Friday, April 20, 2012

" To Paint or Not to Paint , I Need Some Ideas."

So today I was just so darned bored. I had planned on playing outside but the weather wasn't cooperating with my plans.

What to do, what to do ?
Oh I know! I shall drag my husband and my daughter's boyfriend to the local salvage/junk shop.

Boy was it filled with junk! I was excited. I also found something and I want some ideas.





It's an old "Craftsman" tool box that I am going to turn into a planter. I am going to drill some holes in the bottom for drainage but after that I'm at a loss.

I could use some idea's. I could leave it rusty for the rustic look. I can paint it, then maybe paint some flowers on it. I'm just not sure and I thought someone out there might have a better or different idea. 

So put your thinking caps on folks. I open to suggestions. What do you think?

15 comments:

A Lady's Life said...

I used to love by Dads' metal oil can.He used it a lot to spurt a little oil here a little oil there lol
When he passed away I took it and I am keeping it as a keep sake. I often think I should paint it and make it look brand new but then it won't be him and the memory I have of him. It will just be an oil can.
So when it comes to tool boxes, you have to feel the person who owned it.
You have to check out all the cracks to see how it was used, where it could have been kept and imagine the owner.Then when you have a picture, you develop the idea of the container. The history, the tools, the environment.It has longtitudinal stripes and it looks like it needs a bit of scraping at the bottom and it looks like it has paint on it so maybe it was used by a painter.It looks like a nice big box, so it can be used for many different things.I'd paint a scenery using the longtitudinal stripes as divisions between land spaces. I'd have some writing on the top like A Painters Dream Box.
If you intend to use it for a planter then maybe a poem/quote about flowers/ garden.If you leave it open you can plant flowers and then paint the scenery behind it inside the lid to make it two dimensional flowers flowing into eternity.

Rebecca said...

Oh, I'm so thrilled to see you hear that all my ideas went straight out of my head!

I THINK you'll know that I'm kind of a "rust fan"... So much depends on where you're going to place it how it fits with the rest of your garden/yard decor. For instance, if you have metal chairs painted primary colors, I think you ought to paint this a primary color also.

Get my drift? Congratulations on such a fine (and fun) find!

Diana said...

Wow only two comments and both great ideas! I'm so glad I did this. Thanks ladies!
Love Di ♥

Tamara said...

It's gorgeous! Absolutely, it is. I agree with It's a Lady's Life... get a feel for it, but I'm partial to patina and rust! If it's going to be outside as a planter, I'd leave it as is, with exception to the drilled holes. I'd then set it up off the ground a bit so it will drain properly, then I'd stuff it with moss and plants... just sayin'!

Hugz Di!

Lois Evensen said...

The box is so very nice. Is that wood lined with metal? I can't quite tell. Maybe I missed that somewhere. Not sure. Anyway, I would worry about what the outside weather would do to it. It might be nice to use outdoors but somewhere with a roof over it like a covered patio so the rain wouldn't ruin the outside of the box. It's a great find!

Christine said...

What a find Diana! I think I would leave it as is; the old rusty look is so cool. I think it would make a fantastic planter.

Barb said...

I love rust! Or - paint it to compliment your Mom' s chair. I've been thinking of you. I'm glad you posted. What? Katie has a boyfriend?

Sandi said...

Hi Diana!
Well, first of all I was so glad to see a post from you! I am not checking in as frequently as I'd like . . . summer will be here soon, then I'll be catching up!

I can't add much, as the ideas you've gotten are fabulous! I have a darling little red craftman toolbox I bought last winter at a sale, and it's just sitting with nothing done, as I couldn't think what I wanted to do with it! It's already pretty banged up and has great potential as a planter now!

Thanks for the great post and subsequent ideas from your friends!

Shrinky said...

I can lose myself for hours browsing around old junk shops. Looks like quite a find you've unearthed here - it's gorgeous. There's little I can add to what has already been posted before me, but good luck - I look forward to pictures of the finished work.

Anvilcloud said...

You probably can't go wrong.

Do I get a prize for the most succinct comment?

Teresa said...

Thinking of you, and hoping all is going better in your world. I say, make it pretty, and paint it your favorite color and put your favorite flowers in it. Enjoy doing it too! Then sit down and have yourself a nice glass of wine, take some pics and blog, blog, blog. ((((hugs))) TT

Need A Latte Mom said...

Red, solid red. And then plant geraniums in it.

Jackie said...

I, too, think it would be beauuutiful painted red.
I went online and looked up tool box planter photos and saw a red one and thought, "Aha!! That would be perfect for Di's took box."
Great find, Di. Great!!!!
Love you!!!!
J.

Ginnie said...

PLEASE don't paint it, Di. It would then just become another painted toolbox. If you leave it as is and position it in an interesting way in your garden it will become a treasure that mysteriously sprouted flowers!! Much more interesting than a new coat of paint.

Anonymous said...

you are so wonderfully imaginative I know you'll come up with the perfect thing to decorate your beautiful new planter!