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Tool Box Herb Planter

June 20, 2015 By Linda 11 Comments

Tool Box Turned Planter

A miracle has happened.

 

And I don’t mean a parting-the-sea-turning-water-to-wine variety of miracle.

 

Mine is much more humble. Though, life and death was involved. 😉

 

In my little corner of the universe, this was a truly monumental feat. Something that has never, ever happened before. To be honest, I’m still scratching my head how it happened at all.

 

And with no logical explanation for the ‘how’ it can only be categorized as a miracle.

 

Rustic Tool Box Planter

Behold my miracle.

 

A basil plant. That’s alive. Or, more accurately, still alive. After a full eight weeks in my care.

 

I know, right? Truly a miracle if there ever was one.

 

Granted, it’s looking a bit worse for wear. But I don’t care.

 

IT’S ALIVE!

 

Still.

 

Now you, like me, are probably wondering how this happened. Could it truly be a matter of divine intervention? Was He (or She) finally fed up with my plant killing ways; sick and tired of me killing off His (or Her) beautiful creations?

 

Or perhaps it was my decision to not water the plant from the top, but from the bottom? You know, through that little saucer that sits under the pot.

 

Either way, the fate of this little basil plant has emboldened me to get it some friends.

 

May I introduce you to Mister Oregano and Miss Rosemary?

Rustic Tool Box Planter

 

Let the experiment begin. Or continue?

🙂

Naturally, my new little living friends needed a cute place to hang out. And lucky for me (and them) the very kind folks at Rust-Oleum sent me a bunch of products to try out … along with some unfinished wood pieces to try them out on.

 

I know, right? How cool is that?

 

Among my new-found booty was this cute tool box.

Rustic Tool Box

So I gave it some of Rust-Oleum’s Varathane Wood Stain in Early American.

How To Stain Wood

I just brushed it on and then wiped it off with a clean rag.

 

I also tried out white washing it with some Antique White stain.

how-to-stain-wood-white

Same drill. Brush on. Wipe off.

 

I liked how it looked …. but.

 

I felt the need for a deeper wood tone. So I gave it another coat of the Early American.

 

Next up, stencils. My new living friends needed a little reminder that they were a family. Of sorts. The Herb family.

Rustic Tool Box Planter with Herb Stencil

Clearly I’m not very good at cleaning off my stencils. The black paint is from my vintage-look crate project.

 

And clearly I’m not a skilled stencil-er. But that’s okay. I roughed it up with some sandpaper and then wiped on — and off — a little bit of the Early American stain.

 

Not one to leave well enough alone, the terra cotta pots got in on the makeover action. With my new favorite (and seriously afforadable) Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint in Linen White.

Chalk Paint from Rustoleum in Linen White

I just brushed it on randomly.

 

Rustic Tool Box Planter

 

And now it sits on my kitchen window pass through.

 

Rustic Tool Box Planter

 

Fingers crossed that Mister Oregano and Miss Rosemary will thrive.

 

Okay, I’ll be happy if they just stay alive.

 

🙂

 

P.S. This is what happens when I work on projects in the summer months. Signs of real, living and breathing human life show up in my photos …

Rustic Tool Box Planter

 

P.P.S. I want to thank Rust-Oleum for sending me all those cool stain and paint products. And unfinished wood pieces. I’m truly thankful! And all opinions about Rust-Oleum and their products are 100% my own.

Rustic Tool Box Planter: How To Age A New Pallet Box

How-To-Make-Rustic-Tool-Box-Planter

 

 

You might also like …

How To Make New Crates Look vintage

How To Make New Crates Look Vintage {click here}

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You can find my full gallery of Before & After projects by clicking here …


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Filed Under: DIY, DIY & Crafts


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Comments

  1. shirley@housepitalitydesigns says

    June 21, 2015 at 6:45 am

    Love it Linda!….Looks like the herbs are just so happy to be in that beautiful tool box….so happy together!….and then you go and give their home a fresh coat of paint too…even happier…

    Reply
  2. Kris@Junkchiccottage says

    June 21, 2015 at 10:19 am

    Linda,
    So sweet and pretty. Love this. Love your “real photo bomber” too! Hope your hubby has a great Father’s Day today.
    Kris

