Repurposed Finds

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At the flea market last summer I came across a dozen or so of these vintage rattan drink holders. I loved their texture and muted bits of color woven throughout. But since then it's been fruitless trying to find glasses to fit inside so I thought..why not repurpose them and use them to hold crudite or appetizers?

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And of course, this lead me to think about other small containers that would be just as charming and unique. Like berry crates in wood or colored cardboard.

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They make the perfect size for guests to hold while nibbling and look pretty all lined up on a buffet. To keep them food safe I just line them with natural parchment paper which also makes it convenient for cleanup and reusing later.
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This summer I plan on serving up mini desserts of fruit and cookies for my guests. Or I could use them for little bites of cake or pie. Or…I could fill them with eggs for my neighbors. Why, the possibilities are endless!

45 Responses to “Repurposed Finds”

  1. Melissa ~ Made In The South

    What colorful pictures. That is a great way to reuse the cup holders.
    I know if I were your guest, I would love to be served a piece of cake out of your little cardboard containers.
    Love the cherries, wish we could grow those here in Louisiana!
    Have a great week,
    Melissa

  2. Mardell

    Hi Heather,
    Great idea! Thanks for the ideas. I particularly like the rattan drink holders.

  3. kimberly

    I see picnic ideas in my future! However – those rattan holders NEED glasses – they are fabulous!
    xx

  4. Nancy

    Hi Heather,
    I remember having a set of those back in the early 80’s. I had the same problem~couldn’t locate any drinking glasses. I ended up buying glass votives to put in them for outdoor entertaining. Specifically, Citronella.
    Thanks for Sharing tour great ideas!!
    Nancy
    http://www.coeurdalenegifts.com

  5. Wendy McDonagh-Valentine

    These are wonderful ideas and I love the photos!! I have a bunch of berry crates just sitting in my craft supply closet. I’ll have to bring them out the next time I have a picnic in the backyard. I also just perused your last couple of blog entries and saw a couple of photos I want to add to my Pinterest boards. Thanks so much for always sharing such beautiful photos!! : )
    ~ Wendy
    http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

  6. D'Nese

    That is SUPER cute. I can NEVER find berries holders like that here. I sure wish I could cause I would so use this idea all Summer long.

  7. Lisa's Creative Home

    Hi Heather,
    Very neat idea! I’ve never seen those rattan drink holders before. I like what you have done with them and I love the berry containers. Who would thought?!

  8. nancy

    Great idea Heather! You always come up with something wonderful. 🙂 We have used the little blue cardboard containers as jewelry shopping baskets for customers in our store. An Anthropologie employee gave me a stack of them once when they were removing a display in their store.

  9. Debbie

    I recently used my wooden berry boxes to fill with homemade individual shortcakes that were baked in fancy vintage tins. They were adorable packaged for giving away “just because” with some fresh local strawberries. I’m told they were to die for!

  10. Shell

    Hi Heather!
    Fun Container Ideas! Funny you should post this today,,and I’m “coming clean” of sorts….I spent the whole morning and early afternoon Making some goodies (you can log on to my blog below to see what I’ve been working on) and after I went to the local Drug Store to buy some headbands to make a few things,,,,,I saw the “Dreaded” KFC sign. . .
    Now, I live alone,,well other than my “mini-zoo.” And although I LOVE to cook, make salads/etc. for myself, I don’t keep a lot of food in the house. And,,,,as it was about 2:00pm (I know right about now your saying, “Shell, get to the POINT”) I stopped in and got a classic KFC White Chicken 2pc…..I know, GASP, Right? I hadn’t had “The Colonel” in like forever……
    But now here IS My point,,,,,The old Standards, at KFC,,,,the Coleslaw and Potatoes? We packed in really nice little reusable containers! I know,,,SHUT UP! No Styro…no throw-aways…Containers that you could actually wash and re-use! Well,,,Paint the Colonel Green! I don’t know if I’ll use them in the Kitchen,,,,or for Glitter or the likes in my studio, but it was awesome to see that they were reusable!
    Happy Summer to you Tommorrow! Us Washingtonian’s haven’t seen much Sun since we left Farm Chicks “on the EAST Side.” Again,,,,was fun to meet you! Stop by my blog and say “hi!”
    Shell
    (Jenny’s “Party Bud”)

  11. Kath at Distraction

    What a great idea! I have a set of these at my store…..I am going to suggest this to my customers. Thanks Heather!

  12. Paula Parrish

    Hello Heather,
    WOW! Those vegetables look extra yummy in those cute vintage rattan drink holders; such a creative idea. You have inspired me to think of what I may have around the house to re-purpose.
    Smiles, Paula

  13. Heidi Woodruff

    Great idea! I’ll take the berry basket that includes the cookies, please! 🙂 Happy Summer! ~Heidi

  14. Julia

    thanks for the fresh inspiration! was looking for some fun ideas for the fourth and will be using the berry basket idea!
    Thank you Heather.

  15. Lorrie

    A great idea. Why is it that individual servings of things are so much cuter than big ones?

  16. rose c.

    Hi Heather, another wonderful idea. And speaking of wonderful ideas, I just did a whole posting on what I ideas I took from your summer issue of Souvenir. Loved it! Take a peek if you have time.

  17. judi

    i love to repurpose and this is such a great idea! you have a knack of making old things new. love the pop of color from the veggies in the strawberry boxes.
    judi
    the1829farmhouse.blogspot.com

  18. Londen

    What a great ideas! My five year old might even eat her veggies if they looked like that.

  19. Debbie

    The vegetables look so colorful and crunchy! It truly is all in the preparation to make something so healthy look so scrumptious! Great idea!

  20. Red Rose Alley

    Hello,
    I just visited your blog today. I was browsing down looking at all your pictures, which are lovely, and I noticed the picture of you. You look alot like my best friend from Colorado. Me and my daughters just started a new blog, and we would love it if you could visit us and follow. The link is: http://redrosealley.blogspot.com We recently did a post about “Home Treasures,” and it will give you a chance to get to know us a little better. Hope to hear from you, and have a sweet day.
    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

  21. Va

    I love repurposing and seeing friends reactions. Enjoyed seeing you in Country Living recently!

  22. Linda

    Simple and beautiful – always inspiring!

  23. Lori

    Heather…love the containers! But what I love more is the fact that I can purchase plans to your chicken coop!! It is the Ritz Carlton of hen houses. My freind Kim McCole @ deardaisycottage.typepad.com sent a picture of it when you posted it last year and I fell in love with it!! I had planned to have suburban chickens and showed the coop to my husband. So, I’m ordering the plans and will hopefully have my banties in by the end of the summer! Thank you so much more making them available.

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