I think it’s the after affect of having a Dad with 7 siblings who grew up in working class Philadelphia just after the Depression…but I have trouble throwing things away. I see value in everything. So when Mr. Blu said it’s time for this old mantle to go…I just could not do it!

I do love old wood and I’ve restored enough of it to know that you can revive wood. I think rustic items in your outdoor space are fabulous. You may remember this mantle from years ago…my first deck decorating post.

She weathered the Alabama heat and storms well. But she shore doesn’t look like that anymore. Several years ago, we removed her to rebuild our deck and she has been sitting under the deck since…neglected and discarded.

I’ve decided to give her a last hurrah! If we are reviving something fabulous, you know it must Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday.

And I have the perfect spot for her!

I have wanted to start a lovely perennial garden right here. Why not build it around this ol’ gal? So I removed the planter and sign from the fence. Oh boy, this fence will need a good pressure washing to make a better backdrop for the antique mantle.

I dragged the mantle over for a visual.

She fit perfectly but I should have reinforced her wobbly joints before I moved her. She needs to be realigned. The rotted wood was worse than I had suspected. When I moved her out of the way to clean the fence she kinda sorta fell apart. So I laid her flat on the grass and put her in line for a bath.

The fence needed cleaning so I grabbed my Ryobi pressure washer to give the fence a refresh.

Wow! Already looking much better.

Since the fence cleaned up so well, I decided to pressure wash the mantle as well. I knew the chippy paint would probably all be removed but I knew the antique wood was under there and I thought that was a great trade off to restore/expose some of that antique woodgrain. Hopefully we will see an improvement.

I pressure washed the antique mantle and was pleasantly surprised to see some of the beauty of the wood appear from beneath the grime.

I moved her piece by piece into place against the fence.

One piece at a time until she stood tall.

The mantle shelf will need to be replaced as this one is beyond repair. But that is a project for another day. I also noticed, after seeing the old post picture above, that the supports for the mantle shelf are missing. So I will need to replace those. I leveled her and nailed her to the cross posts of the fence.

I am also considering to paint her as she is quite difficult to see next to the fence, even though the fence was cleaned. Wood on wood makes it a bit difficult to appreciate the antique mantle’s lines and the curves of the pillars. Normally, I would not paint an old mantle but this gal is definitely beyond her prime and I think I will need some help making her really shine again. That said, I might have some tricks up my sleeve to restore that wood a bit more. We will call that part two of this project! Stay tuned for that.

With the mantle in place and secured to the cross bars of the fence, I felt confident that the Alabama wind won’t send her back into pieces!

Planting a Garden around the Antique Mantle

This time of year, I usually have newly acquired plants sitting in the driveway waiting to be planted. Like these hydrangeas. $14.99 each? Yes, please and thank you Aldi!

And that is a butterfly bush behind the purple hydrangea. My old one did not survive this past winter. It was unusually cold. I had also grabbed a few perennials in vibrant yellow that caught my eye. Those will go into the garden here as well. I gathered some other plants from around the yard like this flapjack succulent. She weathered very well this winter in the garage and is ready to be thinned out so I will try her in the ground this season.

I added a few plant in pots to fill up the space like a strawberry pot filled with seedum and some succulents. I will fill in the spaces with more succulents. And there are some irises in in front of the mantle to be thinned and moved against the fence. I started by placing a basket of petunia like flowers (I’ll have to look up the name) on the shelf. I will eventually add some smaller pots but will need to replace that shelf first.

I placed my selection of plants in front of the mantle and started to put them into the ground.

The space filled up quickly. Mr. Blu took one look at the small section of fence and decided to pressure wash the entire fence. He was out there long after these plants went into the ground. And the entire fence is now clean!

Now to fill in the large fence back drop. I may install the mirror behind the shelf. Still deciding on that. And I’m thinking a unique trellis where the firebox would sit. There is already vinca planted to that should fill in nicely. But in the meantime, I popped my dragonflies here (fresh from their second makeover) and they are perfect!

I returned the garden sign to the area.

And added Lady.

And I think I will call it a day. I will let this little garden settle for a few weeks. Next, I will add some filler, like succulents. It needs some height behind the plants, too. And some character to the visible fence…maybe a lime wash on the mantle? I’m open for ideas here, friends! Because Mr. Blu will want those dragonflies back on his deck!

And here are all of the post from my other team members. Be sure to leave them each a comment!

Funky Junk Interiors  Upcycled Ceiling Fan Blade Flower Yard Art

Shop At Blu Antique Mantle in the Garden – Why Not??

My Repurposed Life Unique Upcycle for a $1 Thrift Store Frame

Our Southern Home Easy European Wall Art with Thrift Store Frames

Sadie Seasongoods Upcycling a Wooden Cafeteria Tray (Without Paint!)

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Rag Flag From Thrifted Clothes

Exquisitely Unremarkable Romantic Textured Vase Makeover

Our Crafty Mom Antique Steam Trunk Makeover

Redhead Can Decorate  How I Created a Beach House Guest Room Using Heirloom Furniture 

The post Antique Mantle in the Garden appeared first on Shop at Blu.

There are two that are similar.

I had sprayed them pink and yellow and white. I had daisies on my mind. And this one is a little simpler

As you can see, they have begun to rust and have seen much better days.

Alabama sun and weather are absolutely brutal on your garden decor. Inevitably, everything fades and rusts. This being the second time to refresh these flowers, they have just about run their course. That said, I’m not buying new fence decor at the beginning of the season. So, I grabbed the spray paint and gave these sad flowers a much needed refresh.

Welcome! I’m sharing this post today with some friend in the Creative Craft Hop. This fabulous group of creator’s share monthly posts to help feed your love of all things crafty. If you are joining from Modern on Monticello…I know you enjoyed Donna’s patriotic florals. You will find all of the other posts for this month at the end of this post. Be sure to check out all of the great projects!

