Curbside Treasures: Clean-Up

 The best things in life are old, loved, and rescued.

Author unknown

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We had a beautiful Easter weekend, so I decided to take some time to clean up the garden items I found on the curb last week.

First up: The iron bird bath/bird feeder. As you can see, it had a pretty thick coating of rust. 

I may end up having it sandblasted but for now, I thought I'd try a home remedy I found online: Cream of tartar mixed with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste.

This is one home remedy that actually WORKS! As I scrubbed, the rust literally rolled off the surface. I went through two containers of cream of tartar before running out. By that point, I could see a design on the feeder which wasn't visible before.

 Since I was out of cream of tartar (and time), I decided to stop and come back to this project at a later date -- and with a stockpile of cream of tartar. So I rinsed it thoroughly and let it dry in the sun.

 

 Now this little piece looks really sweet in the front garden area! For now, I have filled it with bird seed but that may change to water.

 Next I tackled the baker's rack. I used a wire brush to scrub off the loose paint. I hosed it down and let it dry in the sun.

Then I took it out in the yard and applied a few coats of black spray paint.

 I painted the little finials silver. I think it turned out really nicely and will be cute with a few shade plants in this little corner by the garage.

 

Next up: This short trellis. First I brushed it to remove all the loose paint and rust. The previous owner had left some fishing line tied to it so perhaps it was once a support for clematis or another climbing vine. It's a very sturdy little piece.

I initially painted it a bronze color to (sort of) match the original shade, but it was too bright. Since I decided to stand it up against our house, I opted for black to match our other metal accents. I like the way it turned out!

 

This taller trellis was in serious need of clean-up. The paint had faded to a sort of pink color, and it was covered with rust. 

 But with a few coats of black paint, it looks good as new!

  I really like the way it looks behind my grandma's tiger lilies. The motif on this trellis is a fleur-de-lis, which is perfect for me since I love all things French.

 I'm excited to have a few "new to me" ornaments in the garden...each one with its own story! 

Thanks for stopping by!
jp