LIFE AT THE COTTAGE

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Found Object Art



This is a very common sight around the workshop of The Brambleberry Cottage—
both inside and out.

Though I attempt to keep some semblance of order—organizing our multitudes of
baskets and bins of rusty metal, chippy-paint boards, balusters and spindles, and other
assorted salvage—it does have a tendency to get out of hand
at times...especially when we are in the midst of several
projects, as is currently the case.


And the clutter begins to mount even higher when a project or two gets
stalled because some key component
seems to be missing. 

That's exactly what happened with the variety of junk you see in the first image...
that is, until we found the old, beat-up tin full of
 vintage porcelain insulators.


Once the insulators were in our possession, the creative mind of the Yankee
started whirling, and a certain prized piece of wood
 of mine became a key to one of his latest designs. 

I had found this wonderful old porch post at the flea market last year
and had stored it away in the barn for a future project.  Its layers of paint had
begun to crackle and chip away, revealing the most fantastic
weathered patina.

I was rather reluctant to relinquish my hold on this treasure...
until the Yankee convinced me that his
project was worthy of its use.
  

As soon as I consented to letting him have my pretty wood post, he went to work
welding together several salvaged parts from antique
 cast iron wood stoves.


A good scrub with a wire brush—to eliminate the loose flakes of rust—and a
few coats of our favorite spray sealant gave the rusty components
a nice rich patina.


While the Yankee was constructing his creations, I searched through a number of
bins in the barn to scout out the perfect pieces
of metal for the bases.

They had to be just the right dimensions and thickness to compliment
 the Yankee's pieces.


And this is what I came up with.  Aren't they "grate"?!   ; )


So my vintage porch post, coupled with a few rusty grater parts, some
old insulators, an old gear or two, and several antique stove parts
 became...


"found object" art.

As hard as it was to give up, I think the Yankee put my
wood post to good use!   ; )


Joining:
Kristin's Tuesday's Treasures, Tammy's Anything Goes,

31 comments:

  1. Very creative! We have old tools - maybe we need to take another look at them! New follower from Homemaker On A Dime party - nice to meet you. I'm a Yankee too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. O.k. I see a lot of great and talented people on this thing call blog world, but this I had to call my husband in to see also. They are wonderful.
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow very impressive. Artistic. It just goes to show that with a creative mind, anything is possible.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Todd

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, I would totally buy something like this. I love old gears, and old rusty metal in general. Awesome job Mr. Yankee!

    ReplyDelete
  5. You two are amazing! Your objects will look gorgeous on a big tray displayed or a shelf/table--love, love rusty and chippy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great job...perfect use of materials!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh I just love your found art! I hope you will add your lovely metamorphosis to my Fall in Love linky party on Wednesday.

    Until then, stop by and see the under $20 makeover I gave an ugly brass light fixture.

    Happy Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! You two are very creative! Love seeing what y'all come up with.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Fabulous masterpieces! It's amazing what you always come up with...two great minds working side by side. Love them!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very cool! Folkart meets steampunk meets shabby vintage. Love it!!! I'm following. ♥

    Linsey

    http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love what you have created with the old chimney dampers...so excellent!! Loved reading about the process. Excellent!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Holy Crap Liz!! Fabulous!!!!
    Super Fabulous!! Sheesh!
    Speechless.
    xo jeanne.
    bees knees bungalow

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love all your rust! it's fantastic! You're creation would be a great photo holder!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love this! I'm starting to fall in love with rusty, crusty things - also just recently learned about "steampunk!" Wow - so many creative ideas. Love your blog! Also, thank you for co-hosting "Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop." This was my first week joining, but I'll be back! Hugs, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  15. So cool!

    Jenny
    www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Liz I just found you I've signed up to follow your beautiful blog...aren't you glad you married a Yankee...you seem to be a great creative team..hope you keep sharing your creations...blessings Karena A Loblolly Life

    ReplyDelete
  17. These are fun, *neat* and unusual!!! I really like them! I am visiting from Mod Mix Monday.

    ReplyDelete
  18. love-love-love your found objects art . I just came back from a trip to Round Top/Warrenton, Texas and this type of art was abundant there... along with a pretty nice price tag as well... Aren't you the lucky one to be the creator of such beauty from such a simple found item!

    thanks for sharing! Dixie

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love to see things in a new light.
    Blessings ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. You and your Yankee took a pile of rusty things and turned them into a nice piece of work. I had some of these items in the past, but I do not know what happened to them. Nice job.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think I either need to learn how to weld or rent your "Yankee" because I have some of those rusty thingies in my garage! I love the things you made!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love em, look like high end pieces. Thanks for sharing at Beyond The Picket Fence.

    ReplyDelete
  23. How fun! If he's going to be clever - you'll have to keep him. Enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Found object art never ceases to excite me! Nice work, and nice sharing. :)
    If this is what I'll see here, I need to follow you!
    -Revi

    ReplyDelete
  25. LOVE this...you two made some lovely junk art here! Very creative and beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Liz, well I must say that you and the Yankee work magnificently together. What treasures you have turned out. Congrats. I found and am following you through Bloggeritaville and hope to visit more often. Please stop by my humble blog and perhaps you could follow me also. I would love that. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris

    ReplyDelete
  27. OMG these are great! JML would love to dig through your workshop and look at all the cool gadgets and gears and cool stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  28. These are great...Like you, I love JUNK...you can often find me in the junk yard behind the neighbors house...years of old things....I could spend hours there...Love your ideals....

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, you are one clever girl! Very cool and totally original!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Those are great! How in the world did he get the metal to wrap around the post so neatly? Bang up job!

    ReplyDelete
  31. A+mazing! aren't graters the best?! i used two vintage round graters as medallions around vintage glass dome workshop ceiling lights since the "new" electrical boxes seem to be larger than the old fixtures. and yes, it worked out grate! found you via roadkill rescue.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to comment.