Somebody stop me...

Somebody stop me.  I'm going crazy with the aluminum spray paint.  I'm painting everything in sight with this stuff...okay, just a couple of things including my front porch ceiling fan but I keep looking for more things to paint.

At the neighborhood drug store, I found these.  3 for $1.00

They are plastic and sort of a whitish clear color.

They are small.  I started thinking....if I painted these with the aluminum paint and made little tags, could they look like miniature gym locker baskets?  Well, that could be interesting (and for a buck, what have I got to lose?)

So, I spray painted them Aluminum.

 Can you tell?  Do they look metal to you?

With a little paper, some wire, computer printed words and a little Mod Podge... 

 Here are my little miniature aluminum gym baskets.

These could come in handy.

They could hold my Christmas present wrapping supplies like tags, ribbon, embellishments.

They could hold extra forks, knives and spoons at a holiday party.

They could hold office supplies.

Oh my gosh, I'm already thinking of more things I could paint with this stuff;

ornaments, gift tags,  containers, pots/planters, signs, and so on.

I'm not sure if the pictures capture it, but it looks like galvanized aluminum.  

What would you paint aluminum?

I'm linking up to some of my favorite blog parties in my list above and down below.  However, if I start having a difficult time finding this paint because there's been a run on it and the stores are out, I may have to change my mind :)

aluminum-ized

Remember this little pink number I picked up last weekend at a barn sale?  It's my letter but not my color.

Amazing what a little aluminum spray paint can do.

A little galvanized aluminum fits me better than pepto-bismol pink.  

It looks like old chain link fence made into a G.  

You're liking it better now too, aren't ya? 

Wait 'til you see what I do next with that nifty can of aluminum spray paint.  I've got some plans!

Linkin' up to a couple of parties in my list above or down on the right:

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Happy Easter

front porch makeover for spring

It's the weekend before Spring Break and we have beautiful weather here in Cowtown (that's Fort Worth, Tx's nickname).  It was blue skies, sunny and 70!  Perfect day to make over the front porch.  I spent less than 20 buckaroos to redo it.  I bought new flowers and some dirt for my pots.  That's it.  Everything else was already there, came from other parts of the house or were odds and ends I've picked up along the way. I have a lot of pictures but maybe that means there will be a lot of ideas...or maybe I just have too much stuff on my porch.  Oh well, it's how I like it.  So, let's take a look at the sad before and then the pretty after.

Before....

and now, the After...

I painted this pot with cream paint, then crackle medium and then wiped watery brown paint on and wiped off.  I added the red band at the top (also craft paint).  This was a few years ago and they've aged well.

the little red tables are vintage metal pop-up tables used for camping or tv trays; I got both for $20. last year

picked the metal G up years ago at Pottery Barn; previously hung in my son's room.

I painted these cheapo terracotta pots with craft paint a few years ago and then let them age naturally outside.

I like to use river rock around the plants to help keep the soil from drying out so fast

by the way, notice the nickel hardware and kickplate on the door?  It's ugly brass spraypainted with nickel paint.  We did it two years ago and it still looks great (or at least better than it did)

Got it on clearance a few months ago.  If it gets yucky, I'll hang it on the wall inside and

call it architectural salvage!

sorry for the blurry picture...photography skills have improved but have a long way to go

my favorite picture...that little rusted welcome sign in the ivy!  I can't believe I took that.

(Kim M., you're rubbing off on me)

little red rooster pillows in the old chippy rocking chairs.

The Clock Story

A few months ago, my pal Jennie and I went to one of the best little shops around, The Red Shed in Grapevine, Texas.  We walked around and found a few things (at great prices) that we decided to buy and take home.  But there was this clock.  I saw this clock and immediately loved it...but the price was too much for me.  It was a great price but just more than I wanted to pay.  So, I decided not to buy it...but couldn't get it out of my head.  I went back a couple of times to see it again, even taking my husband to see it.  Still, I just couldn't bring myself to buy it.  I talked about it all the time.  I told Jennie (who lives closer to Grapevine) if she ever stopped by the Red Shed and saw it for a certain price to buy it for me and I would pay her back.  (I knew this wouldn't happen because the price I set was way too low).   Every other day, I checked the Red Shed's website just to see it.  Finally, last week, I emailed the Red Shed to ask about it again.  I found out it was a working clock (that's a bonus) and although it was a reproduction of a french antique, it was actually made in France by a french company that specializes in authentic french reproductions.  That's good enough for me.  I inquired again about the price and if it was still available and it was.  So, I made the decision.  On Saturday, I would go there and get it. 

On Thursday evening after work, I decided to quickly check my email.  I see one from my pal, Jennie and clicked on it.  The first thing I see is a picture of her son standing next to MY clock on HER wall.  What?  Then I read her email where she explained that she went to the Red Shed but the clock wasn't there which saddened her because she thought it was sold and knew how disappointed I would be but then saw it in a different place and was relieved.  She found out that someone else was interested it because they had received an email about it.  After checking, she found out the email was from me.  So, Jennie bought it for a slightly lower price but not what I wanted to spend.   She told me I could just give her the amount I wanted to spend if I still wanted it and she would cover the difference.  What?  That is so nice of her!  She had no idea I had already decided to buy it regardless of the price.  So, on Saturday, instead of going to the Red Shed, I went to Jennie's house and bought my clock.  I love it.  I found the perfect wall for it in my den in progress but still need to hang it.

To see more great things, visit the Red Shed in Grapevine, Tx.  We'll definitely be regulars there. In a future post, Jennie and I will show you more things we bought from there.  How about the cutest ever $29. table that doesn't have to be repainted or anything!
http://www.redshedonline.com/  Also read the inspiring story behind the Red Shed and their trips to Paris.

It's large!  It looks like galvanized aluminum or zinc...

with metal number tags...

and rusted metal hands...

and some french writing...

It's actually made of wood with the most awesome paint job I've ever seen but it's perfect for me.