The Purple Cupboard

Greetings dear friends & readers from Wintery Waikato

Late last year my friend Joyce & I were having a cuppa together & I was telling her about some of my revamps.

Joyce works as a Volunteer at the local Church Op Shop.

"There's a cupboard at the shop you might be interested in" she mentioned .... "it's only $3"

My ears pricked up !!! "Yes please I definately would be interested"

"It's kind of a wooden bedside cupboard" she informed me "you could paint it up - I'm coming out this way tomorrow, I'll drop it off to you"

There was only one small teeny tiny detail that Joyce forgot to mention . . . .

. . . the $3 cupboard was painted bright purple !!!

When she unloaded it from her boot & sat it on my deck, I thought The Mr was going to burst a foofoo valve !!!

And so the purple cupboard sat at the back of the sleepout - abandoned & forlorn

There were at least 2 occasions when I attempted to clean out the sleepout & The Mr dragged "that hideous old purple thing" over to the burning heap.

But I would always drag it back again.

It was in such rough condition that it would require a major overhaul in order to ever on-sell it again.

Then last week when I was tidying up the Cottage decking an idea came to me.

I dragged the purple cupboard out of the sleepout & set it up on my deck to paint.

A rummage in the back of my craft cupboard & I came across 1 1/2 testpots of Hot Chilli red paint from Resene . . . this would have to do !!

After giving it two coats I realised I had completely forgotten about the drawer
I only gave the cupboard a good wipe down - really it needed stripping, sanding & quite a substantial amount of work
But I had neither the time, the energy, nor the inclination

However once finished, the drawer painted & the wooden blocks (feet) painted & secured, it looked totally transformed

The 1 1/2 testpots were just enough to give it two thorough coats

. . . & the purpose of the newly painted cupboard I hear you asking ???

Well, down the end of my lounge in front of the french doors, I grow my babies tears in little pots

I find the warmth, the light & the late afternoon sun just perfect for getting them established

Plus it is out of the way of too much foot traffic (especially the 4-legged variety)

Note to self ......Julie finish scraping the paint from the windows !!!!!!

Once these little pots are established I plant them up into vintage aluminium teapots & china cups to sell in the Cottage

The ~~purple~~ little red cupboard would be ideal for displaying all these plants on the Cottage deck area

I needed something that wasnt too "precious" & that could take the odd splash of water spilt on it

The scrap of oilcloth was left over from a stool covering & was the perfect size for the top of the cupboard

These little aluminium teapots just need their doileys mod podged & they will be sealed & waterproofed

I asked The Mr what he thought of the purple cupboard now but he declined to comment & just shook his head !!!???

I have been the lucky recipient of some gorgeous gifted treasures this past month

Kerry popped in unexpectedly with a "care package" she had put together for me with such thoughtfulness

The delicate lime scented candle is still going strong but I must confess there are a large portion of choccies missing !!!!

I was lucky enough to have a visit from my lovely friends Claire & her Mum Nancy, from Hawera.

These girls were on their way North & we enjoyed a fun lunch together.

Claire presented me with some thrifted treasures along with this gorgeous pouch she had made me

I loved it so much that I added a wire hanger & it now hangs on my lounge wall (minus the choccy of course!!!)

And Nancy, who was knitting in the car, presented me with a wonderful selection of her handknitted dishcloths - which I LoVe & use every single day

Then last week, while waiting on a warrant for my car, I wandered down to visit my friend Sally

It was such a surprise to be given a late birthday gift - some of Sal's beautiful handwork, a gorgeous stitchery in a hoop - which is also now hanging on my lounge wall