Let’s Upcycle Some Metal Garden Decor

First step is to prep your piece by removing any debris like leaves and vines that tend to grow on our fence where these flowers hang. After removing the debris, I gave each flower a good wipe down. It is also a good idea to give the item a scrub with a wire brush. This will remove and surface rust. And for more advanced rust, use some sandpaper and give the piece a good spot sanding. Then I grabbed the spray paint.

My go to spray paint is Rustoleum 2X with primer. It constantly does the job quickly and effectively with great coverage. I have a collection of vibrant colors from previous projects so I grabbed those.

The backs of the flowers were rusty so I started there with a heavy coat to mitigate the rusting process. I suppose the last time I concentrated on the fronts of the flowers and may have failed to spray multiple coats on the backs. Not this time. I layered quite a bit so they should be good for a while.

I am going with a multicolor look on these flowers so I sprayed the first flower and allowed it to dry. Then I laid the second on top and sprayed that. I repeated this process with the third flower. I gave each a nice thick first coat.

When the first coat had dried, I started over again with a second color. I concentrated on any areas I had missed with the first coat. I simply sprayed a spot here and a spot there and created random color. I used the layering method again until all 3 flowers had a second coat. I used 2 primary colors (pink and yellow) during this process.

Time for the 3rd coat where I used two other colors (purple and teal) as a highlighting or tertiary color.

This was a super quick project. I recommend this quick refresh for any outdoor metal decor that is still quite sturdy and exhibits minimal rust. Rustoleum colors are fabulous and the 2X coverage is incredible.

I placed the flowers back on their screws on the fence.

And I added some flowers in colorful pots to the galvanized shelf that I made a few years ago. I need to touch it up again since the Alabama heat has cause some more surface rust.

Did you know that in Alabama, portaluca will often return the following spring/summer like perennials? They don’t return after an abnormally cold winter but most winters are not brutal so we can get several years out of our portaluca. And being in the succulent family, they thrive in the Alabama summer. I have several posts about succulent and fun containers I’ve used over the years.

Updating the colors on your metal garden decor is helpful in several ways:

• Provide a new look to your preferred decor by simply changing the colors.
• Protect and extend the life of your favorite metal garden decor with Rustoleum.
• Upcycle gently used and inexpensive finds at yard sales or thrift stores.
• Make your decor items into a lovely vignette of complimentary colors.
• It’s hard to not justify thrifty upcycles!

So grab your spray cans and get to work!

Here are the rest of this month’s projects! Head over to Cecilia at My Thrift Store Addiction for some fabulous homegrown gift ideas!

Patriotic Flower And Decor Arrangement For Wired Basket Table

Crochet Necklace

Terrain Style Taper Candle Cuffs

Rooted with Love – Crafted Homegrown Gifts

How to Refresh Metal Garden Decor – That’s ME! You are here!

The post Refresh Metal Garden Art – Part Two appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Once you find a great piece of curbside gold, your eye will forever scour the curb on trash day. This beauty was just sitting atop a pile of branches. I heard a very faint “SAVE ME” as I passed. So, I hit the brakes and loaded her into the van. A metal outdoor side table can last many many years. And when the base is constructed of wrought iron, she may just last a lifetime or two.

If I am upcycling, recycling, repurposing, or restyling dated decor, you know it it time for the Thrift Store Decor Team monthly posts. Join us here every second Wednesday of the month to see what we have restored/repurposed this month! You will find direct links to all TEN projects at the end of this post.

Each spring I upcycle some planters or table on our deck. I remain pretty consistent with the colors. Of course, my base color is almost always blue, usually a teal. And I will add a variety of accent colors depending on what flowers I have found so far at local nurseries.

I really wanted some fabulous color in this table so I decided to try the paint pour technique. This is my first time trying paint pour. I was quite surprised to discover that there are many different techniques, products, and styles. I started, appropriately, with simple. My plan was to add the paint, tilt the table and see what this created. Just the basics.

Prep Your Piece

As always, I started by cleaning my table. I gave the wrought iron base a good wiping to remove any dust and surface dirt. I just wiped with a work glove. It worked pretty well.

The base was in great shape with minimal surface rust so Rustoleum was a good choice.

The base has really great features.

Then I sprayed the base with my go to spray paint, Rustoleum. Their hammered metal comes in a nice variety of colors. I chose brown to blend with our deck furniture. I have a little wire shelf that I use for all of my spray paint projects. I just set the project piece on top and apply a coat of spray paint. I let it dry, rotate the piece, and repeat until the entire surface is painted.

I allowed this to dry overnight. I wanted to make sure that the paint had cured because I would be taping off the base to ensure that the table top paint would not pour onto the newly painted base.

Rustoleum does not disappoint.

The next day I used brown craft paper and frogtape to mask off the entire base and the rim of the table top.

I made certain that the FrogTape was secure and left no spaces through which paint could seep.

It was not pretty but it was efficient.

Next, I prepped the wooden surface of the table top with a base coat. I used Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint in Clean Canvas.

After this dried, it was time to pour on the white acrylic.

Commence the Paint Pour

I ordered the acrylic paint from Amazon. I decided on a background coat of white and found this larger 32 oz. volume white for the background color.

I grabbed this variety pack of 18 great colors. Bonus as it was from one of my favorite suppliers, DecoArt. If you need paint for any craft project…DecoArt is your source.

Aren’t these bold colors fabulous?

It was so difficult to narrow down the colors but I decided on:

• Ultra Blue Deep
• Ocean Blue
• Bahama Blue
• Purple Pizzazz
• Royal Fuschia
• Coral Blush
• Cadmium Yellow

I watched a few tutorials but tried to stay with the basic beginner projects. Some of the instructions recommended using Floetrol to keep the paint fluid and extend the drying time to manipulate the color across the surface. While I did have Floetrol on hand, I really wanted to start with the basics and try a simple approach on this first project. Yes, I was fairly certain going in that this would be the first of many paint pour projects.

So I did not use the Floetrol and I did not have a problem in applying the white.