    Reply
  3. JaneEllen says

    June 21, 2015 at 5:17 pm

    Hi Linda Sorry I”ve been absentia lately, just not up to doing much at all. Darned arthritis really showing ugly head. Hard for me to type, neck hurting something awful, usually don’t have bad arthritis except in cold winter months but this hit me like ton of bricks. Getting old really does suck. Excuse expression, just is right one for situation. I do not want to get any older but will be 75 next month, oh poop.
    Love your plant holder. We make different sizes, styles of them. Did you know they’re also called trugs? Forget where I saw that. How very nice to get paint/stain/tool holder from Rustoleum. It looks really nice with that stain on it.
    Hope your hubs is having great Father’s day, are you doing anything special today? Mine is kicking back, playing on his pc, being lazy but he made our breakfast today, thinks he’s only one that will/can cook, (just cause he’s mostly right), lol.
    Don’t water your herbs too much, wait til dirt feels dry then don’t over water, rots the roots. By some miracle I still have geraniums from last summer alive, for me a miracle also. I split them few weeks ago to make several other plants and they’re thriving. I keep them out on front porch as it’s shady out there from mid afternoon on. Phew is it hot here, over 100.
    My poor oldest son is working in Palm Springs all during week, is 115 there. No thanks. He hates to get all hot and sweaty. He leaves Palm Springs on Friday night to go back to San Diego with his boys and drives back to P.S. on Sunday afternoon. Oldest boy is working doing demo earning good money. Youngest is probably on his computer or phone all day in cool apartment while they work.
    How is it in Chicago? Has summer heat/humidity arrived? i was there one year with ex hubs in July right after we got married. After Tucson was quite different for me. He said I embarrassed him looking up at all tall buildings. Had been in Tucson for 9 years at that point, I had turned 19 on 21st. and we got married on 25th. Tucson was pretty small spuds compared to Chicago in those days 1959. He bought a car while there and we drove it back to Tucson where he was stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force base. The base was ripe pickings for husband material for us Tucson girls. Got my present hubs from there also almost 3 yrs. later.
    Have great week gal. Was that your hubs or son in photo?

    Reply
  4. kirby says

    June 22, 2015 at 4:48 am

    I will be saying a few Our Fathers for them! (Love the box, by the way!)

    Reply
  5. laura@top this top that says

    June 22, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    congrats. plants that are still alive….awesome! And real people in your photos, more awesome.
    cute little plant holder.

    Reply
  6. TwoPlusCute says

    June 25, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    It’s very nice. The colors bring out the green of the plants (great photos by the way).
    Easy DIY and with elegant impact.

    Reply
  7. Sarah @ EDEA says

    June 29, 2015 at 5:35 am

    LOVE this. Super cute project

    Sarah @ EDEA Smith
    http://www.edea-smith.co.uk

    Reply
  8. JaneEllen says

    July 27, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    Hi Linda, barely got my sheets on line. As soon as I walked out there the wind came up like gang busters, hard to hang sheets with wind. Guess God is mad at me for saying naughty words at wind so gave me good taste of it. Sorry God. It’s still pain in back side to fight wind while hanging sheets on line. On top of that hubs had watered right under clothes lines last night, where there’s nothing but dirt, and left water on forever, hence we have sink into mud under clothes lines today, No I didn’t say anything unpleasant to him, waited til I was done then asked him not to water under clothes lines on Sunday night since I hang sheets on Mondays.
    Have you gone on your vacation yet? Where are you going and for how long? Hope you have great time.
    When do your kids start school? Ours start here on August 3rd for Pete’s sake. Our youngest (15) grand daughter will have to stay home alone while her Mom/Dad/sister go off to Northern CA to take sister to college. G.D is sophomore this year in high school so can”t miss that much school. She’s also class president and would miss too much goings on. Stupid schools now, what was wrong with starting school after Labor Day and kids still were in school in June? Where is your son going to college?
    Hope you have wonderful week

    Reply
  9. Leah Sannar says

    July 30, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    Hi Linda, I love how this turned out! I have wanted to do something similar for a while now, but my windowsills are way too narrow for something to sit there. (super old house…) I’m thinking I might have to just do this anyway and let it camp out on the dining room table!!

    Reply
  10. Shay Tucker says

    June 10, 2016 at 12:52 am

    Love this! I want to make it! Any idea where the unfinished tool box came from?

    Reply
    • Linda says

      June 10, 2016 at 6:50 am

      It was sent to me, but I’ve seen similar unfinished wood boxes at Michael’s.

      Reply

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