I’m the leader of one of our small groups at church called R3 – Reuse, Repurpose, Restore. We usually meet once a month to hit some thrift/antique stores in the Carolina’s. We always have loads of fun. Sometimes we find lots of treasures and sometimes lunch ends up being the highlight of the trip.
On one of our outings a few months ago I found a tired, very used wicker tea cart at a little shop in Charlotte for only $25.00. I looked at it, walked away thinking of ways I could spruce it up, looked at other things and then as I was headed out of the shop I looked one more time and decided to buy it. If you’ve ever priced tea carts, you know they are not cheap. I knew the one I bought was a steal.
Tea Cart Makeover
This is what it looked like when I bought it:
Once I removed all of the plastic roping, duct and even scotch tape and cleaned it up a bit, I liked the lines of the cart much better.
I knew I wanted to paint it a bright color because eventually it will be used in my yet-to-be-built sunroom. And, frankly, I didn’t know what I was going to do with the big black elephant in the room – those big, rubber wheels! They were hideous! Eventually, I decided the best way to hide those big, honking wheels, was to paint them the same color as the cart.
I love the way my tea cart turned out! For now, I’m styling it with all things beachy! In the fall, I’ll switch it up by using pumpkins and lots of my favorite color, orange. Winter will find this tea cart all decked out for Christmas!
Tea Carts are so versatile! You can use one as an end table, a night stand, a beverage station, etc. Or you can have a tea party!
I used 4 cans of Krylon Paint & Primer Color Master in Blue Glowz. It only took an afternoon to transform an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan!
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About Alli
Your tea cart did turn out beautiful. I love that aqua color, it is very summery! Paint can make such a huge difference!
What an awesome group, thrift shopping to repurpose! That sounds fun to me!
It is fun, Shirley! We have the best time on our trash-to-treasure hunts!
Alli, this looks so beautiful and you used one of my favorite colors! I have always loved tea carts and now I really want to find one. You did such a great job – pinning! Happy Monday, my friend!
Thanks, Cindy! It was a really easy re-do (thank goodness, because I’m not that handy when it comes to major makeovers)!
Alli I love it! Great color choice. R3 sounds like an amazing group.
We always have a good time, even when we don’t find any treasures.
What an awesome repurpose! This came out so lovely and I love your choice of the bright color…
I was pleased, too, because I hated that old green color. It really dated the cart.
I love this tea cart and what a couple cans of spray paint can do! Your R3 group sounds like so much fun!
It is fun! We took the summer off because of vacations, etc., but we are planning our September outing.
I love the color! It looks great! I’m also little obsessed with blue mason jars! Nice touch. 🙂
I think I ordered those blue mason jars the day they came out! I instantly fell in love with them.
That’s looks great! I have an old wicker piece in my bathroom – I might try this so its not such an eye sore! If you are ever in the Greensboro area you must let me know!
Spray paint makes everything better! 🙂
I love it! Great color choice Alli!
Thanks, Louida!
Wow it looks so good now!! I love what you did to it 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
http://neatly-packaged.com/
WOW! This is beautiful. I love that your church does this. That’s an idea I can share at my church. Us ladies love to shop 🙂 Your tea cart is beautiful. I need to get my DIY in gear. This was a great share. Inspiring.
We have all sorts of small groups that the members can become a part of: Pay it Forward is a group that helps others and they recently had a yard sale to benefit our missions outreach in Haiti. We also have exercise groups, game night groups, girl’s night out group, book club, etc. It’s a way for people to get to know each other and invite their un-churched friends to participate.
I love the color that you chose. It’s one of my favorites. The cart turned out lovely. 🙂
Thanks, Andrea! I really like the way it came out, too, fresh & bright! 🙂
Now I’m going to be running around Dallas looking for tea carts to paint! LOL
That’s funny! I actually have two carts – one is in my office and is more like an old metal librarian cart.
Love love LOVE!!! Such a difference! I’m a huge fan of re-purposing things just like this!
Me, too, Kristen! And I just love a good deal! A lot of the old tea carts are really expensive, so I was glad I found this one for cheap.
Oh my goodness, I love it!! I would love to be a part of a re-purpose group, that is an awesome idea. I might just have to hit it up in my area!
We have the best time looking for old stuff that is cheap and that we can repurpose! And we are all into different things and our group’s age varies from the mid twenties to the mid fifties, so that keeps it interesting as well.
I love that bright blue! It looks like a shade of robin’s egg blue which I think is absolutely adorable. Great find.
Thanks, Ashley!
Oh wow, what a makeover. How fun to have a R3 small groups at church. If you do something together, what do you do with the production? Just curious.
We just shop together. Everyone buys their own “trash-to-treasures” and then takes it to their home to fix it up, etc. 🙂
Oh, I see. I understood you were doing one project together.
No, we go out once a month as a group. It’s just one of several small groups at our church. I just happened to find the tea cart at a thrift store on one of our monthly outings. 🙂
I love tea carts! Great job! I used to do more re-do projects but just don’t seem to have the time now.
I don’t do very many, but I like to tackle something easy every once in a while.
i love the beach theme with the sand stars and the blue color. But i especially love the dishes you have displayed
Love love love this project! Definitely saving for later. Also I love the color you chose for the cart!
Thanks, Madison. It’s one of my favorite colors, too. My thinking is “Go bright or go home!” 🙂
Another one saved from the dump truck! Good job.
It was definitely headed that way, Jeannie!
Your cart turned out really well. I admire those who can tackle DIY projects. If I had to do it, I would be in tears with paint all over the place.
I love to use spray paint, Reginia. It’s a lot easier than using a paint brush. I’ve never tackled a really big project, but I like to mess around with small ones.
Wow wow wow. I love this esp the colour you choosed to paint it in. Beautiful ! 🙂
~ Lu
http://missluludarling.blogspot.com
Thanks! It is a bright, happy color.
Love the color!! It turned out so bright and fun! Love it!!
Thanks, Crystal. I love it, too.
Great project! Thanks so much for linking up at the Home Matters Linky Party, Alli! Please feel free to stop by again this coming Wednesday and link up again!
Oh, I will! I’m so excited about your linky party!