Alert: Although I mention Pinterest a lot (drinking game, anyone?), this post is not sponsored. We’re just a couple of design-obsessed friends who love a good pin-fest—sometimes while eating Oreos.
My Pinterest obsession is well documented. So when Katie suggested we challenge ourselves to make one Pinterest-inspired project each season and call it the Pinterest Challenge, I was in. It’s a fun push to stop pinning and start doing. I’ve pinned hundreds of ideas and completed only a handful of projects so this felt like the perfect motivator. We’ve already tackled a few projects in the past, and this new challenge is the latest attempt to turn inspiration into action.
Katie even made a cute graphic for the challenge:
We had so much fun making a short video to explain the idea. There’s a silly cameo (and Burger makes a valiant effort to steal the show), so if you can, watch the video before reading on to catch the surprise moment:
I love outtakes—they feel like a window to the real person behind the camera. Katie and I tend to get goofy together, so expect a bit of nerdy silliness whenever we team up. It’s part of the charm and, honestly, part of why this challenge is so much fun.
For this first project, John and I wanted a hanging pendant for the laundry room and thought a shade made from clothespins could be a great fit. A quick Pinterest search turned up two clothespin chandelier ideas that served as perfect inspiration, so we decided to give it a go and put our own spin on the concept.
We started by installing an inexpensive $5 light kit from Ikea as the base for the fixture.
Then we gathered supplies for the shade. We picked up a large number of wooden clothespins and a few other basic materials to build around the light kit.
We plan to blend elements from the two pinned designs and add our own variations, so the final piece will likely be a hybrid. I know it might sound odd, but sitting on the floor and experimenting with different clothespin patterns seems like a great way to spend an afternoon.
We also invited readers to join the Pinterest Challenge and try their own seasonal projects. In the video we explain how anyone can participate and share ideas, so if you’re inspired to create something from your own pins, we’d love to see what you make.
We’ll post updates as the clothespin pendant comes together and share any tips we learn along the way. If you’re tackling a Pinterest-inspired project of your own this season, consider this your nudge to stop pinning and start doing—one pin, one project, one season at a time.