My Old Milk Can

My Old Milk Can

My Old Milk Can

Since My Man is a land surveyor, there have been many old homesteads that he has surveyed. Some of the time his client has bought the land, with an old house that is going to be torn down or is already gone, on it. When MM comes upon the house he immediately goes to the trash pile and begins searching for treasures.

He has found many old drink bottles and medicine bottles. Some are worth a few bucks.

My favorite find has been an old milk can.

I painted it black, but some of that is coming off and the rust is coming through. I think that gives it charm.

It has been sitting in the same corner at our back door for years. I like it there. I really don’t know what else I would put there. For the longest time, it held walking sticks the boys, including MM, have made from small trees found in the woods behind our house.

Then I saw these and knew it was time for a change.

It was also one of those “why didn’t I think of that” moments.

I went to the local store, Fred’s (not paid to say that), and got some flowers. Actually, I went to get some cleaning pads then remembered…I’ll share that in a moment.

I already had these sunflowers.

At Fred’s I got this dry grass as a filler.

These curly things add some whimsy.

These white flowers came with the curly things. They make a good center in the arrangement.

This orange flower, along with the next two, were sold separately, and wouldn’t you know that not one of them had a price tag on it.

I began the arrangement by figuring out how I was going to make them tall enough to stick out the top of the milk can. You won’t believe what I used.

Packing bubbles. MM had ordered some computer part and it came in a box three times bigger than needed and was stuffed with packing bubbles. I also thought about using the million plastic shopping bags I have collected to recycle, but keep forgetting to take back.

Anywho, half the milk can has packing bubbles in it.

I started with the dry grass, pulling and fluffing to get it just right.  Then I added the curly things and the flowers that came with them. Next I put in the sunflowers and twisted them into position. Last, came the three flowers with no price tag.

What do you think?

What was it I remembered? As I was getting the cleaning pads, I remembered that I had points I could use to get the flowers! Fred’s lets you earn points with a card that can be used as cash! I had $12 and some change I could use. I went a little overboard with the flowers, but I only paid just over half price for them!

I want to get some lighted floral thingies like in the picture above, and Fred’s has them too, but I’m going to try to save enough points to get them cheaper.

As the seasons change, I’ll change the flowers to give it a different look. I’ll be on the look out for flowers at the dollar store!

There was a time when I would have thought I had to spend a small fortune to decorate my house. I am loving that God is changing my attitude about that and showing me how I can do it for a lot less money than I once thought.

What are some ways you decorate on the cheap? I’d love to hear!