~DON'T THROW IT AWAY! DON'T THROW IT AWAY!~

Sometimes I wonder just WHAT some manufacturers are thinking when they design gift-ware merchandise for the industry.  I've seen some pretty cheap and visually challenging things during my years in retail and I'm amazed some of those designs ever get past the prototype phase~  And yet, the thrift stores are filled up and overflowing with stuff we only use to love...

I found this [lovely] white wood factory-designed basket with the red check lining and robin's egg blue satin bow last week at Goodwill.  I walked by it three times before finally tossing it into my shopping cart.  It was priced at $1.99 and even though I thought $1 would have been a better deal, and despite the fact it whispered

CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP

I decided to haul it home.

First thing I did was rip off the blue bow.  The lining was hot-glued in place so I needed to use my blow dryer (set to HOT) to help heat up the goo in order to free the fabric.  After the lining was removed a few swipes over the rim with a piece of medium grit sandpaper took care of the remaining hot glue...

With a chip brush (super inexpensive at Home Depot) I dry-brushed the entire basket.  Gave it one coat and let it dry.  One more light coating and the basket was instantly transformed.  Dry brushing allows some of the original base color to show through and I love this not-too-perfect look! 

Now~after staring at the basket it seemed to need just little bit of SOMETHING EXTRA~something like a sign (similar to those seen around the neck of a wine bottle).  Then I remembered I had purchased some metal hangers on clearance at a local craft store last summer and hoped at least one would add the needed bit of pizzazz I was looking for!

I painted one with the same white paint and used a modified French graphic found online (Graphic's Fairy) for the inner label.   After a bit of distressing and the clipping of the hanger in half, the sign was gently wired onto one side of the basket!  Can't you just see it holding a loaf of fresh French Bread???  Yummmmm....

Total basket makeover cost was about $3.  Basket was $1.99.  Hanger was .25.  Ink and paper (for printing) and the paint didn't cost more than .75, at most!

This was a fun and easy project and if you decide to do something similar I'd love to see what you come up with!

Today I'm linking up with:

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesdays

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesdays

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

 

 Winter finally came yesterday to Oklahoma.  The snow floated down in what looked like puffs of white cotton.  We sooo need the moisture and even though I'm not a winter-lovin'-gal (I'm a Cali native, remember?) I hope it snows again tomorrow...  Our red earth is so dry and that will mean a greater chance for fire come this summer...

We've so enjoyed the spring-like weather we were having that we forgot to put our Adirondack Chairs away...  I actually love how they look covered in the frosty-wintery-white-fluff.  If you look closely at my pictures you can see the falling snow~

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day...can't wait!

Love to you...