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Ideas For DIY

Mosaic Sunglasses – oversized wall art

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I don’t have a link for you today. No tutorial to send you to, no blog post or artist gallery. The pictures I’m showing you here are off of my cruddy cell phone. A couple of months ago my oldest son had an appointment, and that meant I had some time to kill. So I called a friend who was familiar with the neighboring town of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. It was cold, snowy and slushy, and the town wasn’t really hopping the way it might have been in the summer months. So I asked my friend if there were any thrift stores or consignment shops I could kill some time in. She mentioned a cool store she had always wanted to go in called Uncle Hunk’s Junk. That sounded like my kind of place!

Unfortunately for me Uncle Hunk’s Junk closed some time ago. The building is still there as are some of the decorations and props. It’s now home to the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce. There’s still a mannequin torso and legs suspended from the ceiling and these awesome mosaic sunglasses.

The sunglasses were probably four feet across, I only wish I had my actual camera with me instead of my phone. There’s not much information available about the old store online. There’s a great photo here of the outside of the building from a few years ago. The photo above is from the chamber’s website. See the amazing mural? It’s still there, no one painted over it. How could they? It’s too cool. Be sure to visit that link too, more amazing mural on the other side! The murals were painted by Florida artist, Christopher Burlini.

So if you are ever in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, make sure you stop by the chamber in the old Uncle Hunk’s Junk building. They’ll even give you a card for a local coffee shop good for a free cup of coffee. 🙂 Heck, if you’re even in Elkhorn, look me up, I’ll go with you!

In closing, here’s a couple of cruddy close ups (sorry, cell phone yuk) of the mosaic sunglasses. These were so fun.

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Comments

  1. I LOVE this photo of the Mosaic Sunglasses! My husband is the Operations Manager of the largest eyeglass recycling centere in the world. We volunteer 60 hours a week to help provide donated eyeglasses to those in need around the world…it’s an awesome experience. This is gorgeous!!!!! Wish I’d thought of it!!
    Thanks for sharing this photo.

Have you read?

How To Hide Ugly Outdoor Hose Pipes

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Okay, let’s be real—nothing ruins a zen garden vibe faster than a neon-green hose sprawled across your patio like a drunk caterpillar. I learned this the hard way when my mother-in-law visited and politely asked, “Is your hose… part of the decor?” Cue my frantic Googling of “how to hide garden hose without looking like a weirdo.”

After testing a ridiculous number of solutions (including a failed attempt to disguise one as a “rustic clothesline”), here are the best tricks that actually work—no landscaping degree required.

1. The “Lazy Gardener’s Best Friend”: Hose Pots

Perfect if: You want something cute that takes 2 minutes to set up.

I grabbed this simple hose pot from Amazon last summer, and it’s been a game-changer. It looks like a giant planter but secretly swallows 100 feet of hose. Pro tip: Skip the cheap plastic ones—they crack faster than my resolve to “water the plants daily.”

 

2. The Ninja Move: Fake Rock Cover

Perfect if: You want your hose to pull a Mission: Impossible disappearing act.

I was skeptical, but this hollow fake rock from Amazon actually works. Just plop it over your coiled hose, and boom—instant “rock garden.” Warning: It’s lightweight, so toss a brick inside if you live somewhere windy (learned that after mine rolled into the neighbor’s yard).

3. The “Why Didn’t I Do This Sooner?” Wall Reel

Perfect if: You’re tired of tripping over hose loops.

I splurged on a  wall-mounted reel, and now my hose lives neatly coiled off the ground like a civilized garden tool. Key hack: Mount it at elbow height—unless you enjoy awkwardly squatting to reel it in.

4. Mother Nature’s Camouflage: Let Plants Do the Work

Perfect if: You’re cheap and patient (my spirit animal).

I trained creeping thyme to sprawl over my hose along the garden edge. Other great options:

  • Ornamental grasses (they’re basically nature’s curtain)
  • Hydrangeas (big, bushy, and great at hiding sins)

Avoid roses—hoses + thorns = a bad time.

5. The Sneaky Twofer: DIY Hose Bench

Perfect if: You need seating and storage.

I repurposed an old wooden storage bench by drilling a hole near the spigot. Now my hose lives inside, and I have a place to sit while pretending to weed.

What Not to Do (Trust Me)

 Burying a regular hose (it’ll kink and die a slow death).

 Using PVC pipes (they crack faster than my patience with squirrels).
 Letting it bake in the sun (UV rays turn hoses into brittle spaghetti).

So… Which One’s Right for You?

SolutionCostEffortBest For
Hose Pot$2/10Renters, small spaces
Fake Rock$$4/10Ninja-level hiding
Wall Reel$$6/10Frequent hose-users
Plant Cover$8/10Eco-warriors
DIY Bench$$5/10Overachievers

Your Turn!
Which hack are you trying? (Or do you have a better one? Spill your secrets—my hose is still judging me.)

Need more inspo? Check out:

P.S. If you spot my runaway fake rock in Ohio, let me know. 🌱