Repurposing

After cleaning out the MIL basement there was a lot of stuff which had to be taken to the dump (water damage, sewage damage from the flood).  But there were some things which were high and dry, that she did not want anymore, and those came back to our house to sort.  You can see that haul at this post.

While sorting through totes of stuff the MIL did not want I came across this pretty lacy table cloth.

It has a couple of small holes and a light stain of some sort.

I washed it and bleached it. Measured it and cut it in half, and created a fold for a curtain rod. Obviously I didn't cut really straight but DH doesn't seem to mind.  I keep telling him take it down and I will fix it.

My next attempt at repurposing.

I told DH that I wanted to grow sweet potatoes again.  The last time we created a raised bed.  I planted the slips and they grew like crazy, but when I went to harvest the voles had ate them.  My bright idea was how about some planters.  While I liked the idea of using the galvanized water troughs, they are a bit spendy.  So option 2.  How about an old bathtub.  I no more than told DH that I wanted a tub and what appeared in the garbage pit at work but this old, what was once upon a time, claw foot tub-sans claws.  

I took it into the barn, flipped it over to try to remove the dirt, paint and grime.  I got to use a wire wheel on an angle grinder.  As I was working I remembered this skit on David Letterman.

I got all the old paint, rust and gook off, and yep there were sparks flying, and no I did not get my hair caught in it nor did I wear the metal bra but it gives you an idea of the sparks that fly.

After it was all smooth, we applied a coat of aged copper Rustoleum spray paint.

The inside is kind of dirty, but it is a planter anyway.  I have my sweet potato slips planted and they are starting to take off.

DH found several bowling balls in the pit at work.  A coat of spray paint left over from our pinewood derby race car paints, and I have a pretty nifty and resilient garden gazing ball.

It is in my herb garden, the sage is going crazy this year and blooming, and the anise hyssop is all over the place.  I may have to sacrifice some new growth for the sake of my herb garden space!

Finally I have several of these that are part of a cultivator.  DH painted one for me and put it up the other day.

I think it needs a brown or black center.  I cannot commit yet though.

Finally I do have a quilt flimsy finish.

With my two helpers and the play fort this is my bag lady quilt from guild that was worked on last year.  I ended up with 25 blocks including the focus fabric.  I thought about making a border, but just couldn't find something I liked so decided that this was the way it was going to be.  I have family visiting for a couple of weeks so probably not a whole lot of sewing will be going on.  My parents and two of my grand daughters to entertain and help wrangle Finn.