Once I had all of the white added, I lifted the edge of the table closest to me and tilted it at a steep angle. The paint immediately began to run toward the opposite edge.

Once the paint ran over the edge, I set my side of the table down and grabbed the adjacent edge. I followed the same process until the top was covered with paint.

I did add a bit more white at one point to cover one of the edges. But the process was easy.

The paint did seem to be drying quickly so I was a little worried about adding the bright colors.

What I did not do, was photograph the process of adding the colors. I was a bit nervous that the paint would dry and I would be stuck with a bunch of wonky circles. It was also difficult to stop the process to grab the phone for phots since it was a quite messy. Next time I will try to set up video because even using the remote shutter gadget would entail messy fingers on my equipment and I was not going there.

My design was basically as follows:

• I put a large circle of blue in the center.
• Added smaller light blue around the large blue circle.
• Added more teal circles.
• Made a few squiggly lines randomly in
• Added some random small dots of purple, pink and yellow.

I used a skewer and pulled it through the circles to add dimension and disperse the colors across the table top. Then I started the tilt process.

I repeated the table tilt process until the color had dispersed to my liking.

I was careful to make sure the sides were covered completely as the paint ran over the edge of the table top.

There were six sides on this table so I checked them all.

I turned on the ceiling fan and left her in the room to dry overnight.

The Frogtape came off easily and there was minimal paint seepage.

And she looks great on the deck.

Another Mia approved project.

This technique has peaked my interest:

• I am interested to learn how to make different designs.
• One tutorial said to add rubbing alcohol to some of the colors to create a more dramatic effect (the paint would separate creating a different visual).
• Small projects would be really fun.
• I can see a resin finish for indoor projects.
• So many possibilities.

Cheers!

Shop at Blu Metal Outdoor Side Table Upcycle

Exquisitely Unremarkable DIY Decal Pitcher Makeover

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Easy Decorative Moss Balls for Spring

Redhead Can Decorate How I Transformed Our Foyer with a Thrift Store Room Divider

Sadie Seasongoods Geometric Abstract Art from a Collage Frame

Our Southern Home Piano Bench Makeover with New Color and Fabric

My Repurposed Life Can This Become a Lamp?

Funky Junk Interiors Rustic TV Stand Dresser Makeover with Easy Wood Strip Drawers

Our Crafty Mom DIY Rope Vase Pottery Barn Dupe

Songbird Vintage Tool Decor Idea

The post Metal Outdoor Side Table Upcycle appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Thrift store find? It’s time for this month’s Thrift Store Decor Team projects! As always, they will be listed at the end of this post so be sure to check out all of the fabulous thrifty upcylced projects from my super talented friends.

Easy Way to Refresh Any Area

Two years ago we replaced our old deck . We’ve enjoyed using the deck but his year, we are finally getting around to finishing the patio area under the deck. While we have a few concrete projects planned, the area needs a quick fix to spruce up the area in the meantime. Of course, an easy and cost efficient way to immediately add character to a space is with plants!

A Garden Hanging Basket Staple

I had come across these wired garden hanging planters at the thrift store but you can also buy them new. I saw these at Home Depot.

You can buy just the coco liner replacement or the hanger with the liner.

Why buy new and spend money on planters when you can upcycle the planters that you have? I mean, that means you can use the funds you’ve saved to buy more plants? Right? Perfect logic.

I ordered some coconut liners from Amazon. Did you know, the sell it in rolls? I’ve seen the rounded liners and rectangular liners in various sizes. But what if you have a weird shaped planter, like these:

I actually have 4 of these beauties. When I had my second store, The Yellow Building, I bought them from a woman who worked for an interior designer. She said they were from Paris. They’ve been sitting and waiting for their chance to shine. I bought the rolls of coco liners for these planters. Stay tuned as this will be the next project up after my practice run today.

Make a Custom Coco Liner

Unroll the coco liner and spread it out flat. You can trace the form onto the liner with a sharpie and then cut the pieces, like a pattern. Or, if you are a combination of lazy and impatient, lay it over the wire form.

Use the form as a guide to cut the liner to size.

Then lay the liner along the planter and set the pieces into place.

You can use some twine to tack the liner into place. But I wouldn’t get to caught up in making the liner lay flat against the form. When you add the soil, the liner will fall into place.

Trim the tops to be even with the edges of the form but don’t worry too much about it being perfectly straight as your plants will spill over the edges and cover the liner thus hiding any imperfections. I’m all about smoke and mirrors.

Good quality potting soil can be expensive. It also can be very heavy, especially after you water the plants. Can you imagine how heavy this would be if filled with wet potting soil?
So I used some old pots as fillers. Then I simply plopped a round planter into the top. Voila!

Filling your Garden Hanging Planters

Have you heard the phrase spillers, thrillers and fillers? There are several variations of this phrase. But they all basically mean that you need 3 types of plants in your planters. You need a Thriller, or an anchor plant that has some height and will be your focal point. Then you need spillers that will fall over the edges. Lastly, you should add fillers which take up the space between the thrillers and fillers. I grabbed few from Home Depot. But don’t be alarmed, they were all on sale.

I found this Lemon Calypso which resembles a Mandeville. So this will definitely grow upward an can have some runners that will hang over the sides of the planter.

I also grabbed some Caladiums. This is not my normal planter plant so I decided to give it a try. I expect this to bush up a bit. So I can separate it and scatter around my garden.

Like I said, they make coco liner replacements to fit your standard shaped wired hangers. Standard sizes are round, half round and rectangle. They are definitely easier to work with as you simply drop them into the frame and you are ready to plant.

I had some coco grass leftover from a previous project to I just recycled this for my round planter instead of buying a new replacement.

I just set it in the bottom of the round wire hanger and spread it out until it fit all around the form. I did add a small plastic bag to the bottom to help hold extra water for the plants. Then I added the soil. After I added soil, I moved the liner around to cover any bare spots.

