I had two problems, but I solved them with one solution, a makeover. My first problem was my messy spice area. I am constantly cooking and most of my cooking is from scratch, so I use lots of spices. There are certain spices that I use the most, so I buy those in large containers which I like to keep near the stove. That area had become an eyesore though, and it just seemed to jump out at me whenever I entered the room. I needed to tidy up that spot.
My other problem was a broken bread box. I had purchased a wooden bread box at the thrift store. I gave it a couple of coats of paint when I brought it home to make it match the kitchen better. I soon discovered though, that it didn't open properly. The bread box door stuck most of the time. You had to yank it really hard to get the door open. Finally, I just yanked it too hard, and it broke. The box split down the side. The door and front and back trim were now loose. The box was unusable.
I asked my husband, who is a professional fixer, to repair it for me. He went through a lengthy explanation about how difficult that would be, how much money it would cost to purchase the right size clamps, and how chances were that the fix wouldn't last. My husband and I have been married a long time, so I knew what he really meant. In girl language it would have translated to something like, "I hate that bread box and I am never going to fix it."
I knew it was best to just move on and figure out what I could do with it myself. I came up with a plan to repurpose the broken bread box. First I removed the door permanantly. Next I rolled the box over, turning what was previously the back of the box into the bottom. Then I took some good old Elmers and glued the side and trim back on. I let that set overnight.
The next morning. I painted the inside and the outside of the box with black craft paint, two coats. I let that dry for a few hours. Finally I added a fabric remnant I had hemmed to the old bread box and now it was ready to be transformed into a spice box. My large spices, the ones I use the most, fit perfectly inside. My mess was transformed.
This was a no cost makeover. My only expense came when I found the two primitive ginger jars at the thrift store. They were a whopping $2.00 each, but I decided to splurge and get them anyway as a reward for finding a way to repurpose my broken bread box. There is nothing more fun than turning trash into a treasure.
Blessings to you.
