Vintage Craftsman Tool Box Planter

May 1, 2017

vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter

Vintage toolboxes can be found at garage sales and thrift stores. Some are older than others, of course. I personally love the ones that look well-loved. Some might even call them beat-up looking. The rustier the better I say! They can certainly be used for holding tools. But I like what I did with my vintage Craftsman toolbox better. 


vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter patina rusted chippy

See what I mean about being well-loved? I believe that's called p-a-t-i-n-a, dahling.


vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter patina rusted chippy

She's certainly got a lot of it. When researching this vintage goodie I can find many similar Craftsman tool boxes, but none exactly the same. The distinctive feature of this one is that it has only one latch. I found ones with two or three latches, but not just one. I think it's probably from the 1960's or 1970's?

vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter patina rusted chippy

I was originally going to paint it a pretty aqua color but then I got to thinking and wondered how the rust would affect my plan. I knew that at a minimum it would make painting it a bit harder. But then once I placed my bright green spring plants into it I realized that I didn't have to paint it at all.

vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter

Thyme, Lemon Cypress and Baby Tears

I picked it up at Goodwill a while back for $2.99. I left it sitting in the garage since I had it in the back of my mind to actually use it as a planter. As in: fill it with dirt and plant something in it. For that I was waiting until spring.

vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter

Well, spring is here and I'm happy as a clam to just plop my plants into it, as is.

vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter faux aged terra cotta pots

 I love how clay pots look when they've been aged by the elements. If that fails, you can always create your own by following my tutorial on How To Age Terra Cotta Pots In 5 Minutes or Less. Do you have a secret for aging pots?

I hope you enjoyed reading about my 
Vintage Craftsman Toolbox Planter!

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vintage craftsman toolbox upcycle planter


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Leave a Comment!

handmade by amalia said...

Oh, I love its rustic beauty.
Amalia
xo

rush said...

I received an email stating that a new post was available. I clicked on that, and it took me to your blog, but maybe not the correct one. I had to cut and paste your current blog name in my browser, and I was taken to your blog, but not this particular post. Maybe it's something you need to know about, and maybe you can fix it. I don't know anything about how to go about fixing it, though. Good luck!

My thrift store addiction said...

I love everything about this! You reminded me to replant a few rusty toolboxes I have ;)

https://www.vintagesouthernpicks.com said...

Much better that you decided not to paint it! Like the look with the flower pots in it.

The Speckled Hen Cottage said...

Don't you just love it when you pull out a piece you've squirreled away and it's perfect just the way it is!

Unknown said...

Looks awesome, Kathleen!! I've done the same thing with a wooden tool box for my herbs, but I LOVE your lemon cypress tree. Thanks for sharing, Cynthia

Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate said...

Fab find and love all the pretty plants you put in it. Featuring when my party opens up tonight!