It's a Steal! Heather "knocks off" Natalie

Hello!  It's Heather from The Beating Hearth here with you today and I can't wait to be share a little something I whipped up.  It's a project I've been wanting to make for a long time, but didn't really have a need and so I kept it simmering in the back of my mind for a long time.  Well, guess what, I have a need now and am so glad I did a little thieving.

 A couple of weeks ago we started a new series, "It's a Steal"...where we "steal" or 

"knock off" a fellow blogger's idea and show you what we come up with.

 Natalie kicked off the series, knocking off Mary from Sweet Little Bluebird

Then it was Mary's turn and she knocked off Danni from Silo Hill Farm.  

Now it's my turn and I got to steal an idea from Nat from NorthShore Days!

Well, to be fair, I stole two ideas.

Here's Nat's original post: Up-Cycled Painted Tin Cans 

"I love tin cans! I love painting them and storing bits and bobs in them...."

 Now, I cannot compete with her awesomeness.  Give me a pile of fabric and some thread, and I feel fairly competent...some paint, a bucket and embellishments? Completely out of my comfort zone.  So don't judge me too harshly compared to what Nat did, but, I really like what I ended up with.

This is my gardening bucket.  The Mister and I have a deal.  If I pull the weeds, he picks them up.  So typically what happens is, I go on a rampage and there are piles of weeds all over the yard, he comes home after a hard day's work and has to clean up after me.  This bucket may become his new best friend.

First it is going to store my gardening equipment.  I love having my digger, snipper and gloves all in one place, waiting for me to get the gardening urge.

 And second, I might...might think about putting my weeds in the bucket as I go about my gardening duties.

 

Ummmm...apparently I fancy myself Grounds Keeper of the estate.

I saw these keys at the craft store and thought they would be a fun touch.  So yeah.  Head gardener, and I am off to trim the hedgerows in the secret garden...Downton Abbey may have gone to my head.  At least in my imagination I am not conceited enough to think I'm the Countess or something. I mean, I could have gone out and made a beaded dress and over the top, be feathered head-band instead.

Using copious amounts of super glue, I placed on the twine trim...which I love, and these cute little brads on top of the twine.  I didn't know they were brads when I bought them.  This made gluing them slightly awkward, but I like the effect.  I also attempted to glue myself to...everything.

I love that I took this plain metal bucket, and painted it...yes, school bus yellow.  Look, when I saw the paint can, it looked much more like... warm spring day daffodil yellow....and I have to confess to having a hard time when picking paint colors.  They typically border on cornea searing.  We have learned to take whatever paint color I like...go to the next color down on the paint chip...and reduce it by 50%.

 So, take it from me, it's fun to step outside of your comfort zone and make something you've admired from afar.

I also made Nat's Condensed Milk Cookies 

I mean, who can resist a sweet treat?  Not me...and not my family.

 They were the perfect dunking cookie.  Simple and sweet and oh so yummy.

Thanks Nat for letting me steal your ideas and put my own spin on them.

And everybody, start thinking of who and what you want to knock off, for our next Link Party!   

But be sure to ask permission where necessary and always provide link backs.

Next week it's Danni's turn... 

we are so excited to see what she comes up with!

Thanks for reading!

shared here:

Make it Pretty Monday 

Mop it up Monday 

Heather