More Lives Than a Cat!

I think I have posted before about how I get so used to seeing something that I no longer really "see" it! I had another one of those moments today.

I had been faithfully going through my blog list and new "pins" when I saw a lot of unique fireplace bins popping up. Guess it is that time of year. Now that it is autumn, we have begun to use our fireplace again and I never like just having the logs piled up on the hearth. It looks messy and there is always a pile of loose bark and sand when we are through. I had noticed that Target had a bin featured in their sale this week and was considering going to look at it when I remembered my old friend. And boy do I wish I had remembered it a long time ago as the elements have not been kind to it.

I am talking about my old copper boiler pot. I bought this many years ago at an antique shop and have used it in many ways - one of them being a log holder - DUH! In any case, one day a few years ago I moved it outside. It held plants for awhile and most recently has served as a beverage cooler for outdoor parties. It has been sitting under one of our outdoor tables and getting sprinkled and rained on for years. It was time to check it out.

I washed it up a bit a let it dry and then brought it in the house.

I must admit that this isn't my favorite look for the hearth. This pot takes up a lot of room. It would look better on the other side of the hearth but that made it a bit too tight for my grand children to have easy access to their Legos and other toys - and everyone knows grand children MUST have easy access to their Legos. And so, I have settled with it on this side. I am sure it will look better when we have real firewood in there as well but until it gets a good bit cooler, we use the fire mostly for ambiance and not the heat that a real fire throws off.

No matter what, this looks better than just having these things piled on the hearth. I am going to have to do a bit of repair and since one tool I have not learned how to use is a blow torch, I think I will try some "liquid weld" on the seams of the pot that have come loose from the rust that held it together finally chipping off. I am sad that I have forgotten it for so long but I think it may still have a few "lives left" in it. How about filling it with greenery for the holiday - or perhaps filling it with pretty wrapped packages? Lots of options - stay tuned.