Never fear a thrifting purchase that needs a little bit of love.
One of my favorite things to do during a weekend is to visit a yard sale or two while running errands around town. Normally, you will find lots of clothing, kitchen utensils, random household supplies and the occasional decoration. Never quickly excuse the decoration, especially if it would be a great fit into a room that you are looking to update. So when I came across a box at yard sale on the way to the gallery that I do social media marketing for, I could not help, but make the purchase.
The box was hidden on a table with kitchen plates and mugs, just waiting for someone to recognize its cuteness and charm. The black box with bronze and gray detailing had three storage departments inside providing a slight bit of functionality. I will admit, functionality will always earn an extra point or two. However, upon a quick look, it was clear that box was in need of a little bit of care. The foil on the body of the box as well as its top had corners that were now bent over and one of the decorative wood strips needed to be reattached. Not only would he be a cute addition to my sitting room, but he would be a project as well. The owner at the yard sale quickly saw the box’s imperfections and reduced the price to only $3. It was a done deal.
Once I was able to set some time at home later, I took a long look at the box to determine a course of action. The foil was bent like a piece of paper and presented itself as a tear risk if it was overcorrected. The upside should the foil break, it would likely fair okay with being glued if the tears were an even line or being replaced with decorative paper. A total of four pieces of the foil would need to be straighten and reattached. The wooden strip that was loose and slightly hanging was not overly noticeable, but if I was going to make repairs to the foil, the wooden strip was going to get some love too. With an idea of what needed to be corrected, it was time to grab the hot glue gun, some wood glue and a hammer.
With the glue gun at hand, the foil would be the first task to repairing the box into the glory I knew it had deep down inside. Knowing that replacing the foil with decorative paper was a last minute option allowed me the courage to work on that first. Luckily for the foil, each bent piece was able to be straighten and the hot glue was able to stick without causing any further damage. Once the hot glue was cooled, there was no need to fix the foil any further. Then the focus of the work was directed to the wooden strip. Wood glue was placed under the strip and seemed to work well until two small nails appeared through the top of the decorative piece. A few small taps of the hammer proved to be successful, and the strip looked nothing had ever happened to it. My work was done.
The $3 box from the yard sale now fit into the vintage bronze feel of my sitting room. He may have been a little bit of work in comparison to its counterparts, but an outsider would know nothing different. Sometimes that thrifting purchase may become a little bit of a repair or crafting challenge, but is the fun in always finding something that is perfect already?
