Hi friends and welcome to day #3 of March Madness, 31 thrifty makeovers in 31 days!
I have a special treat today! I am so excited to be participating in a Flea Market Swap AKA Swap it Like it’s Hot! This is a challenge where a bunch of crazy bloggers came together to swap thrift store crap, and then we each have to work our magic on what we got! How fitting is this for my own March Madness challenge? You could send pretty much anything and my thought was, the cheesier the better!
Well my good friend Shanna from Restoration Redoux (follow that link to see what she made over) had me and I have to say, she went pretty darn easy on me.
Here is what I received from her:
Not too bad, right? My first thought was to use the basket as a new lamp shade for the lamp, and the proportions were perfect. However the max wattage for bulbs for this thing is 15, and the basket was just too opaque to make a good shade.
Today I am going to share how I transformed the basket. I also transformed the lamp, but I’ll be back tomorrow to share that one. There really wasn’t any way to repurpose this little basket into something else and cutting it was out of the question, so I gave it a makeover instead:
This fabric came from Walmart. Mine just started carrying fabric and while I was stocking up on food before we were expecting a big Winter storm, I hit up the fabric section so I could work on this while we were snowed in. 🙂
I love it!
In case you have a round woven Japanese basket that someone sends you in the mail to transform, here’s how I did it…
I spray primed and painted the rims:
Then I lined the inside first, using hot glue to secure the fabric all around the inside top edge. I secured it to the bottom inside edge with hot glue also:
For the bottom of the inside, I cut a piece of cardboard and two pieces of batting and placed them on the backside of the fabric:
Then I hot glued the fabric to the back:
I tufted the bottom piece with a few buttons:
Then I hot glued it to the inside bottom.
Then I attached fabric to the outside using hot glue also.
For the top, I did the same as I did for the inside bottom, only I added piping for a nice clean edge. I hot glued the piping to the outer edge:
You can find my super simple SEW and NO SEW tutorial for piping here. I added one button to the center on the top, then hot glued the padded top to the top of the basket.
For now I’m using it to hold my ribbon:
I never would have purchased this if I saw it myself, but now I have so many ideas for it. It would make a great sewing box, or it could be used to hold nail polishes, or how about on a desk to hide supplies?
I told you Shanna took it easy on me! Poor sweet Emily from Two Purple Couches wasn’t so lucky! Here’s what I sent her to work with:
Visit Emily here to see what she possibly could have come up with for these items!
You can follow along all week if you like. There are over 30 bloggers participating!
Monday 3/2
Run to Radiance Decor Adventures Year of Serendipity 58 Water Street
Don’t Disturb This Groove Like a Saturday Artsy Chicks Rule
Tuesday 3/3
Two Purple Couches While They Snooze The Gathered Home
Black and White Obsession Ciburbanity Restoration Redoux
Confessions of aSerial Do-it-Yourselfer (That’s me!)
Wednesday 3/4
Primitive & Proper Queen of Everything That’s My Letter
Finding Silver Pennies Migonis Home Windgate Lane
Thursday 3/5
I Am a Homemaker Town and Country Living Thoughts from Alice
Our Southern Home Chic Little House SG Style Two Thirty~Five Designs
Friday 3/6
Gourley Girl & Guy The Thinking Closet The Charming Farmer
2 Little Superheroes Shades of Blue Interiors Live Pretty on a Penny
I’ll be back tomorrow to share how I transformed the lamp.
I can tell you two things: It’s no longer gold, and it’s not a lamp. 🙂
Shazam! See what I turned the lamp into HERE now!
XO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
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Gilly @ Colour Saturated Life says
Wow Christy! You wouldn’t even know it was the same basket, this looks amazing….love how your mind works!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Gilly! XOXO
Joanne Boulter says
Christy you always inspire me to get off my but and do something. I would never have thought to tuft the bottom. Beautiful! Hugs, Jo
Christy K. James says
Ha ha you’re sweet, thanks! I too am inspired all the time…you should see all the post-its I have all over my desk with great ideas. 🙂
Pam says
I love the basket re-do. Now I just want to go find a basket with a lid to do this too!
Of course I am not as crafty as you so it probably won’t turn out as beautiful as yours but I would love to try it anyway.
Christy K. James says
Aww thanks, Pam! I saw another one very similar at one of my thrift stores, but I didn’t get it because I hadn’t come up with an idea for mine yet. Now I wish I would have bought it!
Jenna says
It’s fabulous!!
