Can I just tell y’all how tickled I am that I was able to get THREE brand new decor pieces from ONE clearance thrift store basket?? Sweet friends, today I’m back sharing what else I did with this basket I scored for half off at the thrift store:
The repurpose of this basket involved sawing it in half! I was so thrilled that it actually worked! I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
I won’t bore you with that process again, but I shared more details on how I did that in my last post!
What I ended up with was two half baskets, ready to be used as brand new decor!
If you missed what I created from the first half that I shared on Tuesday, you can see it HERE.
That left me with another half basket.
Basket Half #2
For this one, I simply added three glass jars to the inside:
And filled it with hydrangea blooms!
Yes??
You could use any florals you like, but the large hydrangea blooms fill it pretty easily.
It would be gorgeous on a dresser like I show here, but also on a dining room table or coffee table.
Of course this basket doesn’t have to hold flowers…it would make a great paper plate holder or TP or guest towel holder for the bathroom…lots of possibilities!
I didn’t show what the back looked like of the one I hung on our front door, but here you can see it still looks nice from the back:
I could have just kept snapping photos lol!
And now for the third new decor piece I squeezed out of this basket!
This is what the lid looked like before:
I knew I could do something with that too!
I started by flipping it over and removing the hinges using a flathead screwdriver to pry them off:
I decided to use the flat side to create my third piece.
Paint
I gave it one coat of Cotton as a base, and followed up with a coat of Vintage Duck Egg Blue:
I didn’t quite cover the entire piece as I was going for a more worn, coastal feel.
Stencil
Then I found this fun mermaid stencil in my stash:
I sprayed the back of it with spray adhesive first. This helps to minimize the paint bleeding under the stencil. As you can see, I prefer to use a small brush to paint in the stencil, brushing away from the edges as much as possible. Acrylic craft paint is my first choice for stencils since it washes off much more easily than the chalk paint.
I gave it three coats of paint and immediately removed the stencil:
Then I sanded liberally across the surface using 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around an old sanding sponge:
I sealed with Clear Coat in Satin using my blue sponge, added a hanger, and this piece was done!
The After
Here is how my new coastal mermaid art turned out:
I made the hanger by braiding three strands of jute twine:
I did have to drill a hole on either side to feed the jute through.
I just love the worn feel of it too…
And how about that handsome background??
I am loving my new floors!
And here is a peek at all three projects completed from this one basket!
I definitely got my money’s worth out of this one!
And I get to cross it off!
Revisit any or see any you might have missed at the links below:
Summer Basket Wreath from a $3 Thrift Store Find
$7 Thrift Store Mirror Makeover
Vintage Cane Club Chairs Updated
$6 Thrift Store Shelf Makeover with Transfer
Pub Table Makeover
Becky’s Secretary Desk Makeover
Update a Thrift Store Box with Fabric
$5 Buffet Lamps Updated with Decoupage Paper
Mirror Harp Repurposed
If you’ve got a few baskets in need of a makeover, here are 15+ more basket makeovers to inspire you:
See how these baskets look now HERE!
I’ll be back on Tuesday with this bulletin board I picked up for $5 that could really use a refresh:
UPDATE: See how I gave new life to this ho-hum bulletin board now HERE!
Have a fantastic weekend!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
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Sherin says
Wow Christy! You never fail to inspire me. I never would have thought of braiding the jute string and would probably have spent hours sourcing a thicker string for a similar project. I shall definitely be using this idea in the future. Thanks for sharing, as always!
Christy says
I appreciate that so much, Sherin, thank you!! Braiding the jute worked out wonderfully! XOXO
Mary Kaiser says
WOWZA that is amazing that you got three beautiful pieces from one!! I love all of them so much! You are the QUEEN of DIY!!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, my friend! I got a lot of mileage out of this one for sure! Have an amazing weekend!! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Well you done it again. Three pieces out of one basket; that’s amazing. Love them all.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Janice!! Now what can I make out of the hinges I removed? Earrings? Ornaments? Ha ha! XOXO
Christina says
Brilliant use of that little basket Christy! Love the mermaid and the colors are just so spot on. The half basket looks wonderful with the hydrangea blooms! You amaze me!