Use the following tips to fill any garden hanging planter.

Fill your liner about 3/4 full with soil. Don’t fill to the top because you will be adding your plants and it’s silly to fill it up and then remove soil. Work smarter, not harder.

Add your thriller or anchor plant.

Set your spillers into place.

Fill in the spaces.

Add one plant at a time and before you know it, your liner will be full.

Remember that it will take a week or two for the plants to acclimate and begin to thrive. They will grow bigger and continue to fill the planter.

Adding Little Details

While scouting out the coco liner availability at my local stores (Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes), I found this great little sign at Dollar General for only $5! So she came home with me.

I hung the round planter with the chair from a bracket that I attached to the side of the deck.

I will probably be checking it everyday waiting for the plants to plump up and spread out…a literal watched pot! The waiting!!!

And here is the half round garden hanging planter with the custom coco liner.

It really brightens the area.

And my $5 sign…

The area is coming along nicely. Can’t wait to add more garden hanging planters!

Here is a sneak peek of one of the Paris planters in progress…

Is it wrong to want to spend all day in the garden?

Rope Wrapped Hanging Basket

High Top Table Makeover

Thrift Store Candle Holder Makeover

Refresh Dated Art

Turn A File Cabinet Into a Planter

Fixing Up a $5 Broken Side Table

DIY Garden Hanging Planters

Conceal Your Hose with This Simple Flower Pot Hack

The post DIY Garden Hanging Planters appeared first on Shop at Blu.

The temperature in Alabama has finally hit 70 this week. That’s not bad for the second weekend in March. Are you like me? When the first hint of spring appears, I run to Home Depot or Lowe’s and scout out the new colorful spring plants. It never fails. The first warm day has me planning my spring and summer deck/garden design. What colors? What plants? Will I add any new species this year? I have a lot of pots so I tried to recycle them. That gives me more funds to spend on new plants, right? So let’s upcycle some garden pots with paint! This year I’m starting with these two.

I thought I could use them for some spring flowers and then Easter flowers and then some succulents for the summer.

If we are recycling, upcycling, renewing, or repurposing, chances are a thrift store find is involved…like those two pots above. And, of course, this is a great topic for Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!

So here we go to upcycle these pots by adding some paint. Remember to scroll to the end of the post to see all of this month’s projects from the fabulous Thrift Store Decor Team!

Prep to Paint

As with any paint project, the first step is to prep. Start by removing and old plants from the pot. Remove any plants and remnants of dirt from last year. Clean all of the old soil out of the pot.

Give your pots a good bath in warm soapy water. Scrub them with a brush. Rinse well and let them dry in the sun. Soak them for about ten minutes in a solution of one part water, one part bleach. Put them in the sun to dry. After they dry, I always wipe my project pieces down with TSP to remove any lingering dirt or oils. This will ensure that the paint adheres to my project piece.

You are ready to paint!

Decide on a Color or Color Scheme

I decided to keep a similar color scheme from last year as there’s a good variety of colors and it’s easy to match accessories and additional pots. So of course, I grabbed my supply of Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. If you scroll back through the blog, you will see the variety of colors I’ve used in past projects. The beauty of BDSFP is that you can blend the paints to make custom colors. So everything matches! Check out their website for color recipes. This paint was designed for salvaged items so you can use it on any surface including, of course, furniture, concrete, metal, synthetic resins, glass, etc.

I grabbed five smaller paint brushes and five different colors of BDSFP. My plan was to slap the paint on each pot in a random manner and after the paint dried, cover the pot with a white wash to mute the colors. I have enough bold colored pots on the deck. So I wanted more of a muted or neutral color this year.

I started by painting the rims of each of the pots with Clean Canvas (pure white).

I don’t have any real reason for this except that I thought starting with the white would seem to unify the two different pots as they were different sizes and colors with different textures. The large pot is resin and the smaller is concrete.

Adding Color

Ready for real color! I started with Blue Ridge, of course!! I loaded a brush and applied a stripe to the pot. I rotated the pot slightly and made two more stripes. I alternated stripes from the top to the bottom to the center of the pot in no particular order. I rotated again and added another stripe. I continued until my rotation brought me back to my first Blue Ridge stripe. Then I added Go Green in the same manner followed by Keep it Teal.

I had some Watermelon left from the drum table project so I used that next. And I ended with That’s Gonna Need a Bandage.

You can see the application is completely random.

And I like how each section of the pot is a little different.

I went heavy on the red in one area. To highlight that color on my deck, I will simply display my pot with that side forward to highlight any red pillows or accessories. You can play with the colors however you like.

Making a White Wash

Next I mixed one part Clean Canvas (White) with a bit of water. You can play with the consistency. I kept my paint rather on the thicker side because I didn’t want the colors to be too bold. Although, as you know I love color. So I did find it hard to apply the white wash. But I stuck to the plan! Simply brush the white wash over the pot and then wipe it off with a rag. If there is too much white on the pot, wet the rag and wipe again. Continue to add and remove the white wash until you achieve the look you like.

Head to the thrift store or a yard sale and grab some old pots! How easy was this upcycle???

And now the fun part…filling the pots!

I dug up a nice round of daffodils from the front yard. They will do nicely on the deck for the next week or so.

I added a few grape hyacinths as well.

I found these English Daisies at Home Depot. Have you ever seen these before? I’m hoping they are hardy like my Shasta Daisies that are just starting to appear in the yard.

They were the perfect size for the smaller pot.

Looks like I am gonna be busy the next few weekends painting some more pots as I’ve got plants waiting in line.

How do you stop with just one color when all of the colors are so beautiful?

Can’t wait to fill up the pots…all of the pots.

Mia is pretty excited for deck season too!

Look at that March sky!

We certainly are looking forward to the sunsets too!

