Cottagey = gardens and in the old days it meant a little tool like you bought. I have little vignettes in my yard. One area is cowboy rustic,one area is Kid fun, another area is Kitchy and colorful and my husband has what I call
the PARK out front with cement urns of geraniums,cherubs iron settee etc. Have fun and enjoy it all in your yard!!!!

I think you did GREAT! Here in Oz stuff like that is really expensive and I've seen people selling just those iron bench ends for $45, so $25 for an entire bench is to me a real good deal. Not to mention that you're helping a friend in need and you know what that is... PRICELESS! :-)

Love the plow and if you want something eclectic paint it an outrageous color like fushia or neon orange and grow some kind of climbing vine on it.

I'm coveting that wagon wheel! They go for like $65 here in Oz. Terrible.

If your other friend thought $25 was too much for the bench then please don't offer $25 for the plant stand. Like you say, it's overed in rust and you'll have to spend a bit of money fixing it up.

As for rust, just use a wire brush drill attachment and take off as much as you can, apply Rustoleum, and VOILA! Good as new!

Cait

aliska. you are all heart.
cheapest way to strip rust off is use lots' of sandpaper and elbow grease.then you could paint with rust oleum hammered paint.if you like that look.
that wagon wheel was your best purchase.just my opinion.

I haven't had to de-rust anything in a long time, but we used something called Royal Jelly. It is a clear gel-like material that should be available in all hardware stores.

I saw someone else mention a product either this week or last week, but I had never heard of it and don't remember the name.

I think if you got something you wanted and you were able to help a friend out in the process then you got a bargain.

Nice finds!

Love your bench and plow thing.... If you can get the planter....why take the rust off??????? Isn't that "patina"??

Wow, you people are generous with your responses!

goldenpond, but but you sound ORGANIZED. My yard is hard to compartmentalize like that but I sure wish I could. And you're right, if somebody doesn't steal the plow, I could put it out, but I'm afraid somebody will steal it, wonder they never stole it from her. If I had a vegetable garden that was already plowed and large enough, I could actually use the thing for its intended purpose!

cait1, I didn't think it was that bad either. I even kind of like the worn look of it. She wants $65 ea for the wagon wheels, don't think they got sold yet so that's kind of funny they would be the same down under in Oz. I'm growing some new salvia, name come on, salvia sangria, white on top and red at the base with these funny little things sticking out, never tried the stuff before, little plastic cups of it in my sunroom ready to harden off.

dustyknees, never heard of hammered paint, I thought I wanted it nice and white, hope she hasn't changed her mind.

tigerwiggy, I googled and found naval jelly which is liquid and not that gel stuff (think you can get that, too), then I googled some more and found muriatic acid which is HCl. I have whole quart or maybe gallon of the stuff from the cement guy who cut out on me, so I am going to try that and my drill with the brush tool on it, outside. It's got so many filigree-type spots and spirals, etc., that I'll probably have to clean some of it off with sandpaper, steel wool by hand. If I hadn't wanted the thing so badly, I wouldn't be willing to put that much work into it.

adellabedella, I tried to help her, and worked hard putting the photos and ads together for her, we thought they didn't do any good. She gave me a bunch of sweaters and a pretty antique mirror I said she didn't need to give me anything, I don't operate that way, but she does have to get rid of the stuff pretty fast, poor thing, she's practically frantic trying to find a place she can afford and enough for the deposit. I did get something I wanted because I have to watch what I drag home lol. Nice finds, and I didn't have to go trucking around looking! Thanks!

pearl1, I thought if worst comes to worst, I can leave it as is and grow something to climb on it, eventually the rust will buckle it, but it's so darn pretty, never saw one like it before. They must have been popular at one time, don't think it is an antique but may a vintage piece.

I just piled up a lot more work for myself, I get more done over the winter. With the drill and brush I can make some headway on another project at the same time.

I'm kind of excited about it all, like things are slowly coming together.

I love your deals. The rust is awesome too. I think you could sand and paint it if you are going to paint anyhow don't worry about getting it perfect. If you have an electric sander those work really well. I like the wagon wheel the best. I have a plow like yours and mine is all rusted in the garden like it was left there after it was used for the last time. I have a bench sorta like yours too and I painted mine blue and the iron part black. A little bit of sanding should be fine for that and it will be like new.

