
Summer is approaching, so that means it’s time to host friends and family outdoors. Whether it’s graduation, Father’s day, or Fourth of July, you’ll have plenty of reasons to spruce up your outdoor space. We created an outdoor cooler box to hold all of our favorite beverages (read: beer) and keep them cold in the hot months. What’s great about this piece is that the cooler is removable, so it’s extremely easy to pull out and use for a day at the beach.
Materials:
— (4) 38-inch pieces of 1 3/8-inch square wood
— (4) 16-inch pieces of 1 3/8-inch square wood
— (4) 25.5-inch pieces of 1 3/8-inch square wood
— (2) 18.75-inch pieces of 1 3/8-inch square wood
— (24) 15-inch pieces of wood 3.5 inches wide
— 2-inch wood screws
— 1.5-inch wood screws
— black paint
— cooler
Tools:
— 1/64-inch drill bit
— electric screwdriver
— paint brush
Instructions:
1. Drill holes at the ends of all four pieces of wood that measure 16 inches, 25.5 inches and 18.75 inches.
2. Using the screwdriver, attach the 16-inch piece of wood to the top of two 38-inch pieces of wood. Measure 15 inches down the 38-inch piece of wood and drill in the second 16-inch piece of wood.
3. Lay the two pieces you just created on their sides and drill the 25.5-inch piece in place to finish off your box.
4. Stand your cooler box upright and screw the last two 18.25-inch pieces along the bottom. This will hold your cooler in place.
5. Tape together seven 15-inch boards and hand letter a cute saying to spruce up your container.
6. Drill holes on the top and bottom of each 15-inch piece and then drill onto the outside of the box. Drill seven on the length and five on the width.
Now, this first step is a pain but totally necessary to avoid having your wood split when screwing it together. Drill holes at both ends of all pieces that measure 16 inches, 18.75 inches and 25.5 inches.
Lay a 16-inch piece across two 38-inch pieces and screw into place. Measure 15 inches down the 38-inch piece of wood and screw your second 16-inch piece in place. Do these same steps to the other two pieces of 16-inch and 38-inch wood poles. You should finish with two pieces that look like rectangle boxes with long legs.
Lay the pieces you just drilled together on their side and screw the 25.5-inch piece across to create the box shape.
Stand your box upright and screw your last two 18.25-inch pieces across the bottom. Your piece may be a bit wobbly but it will sturdy up in the next couple steps.
Time to add some pizzazz to this cooler container. Pick your favorite phrase and hand letter with paint onto seven 15-inch boards of wood. Seven? Yes, seven! I, of course, couldn’t count and centered my hand lettered masterpiece onto six boards of wood. Check out in the next step how I fixed my mistake.
I added an exclamation point! Next, drill holes in the top and bottom of all 24 pieces of wood, then screw them to your new cooler base. Seven pieces will lay across the front of the cooler box and five pieces will lay on the sides.
Slide your cooler into place and get ready for the party! Pro tip: If I was able to go back to the hardware store, I would have purchased more white wood to cover the top rim of the container to give it a polished look. Most of your guests will be seeing the top edge when they pull their drink from the cooler, so might as well make it nice :)
One of our favorite parts about this project is that this stand can stay put on our patio, but the cooler is mobile for a quick day trip to the beach.
Fill your cooler with refreshing beverages for you and your guests. Set up a side table with glasses, cute straws and refreshing treats.
Show us your project by tagging us on Instagram + using the hashtag #iamcreative!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.