• House of Hawthornes- Salvaging A Vintage Porcelain Enamel Kitchen Table
• My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia – DIY Wood Candle Holders from Finials
• Sadie Seasongoods –Mid-Century Modern Wall Decor from a Collage Frame
• Petticoat Junktion –Paint A Wood Mirror
• My Repurposed Life – Simple Small Table Makeover
• Our Southern Home –Decoupage Wastebasket Makeover
• Organized Clutter – Thrift Store Hinged Box Spring Makeover
• Shop at Blue – Upcycle Garden Pots with Paint
• Domestically Speaking – How https://www.domestically-speaking.com/how-to-make-a-cane-wrapped-vase/To Make A Cane Wrapped Vase

Be sure to leave a comment on each post. We love your feedback! What do you want to see next?

The post Upcycle Your Garden Pots With Paint appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I suspect that my love for gaudy yet gothic things stems from my Catholic school education. Growing up in a church like St. John the Baptist in Manayunk, Philadelphia lends an appreciation for old churches. Isn’t she beautiful?

And the inside is incredulous.

I took these pictured during my last visit in 2022 for a parish celebration. Look at that detail and those classic arches.

Here is the magnificent altar.

Anyway, when I see something that reminds me of my childhood, I grab it. I have the perfect paint to transform this metal garden decor lantern treasure that has seen better days.

And, what a perfect project to share for this month’s Thrift Store Decor Team project. Yes! It is the second Wednesday of the month so, at the end of this post, I am sharing this month’s team projects!

Endless Paint Options

I have been working on sprucing up the outside patio area of our deck. I’ve been trying some custom paint recipes with Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint.

They have 13 basic paint colors that you can combine and mix to make an endless variety of colors. So I have some paint left over from previous projects. Having leftovers makes additional projects super easy. Just grab the paint and get to work. I stored this paint in a plastic Chips Ahoy canister. Simply place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the canister and then place the lid on. This keeps for quite some time. I recently found out that BDSFP makes paint bottles. These are on my list!

I recently found out that BDSFP makes paint bottles.

So much more professional looking and beyond practical for both storage and use. These are on my list!

Get Ready to Paint your Metal Garden Decor Lantern

As always, prep your piece. In this case I checked the surface of the lantern for mars, damage, and rust. Fortunately, the rust was mostly surface rust so I didn’t even have to sand. There was a bit of rust but it was smooth and not flaking.

My choice of paint for most projects is Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. This paint was designed for use on salvaged and antique or vintage items and works on all surfaces. Restoring or upcycling a metal lantern fits right into BDSFP’s wheelhouse.

I washed the lantern in warm soapy water and allowed it to dry thoroughly. Then I wiped it down with TSP which preps the surface for paint and removes dust and oils.

I applied one liberal coat of paint to the lantern.

After 3 hours, I applied another coat.

I allowed that to dry overnight and sealed the lantern with Crab Coat, which is BDSFP’s marine grade sealer for outdoor projects.

Finishing Touches for a Metal Decor Garden Lantern

You can see that this lantern has a small round metal holder for a candle.

I could remove that but decided just to cut a piece of luan to cover the circular spot.

This way, I can use it for a candle in the future. But for now, I painted the wood to match and set it over the circle.

Eventually, I will probably set a plant in the lantern.

The vertical dividers limit the size of a pot or planter. So I will have to find a planter that is just the right size. For now, I am using the lantern to display some fresh cut florals from my garden.

She is going to look great in the garden or on the deck or on the patio or even by the pool.

But, for now, I am loving her as a centerpiece on the deck…

Where I can enjoy the view everyday after work.

PS…after I took the pictures, I added some highlights via drybrush to give the metal garden decor lantern some character.

Is a project ever really finished?

Thrift Store Decor Team Projects

Domestically Speaking – Laundry Pod Storage

My Repurposed Life – Small Vintage Mirror Makeover

Petticoat Junktion – Spray Paint Clay Pots

Shop At Blu That’s ME! Thanks for visiting!

It’s Prime Day so I couldn’t resist the chance to add some of my favorite finds. If you make a purchase through my link (any purchase), I get a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps support my small blog which can be quite costly to maintain. Every little bit helps! Thank you friends!

The post Updated Metal Garden Decor Lantern appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Today is Thrift Store Décor Team Wednesday! 

What better time to share a fabulous upcycle??!!  As always, on the second Wednesday of the month, you will find my special post followed by each of the team member’s posts for the day.  Be sure to click on them all and see the fabulously creative projects.  And if you are particularly interested in rustic gardens, like the one I am starting, pay special attention to Carlene’s blog, Organized Clutter.  Her garden is consistently beyond inspiring! You will find many unique metal garden decor ideas.

Upcycling a Metal Garden Decor Table

I think that this table was originally a deep brown color, rather a mimic of copper.  Someone sprayed it black, which has worn away in spots and you can see the rustic brown beneath the black.  As always, when painting furniture, whether metal or wood, start with a light sanding.  You don’t have to sand down to bare wood or metal.  Just give the surface a light sanding. 

This light sanding serves 2 purposes:

• remove loose surface paint from previous coats
• remove or loosen surface dirt

If you have damaged areas that are scratched or chipped, you might need to sand a little heavier in these areas.  But normally, a light sanding is sufficient.

Prepping is the Key to Success

Sanding is always a must. Follow up with a good cleaning. Dust or wipe down your furniture piece to remove the dust generated from the sanding process.

Follow your light sanding with a wipe down with soapy or warn water. 

I always follow the bath process with a wipe down with TSP (trisodium phosphate) which preps the surface a little further for paint by removing residual dust and oils from the surface.

Allow the piece to dry and then…

You are ready to paint!

My choice of paint for this project is Gonna Need A Bandage, a rich red from Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint.  It is a fabulous red that screams Primitive!  My mind is racing with other items, mostly galvanized and vintage metal items, that would be well enhanced with this color.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for the paint use and invest in a good quality brush, like the BDSFP one pictured above. Here is my affiliate link for 20% off supplies.

Always Seal Your Paint!

