Here’s another project you can do with mismatched silverware. Remember last month when I made this wreath flower out of old spoons?
I was wondering what else I could make out of mismatched silverware. And since it’s Spring I thought it would be fun to make some
garden markers.
I also made a little Spring saying to go in a pot on my kitchen table.
“Oh Come, Gentle Spring.”
And I thought — why not make some magnets out of old silverware to go on the magnet board in my kitchen?
Or maybe a little saying or decoration for a present or birthday plant?
I put an ad in my local Freecycle for old silverware. But you can also find bins of mismatched silverware at your local thrift store. Mine had bins with silverware for 25 cents each!
So, if you want to make any of these projects with your mismatched silverware, this is what I did:
I took my silverware and used a hard surface (the concrete in my backyard — with a cutting board on top) and pounded it as hard as I could with a hammer to flatten the forks and spoons. Depending on what the spoon is made out of, it might take a few swings or several dozen.
After my silverware was flat, I took it to my workbench and stamped it. I found my stamps on ebay — the size I used was 1/4 inch — but you can buy the stamps in all sorts of sizes. I practiced first on a piece of left over sheet metal. It’s good to practice for awhile, to get the spacing figured out. But I like the imperfect look, it adds character.
I used a sharpie and marked off the places I wanted to put the letters by putting a little dot on that space. The way that I found worked best was to hit it with one hard strike. I found that if I did several, the stamp moved a little and the letters were blurry.
After the letters were all stamped, I filled in the spaces with black Sharpie marker. Then I filed it off with a nail file. The Sharpie will stay in the grooves of the stamp, making the word easier to read.
After I finished this project, I discovered a couple other great tutorials with fun silverware:
Beckie @ Infarrantly Creative made a fantastic
And Manuela @ The Pleasures of Homemaking also has a
great tutorial on stamped silverware.
Also, Char @ Crap I’ve Made did a great tutorial too!
So be sure to check those out too!
If you’ve made anything out of old silverware, let me know and I will feature it!
I just found out that Country Living did a feature on this recently, I really need to get a subscription to that magazine 🙂
Have a Happy Night!
XOXO
Just wanted to let you know we featured this project on TGG’s Fav Five!
http://www.thegardenglove.com/tgg-fav-five-diy-garden-projects/
Great project, thanks!
This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i
am truly impressed to read all at one place.
These are great! What a great way to repurpose things and keep them out of the landfills! I love the plant markers!
Jennifer, thanks so much for the inspiration! I have two awesome pieces of mismatched silverware just waiting for a project like this!
-Sarah from Create Studio
http://www.createstudio.blogspot.com
That is such a great idea! Seriously it is! Thank you for sharing!
Those ideas are so cool! You ROCK!!!
I need to find some of those stamps! And I love the magnet idea! I'm going try that one!
Stunning, and you're right, there's always tons of cutlery for sale. Great job!
Tracey
so in love with the magnet idea… that's so unique!!!
Oh yeah, I'm makin' some of these for my garden!
Yes! you do need Country Living! It is great… and you can get those stamps at Harbor Freight for a couple bucks… all sizes 🙂 Thanks for the tutorial… my kids keep putting the silverware in the wrong side of the sink and they are getting eaten up by the disposal… Now I know what to do with them!!
SO SO SO DARLING, love it Jen, LOVE YOU TOO! jENN
How cool is this???? i never even thought to use silverware as gaeden info! Those little name tags that come with the plants always blow away or fade…this is great! Thanks for sharing!
I've tried plant markers and didn't have much luck – inspired to try again…
This is a project that's been "on my list" for a while, thanks for showing such cute ideas with it! 🙂 Now I really need to get moving and start creating!!
Have a wonderful weekend,
stacey
I love the garden markers…those are so creative. Thanks for sharing, as always.
Great project. Really like the garden markers. Thanks for sharing!
WOW, thanks for sharing this! Who would have known, great idea.
I have always wanted to try the "stamping thing" on spoons. Thanks for sharing.
My idea for vintage silverware can be found here: http://reddoorhome.blogspot.com/2010/04/simple-solution.html
Jen, you are a wealth of fantabulous ideas!! I love them! You have such a fantastically creative mind! I Love you to bits! xxoo
I just used my stamp set today for the first time – thanks for your tips! I got my stamps at Harbor Freight, for anyone who wants to get them. They're less than 10 dollars.
Love it!!!
Great projects!
Where did you buy your metal stamps? My friend and I are wanting to do some projects like that!
Have a great day!
Jenn
It's like you were reading my mind! I was SO going to do this! Of course I don't have any extra silverware and I don't have a stamp set and come to think of it my garden doesn't have much to label at the moment…You rock, girl (:
Love it, I made some out of old serving spoons for my sisters wedding and stamped Beloved on them… tied with ribbon, BUT I never thought to pound them flat, just worked with the scoop… hahahaha, although if you use sharpie marker you can get it off with nail polish remover, seems easier than filing?? Lovin' the flatware ideas…
I love this!!! These are so whimsy and beautiful! Thanks for showing the tutorial…I am wanting to do this now. Love your ideas!!
Hugs friend,
Victoria
So lovely!! You've done it again. 🙂 Everyone's going to be copying you now, you know. lol. Love it! All your creative pieces turned out super cute. Great tutorials too. I really want to get a set of stamps, and have had Harbor Freight's set on my wishlist for months. So many craft ideas, so little time & $ to get it all done!! haha. Great job, Jen.
Blessings!
-Sarah
These are all so cool! I would have never thought to make things with old silverware!
I love it Jen! So cute and creative.
Great post and great projects! Thanks for the inspiration!
Too cute! I love how you repurposed the silverware!!
Nancy
I made some garden markers out of old silverware, too! But not hand-stamped. I need to get some pics of them up on my blog 🙂 I love the magnets-too cute!
So funny that you posted it this…I bought 30 spoons and a stamp set today for this very project! They're going to be a lot of plant markers as Mother's Day gifts this yr 🙂
So funny that you posted it this…I bought 30 spoons and a stamp set today for this very project! They're going to be a lot of plant markers as Mother's Day gifts this yr 🙂
You can just use a baby wipe to get the extra sharpie off! Just do it as soon as you stop 'coloring' over the letters. I mean, you should do a test run, but it worked for me!
How much fun!!!!!
What?!
Friend, you are freakin' amazing. I can't even believe the stuff you dream up! And it always works!
I wanna see something you did that you don't like. Come on. Show us. I bet it's fab too!
I must do this! I loves it…great idea Jen.
Great project, Jen! I really like the one you did that looks like a little shovel. What a nice touch to put with a plant gift.
i like the magnets!
Fantastic! Who would have thought? I love ALL of these ideas! What a fun project for the garden, too.
Love the silverware wreath! I also love the garden markers … I spent a hefty amount buying a set on Etsy for my mom. I probably should have invested in the stamps instead, and made them myself!
I saw these in Country Living and made/blogged them a few months back. Your pics are way better though, LOL!
WAY COOL, Jen!!!!
Love these ideas!
Suzanne
Jen, This is awesome!!!!!
I LOVE this project!!!
Hi Jen,
I love those projects. I think the spoon wreath has got to be one of the cutest things I have ever seen! What are kind of stamps are those, like what would I call them if I were to google them? I love your blog, I am new to blogging, come check mine out if you get a chance. http://ms-smartie-pants.blogspot.com
thanks I bought a whole bag of silver ware at a thrift store for a dollar i love these idea 😀
These are wonderful! By far one of my favorite things you have done so far!