Recycle.. : Convert (waste) into reusable material......
To you an old wooden cutlery tray ....
But to me...
A bookcase or display case.
This way , it could be up-cycled with the addition of a few pieces of wood placed at the right intervals , so that you could put more books etc on. It could also be painted to blend any differences in the wood used. Again on it's other long edge , it could be cut down, leaving just two shelves, endless possibilities !
Here it is, in the room setting with the table and chairs.
a closer look, you can see the handle holes at the side and could fill them but I think it gives it a modern twist ;)
I picked these two Royal Doulton miniature figures up on Ebay for around £5 each and they are a great size for the dolls.
I also found these two perfect little pin dishes by Carlton Ware from the 30's 40's and will , at some stage , have a special wall plate display made for them.
I also found this lovely little bowl by Booth's again from the Deco period , which I plan to use as a fruit bowl or planter.
So there you have it, a cheap and easy way to get a bookcase come display cupboard for your dolls, If you can find a slightly bigger and deeper one it would hold the books better maybe without adjustment.
Now I just need to add a little item to fill that gap on the middle shelf......
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*yippee* more miniature china items to see.
ReplyDeleteI love that bowl by Booth's and what a great use for the old cutlery tray too.
But what a sneaky idea to leave spaces on the shelves and use that as an excuse to go china shopping again! LOL!
Have fun!
If this was only all of it... there is more...'blush' I may have bought a small cabinet for some of it the other day....
DeleteNow Jane! what a crafty person you are! I meant I'd have to bring up another piece of the china I already own ! :) I've banned myself from buying any more china for a good while as I am running out of space! :)
You crafty little devil you!!
ReplyDeleteOne can only try ;)
DeleteI love to recycle things instead of throwing them out, it is why I have so much stuff....just waiting to be revamped!! This is a great idea with the wooden cutlery drawer, I love all the little things you are displaying on it, it looks perfect!
ReplyDeleteXxx
That is the problem when you decide something could be used for a different purpose unless you do it straight away it then sits about for ages.. lol
DeleteI'd said to Paul I was on the lookout for a small wooden box and then I saw the cutlery tray and thought yes! this could be just what I need and it was :)
It's nice to have somewhere to put these little items rather than them sitting in a box. xxx
Very clever idea, and I love all of your miniature pieces. I never thought to search for 'pin dish'. I just recently learned about salt spoons (as if I don't waste enough time on eBay already).
ReplyDeleteSteve
Thanks, it's so nice to finally have somewhere they can be seen. The little pin dishes are just so sweet and a great size with the dolls.Hope I'm not sending you into poverty sharing all these tips ;) lol
DeleteAnother good use for a wooden cutlery tray. A bit different from what Arrietty and Spiller did with the cutlery tray from the big house - they turned it into a boat! (If you don't know Mary Norton's The Borrowers as opposed to the film of the Borrowers, the books are well worth reading, and the cutlery tray does appear in the BBC adaption of The Borrowers). It makes a good display cabinet for your miniature china.
ReplyDeleteGoodness it's so long since I read The Borrowers, 30 years? I will need to revisit them , they may have some good ideas that could be useful !
DeleteThere are more books in the series than you think. There are 5 in the main series and also 'Poor Stainless' which is probably out of print.
DeleteHow clever Dee! It makes a wonderful shelf to display your lovely china. The miniature Royal Doulton figurines are especially nice. Thanks for sharing your ideas! 😊 xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Ginger, It's nice to have somewhere to put some items and the little Royal Doulton figurines are so sweet. I am always willing to share :) xx
DeleteWhat a great idea and more of your lovely china. The Booth bowl and the pin dishes are really pretty.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness its years since I thought about The Borrowers. I can remember wishing I had little people to live in my dolls' house and now of course I've got Sashas!
Thanks, it's surprise what you can find to recycle into something useful again.
DeleteSame with me , I so wanted real little people to come live in my house ! :)
This so great and so lovely. Thanks for showing more beautiful china!
ReplyDelete(I got a wooden lettercase waiting here for becoming a shelf, but now I can't use it because you were first :)
Thank you Anne, glad you like it all.
Delete( I hope you will use your lettercase for a shelf, it's wonderful to see everyone's ideas for recycling things for our Sasha's ) :)
FAB, Dee! (The word FAB dates me, doesn't it? But I can't think of a better one right now.)
ReplyDeleteSomewhere, I have some of those little lady figurines. They are perfect to go with doll tableware but it took your creative spark to make me see that.Your recycled cutlery drawer is inspirational too.
Why are you working in a bank when you should be in design?????
Thanks Jenni, Fab's fine :) That's great you have some of those little figurines, you'll be able to use them. Your making me blush , I'm sure others have similar ideas all the time but just haven't had a way to tell us.
DeleteI work in that bank to be able to fulfill my dolls demands!! and they are sooo demanding!
What a great idea! The wood of the cutlery tray brings out the lovely china so well.
ReplyDeleteThanks :) It's great that some china now as a home that cost me nothing to provide! :)
DeleteYou've created a lovely room for the dolls. I'm impressed by all your fine miniatures; it must have been quite a hunt to find such lovely little things. I recognise the hollyhocks plate on the left; I had a tea set in an almost identical pattern.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I do love miniatures, so I have always collected things when I see them if they call to me :) Oh a tea set in that Hollyhocks pattern would have looked gorgeous :)
DeleteGreat re-cycling here. I remember having one of these wooden cutlery trays when I first got married. Now I have a couple of plastic ones in my kitchen drawers to hold my kitchen utensils.
ReplyDeletePretty little china pieces.
Just goes to show how old this cutlery drawer was! :)I suppose if the plastic ones had straight sides you could still use them for Sasha display units.
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