Though many paints today do not require a top coat, I always seal my pieces for extra protection ESPECIALLY if the piece is going outside. I sealed this table with several coats of Crab Coat which is BDSFP’s heavy duty sealer made specifically for outdoor use.  Check out the details on the product here.

I decided to only use one coat of the red so that the finish was somewhat transparent.  I like that the previous black is faintly peeking through.  You know I love a rustic or dry brushed finish.  Rustic is my second choice behind a vintage chippy finish. Here she is with one coat.

But once the paint dried and cured, it looked like this:

How incredible is this finish?! It looks antiqued! I just love this paint! It always surprises me. The coverage is incredible. For complete coverage, two coats is necessary. But I always allow my project pieces to guide me. I mean, this finish is awesome and had I proceeded with the second coat, I would not have gotten this effect, which works for this project and my unique patina loving soul. Feed your creativity. If you like full coverage, you will get it with this paint. Just apply another coat for a silky vibrant color.

She’s going to be so sweet sitting under the pine trees.  But for now, she’s waiting outside of our little shed. 

She will look great with some patriotic accents.

And some potting and garden must haves.

Or how about beside my Upcycle Vintage Garden Bench.

She looks great beside my flowers too:

So many possibilities!

I did add some shasta daisies to this galvanized tub the other day. 

With my rustic garden underway, I thought I’d share a few of Flo’s things that I absolutely love.

If you are lucky enough to have some special items that belonged to loved ones who are now watching you from above, scatter them around your home. They will make you smile everyday…I promise.

Thrift Store Decor Team Before Photos:

And, as promised, here are this month’s fabulous projects from the Thrift Store Decor Team!

Planter Shelf | Garden Chair  My Repurposed Life

Updated Metal Garden Decor Table Shop At Blu

Vintage Potato Planter Flower Pot Organized Clutter

Paint Plastic Furniture With Krylon White Wash Petticoat Junktion

Boho Wreath using An Embroidery Hoop  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

DIY Repurposed Old Milk Can  Reinvented Deleware

Turn a Thrift Store Plant Stand into a Drink Table Our Southern Home

DIY Coastal Starfish Basket Domestically Speaking

Closet Organizer for Accessories Sadie Seasongoods

The post More Updated Metal Garden Decor appeared first on Shop at Blu.

What a great time for the Thrift Store Décor Team to provide a special edition featuring SUCCULENTS!  Each team member is providing a new succulent post along with links to other fabulous succulent posts.  Be sure to check out the links posted at the end of this project.

My shabby rustic loving heart found this beauty a few years back. So this is what I started with. From the moment I saw her I knew she would hold lovely succulents!

I have developed a nice variety in my succulent garden.

Some are planted directly in the ground.

But most are in pots scattered around the deck, patio, driveway and pool area.

Year Round Succulent Garden

An added bonus of gardening in the south is that, in mild winters, you can leave your succulents outside.  Every now and then we get an unusually cold winter with extra instances where the temperature drops below freezing. When this occurs, a greater percentage of my succulent garden does not recover.  But in general, most of my succulents winter well and double to triple in number each year. My first tip for a successful succulent garden is always move your succulents indoors when there is a threat of frost. This will ensure that your succulents survive the winter. In the north, of course, you MUST move your succulents indoors for the winter.

Here are some photos of the succulents in March. In this first photo, you can hardly even tell that this is a mini succulent garden!

In my hurried excitement to pre-emptively welcome spring, I once again planted way too early resulting in the demise of these poor zinnias. If you look closely, you can see that tiny little succulent rolling its eyes at me as I do this every year. The bright green tiny succulent at the front looks so sad and lonely. There are a few more tiny pops of green to the left.

Here is the same pot just this week .

The dead zinnias are replaced by a single red geranium and a successful attempt to grow a few replacement zinnias from seed. But you can see how vibrantly the succulents grow when the weather warms.

I will be adding some colorful additions in the empty spaces, probably some pink and white geraniums or zinnias. Our front stoop gets full Alabama summer sun all day long. There are only a handful of plants that will survive that heat. So far, only zinnias, portulacas, wax leaf begonias, geraniums and select succulents survive. If you have any suggestions, I am all ears.

Another Succulent Garden

I had another galvanized chicken feeder.

So I added succulents to her too! I left room for them to grow.

This should be gorgeous in a month or so.

Tips to Perk Up A Succulent Garden in the Spring

Succulents will double to triple their winter size. During the winter, they are just trying to survive. When the warm weather arrives, they awake and begin vigorous growth. Since they can grow very quickly, I thin my succulents out by spreading one plant among three new pots. Take this one for instance.

The poor plant is root bound. When I lifted it out of the pot, it was very difficult to separate the individual roots and plants.

They had expanded so much that they ran out of room and were very tightly crammed in the pot.

Use your spade to cut the entire plant into halves or thirds. Gently loosen the roots and then place each separate plant into a new pot with fresh soil. The plants will thrive!

I divide many of my succulents and simply pop them into other pots as fillers and spillers. The succulents that aren’t rootbound are very easy to split. Just plant them into some soil and they will grow.

I added these hens and chicks to a hanging planter that needed some filler. And I added a few to this pot of petunias that I planted last month. I usually fill my pots in stages. I see what remains from last season and add new annuals for color.

Once the new additions have settled, I fill in with succulents or more colorful annuals. I’m in stage two right now…filling in with succulents. I am always sure to add succulents that will trail over the edges of the planter. It will take a month or so, but soon they will be spilling out of the pots.

Did you know that many succulents will root themselves? I often find pieces of succulents laying next to my pots.

I poke a hole in some soil with my finger and push the stem into the hole. Pat the soil around the base of the stem and in a week or so the piece will root and being to grow as a new plant.

Spiller and Fillers

I planted some annuals into two hanging scale bases back in April after the last frost.

Here’s what one looked like earlier this week.

I waited until this week to add some of the succulents to the edges of the planter. This allowed the plants to settle and grow a bit.

The added succulents will expand and add fullness.