Have a great weekend ahead!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Christina! I’ve always loved mermaids! Have a fantastic weekend!! XOXO
Sue Mellette says
What a wonderful three for the price of one makeover!! I love the baskets, but I especially like the mermaid. What a fun way to use the top of the basket! The coastal look is perfect! Thanks for sharing all your makeover items!!. Have a wonderful weekend.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Sue! I have always loved mermaids and this gal fit perfectly on the lid…meant to be! Enjoy your weekend too! XOXO
Toby says
Darling!! I love how these turned out! And I love me some vintage egg blue 🙂 Always look forward to your projects. Have a great weekend Christie!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Toby! Vintage Duck Egg is one of my favorites! Enjoy your weekend too! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
You certainly did get your money’s worth out of this one, Christy! 😁 Who’d have thought you’d get such fun results from sawing a basket in half? The new container really is much more useful (and if you get tired of the one on your door, you can use it somewhere else). Old picnic baskets now have a reason to be reclaimed!
Christy says
Thank you, Marcie! Absolutely!! XOXO
Patty says
Beautiful – can’t beat hydrangeas! Just so creative, Christie! Loved seeing all the other baskets. I can’t imagine why the large baskets stay in your booth – they are so pretty once you finish with them. Thanks for sharing – I have sone of those baskets – now just to copy your examples! 🙂
Christy says
Thank you so much, Patty! Regular baskets that I paint sell well, but those picnic baskets do tend to hang around too long! People have a hard time imagining them for anything other than a picnic, I guess! Have fun with yours! XOXO
Denise Cox says
You little stinker!! I love it. Cute as a button!! My arthritis is getting worse is my hands but perhaps this is something I could tackle. My porch is all turquoise /coastal (no surprise there) and I could hang this over the door. I think I like this better than the baskets.. 🙃😝.
Christy says
Ha ha thank you, Denise!! This would fit perfectly on your door! XOXO
Rebecca Payne says
AWESOME. TWO GREAT PROJECTS IN ONE.
Christy says
Thank you, Rebecca! I sure did get my money’s worth out of this basket LOL! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
I love hydrangeas! They look so pretty in your basket. Also love the lid. I have several baskets I want to do. Just looked again at all your basket projects. I’m inspired.
Christy says
Thank you, Debra! I love hydrangeas too! I’m so glad you are feeling inspired for your own baskets! XOXO
Dana Manning says
Christy, this makeover is so inspiring! I love your creativity. Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to see what else you do with the stuff in this haul!!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Dana! It’s been fun working through this haul so far! XOXO
Constance Colvin says
Well Christy! You’re constantly reconfirming that you’re a GENIUS in the art of upcycling!
Christy says
Aww you are the sweetest, Connie! Thank you so much! XOXO
Cecilia says
Oh sweet! Love it. Perfect for the hydrangea blooms! And the cute mermaid sign – that also looks sweet. Perfect for that piece. Yep!! You got your money’s worth on that piece.
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! I sure did lol! XOXO
Connie says
Just blown away by your latest creations. I so look forward to each new addition. Thank you for all these amazing ideas!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Connie! I’m so glad you are enjoying what I’m sharing these days! XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
3 items made from 1!! Can’t beat that! The baskets are great and love the mermaid sign!
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! I sure did get my money’s worth out of this one! XOXO
p says
We’ll – You scored again 😉
I love that this basket is narrower – so it can look great and take up a bit less space.
And… who doesn’t love Hydrangeas.
thanks
p
Christy says
I’m so glad my crazy idea worked out! I agree, this basket is better more narrow! Thanks, P! XOXO
Sharon L Austin says
Now accepting gifts! I need that mermaid art for the bathroom at the cabin! LOL I’m not sure which basket half I like best, they both turned out super cute; good ideas!!
Christy says
Ha ha!! This mermaid would be lovely in your bathroom, I’m sure! Thank you, Sharon!! XOXO