Great deals and wonderful heart!!! Would love to come to her sale.. I love everything in the first picture!!! Please post after pictures.... They sound like great PTOM's to me.

Hmmm, I never got a POTM anywhere yet, no big deal. This photo my daughter took with my camera a year or two ago (it was used for the sale but NOT taken specifically for it). I think the photo is outstanding but never entered it in anything. I went back with my better camera and captured the same scene, but she got it better with the cheaper one, and the sun was just right. She was selling all that, too, which I was hoping she would keep it and store it, offered my basement for awhile anyway.

When and if I get the iron plant stand, I'll take a photo and post it.

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What a great friend you are. Whenever you look at these treasures, you'll be reminded of your friend. If your friend visits, she'll see them used lovingly in your gardens. A great find with a great story! Kirk

I have one of those old spiral planters. Got it from my mom. I just sanded it a little and then used rustoleum spray paint on it. It looks like new! Just touch up every year if needed.

Oh-and offer your friend fifteen bucks for it. ;)

Ohhhh, I am absolutely loving the red paint on your garden treasures. I recently acquired another farm milk can and am now definitely doing it in red. Thanks for posting these pics.

Sal

Great grouping. Red doesn't get near enough attention in gardens.

Wonderful idea!!

Great finds!
The cheapest method of removing the rust (but you'll never remove it all!), is to use a metal brush, throwing in some good ol' fashioned elbow grease!
It's supposed to look old...that's what gives it character...LOL
Afterwards...prime it and give a coat of rustoleum in whatever color suits your fancy.
*Don't forget to post a pic of your finished project!

All, thanks for all the helpful input. I'm glad that in the process of getting my questions answered, others have gotten ideas. Remember, people, I only bought the bench and the red plow, I have a white milk can in the garage, tumbled morning glories over it last year. I just posted the other photo so you could see how pretty she had part of her yard.

The lady with the sale is the one with the talent for putting stuff together like that, she painted it all up, I hated to see her have to take down that pretty display and part with some of the pieces. And I'm not such a good friend as some of you think because we had had a falling out last year, and I hadn't been speaking to her, but when she so obviously was stressed out to the max and needed the help, decided let bygones be bygones. I wish I could help more people, but I can't or I won't get anything done for myself plus I don't have that much stamina and have to pace myself just on my own projects. I do what I can when I can for people, mostly little helps here and there.

OK, $15 sounds like a fair price if she will accept that. I won't be too fussy about the rust, and if something goes wrong with that deal, I can't have everything that catches my fancy.

I just got back from picking it up, she sold it to me for $15 (thanks for the suggestion on that!) and said I got a good deal. I would have paid more. It's not as bad as I had thought, and it will be work, but not quite as much detail to clean off as I had remembered and not as much accumulated rust, the gritty kind that rubs off on your skin.

On the way, did some curb shopping, no time to arrange an attractive setting, I can always use picture frames and a bucket. Don't know what that red nylon mesh stuff is in the bucket. I just get an area cleared out and fill it up again. I might be able to sell those matching picture frames cleaned up a little, and with the other two, like the simplicity and routed detail of the one and the molding is attractive on the Jesus one.

Aliska the junker.

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So glad you got the spiral planter you wanted. A bit of sanding, some spray paint, then pots of trailing plants and it will be beautiful. Do you have a special place on your porch for it? Be sure to have a comfy chair nearby so you can sit and enjoy looking at it. Good curb finds too. Can't wait to see that yellow wheelbarrow all planted up with flowers. Hope you will post pics when everything is all done and in it's special spot. Luvs

that is the front of my house. You can see that it would be a tight fit up on the porch for the door to clear.

I don't know, where would you put it? I have major dripping problems in that alcove I tried to have fixed and won't want water dripping on it when it rains.

Regarding the yellow wheelbarrow, you must have that confused with somebody else. I only have a toy red wheelbarrow, and I could use a REAL one but garage is full for now.

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