Re-purposed Tool Boxes and Cutting Boards

In between our trips back and forth to the lake I've been trying to get caught up on some of my re-purposing projects.   I have so much stuff to do and I can't seem to get caught up.  I can't even show you the before's on most of this stuff because I lost a ton of photos when my laptop crashed back in June.  Here's a shot of one of the wooden tool boxes - I picked up 2 of them and refinished them.

I think this is such a fun way to re-purpose old tool boxes and give them new life....

They are cute little crates for coffee service, napkins and silverware, vases or even flowers....

 The Owl cutting board is super thick and heavy.   I sanded it down and then stained it with coffee grounds....

I love the multiple colors and a coat of coconut oil really brings them out....

The pizza server was also sanded smooth and stained with coffee grounds before I stenciled the word Pizza on one side and then used my wood burning kit on it....

Coconut oil on this brought out the nice patterns and colors of the wood.

 All items are for sale at The Hodge Podge in Benton, KY.

Linking up with....

Party in Your PJ's # 68
Worthwhile Wednesdays #81
Vintage Inspiration Party #201
Let's Talk Vintage #44

Repurposed Basket and Napa Crates

We found a couple of items at last weekends rummage sales that I wanted to repurpose a little bit.  Both were quick projects and it was nice to just sit and take my time on them.

First up was this neat looking circular, hanging basket.  I dug through my paint stash and pulled out 2 Behr paints, one in Pebble White and the other in Aqua Smoke.

The basket was so quick and easy.  First I dry brushed on one coat of the aqua and once it was dry I went back and dry brushed on a little of the white.  I like the way it turned out....

Here's the back side....

 And check out that large basket - just imagine the wide variety of things you could stuff in there?

Nexy up was the Napa Valley crates.  I simply painted on one coat of the Aqua Smoke and once it dried I lightly distressed it with a little sand paper.  To give the paint a little age and patina I brushed on a coat of light oak stain and almost immediately wiped it off with a rag.  I like this technique to bring out the deeper under tones.

These crates will look cute sitting on a shelf or counter, or perhaps hanging on the wall.

It took about an hour for both projects and and added bonus was that I used the same paint!

Both items for sale in my shop here and here.

Linking up with...

Let's Talk Vintage # 27
Craft Frenzy Friday # 86
Catch as Catch Can # 209

Estate Sale Finds - May 4

I am such a sucker for estate sales - I cannot pass one by.  You just never know what treasures you are going to find.  Here's last week ends haul.

I have always liked and wanted a vintage Coleman cooler.  We were in the basement at a sale and this one was shoved up on a shelf in a back room.  I made Louie pull it down.  I almost wanted to dance when I saw the excellent condition it was in and it had the original inner compartment pieces.  It didn't have a price tag on it and I practically held my breath when I asked if they would be interested in selling it.  We negotiated down to $ 8.00 and I was thrilled to get it.  No ecstatic is more like it!

Then, we walked into a church rummage sale where co-incidentally my kids had gone to pre-school.  Chablis was with us and asked if we could go up to the pre-school room so she could take a look around.  The pre-school area was filled with racks of clothes for sale, and on a corner table sat this stunning Coleman 2 quart thermos - also in excellent condition and red on top of it.  I snapped it up and since it was for the church, I didn't even try to dicker down from the asking price of $ 2.50.   What a fab set and we can use them at the lake and Chablis can also use them as props for photo shoots for her BeeAnn Designs items.  Score!!

Chablis picked up all 3 of these crates at the same sale.  We love the ones that have graphics and original text on them.  She has plans to turn one into a rolling storage box.  More to come on that in a later post.  Love the one that says Salted Peanuts.

And we picked up a bunch of small items as well.  A Farm Fresh spoon holder that I don't think had ever been used, and a beautiful yellow spatula, also brand new.  I picked up an assortment of wooden spoons, with plans to use my wood burning tool on them.  I also bought that ugly cutting board with the horrid graphic on it.  I'll be taking my sander to that really soon and repurposing it.  More to come on that later as well.  I also got a cool sewing machine tin that says Zig Zag on it.  Beautiful green color and do not make the same mistake I made and put it in the dishwasher to clean it up.  OMG - the color faded and I was so mad about that.  What the heck was I thinking??  I also got a nice set of Corning ware bake pans - one 8" square pan and one a loaf pan, both of which promptly went to the lake house.

Chablis picked up a brand new seat cushion for a chair she is re-doing, although it reeked of something so we threw it in the washing machine and set it outside to dry for 2 days and now it's fine. And check out the cool advertising coat hangers.  We found them in a box marked free and snatched them up.  Two of them are from Hilton Hotels and one is from the United Hotel chain. 

My mind is reeling with re-purposing projects, so I know I'll have lots to share with you soon. 

Estate Sale Finds March 30, 2014

The estate sales were plentiful last weekend and we found some great bargains.  Want to see?

I snatched up this super crate.  I love crates that have advertising and graphics on them.  This one was in really great condition too...

I barely walked in the door with it before I had washed it out and attached a vintage license plate to the front of it...

I added toilet paper and some lotion and it's now in my bathroom...

I'm always on the look out for interesting tins and I loved the color on this one...

Who remembers old wooden hangers from the dry cleaners that had their advertising on them?

This wooden cutting board is huge, heavy and I loved the handle.  I have plans for this and I can't wait to start on it.  Stay tuned for this one...

Is anyone else familiar with Handy Andy or was that just a Chicago area store?  Chablis beat me to the punch on this awesome tool box.  Damn - if I had just gone down into the basement of that house first, this beauty would have been mine...

Check this out - brand new, still sealed in the box - score!!  And for a great price. 

Who remembers American Crayon Company?  I don't, but Louie found this wooden crayon box at a sale and picked it up for me.  Read the interesting history of American Crayon here and here.

Isn't this doll cradle adorable?  Don't mind Petey - he was very interested in it.   Maybe he thinks this is going to be a bed for him.  I don't think so!  I am leaning towards re-staining this piece, but then, I could paint and distress it.  Ideas anyone?  I don't even know what I'll do with it when I'm done, but I thought it was so cute.

A huge recipe box.  I'm thinking this may end up in the Kentucky kitchen.

One brand new fillet knife and 1 brand new bread knife.  Both were still in their original packaging.   I like the old, heavy wooden kitchen utensils, so I always grab those when I see them and check out these little wooden shoes.  I don't know what I'll do with those either, but they were too cute to pass up.

Chablis found this old coffee tin shoved in the back of a shelving unit.  Did you know that Chase and Sanborn coffee was established in 1862 and was the first coffee company to pack and ship roasted coffee in tins?   This tin has such great graphics and colors.

And last, but not least, an old sewing measuring tape and two old buttons.  I really liked the one from Foreman High School because I had friends who attended that school.

That's all the finds for this week.  I have some projects I'm going to start working on and I'll show you what I did when I finish them up.  Have a nice day!