I found this big old honking enamelware basin at an estate sale this weekend.
All the other good stuff that I had seen in the Craigslist ad was already gone by the time I got to the sale, 15 minutes after it opened, so I was surprised that I found this tucked away in the basement.
Don't you hate when you are standing in line to check out at the sale and you see the people in front of you buying your stuff.
It has a Lisk Flintstone foil tag on it still. Wonder if Fred and Wilma had one like this?
It's huge - probably 2 feet wide. Not 100% sure of its original use, but I'm guessing maybe a baby bath.
It has some chips around the rim, so it was used for something at some point.
This lavender is called Ellagance (Lavandula angustifolia) and no, I did not misspell elegance. That's how it's spelled on the plant tag.
It flowers the first year and has a bushy appearance and, best of all, I found it at Walmart for a pittance.
My first thought was to make a fairy garden out of the basin, hence why I have lavender setting in it, but now that I have it home I'm not sure if I want to rusty it up by using it as a planter.
So, would you use it as a planter, as I originally intended, or find another less rust inducing way to use it?
Mark
It made it this far without losing it's label. Keep it inside and display it there.
I have spoken!
m.
Shabby chic Sandy
I love the idea of planting it--great find! I love that lavendar too--haven't seen that at our Walmart. I'll be looking:)!
Barb
You are right on the money on the enamelware! It was the same tub my mom used to bathe my siblings and me back in the 1950's. I am kicking myself for not taking it when she offered it to me when they sold the house years ago. All I could think of then was that I wasn't having any more babies and wouldn't use it. (Now I have all sorts of ideas, of course!) I have a smaller enamel basin that I, like Olive, use in my laundry room to soak clothes in... esp. vintage linens. I'm sure you'll find lots of use for it!
Snooks
What a great find! Love enamel wear and have few pieces my self. Your right it would make a very cute planter but I like you would be torn with finding another use for it. Maybe you could try it for little bit and see how you feel after a while. You could always plant the lavender in the ground somewhere if you decide you need the basin for something else.
@ 3Beeze Homestead
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
I love big basins like this! Great find! We use them a lot at our sales to hold things like buttons and potpourri! They look great holding plants, too!
lifespassion
I have several pieces of graniteware that I have used for years and years outside with plants in them and they have held up really well! I wouldn't be afraid to go for it - I also have a huge piece that I think was a baby bath and it's been outside even thru the winter and it's great. Go for it and enjoy!
Cozy Little House
I made a fairy garden today. And I have a basin that's not but about half that big that I'm probably going to make another out of. But I don't blame you. So many other things you could do.
Brenda
reFresh reStyle
Did I hear fairy garden? I love your Flintstone enamelware! I bet my butt was big when I was a baby, some things never change! I love coming over here, where have I been. You crack me up and find great things!
Patty
Pam, I love enamelware and have collected pieces since I was a kid. when I didn't know better, I knocked holes in them (if there wasn't one rusted through already) and used them to plant in. These days I try to use them for different ideas to better appreciate their beauty and function. If you want plants in them, you can do as you have in your pictures, and just slip in some pots and maybe hide the plastic with some spanish moss.
patty
Eclectically Vintage
I have an old rusty one that I'm putting in my garden - this beauty may need to stay inside! Bathroom to hold towels, planter in the kitchen, centerpiece on the dining table filled with whatever catches your eye ... the possibilities are endless!
Kelly
Tete
No way! TAKE IT INSIDE! That's a cool piece for sure. I would say it was a baby tub. Great job and yes, I hate it when I walk up and all the things I like are being carried around by someone else.
Sue
I would plant in it, Pam. The enamel is already worn- what's a little rust? LOL Maybe you could line it for a little added protection? Did you get my e-mail with the schedule for the Vintage Marketplace?
Olive Cooper
I have one lovey and I soak my vintage linens, in OxyClean, in it because sometimes I do that for 24 hours and I do not like to tie up the sink, tub or washing machine for that long.
Jane@Cottage at the Crossroads
What a find! I like someone's suggestion to use it in the laundry room!
Happier Than a Pig in Mud
Not sure how I'd use it, but it sure looks cool:@)
Keeping it Cozy
I love your enamelware basin! It looks beautiful in your garden but would also look great in the house. I love using things like this for extra storage and display on my laundry room shelves. 🙂