Sunday, May 16, 2010

For Purposes Not Intended

Sometimes you find stuff that is just so cool but what do you do with it?  That's one of the number one questions Jennie and I ask each other all the time.  When we go out "shopping", here's our typical verbal exchange:

One of us:  "Oh, look at that!"
The other one: "Oh, that's cute."
First one: "What is it?"
2nd one: "I'm not sure...but it's so cute!"
First one: "I just love it but I don't know why."
2nd one: "It is really cute."
First one:  "What would you do with it?"
2nd one: "I don't know but it's just too cute."

Then, one of us buys it.  Sometimes we come up with great ways to use it and sometimes it just sits looking pretty.  Here are a couple of things used for purposes they were not intended.  It makes them interesting and unexpected.

 Up first is this.  It took us a little time but we figured out that this is a galvanized metal mold for concrete edging.  (or at least that's what we decided it was)  It hangs on this little wall area bordering the kitchen.
  It looks so cool.  Love the rivets.
Next up is this thingy.  I'm still not 100% sure what this is but I'm guessing it was part of a plant stand, maybe one little adjustable arm of it.  I like the shabby, slightly rusty look of it.  We've mounted it to the wall and it could be used for lots of things.  It could hold keys.  It could hold a candle or be a soap dish.
Finally there's this.  It's some sort of pedal or step.  This hung in our main bathroom for quite awhile and we used it to hang up a wet towel.  We attached an L bracket to it (the little white painted part) so we could attach it to the wall.  Then, just slung a towel over the pedal to keep it off the floor.  It could be used for a lot of different things too.  We recently took it down from the bathroom to find a new home for it. (that's why it's not hung right now.  My husband doesn't want new holes in the wall just to demonstrate something for this blog and I forgot to take a picture of it before we took it down pre-blog).
All of this junk was pretty cheap or free.  My mom actually found the pedal in the last picture and used it in her bathroom more than 15 years ago (probably more like 20).  I think I've mentioned before she was a junkin' pioneer.  So what have you used for purposes not intended?  I would love to see it!

16 comments:

  1. I would go for the soap holder, I like the plant on the little iron shelf, but it covers it up too much. Fun to find stuff like that.

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  2. I love all your finds! I wonder if it is possible to cut more zinc sheeting into the same shape as your first pictures? Would need a steady hand with the tin-snips!
    My own favorite repurpose is old crab nets into light fittings, and they were easy!

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  3. Oooh lovin' this stuff! I really want to go "shopping" with you two, darn it!

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  4. I think that one thing that you suggested as a soap holder is what they used to use to mount lanterns outside - at least that's what I was told at an antique store once. My favorite item that I've repurposed is a chamber pot that is now used as a flower pot :-)

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  5. Wow I love it all, especially the little soap holder thing! I'll have to look out for something like that for our bathroom. Hope you are doing well
    Janice

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  6. The "soap holder" is part of a kerosene lamp. They were used in "parlors" or sitting rooms. I have one with the kerosene lamp mounted on a living room wall. The arm swings to move it away or closer to the wall. So, using it to hold a candle would be closer to the original use.

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  7. I love all the pieces and the "myriad" ways you can use them!!!

    Great eye you have,
    Lana

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  8. The chippy white iron bracket actually used to old an oil lamp. My folks were antique dealers when I was a kid and we had several of these in our house. Cute finds!

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  9. Oh fun finds! I have found one of those iron thingys that you hung on the wall for a candle holder before. Mine was black when I found it & was really unique, but it did break eventually & I couldn't salvage it. Part of it broke that attached it to the hanger.

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  10. Thingies, whatchamacallits and gee-gaws, oh my!!

    Too cute!

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  11. Such imagination - I like the first fun, cute "thingy".

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  12. Stephenie, Sylvia, and jweiss3: Thanks so much for letting me know what that was. I just couldn't figure it out. That makes it so much better knowing what it really used to be.
    gina

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  13. Great stuff!

    I love anything galvanized, so those first two pieces would definitely find their way to my home. :-)

    Anne

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  14. Yes, of course, they are too cute...must find something to do with them! I especially love the concrete mold!

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  15. Great stuff... I like the metal mold thingy for concrete egding!! Very cool!

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  16. LOL!! Love the conversation beforehand. I would have picked up the same stuff. I think it's kinda cool to NOT know what it is. Then we're free and clear to do whatever we feel like with it. :)

    Loving that concrete edging thing! y! thing!

    Thanks for linking up to SNS!
    FJ Donna

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