Some time ago there was a good thread on this topic on this forum. Here is the link: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/restoration/msg032230316739.html Here is what I wrote - others wrote even more - worth checking out: RE: need ideas for shed and garden restoration Posted by: ginger_nh z4 NH (My Page) on Sat, Mar 6, 04 at 13:31 I've seen pictures is many magazines and books re decorating old garden sheds. Typically they use old chairs, apple ladders, trellises, antique bedsprings, etc as trellises for vines. Also hanging a collection of old garden or farm tools(hoes, rakes, scythes) or anything that has a nice form for visual appeal like old maple sap buckets, zinc flower buckets, hand tools, old wheels. Surrounding the shed with lots of containers with both flower and vegetable plantings. Painting the door a striking color(cobalt or periwinkle blue, lime green, red), leaving rest of shed as is. Windowbox and shutters if you have a window. Adding a weather vane or collection of metal objects along the roof line. Planting sides of shed with tall 5'-8'+ annuals like hollyhocks, sunfloweres, amaranthus, purple millet, nicotiana sylvestris, or Indian corn. And of course, putting an old seat or bench of some sort to one side of the door. If you go to the Garden Junk forum they will probably have more ideas. Or do a search there. Luck! Ginger

I've just been going through this. Was repainting a bedroom and found 3/4 of a gallon of the old paint--gone solid. Started going through cans and found a nice yellow, set it down on the kitchen counter to come back later to find it was leaking out the bottom in two pinholes! So I'm going through all of the cans now and cleaning things out. It was long overdue, anyway, but to find one leaking, well, that was too much. But I did find a nice leftover blue for the bedroom. :)

Existing aluminum storms can be painted the same color as the window trim so they will not be very noticeable. I have wood storms and screens on the ground floor but the upstairs has aluminum storms. I have a couple casement windows which have changeable interior storms and screens. It is actually easier to clean those windows as the glass is a single piece on the interior and the multipane area is the exterior which doesnt get washed often. No way would I want to deal with replacing wood storms from a ladder. It is enough of a challenge to change out the storm windows on the main floor. We typically replace the one double hung window and the panels from the storm doors and the screens for the french doors arent worth the hassle.

I would try keeping it wet for about 24 hours....maybe put a sprinkler on it, then see if the vine pieces have softened enough to come off with a brush. If it was Boston ivy, those little "feet" have some sort of glue in them to allow then to climb even on glass, and of course rain doesn't wash it away. But perhaps the sticky bits are dry enough that they will absorb water and soften. You might try some sort of solvent....maybe mineral spirits....maybe denatured alcohol. Test on a small spot to be sure it doesn't also remove the paint shading.