Christy K. James says
Thank, Jenna! 🙂
Julie (Being Home) says
Woman, how do you do this?! My goodness that basket looks incredible now! I want one! Christy, you are definitely one talented DIY lady. 😀 Looking forward to seeing what you did with that lamp.
Christy K. James says
Ha ha you are so sweet! Thanks! The lamp is a fun one. 🙂
Marie@The Interior Frugalista says
Oh my gosh I love this series! Only you could turn an ordinary woven basket into something extraordinary. How pretty is this! Looking forward to seeing what you did with the pineapple lamp.
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Marie! I saw another one at a thrift store almost just like it and passed on it because I hadn’t yet figured out what to do with this one. Now I wish I would have gotten it! Can’t wait to share the lamp. 🙂 🙂
Emily @ Two Purple Couches says
This basket makeover is genius, Christy! Such an impressive “after” 🙂 Thanks for being my Swap buddy this round! I like a good challenge 😉
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Emily! I feel like I was a bit tough on you, but you were a great sport and did wonderful things with them. This was really fun! 🙂
Charlotte @ Ciburbanity says
I STILL can’t believe you thought to do that with the basket. I avoid piping at ALL costs and you whipped some up for this killer makeover!!! Thanks for joining in the fun!! xx
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Charlotte, and thanks for inviting me to join in the fun!! XO
Bee says
It looks amazing! great work!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Bee! 🙂
Rachel says
Wow! You would never know that was a DIY! You did a great job. Can’t wait to see the lamp! 🙂
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Rachel! The lamp is really fun, stop back by and see it tomorrow. 🙂
Brandi says
Wow Christy, you really did a nice job on the basket. The fabric you chose is perfect. You really put a lot of effort into it. Awesome work!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Brandi! XO
Paula@SweetPea says
You are so clever! Covering your basket in fabric was a great idea. It’s so elegant now.
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Paula! No one will ever know what’s under there now. 🙂
Shanna Gilbert says
Of course you did something amazing! It went from totally boring to beautiful!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Shanna! You have good taste in thrift store junk lol. I’m sharing the lamp tomorrow. 🙂
Brynne@TheGatheredHome says
Oh wow! That basket turned out absolutely AMAZING! Wonderful job!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Brynne! XO
Kendra @ www.joyinourhome.com says
You always see such good potential, Christy! I love what you did with it… And such a fun challenge! 🙂 Can’t wait to see the lamp! Have a great week, friend!
Heather @ Queen of Everything says
Stop it. I have passed up so many of those dang baskets because I had no idea what to do with them. You even tufted the bottom?! Crazy! It turned out perfect!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Heather! I actually passed one up just the other day too because I hadn’t yet figured out what to do with this one. Wish I would have gotten it now! 🙂
Karen @ year of serendipity says
That looks awesome! I never would have guessed it was all with no sewing. Great job!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Karen! Got to love that hot glue gun! 🙂
Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says
I LOVE your fabric basket!! You’re truly talented!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I really appreciate that. 🙂
Trisha D. @Black and White Obsession says
Way to take that basket from meh to fabulous!!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Trisha! XO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
Wow! That is a fancy basket! You did an awesome job on that Christy! xo
Nancy
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Nancy! I thought hard about how to repurpose it but in the end it just got a pretty makeover. 🙂
Charlene in SC says
Bravo!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Charlene! 🙂
Jillian says
You have way more patience than me!!! I would have stopped at the spray paint. This looks so great!!!!
Christy K. James says
Ha ha thanks, Jillian! I was snowed in at the time and thankful for something to work on! 🙂
Christy @ Our Southern Home says
That basket transformation isfabulous! You work all kinds of magic with fabric, my friend!!!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Christy! Shanna gave me good stuff to work with. 🙂
Jessica @ Decor Adventures says
Kristy, that basket is so professionally done, it looks great! I thought for sure you sewed it all on or something. I actually have a basket with a lid like that myself, now I think I’ll have to make it over!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Jessica! I have it sitting right out on my desk now. 🙂
andi says
Okay, I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to comment on everything, but hey…I really love this basket! And that fabric is awesome…I’m in love with that pattern right now. And the tufting and the piping? Holy cow. But you with that watermelon? That’s just downright mean. 🙂
-andi
Christy K. James says
I thought I couldn’t possibly answer every comment ha ha. The watermelon could have been cut or painted right? I did feel a bit bad, but we were supposed to send crap and my swap partner was a great sport lol.
Jae MC says
i found your blog searching for ideas to upcycle my wicker storage baskets
(they have seen better days) and your idea is the best one i found!
I would not have thought of spray painting them first, gr8 idea, Thanks
Christy K. James says
Awesome! So glad you found me!