Maintain Your Succulent Gardern

Give your succulents some attention when they have experienced growth. Move them to a bigger pot or divide one plant into several smaller plants. Before you know it, you will have so many succulents that you will be compelled gift some to unsuspecting future succulent lovers.

Here are some other important tips to remember:

• Allow proper drainage in your planters. Succulents like to be moist but not overly wet.
• Succulent gardens like full sun most of the day. Succulents do well in shade also but they thrive in the sunlight.
• Separate succulents often and replant in new pots with room for the plant to grow.
• Water your succulents generously. The full sun will dry the soil so water frequently to try to keep the soil somewhat moist. Don’t worry though as succulents are quite hearty and can go days without water.

Propagate Succulents

Did you know succulents are easy to propagate from a single leaf?

Simple pull off a leave and place it on a window sill in bright direct sunlight. After a few days you will see roots beginning to grow on the bottom of the leaf and new growth on the top. After a week or so, place the leave with the roots down into some soil. It will continue to grow.

There is something about planting succulents in unlikely vessels that simply make my heart happy.  A unique and unexpected planter adds to the beauty of the succulent.

You can see some of my favorite past planters by clicking on the following photos.

I have a collection of pots “waiting” for succulents.  There will be more succulent posts soon!

Thrift Store Decor Team Succulents

Here are the before photos of The Thrift Store Decor Team succulent projects. Click on each link below the photo to see the projects! Be sure to comment if you see something you love.

Bird Bath With Artificial Succulents Petticoat Junktion

Unique Succulent Planter Ideas  My Repurposed Life

Succulent Garden Decor and Tips Shop At Blu

Succulent Hanger in a Wicker Wall Pocket Sadie Seasongoods

Mop Bucket Succulent Planters Organized Clutter

Succulent Planter Made From A Wood Pallet My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

The post Succulent Garden Decor and Tips appeared first on Shop at Blu.

This is our second season with our new deck. Last year we purchased some new dining furniture with extra chairs. We had an old vintage footstool that comes in handy when relaxing with a cold drink after doing yard work. But we only have one! So, I found this metal frame for what I’m guessing was a side table. I plan to use this thrifted beauty as a footstool.

Here is what I found…

Footstool? Side table? I’m not really sure what the original intent was. But It’s gonna be a footstool…for me!

And, it’s the second Wednesday of the month so it is Thrift Store Decor Team time! As always, you can check out the fabulous posts from my thrifty creative friends at the end of this post! But for now, let’s upcycle a thrifted outdoor footstool!

Gather Supplies

Supplies for this project are very simple:

• Scrap wood to fit the top of the footstool
• Rustoleum spray paint
• vibrant color paint ( my choice is Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint)
• 4 washer head screws or 4 washers and 4 wood screws
• chop or mitre saw or a sabre/jigsaw (unless your wood is the perfect size)
• top coat ( again my choice is a BDSFP product called Crab Coat )
• paint brush
• drill or screw driver

Fabricate a Top

A quick trip to the wood pile and I found a few choices. I had originally planned on using a thin 1 x 2 secured to the backs of several slats of wood to build the thrifted footstool top. But then I found this piece that probably was salvage from a stair/step project.

I’m not exactly sure but what it did mean is that I don’t have to piece together 3 pieces of wood slats when I can use one solid piece. Whoohoo! It’s a great day in Suzy world! Let’s go!

Using My New Tool

I grabbed that old stair piece like there was no tomorrow and headed to my new favorite Ryobi tool! My compound sliding miter saw!!! HELLO! Merry Christmas to me! Ok! I apologize but I must stop for an info-merical on the benefits of shopping sales!

Have I told you lately that my freakin’ kids are incredible! They are intelligent, free thinking, hard working, dedicated, and creative humans who make this world a better place. And when they combine efforts…the sky is the limit…so look out! Anyway, my babies sent me a gift card to Home Depot last Mother’s Day and I was holding that card until I saw the perfect purchase! It was this sliding compound mitre saw from my absolute favorite Ryobi. Did I mention that it is battery operated? Black Friday sales coupled with gift cards and freebies brought me this beauty with the accompanying stand for $12.59. What a day! Best purchase ever!

Anyway, I finally used this incredible tool and wow! Did that saw cut through this scrap wood like a proverbial knife through butter! With one smooth cut, I had the top for my footstool! I suppose I could have used a larger piece of wood but I tried to keep it smaller so it would be more stable. The wood, being pressure treated, was quite heavy. With the base having limited spots where it touches the ground, I thought a top that had less overage would be more stable and prevent the thrifted footstool from toppling over.

A Perfect Fit

Tighten and Check Assembly

My plan was to disassemble the base so I could lay each part flat to paint. But there was one bolt that was not cooperating and didn’t want to come off. No problem. It was tight so I tightened the other side knowing that it could easily be painted while assembled.

Always Clean and Prep

Next, I gave the wood and the base a bath to remove the dirt and prep her for a special paint job. After a swipe with TSP and a short time to dry in the sun, both top and base was ready for paint.

Paint Choices

Since the base was metal, I grabbed some Rustoleum spray paint that was left over from a previous project. The color was actually perfect and matched the chairs. Rustoleum coverage is excellent. I only needed one coat.

I wanted a bright color for my footstool to compliment my teal chair cushions so, of course, I used Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint because, well, let’s face it…they have the best and boldest colors. And, as luck would have it, I had the perfect color on hand. I had used Keep it Teal in this previous project on Pop’s Desk.

The beauty of BDSFP is that it was created for use on reclaimed materials so it is absolutely perfect for this project. The BDSFP website provides recipes for creating a wide array of fabulous colors using their paints in various combinations. I really only needed one coat of paint as the coverage was incredible. But I did apply a second coat. Also note, if I had some dark brown BDSFP on hand, I would have used it for the base. Remember, BDSFP was designed for salvaged item like this wrought iron base. And BDSFP can be used in a paint sprayer for convenience in projects like this one with detailed surfaces.

