Garden Junkin’

Junkin’ for garden items is a way of life for me. Some call it recycling, redo, second hand, reuse, reclaim, salvage, repurpose and thrifted. I call it fun! Besides the fact that the thrill of the hunt is exciting, its inexpensive to gather, repaint and recycle pieces I can actually use. Here in Tennessee, it rains a lot and gets hot, so things do not last as long as when I lived in the Pacific Northwest.  I would rather buy a basket second hand then new.

Spring is just around the corner, so I like to gather my thoughts and see what I’ll need to get ready to start planting again. Baskets really add charm to the garden in so many ways. When my grandchildren were little, they planted seeds and that basket was their own little garden to take care of. They look great with a beautiful bouquet of flowers growing in them and they are great for gathering your herbs and vegetables and fruits too. One year I came outside early spring and a dove had laid her eggs in a basket right outside our backdoor. She wouldn’t leave so I was blessed to see Gods hand at work as the chicks hatched and grew bigger and bigger. What a fun time to watch this experience.

Colander’s that no longer work for your kitchen are great in the garden. You can find these at yard sales and secondhand shops. Thyme likes lots of drainage. Just place a coconut liner in a colander then plant your Thyme.

Labeling is important especially for seeds. There are a lot of ways to achieve this but for years I`ve used little fencing posts. I reuse them by writing on them with a Sharpie. So simple and adds character to your garden and helps me and others know what`s in the garden. You could also use popsicle sticks, rocks, wooden spoons, clothespins, forks with tags and more. If you have idea`s please leave in the comments below and share your inspiration, I`d love to hear from you.

Signs are fun in the garden. You can find a lot of used ones at junk stores and yard sales. Just repaint them and use stencils. They will need to be sealed if you want them to last longer. This was a redo on these 3 signs I completed in one day. This would be a fun family craft day too. I wiped the boards down well and sealed them and base coated them using DIY Chalk Paints purchased from Jamirayvintage.com The paints are non-toxic which is perfect to work with. The paint colors I used range from Crinoline, Aviary, Apothecary, Petticoat Pink, Bohemian Blue, Golden ticket and Big Top to seal. The stencils, Farmers Market Fresh Produce and Fresh Cut Daily Flower Market are both Jami Ray Vintage Items. Jami and her husband Zeb are all about God and family first. It’s very fun to follow them on social media such as Facebook and Instagram and I really enjoy their You Tube show that includes them junkin, painting, homesteading and more. Check them out they are great entertainment full of fun ideas and you can also shop online or visit their shop in Lehi, Utah. They revamped an old church into their quaint shop full of recycled and new items.

Farmhouse Home Decor, DIY Crafts, Stencils & Paints | Jami Ray Vintage

20 + Easy Thrift Flips Spring Decorating Ideas and DIY Paint Projects – YouTube

A fun whimsical item I have is a used tire from our wheel barrel. My son hung string from it and the birds and squirrels eat from it. It is very entertaining to say the least.

This season look at objects in a different way. A teapot for a bird feeder. Turn a ceiling fixture into a birdbath/feeder. Hang an electric chandelier in your tree when dining outside. Arrange your pots in a whimsical style filled with flowers. Shop secondhand for pitchers so when you cut flowers and herbs from your garden you have something pretty to display them in. Go junkin` for a votive candle holder but use it to fill birdseed with. Use chairs to set a pot of flowers in it. Most of all, think outside the box. Once you do this, items will turn into so many fun and creative ideas you’ll be motivated to reuse as much as you can! Enjoy!