Before I left for New Mexico, I picked up some great finds. Some of the pieces can be used as-is for home decor, but I’m not sure what to do with a few of the pieces, so I figured I’d just “poll the audience” and get your ideas.
First I’ll show you the pieces that don’t have me stumped, then I’ll show you the ones I don’t know what to do with, and I hope you’ll give me your favorite ideas!
This adorable little pewter cup is a no-brainer. With the alphabet on the front, it makes a perfect cup to hold pencils and pens. Wouldn’t it be perfect for a teacher’s desk?
I also found a bunch of vintage bottles. The first set is all pale lavender colored bottles, and they look pretty just grouped together, so I don’t feel like I need to repurpose them.
The second set are various shades of blue that I think would look pretty in a beach theme room.
Now, here are some of the finds I’m not sure what to do with.
I couldn’t pass up these two vintage Coke crates, but I just can’t decide how to use them.
Of course, I could just sell them as-is in my online shop, but I’d love to think of a great way to repurpose them into something unique instead.
I’ve seen them turned into foot stools, spice racks, and even drawers.
Those are all great ideas, but so you have any other ideas?
I also got this old tackle box. The latches all work and it has lots of storage inside.
How would you use it?
It was full of old fishing gear – a cork bobber, lots of rusty fish hooks, and weights.
Most people would probably just keep the box, and throw away the contents, but when I started looking at all the pieces, I thought surely there must be a way to repurpose some of them, right?
No… I don’t want to get tetanus, but look at these cool things!
I think they are fish stringer hooks. They are sort of like big safety pins, and I just know there must be something fun that could be made with them…I just don’t know what, off the top of my head.
Okay… hit me with your great ideas!:)
Vaya con Dios,
Since you have 2 identical coke cases, why not hinge them together to hang on the wall. Inside you could put shelves on the one against the wall and a beveled mirror on the front one (which would be the bottom of the box). Put a cute latch mechanism and a you could use it as a funky medicine cabinet or a closed spice rack. 🙂
I’m back – the clips from the tool box would be great with mixed media art. Lots of ways to use them in vintage collages. You could also run a thin strip of mini-checked red cloth through each end and tie something cute in the middle for a banner. The tool kit would be great for a craft box lined with pretty scrap paper (modpodged for sturdiness) or even fabric. Then you could make a cute pin cushion to match to sit inside.
Hi Angie, I would make a 2-story cat bed out of the soda crates and use the fishing thingies to create some jewelry with. I would turn the tackle box vertically, open it up and put little bords inside to make a display shelf out of it. Have fun with your finds! 🙂
The Coca-Cola crates are perfect as little tray. With handles af both ends.
You can also use them as à planter.
I would use the takle box as a stock box and would continue to do nothing.
The fishing thingles. You would not be able to bend brackets? Then you can hang something. On a message board or a towel rack.
hello ! how many beautiful discoveries ! crates of coke are my favorite . The idea is for them that I bring them together with hinges and turn them into a trunk .
Fishing hooks may be used for a garland and metal case looks beautiful as well .
Have a nice day .
Rosina
The Garland for the fishing hooks was kind of my idea too I think it would look really cute if you have some fishing net and kind of strung all those items in it for a beach theme
I was thinking the same thing.
Hello Angie
I would clean out the inside of the tackle box and line it with plastic so it could sit on my kitchen counter as a bread box. It has so much character! The vintage coca cola crates would make great top drawers in a repurposed dresser….just add some cool handles! The fishing tackle is very interesting. I would use the pieces in a outdoor mobile for the garden. Would require finding a few other pieces of old fishing gear to hang with the hooks.
Enjoyed the challenge!
Thanks
Heather
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBIn3hiMRfU/U5J-Up4hyhI/AAAAAAAADYs/VuzxLZkJ1Dw/s1600/048.JPG
Hi Angie,
I took an old metal box and made it into a First Aid kit and gave it as a shower gift. See above. As for the stringers….antique Christmas ornament hangers? Lavender and Linen had a photo of a little cabinet/bookcase where old Coke, Dr. Pepper, RC Cola crates were used in lieu of drawers. Quite nice. You will come up with something special as you are quite talented.
La Verne@hopeandsalvage
I could see a planter with legs on the coke crates with flowers planted in white enamel containers inside the crate❤️ That toolbox is awesome..maybe something for your awesome manly bathroom! Love your finds❤️
Hi Angie, Since I am always looking for unique chains to hang bird baths and feeders, refashioned chandeliers and hanging lamps, I would connect all those neat fish pins and other wire thingys from the tackle box to make an interesting chain which could also be used as a garland to display cards, notes, photos or holiday ephemera . Since I’ve only had one cup of coffee thus far this morning, I have to ponder on the other wonderful finds. Oh, perhaps put some legs on the boxes and use for mail or other papers on your desk or work station!
