Organized Clutter

I rescued these food jars from my recycling bins.  Not very exciting jars:  Salsas, Alfredo & Marinara sauces, Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing. The Thrift Store Decor Team is celebrating Earth Day with projects from the recycling bin today.  Scroll on down to join the fun!

I love old coffee pots. This is an old aluminum one that I picked up thrifting. It was missing the insides. I gave it a makeover and a new purpose below.  Also below is the March Thrift Store Decor Team 's monthly blog party. Keep on scrolling for more thrifted inspiration.

On November 19th, I purchased my very first waxed Amaryllis bulb at a Littlefork Craft Fair for $25. The vendor had several waxed bulbs displayed in various vintage containers.  Mine was in a wooden salad bowl with Princess Pine tucked in around the edges.

  You know how I love digging through the Target Bullseye Playground bins at the front of the store.  I found these stackable condiment bowls at the Bemidji  Target recently for $5. I am not saving them for condiments however!

Recently, I saw this brass item at the thrift shop for $8.  I'd never seen a brass shopping bag before. I once collected brass pieces, and displayed in my bay window.  I have long since disposed of all of them at garage sales.   I actually thought about painting this piece!

 I picked up this old enamelware coffeepot at the thrift shop yesterday for $3.  It was missing the cover. I just love old coffeepots, and I have a lot of them. The bottom is pretty black.  I think it was a campfire coffeepot.  I scrubbed the bottom with an SOS pad and Krud Kutter Kitchen Degreaser All-Purpose Cleaner.    The greasiness is all gone but not all the charring.  It's a perfect piece for upcycling!

  I found this little divided, wooden drawer with knob at a local antiques/consignment shop for $5. After a scrubbing with hot soapy water, I gave the little drawer a makeover.

   I made a pretty good haul at the first garage sale of 2018. These two primitive country plates/platters were among my purchases.

  These little Chinese takeout containers have been at my local thrift shop for a couple weeks now. They are ceramic, and priced at $2 each. I had to purchase one and do something with it...

I thought this was a fun find when I purchased it for $5.49 at an antique shop. Pieces were missing, but it was at one time a commercial large paper roll holder.

Do you pick up old drawers?  I do.  Drawers are great for up-cycle projects and displays. I love them.  Sewing machine drawers are my favorites.  I found this old drawer in my shed.

I recently purchased another banana stand at the thrift shop.

My re-purpose project today begins with a thrift shop, $2, oak banana stand.  These are relatively easy to find at thrift shops.  

I think I have more houseplants than most of my friends.  I think I have more houseplants than most of my relatives.  I think I have more houseplants than most of my co-workers.  I think houseplants are too much work for many busy people these days. I think most houseplants thrive on a little neglect versus over watering for example, but they do die if left totally on their own.  I water about once a week.  I fertilize every two weeks during the growing season April - September.  This has worked for me, and I have been successful with houseplants for the most part. I think a houseplant round up may be fun! My current houseplant list is as follows: A variegated ivy.  I love ivies, but I have killed a few.  I like them on my mantel or on my desk hutch but both are low light areas and die after a while.  I love leaving them is a small neutral pot and sticking them in vignettes, or in fun containers like this vintage plaid lunchbox...

I saw this post on Hometalk.  How to clean your house plants with milk.                                               Click on photo to see post.