Well, I always get a little crafty around Christmas…especially when it comes to repurposing things around the house. I’m one of those people who hates to throw out things because, God forbid, one day I will discover its alternate ‘purpose’.
Jason (my DLSH*): Can I throw away this broken toothbrush?
Me: Oh, nooooo! I’m hanging onto to that. I think I can use it for a craft or something.
Jason (rolling eyes): Amanda, it’s missing all of its bristles and the handle broke in half.
Me (avoiding eye contact): I know, I know, but one day it’ll come to me what to do with it.
And so, he will set it on a high shelf, sighing heavily. 19 months later, as he’s cleaning out the barn, he’ll slyly throw it in the trash, burying it deep. Within 12 to 24 hours of it being tossed (and that is the honest-to-God truth), I will have a crafty vision involving the broken toothbrush…a perfect use sent straight from the God of Crafts, Hobbies, and Repurposing. I go look for said toothbrush and can’t find it.
Me: Hey, where’s that broken toothbrush that was on this shelf?
Jason: You’re freakin’ kidding me. Are you serious?
Me: Yes! I just discovered this PERFECT thing I can use it for. You didn’t throw it away, did you?
Jason (sighing so heavily he almost faints): (digs in trash can, hands it to me silently)
Me: I can’t believe you’d throw that away! See? I TOLD you I’d find a use for it!
*Dear Long Suffering Husband
I literally can’t tell you how many times this has happened. Like the patio umbrella cover. The umbrella part died, but the cover remained. We found the thing out in the woods about 2 years ago. Last spring I found that my DH had thrown it in the trash, when suddenly it occured to me that it would make a GREAT cover over my mobile chicken brooder. See? Keeps out the wind and rain and it was totally free.
So anyway, going along that repurposing vein, I have some old Coke metal trays. They’re from the 60s and they are UGLY. I mean, who would have ever thought that a picture of a big buffet of food, a chafing dish, and a couple of poorly placed Cokes would ever have been attractive? So, I decided to cover up the hideous picture with some vintage Santa wrapping paper. I covered it on both sides with clear matte Contact paper to make it wetproof and durable. Then I thought; hey, it’s a metal tray, so why not make it a magnetic note center?
Phase One: Cutting out a piece of the vintage wrapping paper. If you could see the tag, it is addressed to my grandparents from my uncle and aunt. Probably from the 1970s. (Mom…cover your eyes. Yes, I used the Gingher scissors to cut the paper. Please don’t freak out)
Phase Two: After carefully cutting out the shape of the inside of the tray, I cover the top of the paper with Contact paper, and gently ease out the bubbles.
Phase Three: Now I have covered the back of the paper and now it’s time to trim off the excess Contact paper. I left about 1/8″ around the edge so that it stayed sealed.
And here we are! I put on some magnetic bulldog clips to hold the paper in place, since I did not want the Santa paper to be permanently attached to the tray…and I was too lazy to grab the double sided tape! I used it to display Christmas cards. Very cute. I thought about spray painting the tray, but I liked the decorative edge. I spray paint EVERYTHING, so it’s strange that this escaped my Krylon fixation.
Sorry about the terrible quality of the pictures. I forgot that I don’t have an editing program on this new computer yet. :0(
Enjoy!
My Little Country 
AAARRRRGGGHHH!!!! Gingher scissors cutting paper!!! Go find the rock and knock me out. Thought I raised you better than that.
Actually, I love your little tray idea, BUT what happened to the toothbrush???
Love,
Mom
I know…I know. The kids ran all of the other scissors (about 4 pair) to the shop. The toothbrush was only theoretical. However, there has been a screen door, several old oven racks, fiberglass door screen, and feed bags. And much, much more.