Tuesday, March 23, 2021

An Old Bowl & How to Make Conversation Starters

To buy or not to buy, that is often the question when thrifting. Since I no longer have an antique booth, the answer has been no more often lately. I want to know how I am going to use something and I don't want a lot of seasonal decor that needs stored after the season is over. 

An Old Bowl & Conversation Starters

An Old Bowl and Conversation Starters
This old pottery bowl was definitely a maybe yes, maybe no. First, I cannot tell if it is really old or something made in Mexico and maybe painted black later. When deciding, I do not weigh if the item is actually valuable or not. I am not taking anything to the Antique Roadshow, although wouldn't it be fun to find something truly valuable at a garage sale or thrift store? If I love it and it speaks to me, it is valuable to me.
An Old Bowl and How to Make Conversation Starter Blocks
I went back three times and picked the pottery bowl up and looked at it and that was finally the, yes, you need it moment. This is another hint that you should buy it--if you keep thinking about it. 
An Old Bowl and How to Make Conversation Starter Blocks
At another thrift store I was looking for something unique to put in it as a bowl filler. I wanted something springy. I looked at wood spools, but they were priced at 99 cents each, too much if I had to buy a dozen. I looked at the tool bits and pieces, but most of them were too bulky. As I was leaving I spied a bag full of handmade wood stacking game blocks.
An Old Bowl and How to Make Conversation Starter Blocks
I decided I could do something with these. Jenga games are fairly common at thrift stores, but this homemade game is better for repurposing because it doesn't have Jenga carved into it. I thought about painting the blocks different springy colors, but decided the texture of the old bowl called for natural wood.
An Old Bowl and How to Make Conversation Starter Blocks
Using white craft paint, I painted spring things on the blocks--a bunny, carrot, rainbow, umbrella, flowers, etc. With a Sharpie, I wrote conversation starter questions on the back. These include, what is your favorite season, favorite veggie, flower, etc. What is something you wish you could do faster, what is something you wish you could grow, sunrise or sunset?
I finished the blocks using Wise Owl furniture salve. 
An Old Bowl and How to Make Conversation Starter Blocks
The old bowl and the conversation blocks are perfect sitting on an end table in the living room. I am going to test the questions on hubby--honestly, I don't know all of his answers. 
Keep your eyes open for unique pieces that you can use in fun and different ways in your home and make sure they speak to your heart.

1 comment:

  1. Love the cute pictures you painted on the blocks. At first I thought they came that way. Fun concept too. Love the black bowl as well. I would have grabbed it to put all of my washi tape in.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!