Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Old Sifters --- New Life!

I am drawn to old kitchen utensils. I love to find old flatware and serving spoons that have been well loved and well used over the years. Old teapots and coffee pots are my delight!!! I go back to my childhood when there were no coffee makers and my mother would perk coffee every morning on the stove top. Who needed an alarm clock when the smell of fresh brewed coffee did the trick? I can see my grandmother even now as she baked in her kitchen. My job was always to sift the flour and, even though I got more on me and the surrounding work area than in the bowl, she never lost patience.

Sifters of all sizes are perfect pieces to breathe new life into for me. I love their knobby cranks and handles and the indentations for the measurements. It is so much fun trying to decide what do do with each one that comes my way. Here is a tiny little sifter, only one cup, that I found at my favorite thrift store. It was just the perfect size to hold pencils and maybe a pair of scissors. I think a bunny and rosemary make a great design for this little guy.




Sometimes it's not what you paint on the sifter that is important, but rather what you put in it. Using an old sifter as a container for a little kitchen Christmas candle light composition was just the ticket for this piece. Cinnamon dough ornies, little apples with evergreen and "candies" formed the perfect compliment to the cinnamon coated light. Even the silicone bulb had that fabulous spice in its coating.


My latest repurposing started with an old Bromwell sifter that had seen a lot of use. I decided to try out one of my new designs and use it also for a candle light. This time a wooly sheep surrounded by a verse from Psalm 100 seemed the perfect thing to paint. I have pieces of an old antique quilt that is so worn the cotton batting is coming out. I used a piece to cover the top (and the bottom) of the sifter. The candle light is stained to make it blend in with the old pieces. And the hang tag???? What better than "This Little Light of Mine"? I have always told my friends I have never been bored a day in my life. How can I be when there are so many sifters to paint?















7 comments:

Susie Mitchell said...

Hi Martha, I found your blog on someone else's...and I'm so glad I did. I put you in my side bar on Susie's Heart so I could follow what you're doing. Always fun when you have something new to share...I especially love your sifters! I've painted and filled a lot of them in the last 30 years...always a fun project...your candle light...is deLIGHTful! Wishing you the very best with all your projects.
Blessings, Susie

Anonymous said...

If I keep looking at your beautiful artwork the next thing you know I will start painting like that!! LOL!! I just Love your Art!
Happy St.Patrick's Day!!
Love,
Marilyn
xxoo

Brenda said...

I love what you have done with the sifters! I really like that sheep one! Awesome!!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

You truly are amazing! You see beauty in everything! What a talent!

Scrap for Joy said...

What a lovely place to visit. I love your artwork (that bunny suitcase is amazing) and the scallop recipe is one I must try. I will have to come back here again.

Anonymous said...

Martha, they're wonderful! I like old sifters too. Of course, mine are just old rusty tin things, not with lovely artwork like this!

And I DO love the secretary! I'm so glad I found your blog and etsy shop.

Diane :-)

Lisa Gatz said...

What a beautiful thing to do with old sifters! I have a fond place in my heart for them, too.