Okay…confession time. Yes, I am the lady that drives around with my son during city spring cleanup and grabs all your junk, all the while wearing a skirt and a glorious smile on my face! I’m all about some repurposed baby crib fun!
You know you want to join me. tsk. If not, can I just say that you are missing out?!
Each year our city has an annual spring cleanup where you can set curbside up to a pickup truck load of unwanteds (some call it trash). This city-wide dejunking lasts for four weeks – one quadrant at a time. Let me tell you, by the end of the four weeks, I was exhausted and had a garage full of someone elses’ trash. Yipppeee!! (You should see my husband’s face when I roll in the driveway.)
Today, I’d to show you just a sample of what I came home with…baby cribs. Now you’re thinking…whaaaat??
At my first stop out on our first day out was this absolutely gorgeous pink baby crib. This old piece has such character with it’s original paint, time-worn love, and markings. I knew in a minute I wanted it to be a chalkboard sign for my one-day-brick-and-mortar shop. But for now it would be used as my garage sale sign.
Thankfully, I had a pickup truck this time around because the crib was the type that folds flat lengthwise for storage – it was very long and very heavy.MOTHER LOAD
GARDEN
The side rails also make a great garden trellis. I’ve used them to trellis my sugar snap peas, pole beans, cucumbers…for any climbing plant, really. I have more rails in my shop and will be putting them to use soon. I can’t wait to show you!
MORE JUNKY FUN
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More junkin’ goodness like my repurposed baby crib:
Super cute. I snagged a really cool crib in the trash one day hoping to make a sign sometime, but the wood was soooo heavy and I finally needed the room and had to get rid of it. They make great signs though and yours is really cute as well as those trellises!
Liz
Hi Liz! Thanks. Too bad you had to get rid of it, but believe me I know about space, and that’s why I have to clean out every once in awhile! :o)
Larissa, were we separated at birth? Haha. I also recently came home with a van load of stuff from a nearby town’s “spring cleanup”, I also belong to my local Freecycle group, I also used the side panel from an old crib as a trellis for my sweet peas at a previous home (before blogging) AND I also repurposed the end panel of the crib into a chalkboard!
http://www.hometalk.com/760102/chalkboard-from-salvaged-crib-parts
Looking forward to exploring a little more-loving your stuff!
Jeanette
Yes, I think so! Wow, the similarities are awesome. I, too, look forward to perusing your blog, and I became a follower! :o)
I am visiting from Hometalk where I came across this marvelous post! So creative! I would love for you to please come and share this on my blog at our Home Matters Linky Party. We are looking for great DIY, Repurposing, Thrifty ideas like yours! Here is the link. Hope to see you there with several of your fabulous posts! http://wp.me/p4fJXd-TY
Shirley @Intelligent Domestications
love the crib-turned-sign! i have a question – i have used several products to make chalkboards and none of them erase well, not like the good ol’ ones i grew up with at school. i end up having to use water and a rag to erase and then wait for it dry. is this typical? can you recommend a good chalkboard product? thanks!
Thank you, Gwen! I typically make my own chalkboard paint and it does erase, but none are as good as the real deal boards, sad to say. The basic brands are overpriced and even regular flat paint works just as well. Hope this helps!
LOVE them all, but that bucket idea is most awesome….sad, I think I threw away the hardware from last one.
be blessed
Barb
found via FB thru Vintage Trifles share.
Thank you, Barb, and so glad to have you! Yes, I keep everything I know I will use, but sometimes let things go and regret. :/
I love your post here. I’ve got two drop-side ends waiting in the garage for me to figure out something to do with them, so now I have a new project for my upcoming yard sale!
I have salvaged drop-side crib parts into other household tools. My favorite is the diaper-drying rack, which is here: http://www.nwedible.com/wall-moutned-clothes-drying-rack-perfected/. We modified it a little bit by using short, thin bungee cords so the four legs sat on the floor, since the rails are so long. We have also used it on the back of a door in our apartment with an over-the-door coat rack (the kind with four or five hooks on it). Your readers could use bungee cords with little eye hooks if they don’t have braces or chains readily available (or in the crafting budget!). You can get those bungee cords at the dollar store.
After my cloth diapering days are over, I now know where to use my crib rails–in the garden! Yay for reusing and upcycling! 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you, Cassie! Sounds like you’ve got a winner. I’ve done the drying rack idea and would use it if I had the space – tiny laundry. 😉 We cloth diaper too and wouldn’t have it any other way!
Nice job Larissa. I use the rails on their side attached through the holes in the top like sandwich board….Painted it white, then I put little screws all over both sides and I use it to hang small projects and signs for craft fairs
Hey there , this is a great ide I need for a friends wedding, I was wondering if you had a picture of the Hinges or the name/type you used at the top there’s so many at the hardware store and I don’t wanna have the sign fall apart or be flimsy lol. Thanks!
Thanks, Lauren! Congrats to your friend. 😉 I usually buy the hinge based on the crib style because they’re all so different. My typical one is found at Home Depot and I believe has a sort of floral design to it – I use it because it’s deeper. Supports, something like this, or this.
Hi ? I found your idea on Pinterest and had to do it! I found an old crib for $10 and my husband is currently staining it for me…. I was just wondering where you got the locking hardware. We went to lowes and they said they didn’t carry it which I thought was weird. So I thought I’d ask you before driving all over creation to find one lol. Thanks in advance!! ?
Hi Lindsay! I’m so happy you found me. I got my locking hardware at Home Depot and also at my local True Value hardware store. I hope that helps! 🙂
We used the rails from a broken jenny lind crib for a wide doorway dog gate.
Excellent idea!