After two coats of paint, I sealed the wood with several coats of Crab Coat. Crab Coat is BDSFP’s marine grade sealer that stands up to extreme outdoor weather. Follow the instructions to determine how many coats you will need to protect your item from the elements.

And, Alabama weather is certainly extreme. After several coats of Crab Coat, my stool was ready to be assembled.

I positioned the top just right. And then attached the foot to the base with a screw in each corner.

Bonus: Hardware Lesson

The holes in the base were rather large so I used a washer and a wood screw to secure the footstool top to the base. I did have one washer head screw, but only one.

So I used it in one hole and the washer/screw combo in the other 3. Note to self: buy some washer head screws in larger sizes for larger holes.

Isn’t she sweet?

Yall! I am ready for spring!

She looks great in several places around the deck.

And an added bonus is that she can be used as a side table as well! Multi-purpose win!

Here a corner, there a corner…plenty of places to display this piece.

I even moved her to the front stoop for Easter!

Just look at those colors!

It is finally starting to feel like spring around here. Now I need to spruce up the other footstool. Do you have any color suggestions for me?

As promised, here are the fabulous posts for this month from the Thrift Store Decor Team. I saw a few of these teaser photos and I know I will be using the tips from those posts for my deck projects. Enjoy!

Shop At Blu Outdoor Footstool Makeover

Reinvented Delaware Easy DIY Luggage Rack Makeover for a Guest Bedroom

Organized Clutter Junky Botanical Planter From Thrift Store Finds

Sadie Seasongoods Cactus Garden with Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia How to Bleach Wood Furniture

Our Southern Home Classic Stool Makeover

Petticoat Junktion Coastal Cloche Idea

My Repurposed Life Vintage Rattan Trunk Makeover | Extra Storage Option

Domestically Speaking DIY Indigo Handcrafted Vase

If you liked the BDSFP color used in this project, here are two others and an additional post using Crab Coat.

The post Thrifted Outdoor Metal Footstool Upcycle appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I’m sharing this post as part of a Friendsgiving event with some of my “spicey” blogger friends. We had a blast at the Haven Conference this year and decided to collaborate a bit. Today we are sharing some of our fall and Thanksgiving projects and tips. I’m sharing their posts at the end of this one. Be sure to visit each friend. You will be amazed at the creativity in this sweet little group./

I always start with the obvious…a change of colors.

The Logical Place to Start

Remove everything that screams summer. The dragonflies go into storage. Along with the summer pillows. The previous season’s colored planters get moved to the back of the group.

Accessories Make It Easy

Bring in the new pillows, cushions, and throws as staples for your outdoor fall decor. Then sprinkle your seasonal items. Which, of course, includes pumpkins and mums.

Thrifty Tip

Who can afford to buy all new seasonally appropriate cushions in the perfect color? Not me! I do have a thrifty tip to bring your current cushions into the new season. Keep an eye on the clearance racks in local stores for discounted fabric, curtains, tablecloths, etc.

I simply use some seasonally appropriate fabric to wrap my cushions. I wrap them tightly and they stay in place. You could even tack them into place with a safety pin or a small stitch with a sewing needle and some thread. Easy and quick upgrade! I used fabric I had in the closet so this was a free upgrade for me. My favorite kind of transition to outdoor fall decor is free outdoor fall decor. You know my mantra…use what you have!

I did find a nice selection of pillows at our local Old Time Pottery store. They had some grey and brown clearance pillows for $3.50 so I had to indulge. I even found this orange cutie. Nothing quickly changes the look of your decor like the addition of some pillows.

Add Some Focal Points

I always add some flare by using previous fun projects. Check out my post on how I updated these wooden pumpkins, a marketplace find from last year! Click on the photo for the before and the full tutorial.

Summer Blooms are Still Producing

My summer gardens are still, green. Butterfly bushes are blooming. My roses love the less humid weather and really put out the buds. Hibiscus flowers and marigolds are still producing too. I use these plants as fillers and just decorate around them. As the cold sets in, I trim off the yellow leaves and spent blooms. We get every second out of these beauties.

Even my succulents are perking up. So I let these beauties continue to shine.

I just add little elements of the new season. Tuck some pumpkins into the tops of the planters.

Add a few gourds. Set larger pumpkins on the ground. Use mums to add more color. Scatter some pinecones.

Use Nature to Decorate

While we don’t have the fabulous rainbow of changing leaves, we do enjoy the gentle wafting of leaves to the ground. Usually I use my Ryobi leaf blower to clear leaves from the deck. But this time of year, we just enjoy this visual sign that fall is near. Use those natural elements…leaves and pinecones are free AND seasonally appropriate!

I even added some purple to the outdoor fall decor by trimming the butterfly bush to enjoy the blooms.

Of course, I add holiday appropriate focal points. Click on the photo below for the tutorial on those purple pumpkins.

As I said, I’m sharing this post as part of our Friendsgiving blog hop.

And G-Baby Blu will be spending the night on Friday so while this turkey would not be my choice of tasteful decor, my little guy will really enjoy it!

With all of these little changes, there is simply one more thing to do.

Wait for the crisp air and cool evenings.

Welcome to our Friendsgiving Sharing Hop! Thanks to Juliet at A Loverly Life for heading up this fun! Below are the projects from my talented friends. Just click on each photo to check out each post. From tablescapes to recipes to fun games and decor…you will find quite a bit of creativity here! Pin and share what you like! Leave a comment! We love to hear from you!

And Happy Friendsgiving!

Betsy at Happily Ever After Etc.

Alicia Design of Your Life

Juliet at A Loverly Life

Nicole at Adorn the Table

Kimberly at From Farmhouse to Florida

Chas at Chas’ Crazy Creations

Kristin at Fifth Sparrow No More

Shop At Blu…that’s me! I’m so glad you’re here!

The post How to Transition Your Outdoor Decor to Fall appeared first on Shop at Blu.