Love all your goodies, Angie. I might put wheels on the bottom of the crates; so many possibilities. I found a tackle box similar to yours and just sold it as-is. It was full of tackle gear that I repurposed into several necklaces.
For the crates I would add hinges,doors and shelves and screw them to the wall. I could just see one in the bathroom with the door painted white and a big red cross painted on the front for a first aid cabinet. If you added shelves inside with no door it would make just a cute way to display things. Or even a small pane glass window for a door with hinges for a cute spice cabinet or to store camera lenses, kinda like a curio cabinet.
How about small end tables with the coke crates, add some interesting vintage trinkets to the inside of the crates and use glass for the tops….
I would sell the tackle box empty and open and fill it with interesting items for display and keep the little fishing doohickies for another project…
Maybe make a display board of a frame and chicken wire and use those little thingies to connect interesting items to the wire?…..
I miss my antique booth…this was fun! karen…
I have seen Coke crates with the dividers, 24 to hold bottles or 4 to hold 6 packs. I once used them on the wall as a display for mini pitchers…or like an old window would be used to display pictures. the big “pins” remind me of the pins that were used on kilt skirts…before your time. They would be cute with spacer beads and charms so that they dangle, worn as a pin or with chain attached to each end and wear as a necklace.
I agree. The fishing stringers looked a lot like kilt pins to me. Just sayin’.
I meant to ask…do you own a bottle tree or maybe your husband will make one…to display your beautiful bottles? Colored glass and the sun to show them off. Please share your decisions.
Use the stringer hooks linked together as curtain tiebacks or as picture hangers above a frame. Or just group them in a pretty jar for show. Great texture!
I would use the coke crates as shelves or add handles and use as a serving tray. I like the idea of using it on your table with holders for silverware and bowls and a pretty little bouquet of flowers. I would use the stringers as a garland. And that cute little box might sit on the back of my toilet with extra rolls in it.
I am a Card creator and would use the tackle box to keep all my brads and embellishments. Depending on the size, I would probably keep odd sizes and colours of paper. I also do multimedia art, so those odds’n’sods from the tackle box would make beautiful additions to my art works. This box could also repurpose as an art supply carry-all for storage and out-door painting sessions.
Mary-Joan
At first my mind was a blank because these items are all so different than I would choose on a “vintage” shopping trip. But, without reading any of the other comments I came up with a couple suggestions. First, without knowing the measurements of the fishing tackle box I tho’t it would work as a liquor cabinet to hold some glasses and drink-making tools. If you don’t need a liquor cabinet, which I don’t, maybe you could use it as storage for art supplies–paint, brushes, etc. Then, the Coca-Cola crates I would put in your on-line shop and sell because I’m not fond of red! But they might be pretty on a picnic table with red geraniums in them. Those safety-pin-looking things you could hook together in three separate chains to fasten to a cool hanging basket of some sort to use for a plants or maybe just a wire basket for holding….vegetables? Or anything you want. These aren’t very inspiring suggestions, I admit, but I felt I should at least try to be helpful!
Someday I will send you a list of what I bring back from junk shopping and you will see how different our hauls might be! I might even ask for your suggestions for how to use or re-purpose them!
Always glad to hear from you, Angie. Keep on junkin’!
P.S. Please let us know what you end up doing with your three finds and which suggestions influenced you. There sure are a lot of creative ideas!
Use the fishing box as a caddy for outdoor meals, place plates, condiments, napkins, and place it on your picnic table.
Hi Angie! For the coke crates, I had a Pepsi Crate and a Sun Drop Crate I put them on a turning wood base (like a lazy Susan), turned out opposite each other and made a book shelf/collectable shelf. I loved that the ends had the city and state that the crates came from, so I didn’t want to cover them up with a table top. I added a wood spacer about 8 inches wide for the top and bottom between the backs of the crates and my son cut and covered the top board with tin. It turned out great! I would love to add a couple pics of it, but don’t know how on here.
Cindy
I would put shelves in the coke crates for extra storage for coffee mugs. You could hang in the kitchen. You could switch out mugs for holidays, such as Xmas mugs,etc. Also you could get a keepsake mug where you have traveled, to remind you of the special places you have been.
You could make a wagon out of the coke crates …attach the fishing hooks and bobbers to a net and hang up for a beachy scene
love the stringer hooks! they would look great as bowl or vase fillers or under a glass cloche with other fishing pieces like wadded up fishline, bobbers, etc.
i am wondering if you could attach them to the pennants and string them on jute twine. i would cut them out of burlap and spray paint the pennants aqua to go with your beachy bottles.
you could send them my way then you wouldn’t have to figure out what to do with them : )
love your blog : )
love (and covet) the fishing stringers! i would use them as a bowl filler or put them with the other things from the tackle box under a glass cloche. or how about around a pillar candle in a skinny glass vase?
they also could be used to attach pennants to jute string. cut the pennants out of burlap and spray paint them aqua– valspar has a great aqua.
if you really get stuck for ideas, send them on to me– i would love them! : )
love your blog!