. It can also rest on the floor near an outlet in the living room.

Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box | Pretty Handy Girl

Finally, I can rest at ease knowing nobody is sneaking downstairs to play Clash Royale or watch The Flash after I fall asleep. We certainly don’t need grumpy sleep-deprived boys in this house! How about your family? Do you have issues with kids who sneak screen time?

Did you like this project? If so, you’ll love building an Industrial Dog Bowl Feeder with an industrial design style.

How to Build: Industrial Dog Bowl Feeder Stand | Pretty Handy Girl

Have a great week.

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for National Hardware. I was provided complimentary hardware and was compensated for my time and efforts to promote National Hardware. I was not told what to write. All opinions are my own. I am particular about the brands I represent and will always let you know when you are reading a sponsored post.

What No One Tells You About Farmhouse Sinks | Pretty Handy Girl

When we bought our farmhouse sink, I naively thought I wanted one because they looked so beautiful in photos of farmhouse style kitchens. Now that we’ve had our farmhouse sink for three years, I want to tell you What No One Will Tell You About Farmhouse Sinks, especially cast iron sinks.

Fact #1:

You will chip dishes and break glasses if you aren’t careful. It happens. We’ve lost two dishes and two glasses in our sink. Cast iron sinks are made tough to prevent chipping. Honestly, it’s cheaper to replace a glass or dish than the entire sink.

Fact #2: 

You may get wet. We’ve found that when our faucet is on the spray setting it spatters us. I’m not sure if this is a factor of the sink design or the sprayer. We didn’t have this issue with our old two basin sink. To solve the problem we use stream most of the time and put the water on low when spraying.

splashed-shirt

Fact #3: 

It will get dirty. A white sink will definitely show dirt and grime.

dirty-farmhouse-cast-iron-sink

This was a bit of a bummer, as someone who had to constantly shine the surface of our old stainless steel sink with baby oil to hide the hard water spots. But, I’ve come to terms with it and only have to clean it once a week to keep it looking like new.

baby oil shine stainless steel

Fact #4:

It will get scratched. Cast iron sinks will scratch, but I expected as much since we cook almost daily using heavy cast iron pans. Honestly I’m surprised we haven’t chipped the sink yet. It’s held up to a lot of abuse. In three years we have yet to chip our sink, but the marks and scratches have happened.

How to Clean a Cast Iron Sink or Tub | Pretty Handy Girl

Luckily, I have the perfect solution to clean a cast iron sink (or tub) to help it look new again.

How to Clean a Cast Iron Sink or Tub | Pretty Handy Girl

Before:

dark scratched cast iron sink

After:

How to Clean a Cast Iron Sink or Tub | Pretty Handy Girl

Fact #5:

You can’t wash dishes on one side and set the clean ones in a dish drainer in the second basin. With one large sink, all the dishes in it will get wet. This was the one change that was less of an issue for us. We simply put our dish drainer on the counter. When we have company, I put the drainer out of sight under the sink.

casement window over sink

Conclusion:

If we were to go back in time and do it again, would I buy a farmhouse sink again?

Absolutely! I still love the look. Cleaning the scratches every few weeks is no big deal. I absolutely hated our stainless steel sink because of hard water deposits and spots. Scratches are much less noticeable than the hard water deposits.

I LOVE having a big sink to clean dishes in. I feel a bit like Elaine enjoying the extra wide driving lanes Kramer created. Who doesn’t like a little more elbow room?

Best of all, I can hide dishes in it. Little known fact, my coffee mug and a knife were in the sink when I took this photo:

What No One Will Tell You About Farmhouse Sinks

The apron front farmhouse sink we have is this one. (affiliate link) If you decide to buy one, I think you will love it, as long as you are okay with those 5 Things No One Will Tell You About Farmhouse Sinks!

farmhouse sinks

Does your HE Washer stink? Here’s what you can do about it:clean front load washer

 

Want to save hundreds of dollars a year? Make my tested and approved DIY Laundry Detergent!DIY Laundry Detergent | Pretty Handy Girl

 

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you been following Stacy Risenmay’s Styled x3 series? It’s addictive y’all! It’s kind of like the “who wore it best” in the home decorating world, but there’s no shaming. The way it works is Stacy buys three of one item and ships two of them to selected bloggers and keeps the third for herself. Then it’s time for all three recipients to get creative and use it or transform it. It’s so fun to see how each blogger uses the item. Wait until you see how I transformed my item into a Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar!

styledx3-banner

This is what arrived on my doorstep:

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

A big ole empty glass container. But, it had so much potential! I could fill it with anything. Part of me wanted to turn it on its side and build a little miniature ship inside. But, then I wised up and decided to create a Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar. I’ve been dying to create a fairy garden. There’s a fun coffee shop near us that also sells fairy garden supplies. The boys and I love seeing all the fairy gardens there and longed to make one of our own.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

It was a lot fun picking out decorations and creating this fairy garden. Want to make your own? Let’s get to it!

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Materials:

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Optional:

Instructions:

If you want, paint the lid for your glass container using chalk paint. Set it aside to dry.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Add pebbles to the bottom of your jar for drainage.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Add a layer of potting soil on top of the pebbles.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Place succulent plants into the soil.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Place moss on top of the dirt and around the plants. Leave room for a water feature if you want one.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Pour blue beads or crushed glass for your water feature.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Place the bench and any other large pieces in the container first.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Create a walking path with wood slices, bottle caps, or other flat objects. Add the smaller decorations. Am I forgetting anything? Oh “deer”! For a woodland fairy garden, you should have at least one animal. Add a deer. 😉

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

I placed our garden on a candle holder. You don’t need to add the lid unless you are worried about little fingers getting into the garden. Succulents actually don’t need a ton of moisture.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

It’s fun to move the deer around from time-to-time.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

I added some battery powered fairy lights to our garden.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

If you place the fairy garden in a child’s room it would make a whimsical night light.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar | Pretty Handy Girl

Aren’t you curious to see the other Styled x3 transformations with the same glass container? Go visit Not Just a Housewife and Uncommon Designs.

Hope you enjoy making your own fairy garden. Jillian and her crew made this fun Ghostly Fairy Garden for Halloween.

Ghostly Fairy Garden Planter

Have a great rest of your week!

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