When our good friend Patti sent us the story of her latest DIY project, we just knew it had to be shared with the blog-o-world. By re-purposing her old patio carriage lights into planters, she should be rewarded with a shiny gold star for her eco-friendly efforts. And mother nature isn’t the only one happy for her resourceful achievement. Her ol’ junk-turned-treasure supplied her with something pretty sweet and useful. Take a gander at this potential-filled before:
and it’s new look:
Now for her inside scoop:
“We had always planned on replacing those carriage lights, which became a must after we screened in the patio. When we do a home improvement project, we like to try to incorporate some part of an original feature if possible. If it’s just not doable, then it becomes fair game for me to recycle; in this case, they were perfect for junk art.
After cleaning the outside, I primed them with Zinsser high adhesive spray primer, then painted with a couple coats of glossy spray paint. I turned them upside down, and [my husband] Ross drilled three holes in each one. They each hang from three 30″ strands of 1/16th inch thick aluminum cable, secured by the matching size ferrules, all from Home Depot.”
Aren’t they smashin’? We’re loving the cheerful bursts of color with the lush plants. And with two lights still leftover, we hear Patti has some plans up her sleeve to turn one into a home for all those birds out there looking for a perch. We can’t wait to see and hear all the dirty details on how she does it. Keep us posted, Patti. We’re already craving those before and after snapshots.
My mom is the best!!
Kelly, this is true! So creative.
I would have never thought about using those in that way. What a great way to recycle (in style)!