Somebody stop me...

Somebody stop me.  I'm going crazy with the aluminum spray paint.  I'm painting everything in sight with this stuff...okay, just a couple of things including my front porch ceiling fan but I keep looking for more things to paint.

At the neighborhood drug store, I found these.  3 for $1.00

They are plastic and sort of a whitish clear color.

They are small.  I started thinking....if I painted these with the aluminum paint and made little tags, could they look like miniature gym locker baskets?  Well, that could be interesting (and for a buck, what have I got to lose?)

So, I spray painted them Aluminum.

 Can you tell?  Do they look metal to you?

With a little paper, some wire, computer printed words and a little Mod Podge... 

 Here are my little miniature aluminum gym baskets.

These could come in handy.

They could hold my Christmas present wrapping supplies like tags, ribbon, embellishments.

They could hold extra forks, knives and spoons at a holiday party.

They could hold office supplies.

Oh my gosh, I'm already thinking of more things I could paint with this stuff;

ornaments, gift tags,  containers, pots/planters, signs, and so on.

I'm not sure if the pictures capture it, but it looks like galvanized aluminum.  

What would you paint aluminum?

I'm linking up to some of my favorite blog parties in my list above and down below.  However, if I start having a difficult time finding this paint because there's been a run on it and the stores are out, I may have to change my mind :)

laundry made pretty

Laundry...that dreaded task.  It's one of those chores I absolutely hate to do.  My house wasn't blessed with one of the beautiful large laundry rooms with shelves and baskets and hooks and decorated so cute.  No, mine is barely big enough to house the washer and dryer with a couple of little shelves above them. Only one person can be in there at a time.  Combine the small size of the laundry room with the fact that I will go to great lengths to avoid doing laundry until I absolutely have to, then it's no surprise we often have dirty laundry spilling into the hallway.  It's not attractive. 

So, I'm at an antique store and find the cutest thing.  At first, it's a mystery exactly what it is but soon realize it's some type of laundry basket.  The tag says it's an old french laundry basket.  Is it really "old french?"  Who knows but it certainly makes it sound even cuter.  So, I had to have it.  I roll it up (yep, on the cute little wheels on it) to the counter to buy it.  I'm a little concerned if it will fit in my car but I'll get it home somehow.  After paying, the cashier guy says "do you want me to collapse it so it's easier to manage?"  "What?  Collapse?"  By golly, it does collapse...as flat as a pancake and fit easily in my car.  Of course, when I got home, I had to figure out how to uncollapse it and I'm not good at those kinds of puzzles.  I did manage it though and then thought how it was too cute to actually use for laundry.  I strategically placed it in my house just as decoration. I just loved it sitting there empty looking pretty.  Then, company was coming.  We were doing the last sweep before their arrival to make sure the house was in order.  At the last minute, we noticed the laundry spilling out of the laundry room on the floor.  Can we just shove it in and shut the door?  Sure but who thinks clearly when company is coming up the driveway.  So, I quickly roll the laundry basket to just outside the laundry room and fill it.  You know what?  It's still cute...and now functional.  I didn't mind leaving it out.  In fact, I leave it out all the time with dirty laundry or not.

sitting pretty

reality sets in; but still cuter than a pile on the floor

This website sells reproduction ones just as cute.

http://www.homealamode.com/collapsiblelaundrybasket-availableseptember2009.aspx